Games like last night, we needed Wood, McLeod. We need Meier with fire. We need a tone-setter. Cannot be Bastian alone (I have huge amount of respect for him after last night).

If we are going to keep the moves minor at deadline…I wonder if there isn’t a guy like Wood available. Doesn’t need to be a fighter or a bruiser (not a Pat Maroon type). But someone who never backs down, plays with passion, energy…creates a spark. Only guy on roster who shows that now is probably Jesper Bratt.

Add a spark or two, otherwise roll with what we got.

one Mr Yakov Trenin could do the trick.

Takeaways from reading various reporting after last nights game.

1. Lindy out of answers
2. Team attitude needs a change
3. Physical play gets in their heads

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This kind of wowed me a bit. I know Novo and Lindy had butted heads a few times this year, but Novo is about one step away from joining the “Fire Lindy” chants (and I view him as a pretty responsible reporter).

Ryan Novozinsky Piece this morning.

Devils’ Lindy Ruff out of answers after another unacceptable loss to Rangers

The faint chants started late in the third period, only to be quickly outdone by the thousands of rival fans shrieking in joy as Vincent Trocheck potted his goal to make it 5-0 Rangers at Prudential Center on Thursday night.

“Fire Lindy! Fire Lindy!”

They weren’t nearly as loud as last year’s rendition, but the gaggle of remaining Devils fans had seen enough – and they let their coach hear it.

Lindy Ruff’s Devils, now 28-24-4 in a season that began with Stanley Cup dreams, fell to their Hudson River foes, 5-1, dropping their second straight game and three of their last four contests in the process.

They may have out-shot New York 40-18 and dominated possession metrics, but the team’s lack of preparedness – especially on special teams – and their lagging physical edge remains an issue in the season from hell. With 26 games to go – and the Devils now five points out of a playoff spot – Ruff and Co. can’t afford only moral victories.

The Devils power play laid another goose egg despite 11:52 minutes (!!!) with an extra attacker on five total opportunities. Ruff and Travis Green’s man-advantage unit is now 2-for-46 in its last 14 games. Aside from bodies returning from injury and the Dawson Mercer-Jesper Bratt swap tonight, Ruff has done little to fix things.

Pressed on this after the game, Ruff said he’s working with his staff on better options – and said reporters were creating “excess pressure” by asking players about the lifeless unit.

“I imagine you’ve asked every player – now they’re feeling it and you guys are creating excess pressure,” Ruff told reporters. “Us as a staff will go through that power play. We change things up, we met with individual groups tonight – as opposed to when you meet with all 10 or 11 of your guys. We’ll go through the whole thing again and just try to get better.”

One question later, Ruff stormed off, answering just nine questions despite the myriad issues facing his team.

Perhaps it’s a sign: Maybe the 64-year-old coach, who, to his credit, helped surge players like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton and others to career years last season, is out of answers in a season marred by inconsistencies, injuries and another goalie disaster.

The Devils still have talent. There’s no doubt about that. They’re sixth in expected goals percentage (53.28%), seventh in five-on-five scoring (122) and fifth in Corsi (53.16%). They finished with 92 shot attempts in Thursday’s game alone.

If this season is a wash (and we may know that answer after this weekend’s back-to-back) GM Tom Fitzgerald needs to start thinking about the future. Maybe the coach who waited until the All-Star break to tweak his defensive scheme and has barely touched his power play amid a brutal cold stretch isn’t the one to guide the Hughes brothers through their respective primes.

There’s still a great team somewhere in these Devils. They might just need a fresh voice to unlock it.

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Also, worth reading Jack Hughes comments after the game. He is holding himself accountable, but also calling out whole team ‘attitude’

“No, I’m obviously not playing my best. You know, I’ve got to find a way to get to that point and help us make a push. We just gotta we gotta regroup. We gotta digest tonight. And then we gotta wrap our heads around changing our attitude and really believing in ourselves and not just talking and saying that but actually doing that.”

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Luke after game basically acknowledged that their physicality got into their heads a little and knocked them off their game.

“Next game mentality. Everyone knows tonight wasn't a good game. We have to come back, do our jobs and look forward to Montreal. We need to win that game. Rivalry game. They were very physical. We weren't good enough. That's kind of it. We have to limit the mistakes. That's basically it."

Tyler Bertuzzi
Blake Coleman
Miles Wood

Ruff cut the presser short when it got back to Ryan. Novo is not wrong, let's face it. This team has only scored the opening goal 15 out of 55. I said Rempe would be a factor and he would come out just like that. How come Ruff didnt get them ready for that? We turtled. I read somewhere that Kreider taunted Daws after a goal. Tired of Jack's BS honestly. Shut up and play. Luke needs to sit a game and watch, let Hattakaa back in. Sitting Miller was dumb. Smitty needs a game off for maintenance. Timo is go awful but they are playing him where now at 3 LW, huh? Seems like Lindy has lost the room and I feel Jack is his biggest ally and thats not good. 2nd game they played with no urgency, perimiter shooting no sustained pressure. May actually be best if they get smoked this weekend to call it!

Have been thinking about this lately...what is the case to sell Mercer over Holtz?

(I am just playing Devils advocate here)

(1) -- Salary (Mercer is RFA is likely getting big raise this summer, Holtz has another ELC year left)
(2) -- Better return (Mercer has better track record and we can sell him at center price, Holtz is still getting there and is winger only)
(3) -- Less untapped potential (Mercer is likely closer to his ceiling today than Holtz is to his ceiling today)

Counter-arguments to those would be

(1) -- Just one year, Holtz first RFA deal in 2025 (2024-25 is not THAT tight...2025-26 and beyond will be)
(2) -- We don't know...if its Saros vs Markstrom....or Markstrom vs Markstrom+Hanifin...
(3) -- Also unknown...and probably hard to quantify at this point.

(and also Mercer's versatility, track record, esteem with coaches, players, etc...all the things we know)

I think it would ultimately come down to #2. If teams are offering X for Holtz, X+Y for Mercer...what is Y?

Call me with Markstrom and Hanifin both with 50% retention and I’ll stick Mercer on the table

I keep seeing Lundell’s name out there…if he is available, I really hope Fitz makes an attempt for him. Could be great 3C option long term. Not sure what we would have that gets him though.

Preferences

Get a Pettersson and Trenin, ride it out with daws

Sell

Trade for a goalie that isn’t 34 at a reasonable price

Trade for Markstrom at a price in line with historical comps that makes me chuckle and flames fans lose their minds

Overpay for a different goalie that isn’t 34

Overpay for Markstrom

Toffoli 50%+Miller 50%+Lazar+1st+2nd for Knight+Lundell

Toffoli+Miller for knight
Lazar+1st+2nd for Lundell

I am guessing they don’t want picks…would want guys to help this year. Maybe Toffoli, Miller…for Lundell.

Daws is not seeing it

May be overworking him.

Are you suggesting 8 starts in a row is a bad idea including both nights of a back to back? We do this every time.

That Bratt goal…was exactly why we don’t want a guy like Xhekaj in our lineup. He is a huge liability.

What a game from Meier. Put him with elite linemates and he'll produce

They gotta free Holtz. Less than 6 minutes of ice time is unacceptable. Knight for Holtz 1 for 1?

Defense looks better with Siegs healthy. They should run
Siegethaler-Nemec
Hughes-Marino
Bahl-Miller

Toffoli hasn't looked good as of late. I think Palat and Mercer are good wingers for Jack

Daws is not seeing it

May be overworking him.

"May"?????