Most Disappointing Devils Team Ever?

[00:00:00] Episode 9.

[00:00:06] Hey, everyone!

[00:00:13] Mr. Devil here, Kenny Danicole, three time Stanley Cup champion of the New Jersey Devils

[00:00:20] and you're listening to UnclePuckers NJD Podcast with Chris Dhan Bobby and Tony, the UnclePuckers.

[00:00:27] Pockers let's go Devils and it feels like forever since we did a show. It's like yeah, when was the last show we did

[00:00:37] 88

[00:00:40] It was 88 I could be wrong

[00:00:42] It was a long time. It was maybe it was 96 the first year

[00:00:47] After a cup when the Devils also did not make the playoffs when they spit the bit and yeah

[00:00:53] Although technically we're still in the playoff hunt last time I looked like earlier today

[00:00:57] Or yeah, it's hilarious. We're gonna definitely be the last team eliminated, right? Well

[00:01:01] They don't in no way no uncertain terms. Do I feel that this team deserves to even go near to playoffs?

[00:01:08] I don't even think they deserve to watch them on TV like they should just read about it secondhand

[00:01:13] This team is so fucked up. I mean

[00:01:17] So we'll talk about that let's discuss the the win against the senators the shootout loss against the predators and

[00:01:25] A little bit of stuff of whatever you guys felt about that. Yes

[00:01:28] We are mathematically still in playoff, you know, we still have a little bit of life

[00:01:33] There's a chance somehow gaining five points in four games and jumping five teams

[00:01:40] You know miracles gonna happen I guess yeah

[00:01:44] Yeah, well it is the year of the eclipse so anything's possible the stars have an eclipse party

[00:01:51] No, I didn't I did catch a little bit of it on my way into

[00:01:55] appointment I had and I looked up and I had a pair of those glasses somebody gave me and I'm like yeah

[00:02:01] Whatever it's just like a circle in front of the Sun

[00:02:04] It's like I think on Facebook. There's like the same picture everyone's pot like five thousand in the same photo

[00:02:10] I think it's the oldest for those pictures. I said clips. Yeah, Chris. That was cool

[00:02:14] That was definitely a and that was just off my phone because there was some cloud cover

[00:02:18] So even when you put the glasses on you couldn't see anything because well, yeah when I got out of it

[00:02:23] It was still on but you couldn't even find where the Sun was it was gone clouds everywhere

[00:02:27] Now that was definitely Chris and a great picture

[00:02:29] I don't know why you had to be naked in the picture Chris, but I mean besides that

[00:02:32] Well, you know, I wanted you at least get some kind of

[00:02:37] How far my asshole was away from the moon you ran my moon from that

[00:02:43] You know, so

[00:02:45] You can delete the Nate the new and just look at the moon pictures if you uncle Pucker stickers party at the moon tower

[00:02:55] So yeah, Bobby went to the the avalanche game last night. I wonder how that went he's out in Colorado for business

[00:03:02] And that's awesome. Yeah, the abs game. I don't even know who I don't even know who they played last night

[00:03:06] Got to see a playoff team. That's awesome. Yeah, exactly

[00:03:09] So I have a couple of things that before we get to predictions and stuff like

[00:03:17] This team is still so frustrating like I don't I cannot like every time I watch this team

[00:03:23] They just frustrate the living shit. Well, if you're double-fen you should be frustrated

[00:03:27] You should be somewhat angry because

[00:03:29] This is much better team than that than they performed all year and you know, that's that's the part

[00:03:34] Are they piss me off? I do believe it. I do believe they are

[00:03:38] I mean, I don't know I

[00:03:40] Did just have a play like gotta move some guys this year

[00:03:42] I think Chris I've been you've mentioned it a few times and I've really been kind of on the same page

[00:03:47] You know, I think you got to move out some pieces this year

[00:03:49] And you're not wrong Tony, but let me I put it this way. Is there a another team that's not making a playoffs

[00:03:54] That's better than the Devils

[00:03:58] Mean I don't think so

[00:04:01] Play have us play seven games series against all the other losers and I say we win every time

[00:04:05] That's what's so frustrating. We're just on the cusp of

[00:04:08] Being that playoff team. We should have been a better level. That's what I mean

[00:04:12] It really I mean you can if you don't want to look at the entire season as a whole and you just can shrink it down

[00:04:20] To the last five games that we played. I mean there's three losses in a row

[00:04:25] You're blowing third period lead some of them by multi goals

[00:04:29] Even the last game

[00:04:31] Well, the three before we've we lost last night and then we won against the centers

[00:04:35] But the three before that you talking to penguins the Rangers and Buffalo Sabres you blue leads in the lead tomorrow

[00:04:42] You know each one should have won these games should have one note

[00:04:45] I mean there's really there's no excuse for how those three games went down

[00:04:49] Well last night though. I did I thought Alan was awesome last night

[00:04:53] He was amazing

[00:04:54] Yeah, but then you had a killer penalty that you should never have taken and you know, okay?

[00:04:59] Whatever it's always weird this and that and you know just finding a new a new way to lose when you have you know victory within your grasp

[00:05:07] Yeah, exactly and there was something about even on last night

[00:05:10] There was like a three minute segment that I felt really did kind of encapsulate

[00:05:17] the problems with this team and

[00:05:20] alright, so it was I believe the third period and

[00:05:23] We were on a power play again and again our power play is extremely

[00:05:30] Anemic it is so predictable

[00:05:33] They can't do anything off of a four check. So everything is off a rush

[00:05:37] So what do you see? See everybody standing up on the blue line?

[00:05:40] They just shut you down coming in because they know if you dump it in most likely

[00:05:44] You're not going to be able to sustain any kind of offensive pressure

[00:05:47] So we blow that last I think it was the last penalty kill that we were on a power play rather that we were on in the third

[00:05:56] We we don't score

[00:05:58] I don't think we have any shots and about a minute or so later

[00:06:02] Kristier knee scores that goal off of Thomas no second the goal which was made by

[00:06:07] For check there was nothing else that brought and they talked about it ad nauseam and I work for so to turn over

[00:06:13] And we don't and I don't know if we don't have the guys on the team that can do that

[00:06:19] And I think this is kind of leads to what Tony just said like guys have to go and stuff like

[00:06:24] Yes, they do but is it a personnel problem? Is it a structure problem?

[00:06:30] Is it we don't have the guys because we definitely don't do that enough when you see when the good things that can happen

[00:06:35] When you do sustain a four check and just keep the puck in the zone and we just I mean even last night

[00:06:41] Yeah, Tony. I agree. I thought we played good, but how much in that game was played in our defensive zone?

[00:06:46] You know Nashville had possession at pop

[00:06:50] Good portion that game. Yeah second period the Devils were largely outplayed

[00:06:54] the

[00:06:55] At least even the second half of the first period you could make that argument that they kind of really let up and

[00:07:01] They somehow managed to get away in the second period even though they were outplayed with the lead and then they

[00:07:07] You know just I did not feel comfortable going into that third

[00:07:11] Because I saw the way they're playing the rest of the game

[00:07:14] It's weird because last year I felt like we were such a powerful powerful team and this year

[00:07:19] I have not felt that I mean really I gotta be honest

[00:07:22] I haven't felt any excitement this season for longer than like maybe like two games like okay

[00:07:26] Maybe they're back on track, but I would say

[00:07:29] Participation I kept waiting for it waiting for but didn't have the excitement never came

[00:07:33] We're kind of right. I mean

[00:07:35] I know I felt a little bit better about last night's game more so than that Ottawa game

[00:07:40] Which is the one that we actually ended up winning, but right I you give Ottawa another five minutes in that game

[00:07:45] And we're probably tied they're tying it up, too

[00:07:47] Like you saw it like once the first goal went in and we had a three goal lead going into that third period

[00:07:53] Now it's a two goal lead and you see the mistake starting to happen

[00:07:57] We fall apart on one one and and it just yeah, and it's just it's just chain reaction

[00:08:03] That in so this is like a mental thing

[00:08:05] It's it's all kinds of different problems where coaching we know is it gonna be a big issue on that, but like

[00:08:12] There are guys yes, I can I and I said this to Bobby

[00:08:16] On one of the shows every year every team no matter who you're rooting for whether it's the Raiders or the Vikings or the Yankees

[00:08:23] Or the Devils or whoever

[00:08:26] Whether or not teams win championships don't win championships

[00:08:30] But there's things about your the team that you like where you don't like and stuff

[00:08:33] There's not much about this team that I like there's just not

[00:08:39] Definitely like the character more last year. Yeah, the character of the team is definitely seem way more negative this year and

[00:08:46] There's no joy like you know, there's no joy on that team

[00:08:50] They don't seem like they're having fun and and I don't you know

[00:08:54] I think all of that stems from everything that's happened this year and now we're you know

[00:08:59] Coming down to the last four or five games. Nothing's gonna get fixed

[00:09:03] So, you know, this is there's a lot of questions that have to be answered this offseason

[00:09:07] And there are a few guys that I legitimately can say I do not want to see them in a devil uniform moving forward

[00:09:14] Like I do not want to see Brendan Smith on this team anymore

[00:09:19] He hurts this team more than any other player in that lineup

[00:09:25] Even when a damn breakaway last night too and they just ah

[00:09:29] Well even worse than that like

[00:09:32] Goed back to the Ottawa game, right? Yeah

[00:09:34] Jack Hughes penalty shot a chance to put us up by two and pretty much put the nail in the coffin

[00:09:40] And maybe it wouldn't have been such a nail biter at the end and talk about spitting the bit

[00:09:44] I mean come on man. The puck is on the best player on the team stick with a

[00:09:50] Penalty shot and can't even get the shot off bro. Come on man

[00:09:54] Like that's our season right there. Not that one play

[00:09:57] That just like that's we just couldn't get the shot off that whole year. What was the problem?

[00:10:02] We couldn't get the shot off like it's every six every every game

[00:10:06] Oh my god, and then what is it Luke Hughes stick made of balsa wood

[00:10:12] Jesus Christ

[00:10:13] There's just you know guys flying all over to play a sliding all over the place get an injured all kinds of like

[00:10:19] It's just they really do you see these glimpses in certain games where it's like wow

[00:10:24] This is the devil team, but it's like maybe 20% and 80% of this

[00:10:30] I don't know what the hell i'm looking at. Well, and I think a big thing is you know

[00:10:33] You got to look at the things that we knew going into the season that didn't happen like

[00:10:37] You look at our goal tending that definitely is the reason we're not

[00:10:40] We have basically had I mean if we would have even had a decent run these last few weeks

[00:10:44] We would have made the playoffs probably because it's been so as a shit show points for everybody

[00:10:47] I'll go back to those three three losses exactly when those games you had leads in the third period

[00:10:52] We're in a playoff spot right now

[00:10:54] So you know this now we got decent goal tending

[00:10:56] But look now we have it like defense wise we knew that we needed to add a piece or two into that

[00:11:01] Defense part. We never did that so I think

[00:11:04] As far as the the way the devils played this year

[00:11:06] I think they were surprised too like you probably came into the season flying feeling a little cocky

[00:11:11] You couldn't help it and wound up just it's just everything that could have went wrong did go wrong

[00:11:16] And like you know last year obviously we didn't deal with that that curse basically

[00:11:19] But this year it's been a shit show the problem too is like I said

[00:11:22] We needed to do things in the offseason that didn't get done and it really came to kill us

[00:11:27] And we even said on this show that we knew that goal tending was an issue week four or five of the season

[00:11:33] You know, I mean look you can't you cannot stress

[00:11:38] Enough

[00:11:40] How badly tomfins jerald dropped the ball this season when it comes when it came to giving the guys

[00:11:46] Which I think is kind of where you're going with right given the guys the tools that we all needed

[00:11:50] Knew that they needed and you had time to do it. You had assets. You had money

[00:11:55] You had everything that in play that in december, you know, january beginning of january you say, okay

[00:12:01] You know all kinds of ir money and love severs center nod and graves and stuff

[00:12:05] You were moving guys out with a lot of experience and just

[00:12:08] You know it came back to bite us, you know

[00:12:11] We bobby and I were having a conversation too like

[00:12:15] If when you take those guys out of the lineup like severson and graves

[00:12:20] And I stand by this like there was not a lot of stuff about severson's game that I loved but

[00:12:27] Severson did a couple of things really good that you can see that you miss now

[00:12:31] What's the one thing that severson was great at all last year where stretch passes from his deep in his own zone

[00:12:36] To set our guys off and let's remember severson did have a good year last year. He had a good play

[00:12:41] He had a better year and he had a great playoffs. I agree with you. We had a very good playoff

[00:12:44] But like that one little aspect of the stretch pass that springs our guys

[00:12:49] We didn't have it this year because nobody else could really make those severson was very good at it

[00:12:54] Uh graves just always kind of being in the right place at the right time and being that net front presence to make sure

[00:13:01] You know, he was very smart

[00:13:04] I think it was definitely a mistake in hindsight to get rid of both of that

[00:13:08] I mean to get rid of at least graves like grave should have stayed

[00:13:11] Like you knew you had the shot with him and I get it

[00:13:14] They weren't expecting hamilton to get hurt and damage to come in and all the other shit, but I just think

[00:13:21] Even going into the last net lat this season with lucuse and kevin ball that should have been enough of

[00:13:28] Uh, give you enough worry to say, you know what?

[00:13:31] Let me just hold on to the veteran d-man one more year or plug them in with quality

[00:13:36] That's right, you know and then you know none of this happened and the injuries all pile up and we've talked about it

[00:13:41] Everybody's talked about it and tom Fitzgerald for whatever reason

[00:13:46] Just refused to pull the trigger now. Maybe he was

[00:13:51] In the mindset of it's the devils. They're gonna be okay once they get healthy

[00:13:56] Once they get this once they get that but when all those things come

[00:13:59] You're still playing a garbage system

[00:14:02] And and you know, it's hard for me. I think the injuries covered a lot of the problems they were having right

[00:14:08] So whether it's with gerald or the fans or anybody saying

[00:14:11] Well, of course, they're not playing like themselves yet. They're they got too many injuries and they haven't had a chance to have some continuity

[00:14:19] That's all kind of true. But you know, it's uh, also, I think it masked

[00:14:24] Problems that if they hadn't been injured we would have seen and I think Fitzgerald may have addressed them after seeing them

[00:14:30] Okay, this is my team. I got you know, nobody's injured. We're just playing like this

[00:14:33] and you know, who knows how much injuries

[00:14:38] And like the failure to get off the mat like

[00:14:41] I think at some point you you cook in habits and it's it becomes harder and harder to change

[00:14:46] And so like I think these moves that were made late this year

[00:14:50] Really only like a few weeks or a month earlier would have made all the difference

[00:14:55] You would have had time to get stuff together instead

[00:14:58] I don't think they can break out of that pattern. They've they've shown that they're losing with about the same

[00:15:04] Percentage that they were and now they got the better goaltending. It's not like goaltending wasn't a factor

[00:15:09] It's just that those are their habits now to blow a game one way or the other

[00:15:13] And I think with Fitzgerald, I do think that he thought it was going to right itself eventually

[00:15:17] I really think yeah, he believed this and you know, I've said that before on this show that

[00:15:21] I think it's just didn't and it just got you know, we lost Hamilton like I said, I

[00:15:26] I do think it would have been a little different with Hamilton in there

[00:15:29] But then again, I still think our defense would have been a mess

[00:15:32] But isn't that an indictment on him to just say well, it's got to get better because it was better last year

[00:15:38] Like you knew them the problem areas and if you weren't going to do anything to fix those things

[00:15:43] Like I don't know what made you think that the defense was going to get better

[00:15:47] You knew Dougie Hamilton wasn't coming back. You knew that John Marino was struggling

[00:15:50] Jonas Siegandtallar was struggling. You knew Brennan Smith was your seventh guy last year

[00:15:54] Now he's playing every fucking game and you have basically two 20 year olds and Kevin Ball

[00:16:00] Who we don't know what the hell he is yet, but we lost our face off guy

[00:16:04] We won't mention his name, but we only lost a bet

[00:16:07] That was huge too. A lot of elements about this

[00:16:10] But they could have been righted when all this stuff was going down

[00:16:13] And all that stuff is also baggage on the team's shoulders

[00:16:17] Like this is all year today and then anybody that thinks that this team come January late January February

[00:16:24] Beginning of March right up till the trade deadline now you're going in the end of February beginning of March

[00:16:29] You haven't been in a playoff spot all year

[00:16:32] And all you keep hearing is oh the devils are talking to about trading for this guy

[00:16:37] And they're talking about trading for this guy and if you're on that team and nothing is getting done by management

[00:16:43] You know it does kind of get to a point. We've all had jobs, right?

[00:16:46] We've all had jobs where management didn't give a shit and no matter how much you care

[00:16:50] It's only a matter of time until you're like what the fuck am I giving a shit for nobody else does

[00:16:54] Right. We're not going anywhere this year. They're not they're not making any moves

[00:16:57] They don't believe in this team. Why am I gonna beg my head against the wall?

[00:17:00] Well, I think if it's Gerald reed in the trade, you know that that pause of waiting so long

[00:17:05] Also the the value went up for everybody now. You're gonna be paying out your ass and I think it just became a

[00:17:10] Just you know one thing led to another word just got worse and worse and worse the situation and you know

[00:17:15] I mean if we were done, obviously if we would have done something obviously in the off season

[00:17:18] But even in the beginning you would have got something for cheaper

[00:17:21] And I think the price I heard that the prices for goalies were just crazy

[00:17:25] Well, I know there was an article that just came out Barry trotts. Uh, I didn't get I don't have it

[00:17:30] So Barry trotts saying that you know Soros and new jersey is a real thing

[00:17:34] That could happen here in the off season which again, I'd be super psyched with yosi soros. I mean, he looks so good last night

[00:17:41] He looked great last night and but

[00:17:44] I'm more of the mindset of like

[00:17:47] I'm fine with our top six right now. I really can't I'm not going to sit here and piss him moan

[00:17:52] I know I have my problems with jesper brap, but when right now he's probably been our best skater out there

[00:17:56] These last handful of games. I'm not gonna shit on him. Um

[00:18:01] He like we talked about it a ton. We all know his issues are disappearing and stuff

[00:18:06] But he's gonna be with us for a long time. How do you feel about haula? I've been thinking a lot about him lately

[00:18:11] I I'm not a fan. Um, I feel like he should have been more of a leader

[00:18:15] He's one of the older guys there this team needed somebody to put them on their shoulders

[00:18:20] He was as healthy as any of the guys. I don't think he had a really long run out

[00:18:25] Definitely a different than we was last year at the end of the season

[00:18:28] There's a totally different guy than you know

[00:18:31] You know you talk about veteran guys that left that weren't on this team this year that were last year

[00:18:35] One guy that none of us have ever talked about is it's our and you know

[00:18:39] Thomas guitar brought a lot to the to the game

[00:18:42] He brought a lot to the dressing room and you didn't you know when you don't replace guys that you lose it

[00:18:48] you know

[00:18:49] You're going to have a regression before you can take that step forward like I think

[00:18:55] Simone Nemitz and Luke Hughes are going to be fine. I mean, I mean this is their rookie year

[00:19:00] I think they're gonna be okay. I think Luke Hughes is gonna be a phenomenal hockey player

[00:19:05] um

[00:19:06] But for me the bottom six is kind of the issue like that's where I am with haula

[00:19:12] But we have him for another couple years. My question is to you. What do you think of tomas nosik?

[00:19:18] I like tomas nosik

[00:19:20] He's he's been that hard worker kind of a la to tar this since you mentioned him

[00:19:25] Um, I don't think he's got to tar's, you know

[00:19:28] Quite his same game

[00:19:30] But I do like how he's one of the few guys we have that's willing to just go to the net

[00:19:34] Just he doesn't have it all worked out when he goes there

[00:19:36] But he he's going and uh that good things happen

[00:19:41] It frustrates me to all help

[00:19:43] Whether it's you know brad or anybody else with 10 times of talent nosik and they're staying on the outside

[00:19:48] They're looking for the perfect pass and then we never even get the shot off

[00:19:52] nosik's gonna give you that hard nose hockey and I like that

[00:19:55] Do I think we could do somebody, you know get somebody better in that role? Probably yes

[00:19:59] I don't think he's like the most talented guy in the world

[00:20:02] But he's not been a uh negative on this team. Definitely

[00:20:06] I mean, I would like to see tomas nosik helsey for the whole year on that bottom six that fourth line

[00:20:12] I think you know, I'd like to see him. I like him on the penalty kill

[00:20:15] I feel like finally he's kind of feels like he's fitting in and figuring out what his part is to play on this team

[00:20:21] And it is kind of I think

[00:20:23] You know, he might not be here next year. He's a ufa after the year

[00:20:28] But if he came back, I would have no issues with that if they brought him back for another year

[00:20:32] I would have no issues. What about you? Tony? Thomas nosik? Yeah

[00:20:36] I don't mind just playing. I like to see him healthy for a whole season, you know

[00:20:39] Yeah, I think he'd fit in better with the team, you know with the whole year and I I think he could definitely be

[00:20:45] A guy like you say like to tar that can kind of bring that element not necessarily in their play

[00:20:50] But just in who they are and what they represent

[00:20:53] Yeah, could work work ethic and that lifts the team and right. I feel like that was kind of missing

[00:20:58] Speaking of healthy, uh, what's his name is out for the rest of the year now lasar?

[00:21:01] Yeah, that sucks. Yeah, I like him. I have to say he was a personality

[00:21:05] I liked on that team

[00:21:06] Now definitely our hardest working guy, you know, we're talking about nosik lasar is even harder work or somehow

[00:21:11] And really kind of as far as our bottom six, I mean

[00:21:16] If nosik comes back great pilot is going to be here. We know that and um

[00:21:21] You know, I don't mind. I like chris tierney

[00:21:24] But again guys like him or diamond dozen you can find them like go get more just

[00:21:30] Bottom six dudes that can produce that can chip in on the timely goals and do the hard work

[00:21:35] We haven't had balance scoring and that was another thing about last year. All our guys were scoring

[00:21:40] We had balance scoring like we have not had that especially like all of our all of our shit runs

[00:21:45] You know losing three four games. It was like if the if jack and nico and bratt and team o weren't doing it

[00:21:51] Nobody was doing it

[00:21:52] And you know, that's where I feel like a guy like eric collage should definitely be chipping in a lot more offensively than he does on this team

[00:21:59] Yeah, so I don't know. I mean, uh, I think he signed for another year or two

[00:22:04] So i'm not sure if they would move on from him

[00:22:07] I mean, I think that altox holt is definitely going in whatever trade they go for a goalie. He's gone. Yeah, I definitely agree

[00:22:15] I just feel about pilot. I get a little

[00:22:17] Conflicted sometimes with him. I love so much about his game, but

[00:22:21] I I feel like you know, sometimes

[00:22:24] We could get a little bit more out of them. I don't know. I mean it depends

[00:22:27] I go back. Well, I think we have not seen in two years now

[00:22:31] The andre pilot that played in Tampa bay. We haven't seen that guy

[00:22:34] So um, so I don't know what you have to do to get pilot up to his game

[00:22:40] Is there another level for him to go or is he just cooked? I don't know

[00:22:45] He's an older player. Is it possible that he just doesn't have it?

[00:22:48] Or is it possible that you just got to kind of put him in the right spots or ask him to

[00:22:53] You know, I don't know. Uh, he has an a on his sweater

[00:22:56] And I don't know how much he brings as far as the leadership aspect all the things that I thought

[00:23:01] That I think we all thought we were getting with andre pilot. We haven't seen any of it

[00:23:05] And he's not a cheap guy

[00:23:07] So

[00:23:08] I don't know

[00:23:11] And I was telling christus the other day is braden point. Someone someone like that would be

[00:23:15] Yeah, I mean that guy does everything out there. I mean, what's but I think over 40 goals this year

[00:23:20] Yeah, and he had I think 50 last year

[00:23:22] Um braden points a great great player

[00:23:25] There are tons there are a lot of guys out there that I think you can fit and put in with this team

[00:23:31] but

[00:23:32] Do we need another main guy on the top six or is a top six of

[00:23:38] He sure and this isn't no particular line order. But let's just say our six

[00:23:44] Dawson Mercer andre pilot. I mean uh dawson Mercer

[00:23:47] Luke you don't my god jack Hughes jesper brad nico he sure timo meyer and

[00:23:53] Did I say dawson Mercer yet? Yes?

[00:23:56] So it would be what?

[00:23:58] Hughes

[00:23:59] meyer

[00:24:01] Mercer

[00:24:02] brat

[00:24:03] Am I missing somebody he sure there's one other who lost playing up in that top six that i'm missing

[00:24:08] Let's see. Let's say I see some names. I'm jogging my memory too

[00:24:12] We do bump around a couple people. Yeah trying to remember but like

[00:24:17] So whatever six guys, you know that we're talking about the guys that we just mentioned there

[00:24:22] Do you think that you need more than them on the top six or do you just need to fill out that bottom six and get them to play

[00:24:29] More of a complete style of game a more

[00:24:33] More sound system and get them to play different directions because I feel like we have four lines that do things totally different

[00:24:39] And none of them play as a team

[00:24:42] I don't know last year. I would have told you no this year. I don't know

[00:24:46] It's this is you know to be honest

[00:24:48] There's a couple question marks right going through this offseason now

[00:24:51] You're looking at guys and saying that this guy just had a shitty year

[00:24:54] Was it's just like one of those years where he just you know next year he's gonna bounce back

[00:24:57] So there's a couple question marks, you know

[00:24:59] Like you said Dan

[00:25:00] Well, like we had a guy like hollow last year at the end of the season hollow was

[00:25:03] One of my favorite devils the way he was you know playing

[00:25:06] Going to the playoffs, you know this year. It's been a whole different

[00:25:08] But the whole roster has been different like most of these guys

[00:25:11] It's just I don't know. It's totally flip sides of what they were last year

[00:25:14] Yeah, I mean, I don't know who our hardest worker is it's probably between like Nick Goh and Lazar

[00:25:20] You know no stick. It's an honorable mention there

[00:25:22] But after that we got kind of a fall off

[00:25:24] I mean guys who are talented and when they're hot you can't say they're not hard working

[00:25:28] You know team of mire has been amazing late, but over the whole course of the year

[00:25:33] Can you say he's been a hardest worker? No, no, and um

[00:25:36] That's true of mercenaries guys

[00:25:38] Like what do you think like I've had even this year very uneven

[00:25:41] What's he gonna become is he gonna be because you know last year if you would have thought about it

[00:25:44] You'd be like this guy just is going to become

[00:25:46] To this level now. I'm starting to wonder what the level is. There's no doubt his stock has fallen

[00:25:51] Right. I mean, he doesn't look like he has the potential upside that he did last year

[00:25:55] That doesn't mean he won't and we all like mercy. We're all mercy guys

[00:25:59] And he has woken up a lot in these last few weeks

[00:26:03] You know, but still don't see him at the level he was last year

[00:26:08] Whole team

[00:26:09] I don't necessarily know what I think about Dawson Mercer right now

[00:26:13] Yeah, I like the kid and I think he's a fine hockey player

[00:26:16] But for what is he do I think that he's should that he's gonna be part of this core moving forward

[00:26:23] I don't necessarily know. I don't I just I kind of feel

[00:26:27] A little bit we talked like last year with defensemen like severson and stuff like the addition by subtraction

[00:26:33] Are you going to get better once the guy like Luke Hughes in there a younger guy and stuff?

[00:26:36] Like I worry like I think about the same thing with like

[00:26:40] Do you need to actually look at this team and say we need a true

[00:26:47] To

[00:26:48] See we need a true second line center that can play with jack jack Hughes and get the most out of him

[00:26:56] And maybe there's not a place for Dawson Mercer or Alex Holtz on this team

[00:27:00] Maybe you do have to move them and just bring in a guy or two and also

[00:27:04] And I know we'll dive into this a lot in the off season

[00:27:08] but

[00:27:10] Maybe some of our questions could be answered in Utica

[00:27:14] I liked what I saw out of chain bowers last night and i'm watching him play and i'm thinking

[00:27:20] Maybe this guy with no one foot can really help kind of level out that bottom six a little bit more

[00:27:26] What about uh, what's his name?

[00:27:28] Grant Clark, what do you think about him?

[00:27:30] I've seen enough of him to really give a shit like he played up in a couple of games and showed me not much

[00:27:37] And I know he has a lot of hype around them

[00:27:39] But again to me that's just a guy and if you got to move him to get shocked they didn't move them yet actually

[00:27:46] I'm gonna do shit

[00:27:48] You know we didn't do shit

[00:27:50] So you know I do think that you know

[00:27:52] Maybe you got to do a long hard look at some of your guys in Utica and maybe the answers are there

[00:27:58] And maybe you don't maybe this team doesn't have to do as much as we all think that they have to do

[00:28:04] Maybe it is just that one or two solid defensemen

[00:28:09] A true number one coaching is gonna make him a good coach

[00:28:13] I think that is that is to me

[00:28:15] 75 of this problem right now

[00:28:17] I mean when you see such a night and day difference for so many players this year

[00:28:23] It has to come back to that at some point like what is the common denominator?

[00:28:27] It's you know, they all share a coach. They all share a coaching strategy defensive coaching too

[00:28:32] We need like good defensive coaching as well. And now I'd like to go ahead Chris. Go ahead

[00:28:39] I'd like to see like one more proven player like one more guy that's you know a veteran guy who's a winner

[00:28:44] you know someone

[00:28:46] I was going to say names that we grew up on like a guy like a pronger on this team

[00:28:49] Someone that's going to kind of snap these guys in the back a little bit because those dudes were took over that locker room

[00:28:55] You know, and I think we need one or two of those guys more

[00:28:57] It definitely won at least because we some of these guys are not rookies anymore. We know that they're all good

[00:29:02] But I feel like we don't have that presence on this team

[00:29:05] You know you look at the scott stevens or we all hate him

[00:29:08] But a mess a a team that a guy like these teams have that we have spark

[00:29:12] I don't know if we have that dude

[00:29:13] We don't I don't think we do and and you know, I love I love Nico. He sure I still

[00:29:18] Same here. I'm not a hundred percent sold that he's the best guy the best to have that see on his chest

[00:29:23] I'm not sold on that a hundred percent only because I mean if it's about hard work then sure

[00:29:29] But I think it's more than that. You're right. The leadership thing is not just hard work

[00:29:33] Uh, there's a good reason why Lazar will never be a captain anywhere, but he's a damn hard worker

[00:29:38] Yeah, so it's something else is what you need in your captain besides the hard work

[00:29:42] Yeah, he's got to be the hardest working guy in the team and Nico is

[00:29:45] But ideally your captain does more than be a hard worker leadership stuff comes down to communication skills

[00:29:51] Comes down about your image among your team the respect your ability to hold people accountable with your words and actions

[00:29:58] Nico I always wondered if he was that guy. I think he's always tried his best to fill that role

[00:30:03] I don't know if it is, you know necessarily

[00:30:07] His best set of skills compared to possible other captains

[00:30:11] I don't know if we have another guy that is that yet either though. I mean, I don't know sitting on this team

[00:30:15] I don't think so. I think Nico's the best guy we got to be captain when I see uh, you know

[00:30:21] Uh, team oh mire

[00:30:23] yelling at Nico on the bench to shoot the fucking puck and all the other stuff like they

[00:30:27] I saw that going at him, you know, that kind of makes me question things like

[00:30:32] Hang on a second. Sorry. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, do you think

[00:30:36] Since you bring him up, do you think team oh mire's captain quality like is I don't know

[00:30:41] I don't know if he's captain quality. I I I don't I really don't know like I mean there are

[00:30:47] A couple guys. I mean brat has gotten a lot more vocal, uh, but no, I don't think he should have to see

[00:30:52] I think you know, they'll probably

[00:30:56] I mean I really I mean

[00:30:58] No, Hamilton. I just I don't know. I don't know who else you could put it

[00:31:02] People were looking at Hamilton when he was when he was here

[00:31:05] Hamilton could be the captain. He could be the guy. He's got to be healthy. He's got to be here

[00:31:11] But I mean, you're not gonna see that potential. You're not going to take it off Nico

[00:31:14] I mean, I don't think that's going to happen

[00:31:16] But I just were you know, I want to see him

[00:31:18] I I feel like when you when you just said before about having the

[00:31:23] The respect of you know, the guys on the bench with you the guys in your dressing room

[00:31:27] And I'm not saying that Nico. He sure doesn't have their respect but

[00:31:31] Do sometimes his words ring hollow because of just his demeanor and the you know, just you don't see it with like

[00:31:39] When I can see a winger yelling at my captain telling you know telling to shoot the fucking I didn't like that

[00:31:44] Did you guys?

[00:31:45] Well, I had no problem with it. I have no problem

[00:31:47] I wasn't I don't like somebody has to take

[00:31:51] The reins and if it happened to be and look they're friends and they you know, they're countrymen

[00:31:55] They're teammates and line mates, you know, if you it I don't think that should bother you

[00:32:00] But I think it shows you the frustration that this team is as well. That's what I mean

[00:32:04] Exposes like wow, you know how deep the problems are which by the way, nobody's hiding that nor should we and I honestly feel like this team needs to

[00:32:14] Know that themselves for them even like the fans and you know us sitting around talking about them

[00:32:18] I kind of want them to leave with a bitter taste their mouth this year to make them hungry and come back

[00:32:24] Like this cannot happen next year and jack use has to grow up a little bit

[00:32:28] Absolutely no more young guy to see me shit

[00:32:32] And then you can't even get a shot off on a penalty shot and all the other

[00:32:35] It was totally flustered and a couple games in particular

[00:32:38] And let's face it after that last injury

[00:32:41] He doesn't look quite comfortable. No, and I don't think he's hurt a little bit though

[00:32:46] He might but I think a lot of it's between the ears

[00:32:49] I think a lot of it is just he's feeling the frustration

[00:32:53] He's maybe feeling some kind of

[00:32:55] Maybe even some kind of embarrassment or something about overselling and um, you know

[00:33:00] If I was especially at one particular game with the meltdowns and the chances and he didn't score

[00:33:05] I'd be embarrassed about that game my whole life. Yeah, you know, that's it

[00:33:09] When I think back to even just playing men's leagues

[00:33:12] You know

[00:33:13] I think of one or two games where I kind of like just lost my mind and like what the fuck was that

[00:33:17] You know, you'll never forget that game. You're right. And you know, that's the low point

[00:33:22] Not even just about our winners and losses or

[00:33:25] You know the goals you didn't score it was the way it was just out of your control

[00:33:29] He did not look under control. So when you say good got to grow up

[00:33:32] I think so definitely he needs to have that

[00:33:35] Mature presence on the ice at all times. He's that kind of player

[00:33:38] But he's got to choose to be yeah, I think this year

[00:33:41] I I think he came in very confident

[00:33:44] Maybe over confident and I do hope this humbles him a little bit

[00:33:48] I do before we do the predictions want to jump on just something that you had said before

[00:33:51] We were talking about coach and Dan and you had said, you know

[00:33:54] um

[00:33:55] You know the coaching was definitely an issue and and I find it hard to

[00:34:02] Shit on travis green too much

[00:34:03] No, no, because in my like because you'll get those people that'll be like

[00:34:07] Well, they changed your coach and look what happened. But they changed the coach way too late

[00:34:12] And what is what a mess to do? What would anybody do right now and say hey guys

[00:34:16] We're gonna play my system now and we have a month and a half left of regular season hockey

[00:34:20] We're gonna change everything up. He's not gonna do that. So he didn't get a fair shot

[00:34:25] Uh, you know the team didn't get a fair shot like I feel like there's just it was just a lost season

[00:34:30] Like it was like everybody was sitting around management was sitting around with the lights off thinking everything was wonderful

[00:34:36] And then they put the lights on the place was covered apartments covered in cockroaches

[00:34:40] and you realize that you got to do something to fix it and uh, they didn't do it and

[00:34:44] Now this team's paying for it and ownership's paying for it because look man

[00:34:48] that's when the ownership to make their money is those playoff games and uh, you know

[00:34:54] They never released this stuff, but maybe there's some metric

[00:34:57] I am really curious how much uh like season ticket sales have changed between last year and this year

[00:35:03] Because you know, you got to be really bummed

[00:35:06] If you bought in last year

[00:35:08] Look into this year. You got your season tickets and and they went up 10 percent last year

[00:35:12] I think or 10 or 15 percent. That's insane

[00:35:15] It's insane

[00:35:17] You know, and whoever the new coach is coming in

[00:35:19] I really hope that they come in and they really just lay that ground

[00:35:24] Groundwork and that foundation down right away that i'm gonna fuck who you are. I don't care what your name is

[00:35:30] I don't care how great you all think you are

[00:35:33] You know, you're gonna play my system

[00:35:34] You're gonna play as a team and we're gonna win some hockey games

[00:35:38] Regardless of whether or not, you know jack gets 100 points or whatever like that

[00:35:42] You just got to win as a team and that is something that I feel like this

[00:35:46] And I don't know is jack coachable. I'm just asking

[00:35:49] Like I feel like lindi rough was very much jack's just gonna do jack's shit

[00:35:55] And I don't know if that's too smart with a young

[00:35:58] really a player with that much of an upside like

[00:36:02] Structure and discipline and a well-defined role will always help a guy like that

[00:36:07] Be even better

[00:36:08] I think it works for a time and it let him be creative give him some

[00:36:12] Ability to go out there and do things but then it got out of control

[00:36:15] And there was definitely not a team message there even last night

[00:36:19] I'm watching him cough up the puck in really bad dangerous positions

[00:36:24] And look, I know he's gonna score and do great things because he always does wonderful

[00:36:29] But you cannot turn especially in like in the playoffs if we were gonna get to the playoffs

[00:36:34] You cannot turn over with that kind of frequency

[00:36:37] Even if you're jack use you can't do it and um, if you're gonna do it

[00:36:42] Then we're gonna prop so he he needs to be coached as well with that

[00:36:45] You know, I wouldn't mind the defensive system

[00:36:48] See let's get a guy like palmere someone like that to work with jack or this team

[00:36:51] That would be an interesting thing. You know, I think you know, I like palmere's. I think he's a great coach

[00:36:56] Um, you know someone like not him obviously because he's got a pretty good gig where he's at right now

[00:37:02] Yeah, I don't think he's going anywhere something of that someone of that of that

[00:37:06] Nature I was looking at some guys and stuff and I

[00:37:09] Messaged you guys about tom mcclown. I like tom mcclown

[00:37:12] I think that maybe that type of personality is kind of what this team needs

[00:37:18] What about a player to make a difference like we were

[00:37:21] fantasizing about crossbie

[00:37:23] Do you think somebody like that would make a huge impact on somebody like jack Hughes a guy like sydney crossby

[00:37:29] Yeah, there's not too many guys like sydney crossby. No, and I he plays two ways on the park

[00:37:33] He is committed and does what we want jack to do

[00:37:37] Yeah, and and look if if

[00:37:40] The devils, I mean, we're talking about bottom six guys defensive guys

[00:37:43] Like we don't know is there a big blockbuster that might be in the works this summer that ends up bringing a whole new

[00:37:51] Different kind of feel to this team like we always you know talk about a guy like brady kichok or sydney crossby guys that

[00:37:57] Yes, they're out of reach. We understand that we recklessly speculate and talk about things that we think would make this team better and more fun

[00:38:04] But that player that type of player

[00:38:06] I I think

[00:38:08] I think jack Hughes playing with sydney crossby could be the best thing for jack Hughes's career

[00:38:12] Going forward and I I think if in two years of playing next to sydney crossby, he'd learn more than you know

[00:38:18] Yes

[00:38:18] But I think it'd be bigger than any kind of coaching move

[00:38:21] but you know the reality is

[00:38:23] The coaching move is probably more likely so you're right to think about these guys and I like who you mcclellum

[00:38:29] Who when you picked him out it seemed like it made a lot of sense

[00:38:32] You know that made some good points with why

[00:38:35] Somebody like him because I was thinking, you know, I mean he's got a playoff

[00:38:39] He's got the cup win which was great. Yeah, so that's that's a huge, you know like

[00:38:45] If your coach has a cup, I think uh that carries some weight about how to get to the playoffs and through the playoffs and

[00:38:52] Uh, so I kind of want that and then coach. I'm almost like prerequisiting that

[00:38:57] Um within I think you're right

[00:39:01] Yeah, tony

[00:39:02] Well, dan, you would definitely be a fan of like his players that's going by your devil, you know

[00:39:06] Because I think he played like five games in the nhl

[00:39:13] Two shifts in the nhl and his entire life. Um, all right, so

[00:39:18] Is there any coach you absolutely beyond?

[00:39:23] You know under no circumstances would want as a head coach of this team

[00:39:28] I have one guy

[00:39:30] And I get nervous that they're gonna fucking hire him

[00:39:33] Really my guys jerar go on like he is

[00:39:37] Like if they went along voice and I think about it that way

[00:39:41] Well, I tell you I definitely would love to coach the new joysy devils

[00:39:46] Of course there was a because it makes perfect sense

[00:39:50] Because I lost to the devils in my last

[00:39:54] Playoff series when I was the head coach of the new york wanges

[00:39:57] So if you want your team to get better you hire the coach that you beat

[00:40:02] And you have them come in and make your team worse, right? Fuck that. I do not want to

[00:40:08] Uh, and and I feel like that that that's gonna be something he does like you're gonna

[00:40:14] Pull the trigger on a guy that you knocked out of the playoffs in seven games and you're gonna hire him

[00:40:20] But is there anybody that you guys don't like?

[00:40:23] Uh, I mean

[00:40:27] Yeah, you probably can't do worse than bat cock after having like, uh,

[00:40:31] controversy swirling over this team this year

[00:40:34] The last thing we need is anybody with more of that. Um, and

[00:40:39] You know, honestly, I know you've gotten good results with Philadelphia this year

[00:40:42] I've always hated tortorella. So I'm not gonna be a fan if I would take them. I know you wish

[00:40:47] I know I can't help it. I don't know what I don't know what it is

[00:40:50] Why I wouldn't mind somebody who's a bit more of a hard ass than

[00:40:55] Than not so

[00:40:57] But he's the he's the kind of coach that he is an asshole, but he's the kind of coach that

[00:41:02] You may get results that same year with him after that it's going to burn out

[00:41:06] Exactly you may make a hell of a run that year, you know, he's gonna put fire

[00:41:10] But even even look at this year. Look at the flyers, right?

[00:41:13] The flyers are crumbling like fucking feta cheese and they're you know, they're not probably not going to make the playoffs

[00:41:20] Yeah, like this is what happens with a john tortorella team. So what they're all 83 points, right?

[00:41:26] Philadelphia, Washington even now

[00:41:28] Right now it wears that quick

[00:41:30] But you can only tell these guys they're fucking worthless pieces of shit so many times before they're like fuck this guy

[00:41:37] I don't want to play for him

[00:41:38] But I have to say what's weird about that is you guys say that and I I know what you're saying

[00:41:42] But I have heard from dozens of players that played for him

[00:41:44] Like the guys that are a little bit tougher than well, maybe what we have now and they said listen

[00:41:49] He's a great fucking coach, you know, so it's uh, I understand that players these days are built completely different

[00:41:54] So that is it's definitely a different nhl than it was in the you know 90s

[00:41:58] I think that's true. That's when he came in though and he always had a short shelf life

[00:42:02] He's always been about a lot of things better than keen and I thought better than I always thought he was better than keen

[00:42:07] Well, I mean that I don't I guess that's you know, yeah, I could see that

[00:42:11] I mean to me they're kind of a little one in the same issue

[00:42:14] But like they're in the same way my opinion when it comes to like a guy like john tortorella

[00:42:17] I don't I like a lot of stuff about

[00:42:20] The way he coaches I like the way he holds anybody accountable

[00:42:23] It doesn't give a shit who you are like let's just say he was a head coach of this team

[00:42:26] And jack made a mistake. He would have no problem benching jack

[00:42:30] Um, no problem whether or not that I just that aspect of just holding players accountable my problem

[00:42:36] Conferences but my problem. No, he doesn't even do him anymore

[00:42:39] He sends the assistant coach out to do the pressers now because he won't even go out there

[00:42:42] But my my other problem is that john tortorella makes every team he coaches about him

[00:42:50] And that's what I cannot stand. It's not about you

[00:42:53] Nobody gives a shit what you're saying in that dressing room as long as it's producing on the ice

[00:42:59] But no he goes and does things sometimes just for the sake of getting conversation and getting it about him

[00:43:05] And I do not like that at all. I like the honest they do they need that hard ass aspect?

[00:43:10] The guy who's gonna it's all about his ego. That's why he wouldn't leave the bench when he go

[00:43:14] They tossed him from the game. I'm not leaving that. Exactly. It's about him

[00:43:19] I agree, but I will say this team better short term. You would have bought him in mid season this year

[00:43:23] I don't know what this team would have played like you don't know but long term. Yeah, it's definitely a burnt out

[00:43:27] It'll you know, it'll go out. It always ends bad. It's it's never gonna end pretty

[00:43:32] You you're gonna want a head coach that's looking at this team right now and just licking their chops going

[00:43:37] I can get so much out of these guys because a lot of those pieces are already there

[00:43:43] So, I mean that's what I want. I want a guy. It's gonna come in and say we don't have to

[00:43:49] You know, we don't have to blow everything up

[00:43:51] We just have to play the right way

[00:43:53] We have the players in this dressing room that can do it and implement a system that works and yet but

[00:44:00] To do that though, you are gonna to me. It's goalie defense coaching

[00:44:03] Like those are the things that absolutely have to get taken care of this summer

[00:44:07] Um, yep 100 but coach is going to be the most important because i'm sorry

[00:44:12] If you get it wrong on the goalie, you know, you might be able to move off of that at some point

[00:44:17] You know, you get it wrong on a on a defenseman. You can trade them

[00:44:20] You can move it you get it wrong on the coach and it could fuck up everything from day one

[00:44:24] I don't think green's gonna be back either. I don't know. Oh, absolutely not. Yeah, no chance. It's gonna be no chance

[00:44:29] There's no there's no first of all

[00:44:32] I think devils would want tom Fitzgerald's head on the is their fans would want Fitzgerald's head on a platter if he was to keep

[00:44:39] uh

[00:44:40] Travis green all for next year. I just think that there's

[00:44:45] Every coach I think has worn out their welcome on that bench every one of them, you know every defense

[00:44:52] Coaches special teams coaches goalie coaches. They all have to go

[00:44:58] Yeah, and you have to get oh and and you know, these guys have to walk out of this season

[00:45:03] Knowing that this whole year was unacceptable and you know, I don't want to hear blame and I don't want to hear

[00:45:08] Well, yeah, we've had a lot of injuries. No looking the mirror and

[00:45:12] Say you could do better and come back next year and do better because this is not how this year was supposed to go

[00:45:18] No started starting next season. We have Emilio Estevez is our coach

[00:45:21] There we go. I'll take I will take well. What was his name? Bombay over tortorella

[00:45:26] Yeah, I'll take him over tortorella. All right. Let's do our predictions

[00:45:29] Sure

[00:45:30] So first we have to start with our accountability session

[00:45:32] We'll start with bobby because he's not here this week

[00:45:35] So bobby said that the devils will get an instigator penalty against the rangers or

[00:45:44] Curtis McDermott would get into a fight

[00:45:48] He was correct with both of them, but it's only one point

[00:45:52] Then he said that the devils would get five out of six points last week

[00:45:57] Two out of six

[00:45:59] Then he said that jesper bratt would have one point at least in all three games

[00:46:06] Bobby went two for three

[00:46:08] And then we'll go to me. I said the devils will win a game in overtime

[00:46:14] now this

[00:46:15] doesn't include the game against the um

[00:46:18] Predators last night. So this is only for the penguins the rangers and the senators

[00:46:22] I said the devils would score a goal with our goalie pulled

[00:46:26] And I said that a hat trick will be scored in the rangers game again. I was wrong

[00:46:35] Tony Tony Tony

[00:46:37] Tony with a couple of layups here devils will win two out of three wrong

[00:46:44] Then he said the devils will have over 13 full a whole 13 minutes of penalty time against the rain least

[00:46:53] Yeah, it was almost 200

[00:46:55] Um, and then you said that jack would get two points against the rangers

[00:47:01] That was wrong

[00:47:03] Now a listener tim wood he threw his three predictions and will do these

[00:47:08] He said that he's same exact one that tony just said that jack would get two points against the rangers. He was wrong

[00:47:15] He said that the devils will score 11 or more goals in those three games

[00:47:21] And then he said that rempy would be scratched from the ranger game. All right. All right, you went up

[00:47:30] It's hard to look when it's harder looks and now

[00:47:36] Dan

[00:47:38] said

[00:47:40] Listen up boys and girls. This has never been done on the uncle pucker podcast before

[00:47:45] What's that? That a fighting major will happen go down against the rangers

[00:47:49] There was a lot of fighting majors that went down

[00:47:53] He said that the devils will have three or more goal scores in two of the three games

[00:48:01] Two for two barely

[00:48:03] Dan said that an injury will sideline a player for at least one game

[00:48:11] yep

[00:48:13] Three for three you got not only that you got a triple lindi rough

[00:48:18] So you got uh two guys injured you had marino and also lazar so

[00:48:25] Three for three

[00:48:32] As well as should so now we have

[00:48:35] Now we have this week's predictions. This is for last night's game

[00:48:39] And uh, so the national the Nashville game. So am I

[00:48:43] Toronto

[00:48:45] And toronto and philadelphia on saturday, which will only leave predictions for the islander game

[00:48:51] So we can do that on saturday when bobby comes back

[00:48:54] um

[00:48:55] Okay, so we're not including the islander game in our predictions tonight. Okay. There'll just be nashville

[00:49:01] The home and home with the leafs and the flyers

[00:49:04] Okay, so tony gave us one point uh one already he said that nico he sure would have two points against nashville

[00:49:10] That was his first prediction two shots. Yeah

[00:49:14] Um, I said that the devils would come back in the third period to beat the nashville predators

[00:49:20] So I got that one wrong tim wood uh gave us his predictions

[00:49:27] Which we'll read later and then I have bobby's three here

[00:49:30] So bobby's first prediction is that the devils will win by two or more and lose

[00:49:38] By two or more against the leafs

[00:49:39] So the home at home will be one game will win by two or more one game will lose by two or more

[00:49:44] Okay, what's your first prediction dan?

[00:49:48] Uh, my first prediction is that we will have over these now we're we're counting the the

[00:49:54] The three games basically right the two leafs games in the flyer game. Is that correct? Okay. Yeah

[00:49:58] The devils will have a shutout in those three games

[00:50:02] am you

[00:50:04] I have to because I love the goal tending where it's at and uh

[00:50:08] Boy allen and and to some extent uh, some extent

[00:50:12] Uh, kogat has been holding them close. You know, and it's been pretty damn. I had mac the nuts last night

[00:50:18] Yeah, yeah, he did and you could tell it was in the nuts because it was like, you know that delayed pain

[00:50:24] Where it's like he got hit and then he turned and then pain set in he was like, yeah

[00:50:28] And he just went over. Oh god

[00:50:31] That had to hurt

[00:50:32] My wife was talking to my wife and she's like does it hurt that bad when you get

[00:50:37] In the balls. I said not only does it hurt that bad? I can't imagine what a 90 mile per hour slap shot in the nuts feels like

[00:50:43] You know, I know there's some guys who are double cups for that too

[00:50:46] Really?

[00:50:47] Yeah, but it's not gonna like make you feel any better like I

[00:50:51] You know like have gold cup and everything and the gold cup is so much better than the other one you play with

[00:50:56] Yeah, it doesn't matter. It's like that force. It's like it won't leave you a bruise

[00:51:00] But just to take that force you're gonna feel it no matter what you're wearing

[00:51:04] Right, sure. Yeah, I mean I could imagine it's gotta be you think about if you get whacked it takes you a little bit for it to hit you

[00:51:10] You know, oh, yeah

[00:51:12] It's like fuck you just know even when it gets grazed that shit hurts man

[00:51:16] I can't imagine a slapper and uh, we have a tim put three predictions in for this week

[00:51:21] So the listeners are trying to get on the board his first prediction was that jesper brat

[00:51:25] This week will obtain his 80th point of the season through a goal

[00:51:31] Oh, okay

[00:51:32] All right, so he will so specifically has to be a goal. It can't be a uh, cannot be an assist. Okay

[00:51:38] He's saying the goal

[00:51:39] All right, and that leads to tony your second prediction

[00:51:43] Devils will win two out of three

[00:51:48] Two out of the next three two out of the next all right because you're not gonna okay

[00:51:52] So the predator game is done. Okay

[00:51:55] So we're talking toronto and are you saying at least two out of three or you're saying two out of three exactly

[00:52:01] They'll win at least two out of three

[00:52:04] Stay for better, right?

[00:52:05] I mean I just want to be clear

[00:52:08] We can do at least that's fine

[00:52:11] And bobby's second prediction is that and he's gonna get this one wrong is a bad beat

[00:52:16] Curtis Lazarus score goal and we haven't seen Lazar all year. So

[00:52:20] We haven't changed that. Yeah, we'll let him change it

[00:52:24] We'll let him change it for right now. He has a Lazarus. I mean the games haven't played yet

[00:52:28] Well, let's try to get a hold of them. Yeah, well, I'll get a hold of them. So that's the mountains

[00:52:33] um your second prediction

[00:52:36] What I think will happen is the devils will earn at least three points

[00:52:39] So they're gonna play at a level of you know half points 500. Yeah

[00:52:44] They might not yeah, right exactly. They're gonna get three or more points

[00:52:47] I could see them with going two out of three

[00:52:49] But I also think it's very possible. They get an overtime loss just like the other night

[00:52:53] Even though we haven't had many of these this year

[00:52:55] No, we haven't

[00:52:58] All right, my second prediction

[00:53:00] Um that in one of the next two games against the maple leaves

[00:53:06] There will be 10 or more

[00:53:08] Combined goals scored in one of those two games. I see a six five

[00:53:13] Some crazy ass 10 goal game in one of those. So that's my second prediction Tim's second prediction

[00:53:21] the devils are gonna

[00:53:23] Have three wins out of these next four. He gave those before that game

[00:53:27] So he's got so he needs uh them to run the table. Yeah, because they already got the loss

[00:53:32] Gotcha. Um, so tony your third and final prediction, sir

[00:53:38] Use will

[00:53:40] Je- oh luke you as a score. Okay, I'll put up three points in the next three games

[00:53:49] All right

[00:53:51] Okay, and let's see dan your third and final prediction, sir

[00:53:55] And I think we're gonna see a personnel

[00:53:58] You know from you that we haven't seen all year

[00:54:00] We're gonna see somebody new play with us in one of these last few games that hasn't played at all this year

[00:54:08] Okay

[00:54:09] from Utica

[00:54:11] First time

[00:54:14] Yeah, I think it's possible

[00:54:16] Tim's third and final prediction is that during the Maple Leaf games

[00:54:20] Uh, Curtis McDermott will fight ryan reeves. I like that. I want to see that. Yeah, I want to see him

[00:54:26] Glad he brought that up now dan you took the shutout. I had written these out yesterday

[00:54:30] I did have that the devils will shut out the flyers. So that's where I was going with that

[00:54:36] So we think you should keep yours is like a hat trick. They get such few

[00:54:40] Uh

[00:54:41] Shutouts and you nailed the game. So if you're right about that, you should get three points and and if uh,

[00:54:47] You're right about that. I'll get one point right

[00:54:50] Okay, and then bobby's third and final prediction. He said the devils

[00:54:54] um

[00:54:56] What is this?

[00:54:57] The devils will have at least

[00:55:00] Three power play goals this week

[00:55:03] I don't know what the hell he's smoking out there in colorado, but yeah three power play goals

[00:55:07] So I think everybody put their three in. Yeah, we're good

[00:55:11] Those are the predictions for the week and then after that we have the islander game and then we'll do our playoff

[00:55:16] Brackets and bullshit like that

[00:55:18] And if other listeners want to get on the action to join tim wood and you know anybody else

[00:55:23] We'll we'll read your predictions out here to see how you do

[00:55:25] Well, I feel good that tim's gonna improve on his original score. Yeah, which is you know zero

[00:55:30] But now I did add all the points dan is winning. Uh, we'll go over it next week already

[00:55:35] Um, well, I guess we'll keep it going right up through the playoffs. So we're we'll start our new season

[00:55:42] After the Stanley cup is awarded. We are going to tweak the rules a little bit

[00:55:47] So instead of us doing predictions for every week every week, we're all gonna put three predictions in

[00:55:54] And they can be for anything uncle pucker or nhl related for the entirety of the season

[00:56:01] So you want to pick something that might not come off the board for six months? You can

[00:56:06] And so what we want to do is pit, of course, tony and myself and dan and bobby verse each other

[00:56:12] But we also want once a week for a listener to call and come in come on the show

[00:56:18] Talk to us for a little while give your three predictions

[00:56:20] Do this whole segment with us and then we can actually have listener points versus all of us

[00:56:26] And if the listeners win we'll throw you guys a pizza party and it'll be awesome. So how broad is this nhl?

[00:56:33] Right anything nhl, but you said also

[00:56:36] Uncle pucker related. Yeah, sure like how many rips somebody does

[00:56:40] Uh during the show. Yeah, how many bomb hits is tony going to take door in a show

[00:56:44] Something like that, right? I'm going to say at least three

[00:56:48] Today was I think over under was a little over three. So yeah, yeah exactly

[00:56:53] So or you know anything uncle pucker related

[00:56:56] Will dead fall sleep this week, right?

[00:56:59] And how long until dan completely slides out of his chair?

[00:57:02] We don't even know he's on the show anymore, but so that those are going to be the new rules

[00:57:06] So we actually have until like mid june to start setting up listeners that want to do this

[00:57:12] Which will probably be done

[00:57:14] Every saturday night around nine thirty at night

[00:57:17] Door in the summer and into next season. So if you're listening and you want to be a part of this

[00:57:22] Down the road because you can schedule you now. Yeah, so you can reach us at uncle puckers at gmail.com

[00:57:28] And let us know and give us your info. We'd love to have more listeners in we love that tim's doing it

[00:57:35] You know, so yeah, we want to get some listeners in as we build this little thing so

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[00:58:45] Is there anything else that you guys want to discuss this evening?

[00:58:49] No, I so we should definitely do like a little playoff preview show right before the playoff start when we get out

[00:58:57] Everybody's in but one thing I was thinking about predicting this week

[00:59:00] And I didn't maybe all week because we're going to do one more game

[00:59:02] Anyway, is who's going to be the last team eliminated? I do think we're going to be the last team

[00:59:07] So you think that that it'll be two other teams that are up in the air

[00:59:11] Well, I mean what would really have to happen? I don't have the standings. I tried looking at the standings. It made my head hurt

[00:59:17] Yeah, after we know first of all we wait wait

[00:59:19] We know that we need that we would need like but even then we're probably not going to get in

[00:59:23] I'll tell you like four other teams to do. Yeah, I don't know how I don't I just don't know how there's a chance

[00:59:28] I don't see it

[00:59:29] But they didn't they don't have to e next to our name on nhl.com like all the other eliminated teams

[00:59:35] And I was trying to look at it

[00:59:36] It's like who the hell else is left that can be eliminated that isn't like we have to 79 points

[00:59:42] You got Washington Philly and pit all at 83

[00:59:46] Philly the islanders at 85

[00:59:49] Everyone's right. That's crazy how no one's really leapfrogged at all the last couple weeks

[00:59:53] Which is what makes this so much more frustrating, right? Like it was

[00:59:57] Right now money puck has the devil's odds of making the playoffs at 0.2 percent

[01:00:03] Oh, so there's a chance

[01:00:06] 0.2 a fifth of a percent

[01:00:08] A fifth of a percent of one percent one percentage point

[01:00:11] Holy shit, they have like the same odds of like Tony getting pregnant

[01:00:16] And yeah around there like in 2020 all that's a mess. That's not gonna happen. That's what it would you say?

[01:00:24] He's taking it all on the ass. So he's not gonna

[01:00:27] You're Greek, huh? So that's what's happening

[01:00:30] Yeah, so I mean look this season other than just a big fat steamy pile of shitty disappointment

[01:00:37] Like there's nothing else you could say about this this season. I just I want it over like I really do

[01:00:42] Well, yeah, I am disappointed because I'll tell you what I think that all of us are somewhat guilty of this

[01:00:47] I held out hope for a long time. We got to a point where with about a month left

[01:00:52] All right, listen, they they can win three out of four games

[01:00:56] They can get it. I didn't feel like this

[01:00:58] And I figured if they could do that

[01:01:00] Magic could happen

[01:01:01] They could be a team that is on a three out of four winning streak for over a month

[01:01:06] And that puts them in and I think they have the talent that with that kind of

[01:01:10] Track record confidence they would have been a serious if they would have done that

[01:01:14] It would have been third in the in the metro when I really felt what we're screwed was right after the stadium series game

[01:01:20] I think it was the game after that when I just it was that

[01:01:22] Just that feeling afterwards, which is everything went wrong. You can go back and listen to the tape

[01:01:27] I said in december this team was not going to make the playoffs. I said it

[01:01:34] I and I said it a long time every game

[01:01:37] If you don't do anything to change what is happening on this team or on the ice

[01:01:42] You're not going to change any results and when changes happened

[01:01:46] They were just too late and too many guys. I think had checked out already

[01:01:50] And you know, you weren't like you were really going to get a guy in that dressing room to light a fire under her ass

[01:01:56] When it's basically travest green has been there all year and just like I say, I'll just just I guess keep doing what we're doing

[01:02:02] And you know, oh you do some common sense shit, but like let's just let's just get this over with

[01:02:07] It's really kind of what it seemed like is

[01:02:10] I didn't have this. Yeah, this season just didn't make me feel good

[01:02:14] Not at all

[01:02:16] And I do think they have the talent and the skill to be able to come back next year and be a legitimate contender

[01:02:24] But if this happens again next year, then I think our whole conversation isn't we need a new coach

[01:02:29] It's going to be we need a new general manager

[01:02:32] GM would his head got a fall at that point

[01:02:34] And it's a scary proposition because we're looking at this team

[01:02:38] Last year. I think with every good reason to say

[01:02:41] This team's on the verge of springing into like dynasty territory

[01:02:46] And I don't think that was too much to say. I mean you could turn around and go, oh you guys are way off

[01:02:50] I tell you that I think that if they would have established

[01:02:54] Even close to the winning tradition, they had set any point through the beginning and middle of the season

[01:02:59] Even so late as to maybe one to two months ago

[01:03:03] There was a chance they could come into the playoffs and be a nasty difficulty in the play

[01:03:07] Absolutely

[01:03:07] It never happened and for it to go two years like that boy, you're talking about big problems

[01:03:12] I I don't see that I I

[01:03:15] Don't know what's going to happen, but I but that would be the worst case scenario because it's it would be such a waste

[01:03:21] This is definitely the best devil's team to not make the playoffs that I can remember and that's a shame

[01:03:27] I mean you could make the argument that even the 1916 that just won the cup of 95

[01:03:33] Might not have been as good a team on paper as talent laden at least as close, you know

[01:03:40] No, this is probably the biggest disappointment of a devil team that had a lot of

[01:03:45] A lot of uh, you know push behind them to really just fall flat like that

[01:03:50] Yeah, this might be the biggest team and it's definitely this season

[01:03:53] I don't think there's a nhl team that's more of a disappointment. We've said this before this year earlier on

[01:03:58] This is definitely the most disappointing team in the nhl as far as

[01:04:02] What potential was expected in what they produced and you know, we said

[01:04:06] You know earlier too like these players I really hope are looking deep and long in the mirror

[01:04:13] After this season and taking accountability for themselves

[01:04:16] But tom Fitzgerald better be too because you know what dude?

[01:04:20] Everybody was singing your praises and I think this is guilt. I think this is guilty from top down

[01:04:25] After last year it was praise all the heap and love on the new jersey devils

[01:04:30] Tom Fitzgerald can do no wrong should have won the fitch gerald

[01:04:33] We trust in this and this and all that shit and we were guilty of it as well

[01:04:38] And the bottom line is I think everybody drank the fucking kool-aid and maybe they didn't stop

[01:04:44] And you know when you think that every live he made a lot of good moves last year

[01:04:48] Yeah, but when you think yeah, but when you think every one of your moves are going to turn to gold

[01:04:53] You know, right?

[01:04:54] Maybe you're not you know looking maybe just looking at everything through these rose colored glasses that you can do

[01:04:59] No wrong and I think it went down to guys on the bench like jack and stuff like

[01:05:05] I mean, I think everybody just thought it was going to be easy like this league ain't fucking easy, dude

[01:05:10] Right. These guys got to get in the car with a cougar

[01:05:13] Right. They gotta get in the car with a cougar. That kind of paladaga nights training right to get themselves back in shape

[01:05:18] What was the cougar's name?

[01:05:20] I don't remember Karen. No way

[01:05:23] I think it was Karen

[01:05:26] All right, so before we wrap it up Tony

[01:05:28] This is to you. We have less than three weeks or a little over three weeks, right to the nfl draft

[01:05:35] How excited are you for the nfl draft this? I am like a little giddy kid

[01:05:41] I don't get excited for the nfl draft for the rate of truth pixel bad the last 10 years

[01:05:45] It's been awful drafts. I mean for them. So I mean I told you who I think you're gonna end up with

[01:05:50] I do think that michael pennix is going to be a

[01:05:53] Las Vegas Raider, so that's

[01:05:56] I'm looking forward to I am looking forward to football season. So I and I like michael pennix. I think that kid

[01:06:02] His injuries don't rear their ugly heads. I think he can be a hell of a football player

[01:06:07] You know I deal with Los Vegas Raiders. Does that feel natural yet? Not yet. No, no

[01:06:12] I still call me Oakland Raiders. I mean in the Los Angeles Raiders. I still you know do that

[01:06:18] I I have all three pennants. I have the Vegas, oakland, los angeles and my garage

[01:06:22] Yeah, like I call the chargers st. San Diego constantly. I never go back to la with them

[01:06:28] Um, I do with a lot of teams man. Yeah, I do st. Louis. Yeah, I do it all the time

[01:06:34] Anyway, uh, we should have a nfl draft show tone

[01:06:39] Yeah, and I cannot wait for this draft. This is probably the most important draft in minnesota viking franchise history

[01:06:47] So this is going to be fun. You can do that little spin-off show for nfl

[01:06:52] I'm sure there's

[01:06:53] You know of our listeners more than half of them probably would enjoy it

[01:06:57] Maybe we'll do that tone. We'll put that together. Yeah, that'll be fun

[01:07:01] so uh, again, uh, if you also need to want to contact us or catch up on any of our episodes

[01:07:09] Everything is posted on the uncle puckers.com. We have articles, uh that we write weekly

[01:07:15] Which i'm going to be working on one this week. Um, we have a bunch of other stuff on there every show

[01:07:19] We've ever done away. You can contact us. Uh, leave a comment wherever you're listening to us a

[01:07:25] positive review of five star rating a download a subscription

[01:07:29] Uh, a like it goes a long way to help this little podcast that could for tony and dan

[01:07:36] I'm chris. We're the uncle puckers and we'll see you when we see you

[01:07:45] What would bobby say?

[01:07:49] I meant to mention those awful fucking

[01:07:51] Perpaches they have on the jerseys now. You see i see those the advertisements

[01:07:56] Awful what are they?

[01:07:58] So the devil started selling they started wearing their

[01:08:01] You know, we have it on the helmets all the promos and all that stuff

[01:08:04] Well now they're starting to wear stuff on their jerseys now the devils

[01:08:07] Like a lot of teams are it's gonna look like europe soon. Yeah exactly

[01:08:11] They still exactly look like that. Yeah, I think we need to start a petition to make the stadium series jerseys or regular jerseys

[01:08:18] I just have that uniform man. At least be in rotation. Yes heavy rotation. I'd like to i'd like to see them