A Devilish Eulogy: New Jersey Devils Eliminated from Playoff Contention, THUMPED by Philadelphia Flyers

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This is Lockdown Devils, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network.

Now, the number one sports podcast network.

In the world, my name is Zach Berman.

I am the host of this show.

And the New Jersey Devils season mercifully has come to a close.

Well, mathematically, at least there's still four games left to play.

But tonight, thanks to the combination of results that happen both in Newark and outside of the

Prudential Center, the New Jersey Devils have been eliminated from playoff contention.

And the next four games, the year just exists to kind of contemplate what went wrong.

How we got here and how we can make sure we're not here again this time next year.

I mean, we'll talk about tonight's game.

How much is there to truly talk about considering the way some of the pressors went this morning.

The guys are devastated.

I think a lot of the players feel responsible for their general manager losing his job.

And I think in many aspects, they are.

They are responsible.

But there are two players in particular.

We need to talk about in Nico Hissher and Jacob Markström and above all else.

Why this season and the way things have ended in my eyes.

Why this season ultimately is a blessing in disguise.

Now, picture this.

Let's just say hypothetically.

Jacob Markström is a little bit better.

And Jack Hughes doesn't injure his finger.

The Chicago steakhouse incident does not happen.

Tom Fitzgerald still likely cannot clear the cap in order to acquire Quinn Hughes.

Tom Fitzgerald, we have seen.

He didn't have the urgency, the sense of urgency to make the necessary moves to trade deadline.

The New Jersey Devils would have paid the playoffs.

And their ceiling was at best losing in the second round to the Carolina Hurricanes and just running it back.

I would much rather be here.

Then there.

And that might be sacrilegious to some, but I'm going to stay on business.

The Devils needed this season to happen with the way that Fitzgerald was trending as a general manager with.

The Sly-F pick falling that up with the Markström extension, falling that up.

With the Cova Savage extension.

And then not being able to land a top six wing or not being able to acquire Quinn Hughes.

It was.

And it pains me to say.

It was infinitely more important for the future of the New Jersey Devils that he lost his job than make the playoffs.

Because if you make the playoffs.

You're not changing a damn thing.

You're still going to have the same problems.

Carolina still been on you and that's assuming you even get there with the way Markström was was playing.

Who's to say they couldn't lose to a wildcard team earlier than that.

This season was doomed to fail.

And for me, like I've said, since the jump.

The goal of this season should have always been to get at least a game six the second round.

And there was no way in hell that was happening.

Not with this team, not with this general manager, not with this goal.

So the better outcome is that.

The season is a complete and utter disaster.

And the consequences of Tom Fitzgerald losing his job, which I still cannot believe happened.

Actually come home to roost.

What happens with Sheldon Keith? Well.

We don't know.

Like I.

I can say in some ways that tonight was on him.

But the Devils have been hot. They're going to lose games.

And when you have a liability and net like the New Jersey Devils do.

That just happens.

Sucks, but it happens.

The case to keep versus.

Get rid of Sheldon Keith.

Is something that's going to be beaten into the ground.

Over the next few weeks by every Devils content creator by yours truly.

And it seems that we're going to have an answer.

I think somewhat quickly because.

The Devils are starting their GM and.

I guess in some aspects present a hockey operations.

Searches they're starting right now.

Like this is like you have to wrap this up asap.

You can't rush it.

You need to make sure you get the right people in.

But.

The sooner you get that in the sooner you can make the decision on head coach because Sheldon Keith did confirm.

That he is being evaluated at the end of the year.

And not just his job.

But all of hockey ops is having their roles evaluated.

We have needed this.

For at least two years if not longer.

HPSC these guys do not make these kinds of changes often.

So they better get it right.

But it had to happen.

And I feel bad for Sheldon Keith because it seems pretty obvious now that.

The system he was running.

Over the course of.

October to February.

Was at the best of Fitzgerald.

Maybe what we've seen and what odds are we're never going to know the full story.

We've seen from the Olympics onward.

I've been the true Sheldon Keith and if that's the case then.

Maybe there is a case to keep him around.

But that's up to the new front office.

And as for Sheldon Keith.

This is the first time in his career as a head coach or a coach in general.

That he has ever missed the playoffs at any level.

I mean, I guess you could say that with an asterisk because.

Do the the qualifiers in the COVID round like count as the playoffs.

The blue as leaves lost the blue jackets like maybe maybe not.

But no, Sheldon Keith is not going to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time as a coach ever.

And he says it is embarrassing.

I don't like it.

I've coached for 20 years and this is the first time I won't be participating in any.

Yeah.

It is embarrassing.

It's absolutely embarrassing.

And everybody has a share of the blame to take on.

The front office coaches the players.

But it had to happen.

And.

Like it sucks.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it doesn't suck.

But if the devil's play their cards right.

This time next year we won't just be talking about making the playoffs as an achievement because.

That shouldn't be the barometer for this core for this window.

It shouldn't be about making the playoffs.

It should be about how far you get in them or whether you win the whole thing or not.

And if history has any.

Is any indication next year the devils are probably going to miss the or probably going to make the playoffs.

Because.

It's been make miss make miss the devils have not made the playoffs and back to back years since 20.

And.

And.

And.

Oh nine and.

Oh nine and twenty ten.

That's the last time they made the playoffs and back to back years.

So yeah.

We have been.

Starving for sustainable success for a long time.

And.

Even if they made the playoffs this year.

It wasn't going to contribute to sustainable success sustainable success.

Which is why.

This season.

A paper.

But if.

But if this is what it took.

For ownership to wake up and realize that they have the wrong people at the helm in the for office.

And hockey ops.

Potentially it had coach.

The other side of the break, we'll talk about the game because I guess we have to and that will lead us right into the marks from discussion. And then I guess we'll wrap up with the he's your discussion because that seems to be the

Conversation du jour right now in devil's land. So we'll get to that next on locked on devils.

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Yeah the link it's in the show notes the devil's lose five one to the Philadelphia flyers the New Jersey Devils have been swept in the season series by the Philadelphia flyers in addition to being swept by the New York Islands in addition to being swept by the Carolina Hurricanes.

This was on national television in ultimate final nail in the coffin and despite out shooting the flyers 24 to 19.

One goalie showed up the other one was Jacob Markstra and that's why we're here. That's why this game went the way it did that's why this season went the way it did and to this day I still cannot believe the devils extended him when they did.

I was in San Francisco in the back of what do you call it a way mo those drive those driverless cabs and I almost yelled at my way mo stop I was go I was so mad if you if you ever have the experience to go in one of those like please do they're really cool but that was one of I think that was this the moment where to me this season.

Felt ominous how ominous as a joke but also like kind of not really I immediately that weekend put 20 bucks the devils to miss the playoffs I wish I put way more than 20.

Oh, and I made that bet on Fandall I should probably say that yeah that is not panned out and the devils have to figure out a way to get out of that contract but we will get to that discussion after talking about this game one minute 56 seconds into regulation time.

Oh, and tip it goes around the net burns you know, in a seaguller who had a brutal game finds Travis sandheim you know, in a seaguller gets just pants by Trevor's egress 24th of the year one nothing Philly just right out of the shoe almost immediately after jack takes a lazy penalty this was just a bad game from jack all the way around but I think when you're you've been as good as he has been.

And I think you're allowed bad games at this point.

Seag skids burned them a rush again almost in the exact same play except instead of.

Excuse me instead of one tip it it was Porter Marton the rookie that.

Burned him around the net.

Zegress winds up tipping home the shop for Marton watch that again.

It was a centering feed and nice nice set up by the kid assisted by Marton and drives down almost three and a half minutes in and Trevor's egress two new jersey zero.

The devils all of a sudden turned it on.

Jersey actually wound up out shooting Philadelphia in all five periods of this game ten seven in the first period and they got one back I said that.

Seag's had a really rough first few minutes well he made up for it at least a little bit throwing a shot on goal it's deflected off a Cody glass.

He might wind up with 20 goals after all that we rip on fits.

Good ad by Tom Fitzgerald to bring in Cody glass.

From Seag's and Lenny hominahoe.

Devils would cut it to two to one in the second period.

A full on Jacob Markstrum implosion.

Duggy Hamilton hits the post on a bomb.

Simone Nehmatch pinches way too hard sets up a two on one the other way. Oh no.

Tyson Forster shoots it right at Jacob Markstrum and it goes right through Jacob Markstrum.

This guy is a two year six million dollar extension that is yet to kick in.

What a gift that Tom Fitzgerald left behind for the next general manager to contend with.

What an absolute gift.

Like can Markstrum just like retire and hang out with his kids or something?

What good is he doing right now? What good is he doing for this organization?

That was bad.

The next one was worse.

Because the devils didn't want to just give up two goals to one Philadelphia flyer and short order once tonight.

They wanted to do it twice tonight.

This time Jonathan Cove is savage winds up on the but end of.

A bad just a bad defensive shift. Forster gets his second and short order from Zegers and Mafe Mishkov.

And that to that point.

Jacob Markstrum had give it up. Yeah, excuse me.

Four goals on one point two expected goals against.

Like legitimately one of the worst starting goalies in the national hockey league this year is Jacob Markstrum.

And he has an extension that is yet to kick in.

We may never know why Tom Fitzgerald was so adamant on extending Jacob Markstrum despite all the warning signs being there.

But he did.

And that made it four one Nick sealer scored the empty netter five one and on national television combining this with the result between Tampa Bay and Ottawa.

The New Jersey Gettles season is mercifully over.

I think this is like the most like thank God I've ever felt about a devil season ending and that makes me feel really sad because.

I love this team and I love to see them win and I.

I just I.

What a nightmare of a season like.

I have said and I do absolutely feel that this was necessary for things to go the way they did.

But that doesn't make it suck any less.

It's losing his consequences and one of those consequences might be having to part ways with your captain so we're going to talk on the other side of this break.

About this Nico, he's your conversation that has sparked up and what my opinions are on the future of the New Jersey Devils captain.

As a New Jersey devil.

Because it's going to be complicated next on locked on devils this episode is brought to you by.

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All right.

We'll start.

With the mark stream discussion and then we'll get to the Niko discussion.

The way you can get out of this mark stream contract and think at Jean François CBA.

On Twitter to clear this one up the only way he can be bought out.

Is after his contract kicks in if the devils get the second buy out window in July.

I don't know how they get the second buy out window. That's beyond my pay grade.

So if Mr Jean François would like to elaborate that then that would be amazing.

But there is a realistic path that Jacob marks from could bet could be bought out which.

In year one it would cost the devils 3.25 mil in years two three and four one point seven five mil.

I think that is very worth it.

But but Zach who's going to be in goal I.

Look at me do I look like I'm paid to make those decisions.

I would feel comfortable running Jake Allen and Nico does at least until next trade deadline.

That is just me.

That's one of the first questions that whoever is coming into this organization is going to have to ask.

And that's probably one of the top two questions in these interviews.

How are you going to get out of this Jacob marks from contract because this is just a disaster.

I don't know.

Like I to this day the logic is just so unbelievably not there.

And it was very obvious that this was just going to be a disaster from the second pen was put to paper.

Why this was allowed to happen in the way that it did and why nobody spoke up.

Why nobody said hey we think this is a silly potentially stupid idea.

Who knows because as a two year bandage Jacob Armstrong was fine.

I have no problem I still feel it was like it was the trade was worth it.

But you didn't have to extend him and they chose to do so and my God did they pay the price.

So now we're here.

And now we're talking about buyouts before his extension is officially kicked in which is crazy.

Absolutely crazy to be having this conversation.

But this is not the biggest conversation that needs to be had.

Odds are if marks from continues to play this poorly the next GM is not going to be so and so stubborn and intent on keeping him around will probably just tell him to piss off.

But you got to have this the conversation about the captain.

Nico he sure has one year left on his contract after this year.

And I love Nico he sure.

But he was asked I believe by Ryan Nova Zinsky about how yesterday's news of fall of Tom Fitzgerald's firing would change how Nico he's your views is moving contract negotiations and he responded.

I'm still focusing on playing hockey here.

I still have one more year.

So yeah, I'm with the devils right now.

I'll see what happens.

That is triggered a lot of freaking out now.

This team has no GM.

We don't even know who the coach is going to be next year.

So.

I have no idea what there is going to be you can he's not even eligible to be extended yet.

Like what are what are people freaking out over.

That's my first question.

I have zero issue with his answer not.

But but but but but but but.

And while this is not me saying that I am not an ego.

I am an ego user fan.

But it's time to talk honesty.

How much is Nico he sure truly going to be worth.

Contract wise because he's got a lot of race.

And I'm not so sure that race is going to be worth it.

Like he's got 62 points and 77 games.

That's fine.

Last year he scored 35 goals by far and away the best gear of his career.

From that regard.

But.

And I'm going to work this very carefully because I'm not even sure what the right answer is.

Is somebody going to come in.

And.

And.

See the New Jersey Devils as an opportunity to build a Stanley Cup contender but also shake things up.

Because.

Clearly what has happened this year and you can blame a lot of it on Fitzgerald and that's rightfully understandable.

But a lot of it falls the players to absolutely it does.

And you might have to make a really tough decision on a core player and shake things up.

I don't I don't think there is a Matthew Kuchuk level talent.

I know Greg Wiesinski brought up the Jonathan Hubert O'Comp.

Like the name that I keep on thinking about is Dylan Larkin if the red wings miss.

But.

It's a really, really, really tough choice.

And I kind of don't envy the person that's going to have to make it.

Because if Nico tells you straight up look I want to fresh start after this year I'm not going to.

I'm not going to sign an extension this off season.

I'm going to go to free agency.

You kind of have to trade them.

Like the writings on the wall there.

So.

The captaincy thing I don't worry about because I think we have seen enough from Jack over the last few weeks really since the Olympics.

Where he is the face of this team he is the de facto leader of this team he is going to get the captaincy if Nico leaves like that is.

Unquestionable and deserved.

But.

It is tough because Nico is a devil lifer is the first ever Jersey devil's first overall pick like I love Nico. He's your I don't want to seem to go.

But.

After season like this.

Difficult decisions have to be made firing Fitzgerald was not.

It shouldn't have been a difficult decision but it was a difficult decision and at the end of the day like.

Yeah I I in all my other fellow devil's hands are screaming fire Fitz but like easy human being.

These are human beings involved they're not just action figures.

And it would pain me to see Nico he sure not finishes career it is as a New Jersey devil but.

And if you give you get rid of them then who's your to see.

Because that's something you have to answer.

I don't know.

A lot of question marks.

A very intriguing situation for a new GM or present or hockey operations are both to step into.

Tomorrow we can talk more about.

Prospective.

Now that it is fully said in that the bad man is truly gone.

So on that note thanks for tuning into today's podcast.

Make sure you like it subscribe follow locked on devils.

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Thanks for stopping by guys.

We'll figure out a new thing to say now that fits he isn't here anymore so we'll just sign off with a let's go devils how about that.