NJD's 10th *WORST* 5v5 EVG/GP fall on Keefe: Caused avoidable Losses!

I think I know what TOR fans meant when saying Keefe plays to get to the playoffs, but not to win the🏆. Devil's have dominated most categories of the game this season from Day 1, except for 5v5 even strength Scoring. Keefe stubbornly allowed months to pass w/obvious poor es scoring. When he finally tweaked the lines, he still kept Palat w/Jack+Bratt as well as Dowling at 3C. He also showed TOR media may have got him bent as he ensured to state, those lines I had were the most optimal & I intend to get back to them as soon as I possibly can... even though the clearly were not the most optimal. Meanwhile the team was ALL PP, Goaltending, Def. & PK: -------------------------------------------------------------

•PP% is 27.4% Ranked #4
•PK% is 84.2% Ranked #3
•Team Goalie Sv% is .906% Rank Tied #4

-In Keefes defense NJ is playing much more physical in a destructively sound system. This is by far the best attribute he has brought to the Devil's. Admittingly getting Dougie + Siegs back over having Nemec + Luke who played Top pair mins. as rookies fixes plenty on its own. The additions of Kovacevic, Pesce, & Dillon are all clearly major upgrades factoring in w/NJ having one of the better NHL D cores. Also, Fitz adding Paul Cotter who is Top 10 in Hits per game in the NHL, plus Noesen, & MacDermid gives that extra edge is just a cherry on top making NJ a stronger more gritty team this season💯.
The Devil's currently Rank 10th Worst in 5v5 Even Strength Goals Scored per Games Played while Keefe has done nothing to fix it. Worth pointing out is how much of their success is due to the Goalies playing great and to the Assistant coaches who run the PK+PP, as well as Fitzy's additions in FA/trades. Unlike Lindy Ruff, HC Sheldon Keefe has the privilege to pinpoint his team's main concern. One would think this would be beneficial to figure out a solution and fix it, especially as the 5v5 es scoring has been an issue the entire season.

-Keefe never tried many line combos with this team, until quickly, settling with Timo-Nico-Merc early on creating NJ's Best 5v5 es producing line. Nico even was the #1 NHL Goal Scorer & was being mentioned in NHL media in high regards for his offensive breakout matching his defensive play & how if he keeps it up he will be recognized in another Tier of NHL Centermans. For no reason stated, Keefe broke them up even as Timo+Merc were having chemistry & all 3 went cold for weeks after.

Injuries hit NJ starting with Lazar+Bastian, ultimately Haula was the big blow before getting to Nico currently. In a baffeling decision none of the Top AHL prospects like Nolan Foote or Adam Beckman were called up instread an AHL lifer- Justin Dowling replaced Haula as 3C. It was baffeling because it beyond proved to be the wrong choice & it was NEVER once questioned by anyone. Ironically, Keefe moved Mercer to line3, but NOT* as 3C proving he is a stubborn or a lost fool. Dowling's currently 3x worst than the next two worst 3C's-

•J. Dowling: 139 NHL Gms./24 Pts.
(This Season) 39Gms./2G/5pts.

Nick Foligno: (CHI) (54gms./11G/25pts)
Luke Kunin: (SJ) (57gms./11G/18pts.)

☆Instead of upgrading Dowling by playing Mercer as 3C & playing Nolan Foote over MacDermid as 4LW☆

MacDermid: (37gms. w/NJ & 1asst.)
N.Foote: (6Gs/8pts in 23 NHL games)
( The #1 AHL Fwd. Prospect )

-Keep in mind all N.Foote's games were scattered call-ups throughout 3-4 seasons under the age of 23 & all on the 4th line. If he brought near a ½ppg w/80% being goals while Mercer booted Dowling to a Comet out of NJ's lineup for good; I bet NJ gets a few more wins (which matter in a tight race) & matters to keep a locker room morale positive over slumping. You get guys in a scoring slump on the 3rd & 4th lines which to be real that's who really was I guarantee they're saying why isn't Mercer 3C & Foote/Beckman up over Macdermid, then we'd have a better line to produce.

The last change which seems obvious to upgrade their es scoring is moving Noesen on Jack+Bratt's Top Line. Keefe hasn't done it even once & Noesen is a clear upgrade over Palat. He can bring all the intangibles that Palat does, but is having an insane breakout season with behind the net pin point accurate passes after winning 1v1 battles or board battle scrums, WAY better offensive awareness - getting positioned for SICK 1timers he rips fast, hard, + accurate as🤬, rebound game + his JAM GAME are ELITE, because his netfront game is titties!
-Imagine Jack/Bratt cruising around the Ozone, they can't rip the hardest shot, but fast sneaky & accurate shots, same with Dougie, but w/Noesen being that good screen/netfront guy who can go to the boards/behind net win pucks battles & still rip 1timers, sheesh... it would take their line to the next level. Probably get Dougie back to the 20+ G scorer he was💯

-There's even fans saying fire Fitz because the Offense under Keefe has been so bad, yet it's the same offensive talent as prior years except Cotter [13Gs] swapped for Holtz [3Gs] and Noesen [18Gs] swapped for Toffoli [20Gs], plus a healthy Dougie back now over Nemec.

▪︎Most Goals Scored '24 NJ Ranked #12
-NJ had 264* G's & NSH/Rank 10 had 266* G's
-In a non-playoff Season w/No Dougie & Toffoli gone after Deadline they were 3 Goals away from a Top 10 Scoring Offense!
▪︎Most Goals Scored '23 NJ Ranked #4
▪︎Most Goals Per Game '25 NJ's Ranked #13, not even bad w/the injuries & Keefe's poor line choices.
-Devil's Rank 10th WORST at 5v5 even strength Scoring per game this season at 2.19 EVG/GP