Jump to content

Lundqvist 2013 - new pad rule?


Z-Man

Recommended Posts

I swear, if I could punch people through the computer who use the word "classy" on an online forum, I would.  Or maybe, more diplomatically, just forbid people from using the freakin word.

 

This is an online forum, just don't click on a thread if you're not interested in the subject matter.  Who the hell are you to tell us what we should and shouldn't talk about? :lol:

THIS x1000   Yes, it's one thing to worry about how our team is doing, but we're allowed to talk about what's bugging us about other teams and subjects.

 

 

 

This is why the R & R part II song is going away - because we have a tiny minority of immature Devils' fans that worry about stupid classless things, such as Henrik's pad size...

 

Are we serious people? 

 

Who cares really.  Let's worry about our own team and not about the Rangers.  We both have lots to worry about.

also...I seriously doubt it's a "small minority" of fans who care about the goal song. Not every member of the fan base is represented on this or any other online discussion board. If it really was a tiny minority then why was the chant or the booing about the Bon Jovi song so obvious. If it was only the amount of people that would have filled a section or two in the stands, they would have easily been drowned out. It isn't just the Diablos that start chants or participate in them if that's what you're getting at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is why the R & R part II song is going away - because we have a tiny minority of immature Devils' fans that worry about stupid classless things, such as Henrik's pad size...

Are we serious people?

Who cares really. Let's worry about our own team and not about the Rangers. We both have lots to worry about.

Could you post a list of things that are acceptable in your eyes? We wouldn't want you going into threads you aren't interested in by accident.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it's fair to say Lundqvist's struggles this year are due to smaller pads anymore than it's fair to say Brodeur's struggles this year are due to smaller pads. It's 8 games into the season.

 

Brodeur actually HAS smaller pads to start with.  He didn't have to reduce them because of the new regulations.

 

Lundqvist allowed at least two goals he eats up against us in prior years.  One where yes, bigger pads would have made a huge difference.  They also aren't playing the same system as they have in the past, and he is in a contract year too.  Not every player automatically plays better with FA looming, though it seems that way at times.

Edited by NJDevs4978
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re:  writing Marty off prematurely, if he was at a different stage in his career, and there wasn't a guy who can clearly be an effective #1 on the roster, I'd be preaching patience for sure.  But the numbers are what they are.  He has an .878 save% in his last 18 games (dating back to last season).  He's been up-and-down since the start of the 2010-11 season...his overall regular season save% since that season began is .903 (well below his career .913)...and that includes a couple of nice runs (.923 save% over the final 29 games of 2010-11, .923 save% over the last 27 games of 2011-12).  Problem is it took him a long time in both of those seasons to get it going...it was great when he did, but the Devils aren't in a position where they can give him until January or February to start playing well, especially when they go winless in their first seven games, and even more so when there's a guy who's simply better right now.  Though nothing is decided in 7-8 games, this is one of those situations where DeBoer had to make a judgment call, and based on recent history, I think he's making the right one, but at the same time, he can't bail on Schneider the first time he gives up four or five goals either.    

 

As far as the all-time goalie debate goes, I can only stick to guys I saw play, but I've always maintained:

 

Best pure puck-stopper:  Hasek

Best clutch performer:  Roy

Best all-arounder, most durable:  Brodeur

 

Though Brodeur gets credit for durability (as he should) and for having a very long prime, Roy clearly still could've kept playing if he wanted to...he put up .925 and .920 save%s in his final two years with the Avs...he was not showing any real signs of noticable decline.  Though he wasn't always starting 70+ games like Marty, he started 60+ every year from 1991-92 through 2002-03 (with the exception of '95 of course), right through the end of his career.  Roy doesn't get enough credit for being pretty durable himself, and the fact that his prime was also freakishly long. 

 

Hasek's overall numbers are thrown off because his career started so late, but he was pretty amazing at the end of his career too, given his age...his last two seasons (he was 42 and 43 at the end of each year) he went a combined 65-21-9, had GAAs of 2.05 and 2.14, and a combined save% of .909.  Clearly he was playing for a couple of terrific Red Wings teams, but the fact that he was able to provide competent goaltending as he was approaching his mid-40s is a hell of an accomplishment.    

 

What's fair to say is that Brodeur is going out worse than the other two...Roy and Hasek were helped by playing on better teams than Marty is on right now, but neither player had anyone debating whether or not they had hung on too long...in Roy's case, it's actually the opposite.  Sadly, people are now wondering that about Marty. 

 

In order for it to work, Schneider has to play 45-50. Originally, I thought if you split him and Marty 41/41 that would be perfect. It's really tough to do what they're doing because of Marty's Hall Of Fame career. It must be very humbling for a man that not long ago, had your team eyeing a storybook comeback against the Kings. I think until their defense steadies (DeBoer-Harrold session, Volchenkov), it won't matter who's in net. Obviously, Schneider is the better puck stopper at this point. The lack of mobility is a concern. Plus you need the offense (Zajac, Henrique) to come around. Elias' return should help.

 

I am going to echo your sentiments regarding the Elite 3 (Brodeur, Hasek, Roy). Marty being the most consistent having longevity along with the records (wins, shutouts, appearances). He also has that streak of 40 wins or more and 30-plus that probably will never be duplicated. Dominator for me was unbelievable. The unorthodox style he played, it was like watching a slinky. And he was small. I remember seeing him before that snowstorm game in February '01. I marveled at what he could do. That was the game Rafalski tied it after the buzzer. Very tough driving hazards. It's hard to say how many more wins, shutouts he might've had. You can only marvel at the talent. He definitely benefited from moving to Detroit. But those Buffalo teams had little talent. Roy won 2 with Montreal and 2 with Colorado. The ones with the Avs were easier. They had much more talent. He wowed as a rook the same year Claude Lemieux started his playoff reputation. '93 was the best one. All the crazy overtimes. Another unbreakable record.

 

Brodeur's best moments:

 

1.2003-backstopped team past a loaded Sens and stood up to the pressure in the home series vs Ducks.

2.2012-I have to put this second because nobody gave them a shot. They beat 3 higher seeds (Panthers, Flyers, Rangers). And he got the better of Lundqvist at 40. Remarkable. Bitter pill to swallow. And he gave the Devils a shot in that final. Just didn't score enough.

3.1994-I still put this pretty high on my list due to the caliber goaltending display. He was unbelievable. A star was born.

4.2000-That was a tougher road than '95. Leafs/Devils Part I was intense. Then dethroning the champion Stars in a goalie duel against Eddie. Vintage stuff.

5.1995-Most probably have this higher because it was his first Cup. I never understood why the Red Wings were heavy favorites. It was the Devils who lost in a classic ECF versus us. The Wings lost to the Sharks. They had the experience. It showed. It took Detroit 2 more years.

6.Olympic Gold '02 Salt Lake. If you're a pure hockey fan, this will probably be in the top 3. Canada's drought. And he took over for Cujo and finally led Canada to gold in a classic against Team USA. A great Olympic moment.

 

You could rank the other records and round out your top 10. I guess for a Devil fan, it would look different. I think it shouldn't matter how he goes out. He's a legend. Even if I didn't say the right thing regarding the Henrik stuff, you have to admire Brodeur. He shouldn't be run out of town. I'd still rather have him backing up than most. Maybe he'll surprise you. When he retires, the rivalry loses some of its appeal. It already started with Schneider getting the start Saturday. It won't be the same.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brodeur actually HAS smaller pads to start with.  He didn't have to reduce them because of the new regulations.

 

Lundqvist allowed at least two goals he eats up against us in prior years.  One where yes, bigger pads would have made a huge difference.  They also aren't playing the same system as they have in the past, and he is in a contract year too.  Not every player automatically plays better with FA looming, though it seems that way at times.

 

 

The articles I've read are tiresome. Now, he might not start against the Flyers. Some hidden injury or injured ego. :P One of the things I never liked about Hank was his reliance on staying back in his net. That style doesn't work in the playoffs. I want my goalie to challenge shooters and cut the angles off. He did it against Washington. But they also played their best game in front of him. Lundqvist has been spoiled by how the team played. Renney ran a 1-4 and Tort trapped. He had defensemen back and getting into lanes. I got into a debate on Twitter because I said I'd rather have Richter. Richter was clutch and didn't have a defensive system. He stole games and series. Most notably, he didn't have a silly nickname even after winning the hardware. Darn Larry Brooks. The whole King thing rubs me the wrong way. He's a great goalie and athlete. But the whole nickname thing is egocentric. I get why he's hated by rivals. Even we joke when he lets in a softie and call him Queen Henry.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In order for it to work, Schneider has to play 45-50. Originally, I thought if you split him and Marty 41/41 that would be perfect. It's really tough to do what they're doing because of Marty's Hall Of Fame career. It must be very humbling for a man that not long ago, had your team eyeing a storybook comeback against the Kings. I think until their defense steadies (DeBoer-Harrold session, Volchenkov), it won't matter who's in net. Obviously, Schneider is the better puck stopper at this point. The lack of mobility is a concern. Plus you need the offense (Zajac, Henrique) to come around. Elias' return should help.

 

I am going to echo your sentiments regarding the Elite 3 (Brodeur, Hasek, Roy). Marty being the most consistent having longevity along with the records (wins, shutouts, appearances). He also has that streak of 40 wins or more and 30-plus that probably will never be duplicated. Dominator for me was unbelievable. The unorthodox style he played, it was like watching a slinky. And he was small. I remember seeing him before that snowstorm game in February '01. I marveled at what he could do. That was the game Rafalski tied it after the buzzer. Very tough driving hazards. It's hard to say how many more wins, shutouts he might've had. You can only marvel at the talent. He definitely benefited from moving to Detroit. But those Buffalo teams had little talent. Roy won 2 with Montreal and 2 with Colorado. The ones with the Avs were easier. They had much more talent. He wowed as a rook the same year Claude Lemieux started his playoff reputation. '93 was the best one. All the crazy overtimes. Another unbreakable record.

 

Brodeur's best moments:

 

1.2003-backstopped team past a loaded Sens and stood up to the pressure in the home series vs Ducks.

2.2012-I have to put this second because nobody gave them a shot. They beat 3 higher seeds (Panthers, Flyers, Rangers). And he got the better of Lundqvist at 40. Remarkable. Bitter pill to swallow. And he gave the Devils a shot in that final. Just didn't score enough.

3.1994-I still put this pretty high on my list due to the caliber goaltending display. He was unbelievable. A star was born.

4.2000-That was a tougher road than '95. Leafs/Devils Part I was intense. Then dethroning the champion Stars in a goalie duel against Eddie. Vintage stuff.

5.1995-Most probably have this higher because it was his first Cup. I never understood why the Red Wings were heavy favorites. It was the Devils who lost in a classic ECF versus us. The Wings lost to the Sharks. They had the experience. It showed. It took Detroit 2 more years.

6.Olympic Gold '02 Salt Lake. If you're a pure hockey fan, this will probably be in the top 3. Canada's drought. And he took over for Cujo and finally led Canada to gold in a classic against Team USA. A great Olympic moment.

 

You could rank the other records and round out your top 10. I guess for a Devil fan, it would look different. I think it shouldn't matter how he goes out. He's a legend. Even if I didn't say the right thing regarding the Henrik stuff, you have to admire Brodeur. He shouldn't be run out of town. I'd still rather have him backing up than most. Maybe he'll surprise you. When he retires, the rivalry loses some of its appeal. It already started with Schneider getting the start Saturday. It won't be the same.

 

I think DeBoer and others envisioned a split going into the season...even Marty getting slightly more starts...but I also think they weren't going to wait long to deviate from that idea if Marty struggled, especially when you factor in everything else:  Devils not making the playoffs last season, Marty not looking good in the second half of the year (but getting starts because the other guy was even worse), having a good young goalie on the roster.  I think if Marty's at roughly .900 in save% and has a couple of wins under his belt, maybe the loose split would've continued a bit longer.  But his rough start (and more importantly, the WAY he looked during it) made the decision relatively easy for DeBoer. 

 

That being said, goaltending is hardly the only issue for the Devils at this point.  They look to be a team that is going to be inconsistent (at best) when it comes to putting pucks in the net.  The names don't appear to be meshing.  Schneider playing at his current best will lead to more points than Brodeur playing at his current best, but with the way the team looks right now, Hasek, Roy, or Brodeur in their primes would have a tough time getting this team into the playoffs.

 

I would love it if Brodeur could provide capable backup goaltending, but the simple fact is, no one knows if he can do it.  He's never really been a backup before.  If his skills are declining as sharply as they appear to be, I don't know how playing less will stave that off.  My expectations are pretty fair for Brodeur at this point...I'm not asking him to be anywhere near what he was in his prime.  If he can finish with overall numbers close to last season's (.900ish save%), in about 25 games, and get through with roughly an NHL-.500 record, I'd be thrilled with that.  Not great numbers, but at least they're passable.

 

You've got your share of mean-spirited Devils fans who do a better job of ripping on Brodeur than Rangers fans ever did, but don't misinterpret as people not wanting to see it get ugly for him as people wanting to run him out of town.  There's fans who literally grew up watching Marty from the time they were little kids just getting into Devils hockey.  Then there's guys like me who remember the Devils pre-Marty, and have been watching him do his often-awesome thing seemingly forever (I was 21 and still in college when he made his debut in '91...I'm now 43, married, and a dad).  To see him look so beatable and old is really hard for some of us to take.  Re: 2012, I think he gave it all in those 2012 playoffs...gave it just about everything he had left.  The way he finished up the 2011-12 regular season and playoffs as a 39/40-year-old was pretty amazing, it really was.  .923 save% over that season's final 27 games, .922 save% in the playoffs (until Game 6 of the SCF, which knocked it down to .917).  In four of the six '11-'12 SC Final games, he gave up just one goal in regulation.  I've said it many times, but I think that stretch was the best of the rest of what he had left.  I do feel like the tank is just about empty now though...especially since this looks like a Devils team incapable of propping him up, and willing him to more wins.  I agree, that despite what some of the Brodeur critics say, him going out struggling this season shouldn't, and likely won't, make much difference...there's guys who have gone out much more painfully in other sports (Mickey Mantle admitted that part of the reason he hung on, despite knowing he didn't have it anymore, was because the lucrative Yankees lifetime achievement contracts were giving him were simply too good to pass up, even though he couldn't come close to earning their worth...but those seasons cost him his .300 lifetime batting average), but fans do remember all of the great moments much more than the final ones.  In a few years, fans will focus on the many great moments up until the 2012 SCF, with this season and last being mere footnotes.    

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Lundqvist is out vs the Flyers due to some nagging injury.  Could be why he's sucking so much.

i knew people would try blaming his suckiness on this "nagging injury".. maybe hes just not as good because its a different coach with a different style of play and he doesnt have 5 of his players in front of him all trying to sacrifice their bodys to block shots anymore as well as a decrease in his pad size.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i knew people would try blaming his suckiness on this "nagging injury".. maybe hes just not as good because its a different coach with a different style of play and he doesnt have 5 of his players in front of him all trying to sacrifice their bodys to block shots anymore as well as a decrease in his pad size.

 

Could be anything.  But he normally does get off to slow starts according to Rags fans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tend to worry about spiders crawling up my nose during my sleep and laying eggs in my brain. And then I will be talking to a crowd of people and then spiders will start crawling out of my nose and ears. And then my skin falls off and I'm a giant spider underneath it. Then I start to eat the crowd of people I was just talking to and spinning them in my web to save for later consumption...mmm...human flesh...

You too?! I thought I was the only one....

Edited by AEWHistory
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tend to worry about spiders crawling up my nose during my sleep and laying eggs in my brain. And then I will be talking to a crowd of people and then spiders will start crawling out of my nose and ears. And then my skin falls off and I'm a giant spider underneath it. Then I start to eat the crowd of people I was just talking to and spinning them in my web to save for later consumption...mmm...human flesh...

 

Just sneezed this into my hand, go figure! (that's really my hand, btw)

 

<A href="http://jim777.com/images/spiders/Bsmithi2.jpg" data-cke-saved-href="http://jim777.com/images/spiders/Bsmithi2.jpg">http://jim777.com/images/spiders/Bsmithi2.jpg</A>

 

Can't seem to get this image code right...

Edited by jim777
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just sneezed this into my hand, go figure! (that's really my hand, btw)

 

<A href="http://jim777.com/images/spiders/Bsmithi2.jpg" data-cke-saved-href="http://jim777.com/images/spiders/Bsmithi2.jpg">http://jim777.com/images/spiders/Bsmithi2.jpg</A>

 

Can't seem to get this image code right...

 

You're a better man than me.  Two things freak me out more than anything:  spiders and heights.  I would be in near-tears if I had something like that in my hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're a better man than me.  Two things freak me out more than anything:  spiders and heights.  I would be in near-tears if I had something like that in my hand.

 

I hate bees, spiders eat bees, so an easy choice for me :) That's a B. smithi tarantula, completely harmless. You see them in horror movies because they're so laid back. One of 14 I've got here at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're a better man than me.  Two things freak me out more than anything:  spiders and heights.  I would be in near-tears if I had something like that in my hand.

 

i hate spiders, and no way in hell would i hold one in my hand.  Heights never really bothered me, untill i got to 13,500 feet up (over 2 miles up) and was standing on the ledge of the plane waiting to skydive,  As soon as I jumped out of the plane all the nervousness/fears for that split second go away.  Def would suggest for anyone looking for a thrill.   Also its a great view (went to skydive long Island as I live on LI)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i hate spiders, and no way in hell would i hold one in my hand.  Heights never really bothered me, untill i got to 13,500 feet up (over 2 miles up) and was standing on the ledge of the plane waiting to skydive,  As soon as I jumped out of the plane all the nervousness/fears for that split second go away.  Def would suggest for anyone looking for a thrill.   Also its a great view (went to skydive long Island as I live on LI)

 

I always wanted to skydive. Dave Mustaine from Megadeth said he overcame his heroine addiction by skydiving. So it must be awesome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.