26 replies to this topic

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

We all know what Marty and Lou have meant to this franchise, and how their destinies here have been intertwined seemingly forever. I remember when the Devils first hired Lou Lamoriello back when I was in high school. I remember being in college and reading the Star-Ledger draft recap, and seeing that the Devils had chosen one Martin Brodeur with their first-round pick. The Devils were a franchise still fighting for respectability and an identity back then, a team no one really took seriously on or off the ice. The march towards simple respectability had taken three cities and almost three decades to complete, but in the end, it was clearly Marty and Lou who had so much with the Devils finally completing that journey. Other players clearly contributed heavily to the Devils' success through the years, and none of this is to suggest that the legacies of the Stevenses and the Neidermayers and the heroes big and small are somehow lesser in importance. But both Marty and Lou have clearly been the faces of the franchise longer than anyone else.

I was just reflecting on the past and present with both of them, the good moments and the bad. Some random thoughts:

Last night was just one game, one bad game, every team has them, and it's easy to get upset and angry when we're watching such a top-to-bottom, putrid effort. I wonder what Marty's thoughts are after a game like that? Does he think about playing for someone else? Could I blame him? I always thought I wouldn't want to see him in another jersey, that it would be so awesome if he could just finish it up here. But what does he owe me? Anyone, really? He's always taken less money to stay here when he could've gotten more elsewhere. No one else has come close to playing as many games in goal for one team as Marty has. I don't want to go too crazy on his numbers this year, as it's a pretty small sample, but clearly they're not typical Marty numbers. Would they better behind another team? I guess my point is, if Marty decides for any reason that he doesn't want to be here anymore, that the window is rapidly closing and he wants to give it a try somewhere else, I wouldn't hold a thing against him. I saw him win 630 regular season games, 99 playoff games, and multiple Vezinas and Stanley Cups. I consider myself lucky to have seen him play, at such a high level, for as long as I did. When he made his debut, I was a 21-year-old college student trying to figure out what the future might hold. I'm now a married 41-year-old father of one who's a part-owner of a successful family business. It's gone by so damned fast...too damned fast. All of it. I wish he could stay young and productive and be Marty forever, but he can't. If he thinks a temporary Fountain of Youth may exist elsewhere, I would wish him only the best. No hard feelings on my end.

As for Lou, we all know what an incredible GM he's been, putting together Cup wins and doing it with less money and superstars (on offense, anyway) than several other teams. The Devils went from irrelevant curiosity in a crowded market to a perennial contender during his tenure, and missed the playoffs just three times in his many many years here. The recent seasons haven't been as kind, clearly, but no one can dispute that he was a terrific GM and executive in so many ways. I'll always appreciate what he's done here. But I am finding myself hoping more and more that this is his last season here. GMs rarely last as long in their jobs as Lou has, and there's reason for that (eras changing, the stiff prices paid to remain a contender, etc.) Sometimes I think it reaches a point where it's simply time for new blood, new voices, fresh ideas. Would it surprise me if Lou found success with another franchise, if he moved on? Not one bit. I'm simply finding myself feeling strongly that both the franchise AND Lou could benefit from a fresh start, away from each other.

Anyway, no disrespect intended towards either man...both will go down as legends, as well they should. Just thinking about life after both of them...and how it all went by so fast...and how it's sinking in that it couldn't last forever, though there were days it sure seemed that way...

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976, 01 December 2011 - 03:26 PM.

[SterioDesign]

agreed on everything but i just want Zach to be part of our future so it would be a great "last move" for Lou to sign Parise long-term so that the next GM would have a good young captain

[Triumph]

Some fine thoughts, but I think both men will retire as Devils. Lou is nearly 70 and runs the franchise in a very anachronistic fashion in many respects - something which he gets away with in part because of his success here. He would likely not have that kind of carte blanche in another place, and how long is he going to be able to do this? Who would offer him a job where the team can be turned around in a few years?

Brodeur? I wouldn't blame him if he moved on, but the truth is, he's probably just not very good anymore. If he thinks it's the team and not him, I think he's in for a rude awakening. He's earned the right to move on, but an NHL GM would have to be reaching to think that he's the last piece. I'm hoping he can pull together and put up some big time goaltending numbers, but I don't see it.

Edited by Triumph, 01 December 2011 - 02:07 PM.

[peteyvegas]

I hate to say I agree, but I do. Glen Sather was considered the greatest when he put together that team. Same with Lou. We can see the remenants of that team with Patty and Marty but it's already gone. These last 7 years have been teasers but we could've known it coming. I also feel that Larry's time has come as well. He cant put personal experience into his coaching because they didn't play the kind of forecheck then as they do now. We've been stuck without a breakout for a good 6 years now and I see no getting out of it. Right after the Boston loss, they immediately stopped headmanning the puck and started freezing it behind their goal. Even the wins against Winnepeg and the Isles looked bad. How the hell does Detroit do it year after year?

Edited by peteyvegas, 01 December 2011 - 02:10 PM.

[adam85491]

Marty has been fantastic this year. His numbers aren't great because of the sh!t defense in front of him. You could have a highlight reel on his saves alone just from 1.5 months of play.

[peteyvegas]

Might have ben the best saves I ever saw from him. Even at this age.

[95Crash]

Well said, CR76.

Although I wouldn't hold it against Marty if he played a few seasons with another team (unless it was for one of our rivals), I sure do hope he retires solely as a Devil.

Maybe someday there will be busts of Lou and Marty at the Rock.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Some fine thoughts, but I think both men will retire as Devils. Lou is nearly 70 and runs the franchise in a very anachronistic fashion in many respects - something which he gets away with in part because of his success here. He would likely not have that kind of carte blanche in another place, and how long is he going to be able to do this? Who would offer him a job where the team can be turned around in a few years?

Brodeur? I wouldn't blame him if he moved on, but the truth is, he's probably just not very good anymore. If he thinks it's the team and not him, I think he's in for a rude awakening. He's earned the right to move on, but an NHL GM would have to be reaching to think that he's the last piece. I'm hoping he can pull together and put up some big time goaltending numbers, but I don't see it.

He may very well be in for the rude awakening...my point, like yours, is that he's earned the right to find out if he's still got something left without rancor from our fanbase.

[SterioDesign]

I hate to say I agree, but I do. Glen Sather was considered the greatest when he put together that team. Same with Lou. We can see the remenants of that team with Patty and Marty but it's already gone. These last 7 years have been teasers but we could've known it coming. I also feel that Larry's time has come as well. He cant put personal experience into his coaching because they didn't play the kind of forecheck then as they do now. We've been stuck without a breakout for a good 6 years now and I see no getting out of it. Right after the Boston loss, they immediately stopped headmanning the puck and started freezing it behind their goal. Even the wins against Winnepeg and the Isles looked bad. How the hell does Detroit do it year after year?

like i said somewhere else... when you have a 6th and 7th round pick turning in superstars... it can't hurt... without Zetterberg and Datsyuk they wouldnt be where they are now

[Maddog]

I don't see Marty leaving to play elsewhere, he has stated on one then more occasion how much it would mean to him to play his entire career with one franchise, I think he takes pride in that. You could use Ray Bourque as an example, he was godlike in Boston and I'm sure no one thought he would play for another team. But Bourgue had never won a Cup and Marty has. Bourgue accomplished so much as Bruin just like everyone of Marty's accomplishments has come as a Devil. So what would motivate him to leave? Would the opportunity to win just one more time be worth it?

I hope not, but I'm selfish that way!

[peteyvegas]

Yeah, SD. They'd be where WE are now. But, they haven't stopped in 20 years. We've been lost since the '03 cup. And I didn't even like the way we were heading even in that year.

[Triumph]

He may very well be in for the rude awakening...my point, like yours, is that he's earned the right to find out if he's still got something left without rancor from our fanbase.

I don't see where he's going, though, there just aren't that many openings in the NHL. I don't think he will play past this season.

[DaneykoIsGod]

Great post, CR.

My only fear about Lou stepping down is who replaces him. I mean ... really ... who? Good GMs are hard to come by. Even if Lou isn't at his early-'90s prime anymore, he's still better than all but maybe a handful in this league. And the thought of Chris taking over makes me wanna take up hard drugs.

[titans04]

Hedberg plays in front of the same D and his numbers are drastically better than Marty's, they've both played about the same number of games as well.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I don't see where he's going, though, there just aren't that many openings in the NHL. I don't think he will play past this season.

Even if it's just to split time with someone who a team is unsure about...even if he knows he won't be getting much more than 35%-40% of the playing time. I haven't examined the particulars, of where he would fit, potential suitors, etc. There's a lot of ifs with this one...he would have to be playing well, and well enough that a contending team would actually think he could help them. A great example would be IF Marty was playing well and IF a team lost a goalie due to injury. Does a scenario like that come up? It could, sure. So could Marty struggling and no team wanting him. It was more of, if a situation arose where he and another team thought he could be a help, I wouldn't begrudge him the chance. But like you point out, a lot of stars would have to align.

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976, 01 December 2011 - 04:28 PM.

[95Crash]

Hedberg plays in front of the same D and his numbers are drastically better than Marty's, they've both played about the same number of games as well.

The way Moose has been playing this year, I almost wish they would just alternate the two every other game for a while.

Although last night's disaster of a game (versus Colorado) was definitely NOT Marty's fault.

[Exit56]

The team plays harder when someone else is playing goal. We saw it with Clemmensen years ago and we see it with Hedberg today. The team thinks marty will make the save, so they don't try as hard on D.

It's atrocious, but it's the truth.

As for Lou, I can live with the fact that we've won the cup as many times as we've missed the playoffs since he's been here.

[justdo3043]

i've been having similar thoughts for the past two seasons in spirts...then you have the issues with the bankrupty...a new era is beginning...crossing my fingers for the best

[Steven M.]

Very good post CR76, and I was definitely thinking those thoughts myself last night. It's been such an amazing era. Being only 21 years of age, I was too young to remember the 95' win. but the 2000 and 2003 championships are the things that will forever be the most vivid of my childhood memories.

You are absolutely correct about Marty and Lou - they totally deserve and have earned the right to do as they please. But man oh MAN do I hope Marty retires a Devil. it would be the perfect end in my eyes. even sweeter still if we could win at least a round of playoffs. He's made some brilliant saves this year, but there is no question his numbers are suffering.

[msweet]

Great Post and I am afraid you might be right.