50 replies to this topic

[Devil Dan 56]

We don't NEED the "roles" that Boulton/Janssen bring to the table tbh. They shouldn't be NHL players, Janssen especially. I'm not saying I miss Rolston that much, but I think we'd be a stronger team with him then without him. Obviously his cap hit was horrible..

I guess the Boston GM & coach must be complete retards. Oh wait.

One, yes you do need guys who can fight and protect your stars. Do you recall the end of the Philly game when the Devils went up 6-0 and Philly began gooning it up? You don't want Clarkson or Kovalchuk in the box for 5 minutes with the way they are scoring this year.

Two, I never said the Boston GM was a 'retard'. Nice hyperbole. The Devils are not the Bruins. They are different teams with different pieces and chemistry. Rolston may fit a need that Boston has, but he doesn't really fit one the Devils have.

[Triumph]

I would have liked to have brought in a depth forward, but not Brian 'Sulky' Rolston. It's bad enough when New Jersey brings back guys who've proven themselves as Devils when their careers are near over, this would be a guy they would be bringing back after he's proven that his career is over.

I'm not even sure that such a trade would be legal - I know it wasn't pre-salary cap.

One, yes you do need guys who can fight and protect your stars. Do you recall the end of the Philly game when the Devils went up 6-0 and Philly began gooning it up? You don't want Clarkson or Kovalchuk in the box for 5 minutes with the way they are scoring this year.

I do remember that, and neither Boulton nor Janssen got into a fight. This protection myth has to go away.

[Devil Dan 56]

I do remember that, and neither Boulton nor Janssen got into a fight. This protection myth has to go away.

Yep, but Philly gooned it up and scored 4 goals in the third. Kovalchuk did fight, and we lost him for 5 of the last 8 minutes of that game. Luckily, he didn't break his hand on Schenn's face.

That 'myth' comes from the players themselves. Protection and policing are very real things in hockey, even if you can't measure them.

Edited by Devil Dan 56, 27 February 2012 - 04:24 PM.

[jagknife]

How often do you see gloves-down fights during the playoffs? as far as I remember, not very often.

You don't need a guy who a) can't stay on the ice for more than 45 seconds without being gassed, b) you don't need a player who does not want to fit into a system nor can play a system on your team.

Seriously, we need to stop conveniently forgetting Rolston played like garbage here and then, when he did give some effort, he was gassed. See an intermission interview vs Buffalo when Rolston could have had a breakaway, but ripped a slapshot from the blue line, when asked why he did it, Rolston said, I was exhausted. He was on the ice for 30 seconds. He's 39 and wouldn't have played 4th line minutes without throwing a fit.

And if you think both Boulton and Janssen will be on the same line during the playoffs, please pinch yourselves and wake up.

[Devil Dan 56]

How often do you see gloves-down fights during the playoffs? as far as I remember, not very often.

You don't need a guy who a) can't stay on the ice for more than 45 seconds without being gassed, b) you don't need a player who does not want to fit into a system nor can play a system on your team.

Seriously, we need to stop conveniently forgetting Rolston played like garbage here and then, when he did give some effort, he was gassed. See an intermission interview vs Buffalo when Rolston could have had a breakaway, but ripped a slapshot from the blue line, when asked why he did it, Rolston said, I was exhausted. He was on the ice for 30 seconds. He's 39 and wouldn't have played 4th line minutes without throwing a fit.

And if you think both Boulton and Janssen will be on the same line during the playoffs, please pinch yourselves and wake up.

Fighting is very rare for the playoffs. Players know better than to risk it. In the regular season, it happens though. And boulton does what a 4th liner should. Rolston doesn't and won't.

[jagknife]

Fighting is very rare for the playoffs. Players know better than to risk it. In the regular season, it happens though. And boulton does what a 4th liner should. Rolston doesn't and won't.

I think you and I are on the same page... I'm more bewildered about njdftw who thinks it woulda been a smart move.

Rolston never broke 40 points after signing his $5 million plus deal. Has only 9 points this season, no way in hell would he improve our team.

[Triumph]

Yep, but Philly gooned it up and scored 4 goals in the third. Kovalchuk did fight, and we lost him for 5 of the last 8 minutes of that game. Luckily, he didn't break his hand on Schenn's face.

That 'myth' comes from the players themselves. Protection and policing are very real things in hockey, even if you can't measure them.

Just because they believe it doesn't make it true, because I just don't think it's true. Players take all kinds of 'liberties' whether or not the opposing team has an enforcer or not. It's not a deterrent. Thankfully the Rangers think it is so they acquired John Scott, noted terrible hockey player.

[njdevsftw]

I'm more bewildered about njdftw who thinks it woulda been a smart move.

I hear you. Rolston is not an awesome player! He's past his prime and going downhill. Add the fact that his cap hit was grotesque, and I was happy to see him go.. As Tri pointed out, I'm not even sure we would be allowed to bring him here, or that he would have wanted to come back anyway..

I'm just saying he'd upgrade our 4th line. Nothing more or less. The numbers (yes even his sh!tty numbers), speak for themselves when you compare them to the players I've mentioned. Depth is important, and if we have to dress Mills, Boulton or Janssen even once in the playoffs, then we could have found a use for him.

I like Tedenby, but I doubt he'd be able to make an impact in the playoffs when he can't cut it in the regular season.. Maybe next year.

I'm gonna leave this topic alone now, as I am not a Rolston fan, and I don't wanna be remembered as one.

[Devil Dan 56]

Just because they believe it doesn't make it true, because I just don't think it's true. Players take all kinds of 'liberties' whether or not the opposing team has an enforcer or not. It's not a deterrent. Thankfully the Rangers think it is so they acquired John Scott, noted terrible hockey player.

I'm going to have to listen to the players on this one. Anyone who has played any kind of organized hockey can tell you how quickly agitation can rise over the course of a game. The most violent games can occur in situations where there are no enforcers or specialized fighters. I've seen some bad high school hockey game fights where the kids just don't understand the intricacies on what is and is not acceptable, and the fights involve swinging sticks or worse. A lot gets missed by the refs and a lot of small acts of disrespect occur on the ice (snow showers, butt ends, slew foots, etc) I'm in no way saying fighting should be allowed in high school, juniors, or any non-adult league; just showing that if you took fighting out of the game, it'd devolve into anarchy. Granted, the instigator penalty makes the enforcer less effective, but they are still a necessary part of the game.

[njdevsftw]

It's easy as fvck to remove fighting and cheap shot bullsh!t from hockey. Video reviews after the games resulting in longass bans and serious fines that HURT the wallets. Money talks. Most players prefer to be eligible to play as well. There's a new CBA coming up, hopefully the league can put in place the measures they need to enforce the rules instead of these pathetic $2500 fines to players that literally make millions of dollars a year.

[Triumph]

yeah pretty much what ftw said. The reason the NHL doesn't have the problems that lower leagues do with cheap shots is 3 fold:

1: They're professionals. This is a job. Not that people don't flip out on the ice, but NHL players seem a lot less prone to anger than say, me.

2: There's cameras everywhere. In a lower level game, that might not be the case, you maybe could get away with a cheap shot. Remember in 1997 when John MacLean avoided suspension because they didn't have good video of his slash on Sundstrom? That would never happen today. If you do something that might incur a suspension, the league will see it and act accordingly, unless you are a Boston Bruin.

3: Like you said, inexperienced hockey players might not know how much damage a cheap shot can do.

Re: Rolston - there's so many better options that NJ could've had if they had wanted.