54 replies to this topic

[Don]

Oh, and one other thing - when he signed on with Dallas, he said, "I'm happy to join the Stars. I was hoping another team would call, but I'm more than happy to be joining a strong Dallas team."

Given that when his career was over he showed up in NEW JERSEY - not as a coach, but on his OWN TIME to help out the young players, I'm pretty sure he meant the Devils. When Lou saw what a good job he was doing with the players, he hired him on as an assistant coach.

From the Keepers thread, April 22 2004:
And I will defend John MacLeans honour to the death!! Even the trade demand!!

I take my job very seriously.

[NJDevs4978]

Lou and the coaching staff stabbed Mr. Devil in the back.

I have heard a LOT of people over the years saying that if he was a REAL Devil he would have accepted a diminished role with the Devils rather than ask to go to another team.

You know, I actually have a MUCH MUCH bigger problem with him signing with the Rangers as a UFA than when he asked for a trade, but I digress.

Obviously he and Lou have buried whatever hatchet they had, so one of these days his number may well go up after all.

[Neutral Zone Trap]

Retired: 99

To be retired: 3, 4, 30.

Also retired should be #27 and #18

[NJD Jester]

Also retired should be #27 and #18

Nieder I could see, especially if he captained the team to (another) Cup in the next four or five years.

No. 18, while a nice thought, will never be retired officially. I would like to see the Devils keep it out of circulation for a while if Brylin ever leaves, but I think the rafters are reserved for Hall of Fame players (like Stevens and Marty) or team standard bearers (like Dano and MacLean).

<JESTER>

[Don]

I don't think Brylin's been in enough games. Through most of the late 90's he was injured more often than playing. So while he has been with the team for a long time, he hasn't always played many games. This last season was the first time I played the full slate of games.

All together he has played 519 games. Dano played far more than double that.

Though I do give him bonus points for being the quintessential Devil.

[Devils731]

If the Devils retire numbers this easily in 20 years players will have to have triple digits on their back.

-Scott

[Max]

I thought Lou does not allow # to be retired?

[Satans Hockey]

Brylin's number 18 will never be retired and it shouldn't. It's a nice thought but there is no way its happening. I think whenever Jamie leaves that number 15 should be retired but 4 and 3 will probably be up first. 27 will not be retired if this season ends up being his last with us. 30 is going up there as well.

Edited by NJDEVILICEONFIRE, 28 July 2004 - 04:21 PM.

[Max]

But will Lou let numbers to be retired.

[Satans Hockey]

But will Lou let numbers to be retired.

Yes

[Max]

Well how come a few years ago the Rats wanted to retire the #4 in honor of Gordie Kinner and he told us no he will not allow # to be retired?

[Satans Hockey]

Well how come a few years ago the Rats wanted to retire the #4 in honor of Gordie Kinner and he told us no he will not allow # to be retired?

Maybe because Geordie Kinnear was mainly good for racking up a high amount of PIM every year.

[Max]

Maybe because Lou will not retire number's.

[Satans Hockey]

Maybe because Lou will not retire number's.

Im sorry and I know he played a couple of season with the Rats but Geordie Kinnear does not deserve his number retired.

[Max]

Yeah bologna he does not deserve it. He was probaly the best defensman to ever where a Albany Riverrat uniform. So yes he did deserve it.

[Satans Hockey]

Yeah bologna he does not deserve it. He was probaly the best defensman to ever where a Albany Riverrat uniform. So yes he did deserve it.

[Satans Hockey]

I mean give me a break look at his stats. In 406 games played he had 17 goals and 68 assists for a total of 85 points and he had 1,094 PIM. In the playoffs he played in 44 games had 2 goals and 5 assists for a total of 7 points and 113 PIM. He played solid defense and he was good for fighting and taking penalties. But there is no way he is worthy of having his number retired.

Edited by NJDEVILICEONFIRE, 28 July 2004 - 07:41 PM.

[sammyk]

Ah but is retiring a number always about just the stats? I mean it's not like they'll get an Avs like reputation for retiring his number.

[Swede]

I mean give me a break look at his stats. In 406 games played he had 17 goals and 68 assists for a total of 85 points and he had 1,094 PIM. In the playoffs he played in 44 games had 2 goals and 5 assists for a total of 7 points and 113 PIM. He played solid defense and he was good for fighting and taking penalties. But there is no way he is worthy of having his number retired.

Those are probably better stats than mr Devil himself had (though he played a LOT of more games)

[RowdyFan42]

He's a defenseman. He's not supposed to rack up points.

With all due respect, IceOnFire, you have no idea what you're talking about. By your own admission, you follow the Phantoms more than the River Rats. Thus, you're only going by what hockeydb.com says with no reference to history. Here's what you need to know about Geordie Kinnear:

- He was twice the Rats' all-time leader in games played. Steve Brule overtook him in the 1999-2000 season, and Champ regained the lead when he returned to the Rats the next season briefly before being forced into retirement. Jiri Bicek surpassed Kinnear in games played this past season.

- He is the Rats' all-time leader in penalty minutes (1094), though he'll soon lose that mantle to Rob Skrlac (1013).

- He was an original River Rat and was the last of that 93-94 squad to move on to greener pastures.

- He played on the 1994-95 Calder Cup championship team.

- He was the captain of the River Rats for three seasons (1996-99).

- He was chosen to play in four consecutive AHL All-Star Games (1995-1999) (though I think he had to miss one of them due to injury).

- His leadership qualities were so valued by Lou that he reacquired Geordie in 2000 to help teach a young, struggling River Rats team.

- After retiring in 2000 for medical reasons, he stuck around as an unofficial assistant coach rather than going back to Ontario and feeling sorry for himself. He became a full-fledged member of the coaching staff during that offseason.



So maybe he wasn't the biggest scorer ever. Like I said, he was a defenseman, scoring wasn't really a high priority for him. I see Kinnear as kinda like our version of Ken Daneyko: wasn't always in the spotlight, but he was consistent and his leadership was unquestionable. And it seems like the "retire Daneyko's 3" sentiment is pretty strong here, so hopefully you can see where we're coming from on Kinnear.