12374 replies to this topic

[grcenter47]

Kovalchuk is our Federov to Parise's Yzerman. He's the explosive high talent Russian who will excite and bring in the fans while Parise keeps the motor going consistently throughout.

that should be an SAT analogy

[lucifer91]

Classic video...cant wait for this matchup

[Daniel]

I'd hardly say Pittsburgh made sound drafting choices, and great free agent moves like the Devils have pretty much done their entire existance.

The Devils have traditionally made subpar, if not awful, free agent moves.

[jagknife]

Kovalchuk is our Federov to Parise's Yzerman. He's the explosive high talent Russian who will excite and bring in the fans while Parise keeps the motor going consistently throughout.

damn solid, now if we have 3 cups at the end of his run too, i'll be beyond stoked!

[Martyisth3b3st]

wow, tomato/tomatoe here... so a guy's part of the core but not what you build the team around??? Alrighty then!!!

If you don't feel THAT confident in a guy and his abilities to be a MAJOR part of the team... you don't sign him for a DECADE AND A HALF "only way to get him" or NOT.... that's like marrying a girl cause she's cute and winked at you.... simple enough???

How the sh!t is that "tomato/tomatoe"? There is a definite difference between being a "core guy" and THE player you build the team around. And, regarding your loosely thrown around analogy, just because you're not THE GUY doesn't mean you're a role player.

There are more than 2 levels of the team, it doesn't go- 1: Franchise player, 2-25: Role players. Nobody ever said they weren't confident in Kovalchuk's ability, I just totally disagree that we signed him to be THE PLAYER we build our team around. If there is ONE player we'll build this team around, it's going to be Parise. But I think the Devils have 3 or 4 players that we are going to build the future around. "Core player" and "The franchise player" isn't just arguing tomato/tomatoe.

[iamtheprodigy]

How the sh!t is that "tomato/tomatoe"? There is a definite difference between being a "core guy" and THE player you build the team around. And, regarding your loosely thrown around analogy, just because you're not THE GUY doesn't mean you're a role player.

There are more than 2 levels of the team, it doesn't go- 1: Franchise player, 2-25: Role players. Nobody ever said they weren't confident in Kovalchuk's ability, I just totally disagree that we signed him to be THE PLAYER we build our team around. If there is ONE player we'll build this team around, it's going to be Parise. But I think the Devils have 3 or 4 players that we are going to build the future around. "Core player" and "The franchise player" isn't just arguing tomato/tomatoe.

Agreed. Well said.

[Triumph]

The Devils have traditionally made subpar, if not awful, free agent moves.

i think thegame was referring more to rafalski, madden, oduya, clarkson, etc. and not to existing NHL players. the devils have clearly been the best team in the league at finding free talent over the last 15 years.

[CRASHER]

Ok Crasher you've made your point. You don't like the signing. If the Devils do not win a cup with Kovy on the team, and fail to make the playoffs and eventually get worse over the next 15 years I guess we all owe you an apology, but if the Devils continue to be a perennial playoff contender and go on to win a Stanley Cup or three I'd like you from now on to shut your damn piehole about what this team does. The season hasn't even started yet and you are already accusing Lou of auctioning off it's future. Maybe wait a couple seasons before you pass judgement.

When did I say I didn't like the signing???

Now I'm Manta-Blocking Kovy hate??? WTF!!!!

All I said was if you invest 15 years in a guy, he damn well better be a cornerstone of the Franchise in that time frame

How about you read the fvcking post before you attempt to go Samuel L Jackson on me

[Devil Fan]

Classic video...cant wait for this matchup

Holy cow, Kovalchuk has a lot of fights, which is a big surprise.

[grcenter47]

i just came across this video for the first time. when kovalchuk was first drafted and how they compare to him a mix of owen nolan and pavel bure (note: bettman is in the video..ugh)

[grcenter47]

I love this quote in the interview Kovalchuk had on yahoo.com

No. I am a kind of person who never looks back. I only look to the future. There is no point feeling sorry for the past. You have to live for today and look forward to what's ahead of you. I will now play for a team that is always a contender for the Stanley Cup. It's something that I always wanted.

[Neb00rs]

http://slam.canoe.ca...4/15250286.html

How long before the New Jersey Devils regret signing Ilya Kovalchuk to a 15-year contract? One year? Five years? Five minutes? What seemed lost in all the byplay of whether his contract would be approved, whether Gary Bettman has become the nastiest commissioner in sport, whether the NHLPA actually exists, was the question of why. Why would anyone believe you can build a team around Kovalchuk? And if you believe that, as the Devils clearly do based on the $100-million US they are prepared to spend, what are you basing that belief on?

Who's building a team around Kovalchuk? The puzzle is partly put together already - Kovy is just another piece.


EDIT: I see Daniel and Triumph have done all the necessary arguing here.

All I said was if you invest 15 years in a guy, he damn well better be a cornerstone of the Franchise in that time frame

There are two ways to see a "cornerstone". You can see it as the foundation/center of the two walls - that is the rock that holds everything together. Or you can see it as a centerpiece that unites other already existing pieces.

Edited by ben00rs, 06 September 2010 - 01:28 AM.

[Confusious]

Just wanted to stop by and say KOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVY!!!!!!!!!!

I am in shock that we have him for the rest of his life. What an amazing trade.

[Joonas #6]

I am in shock that we have him for the rest of his life. What an amazing trade.

You never know what's gonna happen, but I'm pretty sure he won't die at the end of his contract

[Don]

No. I am a kind of person who never looks back. I only look to the future. There is no point feeling sorry for the past. You have to live for today and look forward to what's ahead of you. I will now play for a team that is always a contender for the Stanley Cup.

I'm guessing Ilya hasn't seen our playoff games in the last half decade plus. A contender we have not been.

[thegame346]

I'm guessing Ilya hasn't seen our playoff games in the last half decade plus. A contender we have not been.

We've never historically been a playoff contender if you actually look at our teams playoff history. Since our first Stanley Cup win in 1995 we failed to make the playoffs the next year and have only been past the first round in 97, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, and 2007. Thats 6 out of 13 years. Of those years we got out of the first round we only ever made it past the second round three times and 2 of those times were Cup years. Our three Stanley Cups, four Wales Trophies, and what is it 9 Atlantic Div titles make our team seem more playoff succesful then they have been. The overall stat for playoff performance I think is 21 playoff series victories over 20 playoff berths. Thats not too impressive if you think about it.

Edited by thegame346, 06 September 2010 - 06:28 AM.

[moustic]

You never know what's gonna happen, but I'm pretty sure he won't die at the end of his contract

I will resign for 25 years at the end of this contract...

[lucifer91]

We've never historically been a playoff contender if you actually look at our teams playoff history. Since our first Stanley Cup win in 1995 we failed to make the playoffs the next year and have only been past the first round in 97, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, and 2007. Thats 6 out of 13 years. Of those years we got out of the first round we only ever made it past the second round three times and 2 of those times were Cup years. Our three Stanley Cups, four Wales Trophies, and what is it 9 Atlantic Div titles make our team seem more playoff succesful then they have been. The overall stat for playoff performance I think is 21 playoff series victories over 20 playoff berths. Thats not too impressive if you think about it.

I have always seen the devs as a team that picks up momentum during the playoffs, like the first round is our hardest round. Look at our SCF percentage. That percentage is pretty good. The first round for us is the hardest.

[Triumph]

I'm guessing Ilya hasn't seen our playoff games in the last half decade plus. A contender we have not been.

the only teams to make the playoffs every year since 2004 are the red wings and sharks. when you make the playoffs every year, you're a contender for the stanley cup.

Edited by Triumph, 06 September 2010 - 08:48 AM.

[Don]

the only teams to make the playoffs every year since 2004 are the red wings and sharks. when you make the playoffs every year, you're a contender for the stanley cup.

That's a very, very loose definition of "contender". By your own admission, for a fair number of those years "we were not a very good team".