57 replies to this topic

[Sickman]

The team being crappy offensively has nothing to do with examining how the goaltending is doing. In that regard let us just excuse all the crappy offense and defense because of the crappy goaltending?

My point is that there is no reason to examine the goaltending. None. Honestly, why are they even a factor anymore? Whether it's Moose, Brodeur, McKenna, it doesn't matter. These guys are not getting anywhere near the support that they need to be successful. They basically have zero room for error. How many other goalies in this league operate under those types of circumstances? If the team were scoring at an NHL level and poor goaltending was losing us games, then yeah, judge all you want. I just don't understand how there is even a thought about the position when EVERYTHING else, save the recent special teams, is wrong with the team.

You can't expect a 37 and 38 year old pair of goalies to carry this team. You just can't and I don't believe the Devils went into this season expecting that either. Like Max said, pretty much the only time this team has been able to win this season is when they post a bagel up or if the goalie plays out of his mind. You can't expect that every game. But this team is so terrible in all three zones, that they need near perfect play from the goalie just to even have a remote chance to win.

Judging any goalie playing for this team is a pure waste in my mind. Out of all the positions on the team, they have received the least help bar none. No defensive or offensive support for the majority of the season.

[Devils731]

My point is that there is no reason to examine the goaltending. None. Honestly, why are they even a factor anymore? Whether it's Moose, Brodeur, McKenna, it doesn't matter. These guys are not getting anywhere near the support that they need to be successful. They basically have zero room for error. How many other goalies in this league operate under those types of circumstances? If the team were scoring at an NHL level and poor goaltending was losing us games, then yeah, judge all you want. I just don't understand how there is even a thought about the position when EVERYTHING else, save the recent special teams, is wrong with the team.

So then you're saying it is ok to complain about other parts of the team because they're poor but not the goaltending, which has also been poor?

Hedberg is playing to about his career norms behind this team, Marty is playing way below his career norms. Every player is accountable when they're playing poorly, you don't get let off the hook just because other players are playing poorly too. It's not the defenses or offenses fault the number of behind the goal line goals and unscreened wrist shots from beyond the circles that are going in this season.

It's a whole cycle, and who knows where it starts, but the offense can't trust the defense, the defense can't trust the goalie, the goalie can't trust anyone, so they all play like nervous crap worrying about covering up for other people's mistakes rather than making sure their own play is up to snuff.

Edited by Devils731, 22 December 2010 - 05:07 PM.

[Sickman]

So then you're saying it is ok to complain about other parts of the team because they're poor but not the goaltending, which has also been poor?

Hedberg is playing to about his career norms behind this team, Marty is playing way below his career norms. Every player is accountable when they're playing poorly, you don't get let off the hook just because other players are playing poorly too. It's not the defenses or offenses fault the number of behind the goal line goals and unscreened wrist shots from beyond the circles that are going in this season.

It's a whole cycle, and who knows where it starts, but the offense can't trust the defense, the defense can't trust the goalie, the goalie can't trust anyone, so they all play like nervous crap worrying about covering up for other people's mistakes rather than making sure their own play is up to snuff.

Has the goaltending been perfect this year? No it hasn't but I never claimed that it was. But out of the forwards, d-men and goalies, is it not safe to say that the goalies have been the least of this team's problems? I've watched every game this year and there may have been maybe two or three games where I felt if we had better goaltending the team may have been able to win. 6 points. For the most part this team is either scoring way too little or playing so loose in the defensive end for the goalies to even be a factor. We could go back and forth on this but we're still a last place team even if Tim Thomas is playing for us right now. You're absolutely right that it's all a cycle. The offense, defense and goalie all rely on each other. There is no way around that. But to me, the goalies have been the least detrimental when it comes to this team's lack of success.

As for Hedberg playing around his career norm, you have to keep in mind that his career #'s are no where as strong as Marty's. He has managed to maintain a GAA of about 2.20 for 16 season now. It's crazy. Of course the drop is going to be more significant for Marty. Hedberg has also played for some awful defensive teams in the past. This is by far the worst team that Brodeur has ever played behind and it's not even close. He is just not used to being on a team this poor and it's not like he is young anymore. Dude is almost 39. He's lost a step from his younger days, but where is the crime in that? It's supposed to be that way. Maybe 4 or 5 years ago he manages this better but he has not been as bad this year as much as people on this board claim.

Edited by Sickman, 22 December 2010 - 05:38 PM.

[sundstrom]

the only scenario that marty gets traded is that another team comes calling for him. lou won't even put out feelers.

the first step would be lou asking marty if he wanted it.

then lou would look for a proper return.

if it made sense, perhaps a trade could happen.

odds of this happening < 5%

[ice dog]

I would love to see Marty traded to Montreal for a playoff run... that would be awesome.
it could be the only chance we have to see him get some more hardware.

[Quinn01]

“Well, today I want to play another year,” he said. “If you asked me yesterday (laughing). You have a lot of mood swings when you’re not successful, but I definitely am planning on honoring my contract. That will take me through a year after this one and we’ll see where we’re at after that.”

Retirement.....then the Goaltending Coach for the Devils.

[95Crash]

As a Devils fan, I admire Brodeur for wanting to honor his contract, for not wanting out when the going's rough, and for wanting to end his career as a Devil for life.

But as a Brodeur fan, I wouldn't blame him in the least if he decided to hang 'em up after this season. He has nothing left to prove to anyone. He'll go down in history as one of the best ever.

We've all seen how fast once-great players can age -- sometimes it happens seemingly overnight -- and it ain't pretty. Not saying that Marty has lost it already. No, not at all. He clearly is capable of blanking any team on any given night. But it doesn't take an expert to see that his game is not as sharp as it once was.

And that's not blaming him for the Devils stinker of a season.

[Mitico12]

Get the old mask out of the attic and he'll start to pile up those wins.
I think the MB30 mask is haunted, HAUNTED I tells ya!!!!

I agree. Can we get a petition to get him to get the old mask out????

I'm serious!

[Quinn01]

I would love to see Marty traded to Montreal for a playoff run... that would be awesome.
it could be the only chance we have to see him get some more hardware.

+1


I am a HUGE Marty fan. He was my first jersey when I was 9 and started going to games. I still have the jersey. Its nasty how many stains and blood thats on it from playing hockey in it and such. I still remember the day my parents got it for me and how excited I was.

I would hate to see Marty go. I would rather see him finish his career here in NJ but if he does come to an agreement with Lou, I would only want to see him up with the Habs. He would have fun there, everyone would appreciate him like this area does Jeter plus more. Hes a god to us who are into hockey but up there he is a god to everyone.

I dont think the Habs would pass him up either because they know how ticket sales would BLAST with Marty on their roster.

Its a tough call. I hate to see him go but at the same time....would it directly effect our orginization and its fan base if Marty left or now that Kovie and Parise are together would it be similar to the situation up in Pitts with Crosby and Malkin?

[ATLL765]

I'm so sick of hearing people say we should trade Marty. Seriously, anyone who thinks trading Marty is anywhere near a good idea, is not a true Devils fan. If I were Lou, I'd pass on a team offering up every 1st rounder they could give to me in exchange for Marty. Marty has paid his dues and he has earned the right to retire a Devil and he WILL do so. If Marty is traded, I stop rooting for the Devils out of disgust for such mismanagement of the team.

BTW, Marty will never be traded, it's just not gonna happen.

[ice dog]

+1


I am a HUGE Marty fan. He was my first jersey when I was 9 and started going to games. I still have the jersey. Its nasty how many stains and blood thats on it from playing hockey in it and such. I still remember the day my parents got it for me and how excited I was.

I would hate to see Marty go. I would rather see him finish his career here in NJ but if he does come to an agreement with Lou, I would only want to see him up with the Habs. He would have fun there, everyone would appreciate him like this area does Jeter plus more. Hes a god to us who are into hockey but up there he is a god to everyone.

I dont think the Habs would pass him up either because they know how ticket sales would BLAST with Marty on their roster.

Its a tough call. I hate to see him go but at the same time....would it directly effect our orginization and its fan base if Marty left or now that Kovie and Parise are together would it be similar to the situation up in Pitts with Crosby and Malkin?

exactly... it would have to be the Habs.

I'm so sick of hearing people say we should trade Marty. Seriously, anyone who thinks trading Marty is anywhere near a good idea, is not a true Devils fan. If I were Lou, I'd pass on a team offering up every 1st rounder they could give to me in exchange for Marty. Marty has paid his dues and he has earned the right to retire a Devil and he WILL do so. If Marty is traded, I stop rooting for the Devils out of disgust for such mismanagement of the team.

BTW, Marty will never be traded, it's just not gonna happen.

i understand your sentiment, but i think you can still be a Devils fan and want to see Marty get one last shot in his hometown, where people revere him as an icon.

[Marshall]

I dont think the Habs would pass him up either because they know how ticket sales would BLAST with Marty on their roster.

They've sold out all their games since January 2004. They don't need a blast to ticket sales.

Also, that Price kid has been pretty darn good for them. They haven't got a hole to fill in net.

[sirjohn]

He has no desire to be traded because no other team would let him play so many games and do whatever he wants. Remember when he was benched in Montreal and had a hissy fit? He seems to have more pull than the coaches. And he likes to complain about how everyone plays in front of him, a real team player wouldn't do that.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

He has no desire to be traded because no other team would let him play so many games and do whatever he wants. Remember when he was benched in Montreal and had a hissy fit? He seems to have more pull than the coaches. And he likes to complain about how everyone plays in front of him, a real team player wouldn't do that.

Trolling douche. At least this will save me the time of having to read your other 16 posts...they can't possibly top this gem of brilliance.

[Jerrydevil]

I think this is a fascinating topic. I hope behind the scenes that another team would like to acquire him and that Brodeur would be willing to go to a contender.

To ATLL765: Nothing good ever came from a rebuilding team holding on to an aging star. You're going to end up angry at Brodeur when he wants to play past next year, and he ends up somewhere else anyway. There's only one good solution for you ... Brodeur retires a Devil. And you may not get what you want.

[cubanjd305]

Brodeur can't stop a beach ball this season.

[ATLL765]

i understand your sentiment, but i think you can still be a Devils fan and want to see Marty get one last shot in his hometown, where people revere him as an icon.

I feel like despite Montreal being his hometown and the fans there being likely to accept him with open arms there, he wants to retire a Devil. He's played his whole career here and I would think that he's done this because he lvoes this team and wants to be remembered as staying with us through the entire time he played in the NHL.

To the poster above me who said he can't stop a beach ball this season, I don't know what team you've been watching, but that is just not true. Marty may not be playing as well as he had in 95-04, but he's far from being even less than average. For this team to win right now, he has to put up a shutout and that's just ridiculous to expect from any goalie, even the greatest one of all time.

And to whoever said that Marty retiring a Devil is the only solution for me, you're right. I honestly would rather see this team suck for a couple years in order for that to happen. Though I would most like to see him and the team go on one more cup run and him to retire on top, but that may not happen that way. I'd be fine to see him stay on as a 1B or back up goalie in order to mentor a new franchise netminder as well or for him to play another year after his current contract is up and then for him to retire.

Bottom line is I don't buy into the idea that he's the reason this team is so bad or even that he's a big reason for it. I believe that even though he's not the goalie he was ten years ago, he's still a very good goalie and can stay that for the rest of his contract and possible another year after.

[MATEUSZEK]

Brodeur to the Blackhawks! One could only dream.