Triumph

I like how they stand by their assertion that our defense is "perilously thin" after literally this exact same group got us to the finals last year. But oh, don't forget folks that this team was "one goal away from being eliminated in round 1". What a joke.

In 2011, Boston was also one goal from being eliminated in round 1.  Don't hear much about that from the media.

I think the schedule will look something like this -

6:00 AM:  Summer of '94
6:30 AM:  Summer of '94
7:00 AM:  Mark Messier jersey retirement ceremony
11:00 AM:  Highlights of every Knick playoff win since 1999
11:05 AM:  Summer of '94 (abridged)
11:30 AM:  Dog Day Afternoon for some reason
2:00 PM:  Summer of '94
2:30 PM:  MSG Vault (Watch the Rangers play a game from 1982: it's mediocre hockey but here they don't get bailed out by a guy who wears pads larger than entire nations)
5:00 PM:  Linsanity
5:00 PM:  Feltonsanity
6:00 PM:  Summer of '94
6:30 PM:  Game 7, Conference Semi-Finals, 2012 (Remember the balloons and streamers!  We want the Cup!  We want the Cup!)
9:00 PM:  Rocky IV
11:00 PM:  Summer of '94
11:30 PM:  Summer of '94

Did you not like the Rolston deal at the time?  I couldn't dig up the Rolston signing thread.  Yeah, the downside is rough for a guy like Rolston if he sucks right off the bat for sure (not too many teams are going to rush to trade for a guy who seemingly ages overnight), but Rolston seemed as likely to succeed as anyone would in that position...Lou rolled the dice on that one, but I don't remember too many fans not liking the signing when it was announced.

I loved it, I think, but I've learned a lot about hockey in those 4 years, and I think had the Devils signed that deal now, I'd hate it.  I did say if Rolston's game went south he'd still cut it as a checking line player, which turned out to be true, but that's a job he didn't see himself being fit for.  I'd hate it if they signed Shane Doan to a similar 4 year deal, and not just because Vanderbeek opened his wallet the other day and a moth flew out.

Yeah cause seriously (well from what he was telling the media) it seems like deboer never had anything against the play of any player... How many times a player had terrible stretches and reporters were asking him what he was thinking about the players play and seems like he was always okay with his play and that there was no problem at all. Of course he wouldnt throw a player under the bus there but still, to me he never admitted that a player was having bad games... I could be wrong tho but im under that impression anyway

Throwing players under the bus in the media is immature and unprofessional.  It makes fans feel better since the coach is acknowledging that one of his players isn't playing up to his potential, but players don't like it.  I know guys like Tortorella make it work.

I can guarantee that it wasn't all wine and roses behind the scenes.

DING DING DING

WINNER

And his head was not in it in the SCF because he was texting Suter to figure out where they were headed next...why do I put so much time and effort into rooting for clowns like this guy?  what a shame.

Put in less time and effort then.  I can suggest one thing to get the ball rolling on that:  stop posting on this board.

His comments today tell me otherwise. They tell me he wanted to play somewhere with Ryan Suter, and they were discussing it on and off for the last 12 months. Now, being as close with Suter as he is, I'm sure Zach knew Suter had no interest in coming to the Eastern Conference. So that tells me Zach really didn't intend to stay, even if he claims we were in it to the very end. I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Last 12 months?  I bet they were talking about it during Draft Day, 2003.  'Hey, when we become NHL stars, let's play on the same team, okay?'.

I bet Zidlicky was talking about coming to New Jersey with Elias, Zubrus, and Sykora when he went on vacation with them as a member of the Wild.  Guess Zidlicky was probably having wild group sex with them, also.  What a snake in the grass.

I mean think about this, the captain of the New Jesrey Devils was more concerned with thinking of ways to play with freaking Ryan Suter after the season.  He was more worried about playing with Suter than with the guys that were already on the team, while still on the team!

And he played like it, too!  Remember that one time he took a shift off?  'Cause I don't.

I thought Adam Oates couldn't be made head coach because he's got Irish blood.  In order to be made, you've got to be 100% Italian so they can trace your family back to the Old Country.

This place just started liking him and now he's leaving.  Shame.

One of these isn't the real Tim Thomas.

Doh.  The 4th one is Tomas Vokoun, aka the Czech Tim Thomas.

I think each and every player deserves praise for this playoff run, even as it's ending how it is.

Congrats to Zach Parise - if you do leave, please don't go to the Rangers.  You'll be set for life wherever you go.

Congrats to Travis Zajac - returning from injury to play a stellar playoffs.  Lou, if you miss on Parise, let's get this guy locked up.

Congrats to Ilya Kovalchuk - playing hurt for almost the entire playoffs, he's proven how much he wants to win.  Can't wait to see the real Kovalchuk back.

Congrats to Petr Sykora - returning from obscurity to score 20+ goals and contribute some key playoff markers.  I suspect your NHL career is over, but you made a much better exit this time.

Congrats to Patrik Elias - he's stuck with the team for so long, he played well even through last year's disaster, and while he hasn't had the best playoffs, he's been an indispensable part of the team.

Congrats to Dainius Zubrus - he won a game in the Cup Finals.  He signed here claiming that NJ always had a shot to win, and then they went 4 years without winning a playoff round.

Congrats to Alexei Ponikarovsky - even if he only scored 1 goal during the run, he made some key assists.  If he goes, he will be missed.

Congrats to Adam Henrique - a playoff to remember forever.  2 enormous goals, plus a Cup Final game winner.  He has got a bright future ahead of him.

Congrats to David Clarkson - he's also made his goals count.  I suspect he's been injured all playoffs, but he has really come back from last year's disaster season.  He had more assists during these playoffs than he did all last year.

Congrats to Ryan Carter, Stephen Gionta, and Steve Bernier - I mention them as a unit because they played like a unit.  Bernier too - he will take tons of heat for what he did in Game 6, maybe so much that he can't come back here, but he's been an excellent find, and I wish him luck if he goes elsewhere.

Congrats to Jacob Josefson - his teammates held up their promise that he would play again this season.

For the defensemen:

Congrats to Andy Greene and Mark Fayne - they played brilliant hockey.  The NHL unfortunately has seen how good they are.

Congrats to Bryce Salvador - I didn't think he would ever play again.  Not only did he play, he contributed several goals and assists to a Cup Finalist team.  I don't think he'll be back, but I hope wherever he goes can get a little more of the Salvador magic.

Congrats to Marek Zidlicky - written off in Minnesota, he proved he's still got plenty of hockey left in him.

Congrats to Anton Volchenkov - the team bailed him out for a rough first round series and he acquitted himself well in future rounds.

Congrats to Peter Harrold - an afterthought before the season, he became a reliable third pairing guy.  I hope he gets the NHL contract he deserves.

Congrats to Adam Larsson - you didn't play in the Finals, but hopefully you will soon.

And lastly...

Congrats to Johan Hedberg - you got hung with a loss back in Round 1, but who knows where the Devils end up without your play during the season.  

...and Congrats to Martin Brodeur.  I doubted you all season long, but you proved that you can still be a great goaltender at crunch time.  Amazing play in Game 7 against Florida made this all possible.

We beat the Rangers.  We beat the Flyers.  We didn't beat the Kings - they were a better team.  But still, to come back from where they were in December of 2010 to do this is nothing short of remarkable.  It's really, really hard to do this.

Can a moderator excise the American Idol-Apprentice-Trump tangent out of this thread?  Donald Trump doesn't buy bankrupt properties, he only builds them.  thanks.

That's the thing about Kovalchuk.  He needs space to be effective.  The Rangers with their passive system gave it to him.  The Kings are not doing it.  I think he's hurt but it's not possible to extrapolate and say he'd be lethal in this series at 100% health.  Maybe on the PP, but even then he's not getting much time and space from the Kings.  They are taking him out of the game and I am not convinced they wouldn't be taking a 100% Kovalchuk out of the game.

Kovalchuk is able to buy space when he is healthy.  Right now he is not trying to beat anyone 1 on 1 because he just can't make the skating/stickhandling moves necessary to do so.  When healthy, he's a terror in the neutral zone with the puck - that burst isn't there, he's not able to back defenders off, and as a result he's probably dumped the puck in more during these playoffs than in the rest of his career.

He still only has 2 ES goals in the playoffs.

This man worked hard throughout his life to make it in the NHL and now he does this. I do not care if you are being traded or going to be a backup on a team. You are getting paid FIVE MILLION DOLLARS to play a sport you love.  This just disgusts me. My team pays $2200 every fall and summer just to play 15 games. If you told me two years ago that Thomas wouldn't show up at the White House and now taking a year off I would not believe it.

Tim Thomas has paid his dues in the NHL more than just about anyone.  He spent his mid-twenties bouncing from team to team and country to country.  

If I were a Bruins fan, the only thing I'd be upset about is the $5M cap hit that might be left because of his contract, but the Devils disposed of Malakhov's deal and I imagine the Bruins will be able to send the fake Thomas contract somewhere as well.  But any player has the right to say he doesn't want to play anymore - it's their life.

typical rags faNS. hoping zajac wrist is broke

please.  rags 'fans'.  they are back to worrying about whether the knicks can keep their team together, or how the giants' minicamp is going.  i bet most of them missed the OT winner 'cause they forgot to switch back from the 3rd inning of a Yankees game

it's the rangers year!  they're so good!  they're so great!  they're just good enough to be sitting home watching the cup finals!

games 5 and 6 were the toughest wins but brodeur played well and the devils came out ahead.  hopefully the rest will help out guys like ponikarovsky, kovalchuk, clarkson, zidlicky - the guys who look visibly injured.

THEY BEAT THE STUPID RANGERS IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS