Triumph

Look, any of these teams could make space, it just depends on the next CBA.  The Rangers could easily wind up trading Brandon Dubinsky somewhere and that opens up enough room for Zach if they cut corners in places.  The Hawks could deal Michael Frolik and they have a ton of room now.  But I suspect that when the next CBA comes, the cap is going to be a little tighter - the players will have the choice of greater rollbacks and a higher cap or fewer rollbacks and a lower cap, and they'll take the latter.

Not to sound like a Don Cherry clone, but would that necessarily be a bad thing?

Yes.  Just one game watching the American WJC team is enough - watching that team was like watching a shift at a factory.  There are a handful of Canadian players who are creative with the puck, and a thimbleful of Americans as well - losing the Europeans would mean losing a lot of the magicians.

Did someone without a HS diploma write their opening paragraph?


"The New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center have signed a record number of top tier corporate sponsors, leveraging the building’s award winning digital abilities and strong social media presence, another shining achievement for the four year old building. Included in these partnerships, five new companies have been signed to significant deals and 98% of corporate sponsors have renewed for 2012. "

Given the way it's written, I think they contracted this out to those people who write stories for the North Korean media.

DinLA:  Hockey is the same as it has been.  In one breath, you say that NJ had a hard time succeeding without Stevens and Niedermayer.  Then you go on to say that the new NHL is about having top defensemen.  I mean, what?  You're saying the same thing.  This 'New NHL' stuff has to go away - scoring rates are quite similar to the 'old NHL', and certainly aren't appreciably different.  What wins hockey games is the same thing - getting shots on your opponent's net while preventing shots on your own.  Which Kovalchuk doesn't help - he doesn't do either thing, really.

-Kovalchuk has tremendous talent to take the puck and make a move, but he does NOT bring anyone to the next level with him.  

Go back and watch tonight's game and try to tell me that.  Kovalchuk's passing in the offensive zone has been outstanding lately.

Kovalchuk is a defensive liability.  He might score 35-40 goals, but if you are a -25 than you were out there for a goal.  Sure you can come up with excuses all you want, but the other night was no isolated incident.  I'd rather have a player put up less goals and have a better plus/minus.  Anyone can score lots of goals and play for a team who doesn't win (HINT -See Atlanta when he was there).

Kovalchuk is a poor defensive player, but he shouldn't be -11.

The debate about him playing Left Wing or Right Wing is silly.  He should be able to play both.  Sure he might be better on one than the other, but we really haven't seen such dramatic changes that it should effect his play.  Sure he is coming down his off side, but so what.  Shanahan made it happen.  Sykora does it.  It seems like an excuse.  The powerplay garbage about him not being good on the point is also garbage.  For years Sykora played that point and didn't have NEARLY the same mistakes happen to himn.   Why than is Kovalchuk having these issues?  Isn't Kovy a better player?  Don't even begin to say Sykora was a better defensively or who was his defensive partner (Ah... Brian Rafalski)?  Please stop the excuses.

Sykora did not play the point during those years, Jason Arnott did.  

Kovalchuk cannot hangle pressure.  I've stated before he cannot handle being number 3 in the shootout.  Being the number one shooter has zero stress, because NO MATTER what happens someone on your team will ALWAYS get a chance next.   Kovalchuk cannot handle the stress of being the numnber 3 guy.  Why does this matter?  If he cannot handle that stress, he cannot handle the playoffs.  He has already demonstrated both.

Yawn.  Like Marv said, he has a billion overtime goals and will probably retire with the NHL record.  

The Devils have always been about team.  Kovalchuk is about himself.  Sure he'll pass, but he is more interested in controlling that puck.  It is his game and he seems to be just as excited stick handling through five guys than he is when he scores.   This does not help the team and Ilya won't be changing his gamne so close to thirty years of age.

Remember against the Flyers in the playoffs when he stick handled through the team and then didn't score?  He looked really happy after missing the net there, I can remember it well.  He was laughing and joking with a Russian teammate on the bench afterwards.

lol whatever.  Tonight was certainly progress but I doubt a mere secondary assist is what the Devils were hoping for considering all the chances Kovy got.  He was all over the ice I'll grant you, one of his better efforts but it's kinda sad that people think that's enough for what we gave up and paid for him.

If he plays like this every night, you'll see 2 and 3 point games on the regular.  The idea that this 'isn't enough' is ridiculous - he set up a ton of scoring chances tonight.

Kovalchuk may be piling up the minuses, but I think he's playing some of his best hockey as a Devil right now.  The guy I saw tonight is the guy that the Devils paid all that money for.

wow did i just read in this thread that someone thinks NJ has the best goaltending tandem in the league and has a bottom third offense and defense?  yeah, sure.  and parise and kovalchuk will both keep shooting at 7.5%, that's bound to continue

the booing of kovalchuk was because some dolts clearly got tickets who moved to north carolina or california or some crap and got upset that their one devils game of the year was ruined

there was a hilarious moment where no-vision henrique shot instead of passed to an open kovalchuk and kovalchuk couldn't believe it

henrique is going to make a heck of a winger

you people do realize that kovalchuk's line scored both goals today, right?  right.  and that he was pretty much flying all game and made at least 3 great passes and had several scoring chances, right?  and that the war room screwed new jersey again, right? right.

If Zharkov maintains a career in the NHL, which I unfortunately doubt he will, he will be mostly a 4th line player.  It's a shame that the Devils had to sign both Boulton and Janssen.

You make valid points, Devil.

I don't expect the Washington Capitals, but I do expect a better record than 8-7-1 which translates to 17 points which puts us in a bad spot. The chances of us having a win streak like last season is very slim.
I do expect a little but of chemistry, but we've only got the Elias line doing that. Once Kovy, Josefson and Zajac come back that's bound to offset whatever little chemistry the team has developed which puts us back in square one.

You do realize how silly this all sounds, right?  I'm 90% sure you do, but in case you don't:  If NJ had won tonight - something that was entirely possible, in spite of how poorly they played in the 3rd period - they would have been 9-6-1.  Which is 19 points in 16 games or a 97 point pace.  

The Devils won't need a win streak like last year's to get them in the playoffs as long as they get decent goaltending.

yeah there's still 12 games left against the rangers and islanders.  that in itself is a big thing to look forward to over the rest of the season.

it's a quinn01 thread, apparently he doesn't realize that lou was quoted saying exactly what he always says.

What do the two games where the Devils got outplayed have in common?  A huge gap between games.  The others, NJ was the better team, clearly.  This team is barely lucky to be 3-1-1.