kenrock

Not to jump on you Hasan, but would everyone please IGNORE the ledge comment and focus on the points in my argument for acquiring a blueliner today and the playoffs. While I am not gonna be orgasming or "going postal" over anything the Devils do (Cups included), I am seriously bummed. And I can't understand (or agree with) the notion that a grizzly ole GM like Uncle Lou was held hostage by his fellow GMs requiring Parise or Martin. Please. Only Lou and the Devils were forced to over-pay. Not the Bs? Not the Sens? Not TML? Come on.

Am I reading this wrong. What? He is a green rookie. And Brown? Not killing you? Are you kidding me? Do you really believe that?

This is all speculation...hopes, prayers, doubts...and no answers (word from Lou, Burns, and no sight of Stevens let alone any insights from him). But folks think he will be back like, tomorrow.

Again. How do you know? Keep praying...for both of us.

You have got to be kidding me. How do you figure? Honestly.

I dunno if we are losers today, but the Devils cannot be confused as winners with the deadline passing. With it all said and done, I sure as hell am disappointed. Look what we have...Hrdina. Kozlov is post-concussion and just back to skating folks...when will he be back? And he was/is soft anyways...and won't be playing his preferred position when he does come back. And NONE OF YOU can count Stevens! People, you just can't. Not like DET can count Hatcher or VAN can soon count Jovo. Concussions are just so different from regular injuries...they take time. And there are mental (psychological) as much as physical issues to overcome. With any kinda physical rehab, conditioning can be maintained. I don't think Scotty has done anything. I mean, any Insiders here (crap about Stevens ready to come back if Burns is fired?) have some substantial facts to report about him working out at all? Coming back...this season? Playoffs? At all? I see things a lot differently I guess. As I have mentioned here before, the Kool-Aid must get seriously watered-down by the time it reaches me here in Chicago. This is a unique season folks...yes of course, defending the Cup/back-to-back...but more so with the CBA looming. The business of hockey is gonna be sooooo different whenever the next season is...and so will the business of the Devils be handled differently. Who's to say, at anywhere near the same payroll. Consider: New owners? Scotty retiring? A salary cap? RFAs becoming UFAs? Today the Devils let an opportunity slip through their collective grasp...a chance to improve a core strength of the franchise...Defense. Witt? Or even Hill? Nope. Uncle Lou didn't. While I trust him, I cannot agree with what when down (or what didn't go down) today...especially considering (not what others did per se but...) what others had to pay for recently acquired D-men. Ask yourself if you believe our playoff positioning is gonna improve with essentially home-and-homes versus Philly, Montreal and Boston on the horizon. And TB. And NYI. And two more with the Rag$...who would love to play spoilers? And who knows what will happen when Marty's caddie gets in games versus Chicago, Pitt, and Florida. Folks here have even mentioned Terreri. Folks, this team has been up-and-down since Scotty has been out. Beating the lower teams and losing to about every top tier team they've faced. Go look at the results in Jan, Feb and so far in March and tell me this team is going places in April?

And you have broadband high-speed Internet access. Go to ESPN.com and look for the ESPNews link. You can webcast the channel. The two-hour show is on now. Enjoy. Go Devils! I WANT Witt. Now.

Bombardir burned his bridges here by talking bad about the team, state. It won't be him. Word. Can we please drop the Bombardir talk. That is simply not gonna happen.

Anyone of the opinion that we should make a D-man deal regardless of whether or not Scotty comes back? Think about it. There isn't much of the season left. When is he coming back? Better be soon? And before the playoffs. Seriously. My question is when is Scotty gonna be getting back to his conditioning/workouts, let alone the ice? While he is Scott Stevens, he will need time...and need time on the ice to get his legs and shake the rust. And I just don't think it is a good idea to have him doing such while in the midst a playoff game. I dunno. I guess the Kool Aid gets seriously watered by the time it reaches me here in Chicago. Think back to Dano, Shmelly, and Albelin's ice time in the playoffs last year. Now think about watching Hale, Martin, and Brownie log the same or more. Or force others to log that much more...like Nieds or Whitey. We need another D-man y'all. Regardless of the Captain's status. I want another D-man. I want Witt in the worst way. For this season, this Cup, but for the future as well.

Anybody get an answer on this one yet? I would love to hear it. If there was a thread about D-man I MOST WANT, Witt would be at the top. Even before Leetch and Gonchar. Honest. I don't want Rags on the Devils at all. Period. And I think Gonchar is over-rated and a total rental. And we have enough offensive Defensemen...a team can have enough. Paging hockeyman28...

What the hell...I'll go with 21. Thoughts on Russians wearing 22 though...concerned?

Better...in terms of face-offs? Ya think? I don't.

I dunno. I guess I am happy. When I first saw the trade on ESPN's bottomline this morning I was thrilled, but the more and more I think about that 2nd round pick...I think we overpaid--a little. But I like Funky Cold Hrdina. And I like winning face-offs. In the playoffs. Folks above have mentioned such above me...watching Hrdina win 'em against us with Pittsburgh and watching us (minus Nieuwy maybe) consistly loose 'em. But above all, I WANT Witt. Number 19 is waiting for his arrival. Stevens or no Stevens. I want this guy,...for the long-term. But if we get him, can we afford him? In any case...please Uncle Lou! I'm beggin' ya! Please. Just not for Parise.

OK, this could be fun (not sure if it has been done before)...sometimes I do this to help me fall asleep--better than just counting sheep. Honest. I am man enough to admit it...hope this takes off! By The Number Cheat Sheet But try not to cheat...work from memory! Rank within number if you like...I do...add pics if you want. I'll start us off with number 1... 1. Chico Resch. Sean Burke. Mike Dunham. Craig Billington. Peter Sidorkiewicz

Hey y'all...I am a huge Devils fan here in Chicago so I figured I would offer a little perspective on one Alex Zhamnov. First off, I don't really think he is a Devils-type of player at all... While he is a solid assist-guy with good vision on the ice (and could help the PP, Friesen and Langs, and maybe even Elias),...he is not a great face-off guy, he is soft, and rather injury-prone--therefore I am not sure his back can hold up in the East, let alone the Eastern conference playoffs and that is what we are gonna be renting him for. And he doesn't come off as a player who would/could commit to playing within a defensive system (but then again, I was wrong about AlMo to a certain degree) or for a coach like Burns. And while he might be a nice addition, he is not what we all want/hope for (gritty, scorer/sniper) but will never see...and the Hawks are gonna want a lot in return...prolly demanding a solid young D-man--say goodbye to either Martin or DeMarchi (or maybe even Hale). And for what, a rent-a-player with the CBA looming...I'll pass and hold onto my young D-men thank you...I mean, who wants to add someone like Martin to the soberling list of Mitchell, Bombardir, Zyuzin, and Souray? And good news for me (and others not wanting to see this deal happen) the Devils are competing in this Zhamnov deal derby with the hated DRW (who the Hawks like to trade with--why, I dunno) and maybe even the Avs and SJ? Who you gonna put your money on to pull the trigger at the deadline...? Holland? Lacriox? Wilson, with his ties to the Hawks? Or Uncle Lou? And if we are gonna have to give to get...I would rather risk it and get someone with grit, heart, energy, speed, and a mean-streak like a Jeff O'Neill...just my 2 cents. But what number would Uncle Lou let him wear? So, nevermind, ain't gonna happen.

Cheapest ticket is $25 right? More than the $12 for the magnet! More than $20 now (not including shipping)...and the auction is not even over! Screw that noise. I am gonna wait in hopes that this dude has a frickin' handful of these magnets. Cool. Damn cool. But not "over $20 cool"...Thanks y'all.

Ouch! $12! sh!te! A friend of mine forwarded this auction to me, but I thought it was long since over....Oh well. Thanks. Cheaper than actually going to the game... Word.

Ouch! $12! sh!te! A friend of mine forwarded this auction to me, but I thought it was long since over....Oh well. Thanks.

Anyone happen to have or know of someone who might have an extra 2003-04 magnet schedule--it was the free give-away for the October 22nd game. I am in the midwest (Chicago) and I would love to get my hands on one of these. I am a huge Devils fan from way back (I was at the '88 John MacLean scoring on Pang to make the playoffs game at old Chicago Stadium) and a magnet freak. If anyone could hook me up I would really appreciate it--I am more than willing to pay a couple bucks and would cover shipping...Thanks y'all. **sorry if this sorta post doesn't belong here**

I like his work in terms of covering hockey...sorta. But he has frickin' picked the Rags for the playoffs like three years in a row now...so sometimes I wonder about the ole hockey IQ there?

Eh, it's "Lemaire", not "Lamaire". Good catch. Thanks. Love that signature graphic dude. Simple, yet tells the story. Yeah.

Really. Explain Nieuwendyk for me then...

Clement Chat from yesterday Check out the spelling for Lamaire and Mogilny. McGilney? Since when is Almo Irish? WTF? And yet he stumbles through Nieuwendyk with flying colors... One more reason for Devils fans to hate this frickin' idiot.

Let them sign Whitney...just not Nieuwy. I would hate to have to hate a team with Nieuwy on the roster...but that might be a difficult thing not to do next season... In order of hatred: DRW, NYR, TML, and the frickin' Avs.