Joe B

Hamonic is asking himself 'when did Sean Avery get traded to the Devils?'

I am trying to figure out exactly what penalties they are referring to. First one was cheap but I thought the Kovy call was bascialy a make-up so it was a wash. I thought the refs did a good job of letting a lot of ticky tack stuff go without letting the game get out of hand. Clarkson was taken down from behind and it looked like the goalie gave him a shot with his blocker. the other two the stick got under the arms and pulled a player down or lifted him off a skate. My dad actually commented that it was one of the better reffed games of we've seen. Mair may have gotten away with continuing to fight when the other player was on the ice. I know mair was upset to get hit when he bounced up but the linesman had his arm around the isle and let it go becasue the other linesman wasn't on mair. wondering why your team gets a 10 misconduct, maybe it's from bitching about the refs. Ask Robbie Ftorek what constantly yelling at the ref gets you. It gets you every close call going against you. Calling them out publicly, you think they will get any benifit of the doubt now? Unless this is trying to get an us agasint the world attitude in the lockeroom, this is not the right way to go for a rookie coach. Welcome to the NHL.

Would air canada be threatening to pull out of the nhl if a hab hit a bruin like that? Highly unlikely.

As lemaire said a week or so ago it's easy to praise a player when they are going well. It's when they are playing well and not producing is when they need the pat on the back or at least the acknowlegment that the coach notices the good play and to keep it going. He isn't just saying this off the top of his head, there is logic behind it. like most of what Jaques says to the press(and I'm not disputing what he says just trying to dig a little deeper so PK doesn't have too). Just like giving teddy the first shot in the SO, it reinforces that Jaques believes in him offensivly as much as anyone on the team. It's the other end of the ice that is costing him shifts and or games. He won't berate him for taking off an optional skate, but if he doesn't produce on the ice tonight, you will hear about it after the game. I don't mind young players taking the optionals off occasionally, especially this time of year. He played 60 games last year, i'm sure he is tired physically and or mentally despite being benched here and there. rookies tend to tail off at this time of year. He just better play at full speed during the game tonight or they will become less of an option for him specifically.

5 seed up from the 6 last week isn't exactly going by the standings either. http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/story/14784010/power-rankings-three-switches-powerful-catalysts

would the remake be called 'Devils in the Neutral Zone'?

so does zach want to be the poster boy of the franchise or part of the interchangleble parts?

Then stop saying you can 100% guarantee something you can't. Feeling like a jilted lover because a player on the downside of his career wanted a guaranteed playoff spot instead of staying on a team that has to go .750 (along with with help from 3 or 4 other teams) to possibly make the playoffs is worth arguing over in the first place?

Why should he put himself out there when he has a contract already? Why should he take the pay cut? Casue he is afraid of being claimed? If he isn't worth 2.5 so who would anyone claim him? Casue he doesn't feel loved? he's played his best hockey since being put on waivers. If I'm Lou next time he slumps I put him on waivers again. I understand what you are trying to do. makes sense from a devils perspective. It might make sense from a FLA perspective. I just don't see it from Rolston's perspective. I am assuming he likes it here or else he never would have come back.

so no 36 year old player with 1150+ games has never retired? what a scumbag for wanting to guarentee a playoff spot.

won't argue much about Steckel casue I just have't sene him play much he gets a ton of ice time on the 30'th ranked offensive team. Why will he get offers at all? can't have it both ways. The uncertainty of having a contract but being waived is is too much to handle, but waiving his ntc with the purpose of being bought out and being a free agent with the possibility that he won't be signed, you know, because he is not good, is acceptable?

So Stekel is overpaid at 1.1 as a fourth line center who can pk and is a top faceoff man, but rolston could find a 2 million deal at 38(39?) when he has underproduced the last few years except for when he played with elias. Again, why would roltson waive the ntc to hopefully (let me stress hopefully) sign a $1.66+ 1 year deal?

how exactly are you sure this isn't his last year? He is going to be a 35+ free agent. Is a good team going to want him and for how much? I'm not saying he isn't coming back but I don't think he even knows he is 100% coming back next year.

I'm confused, he is under contract for next year. How would he lose money with any move?

all legitimate questions, but all questions that where with the team before the trade. Pencil in Steckel into the 3'rd line center in replace of Arnott. At least thats how I see it. teddy's minutes depend on how well he plays in his defensive zone(and stays out of the box).

only when Kovy is double shifting. My take is he basically fills in for Arnott in the lineup, no need to change 2 or 3 lines. My guess is Clarkson joins the first pp unit (although I don't like him there, he has seen time on it this year. i'd prefer Kovy, rolston, elias, zubs and zajak as the first unit). Mair and Josefson are in the same spot now as they were before 3.

2nd 2012?

the turn around has been built on an improved defense. Replacing Arnott with a defenisve liability while centering a rookie and 2nd year player would have left a hole. 4'th line has been solid as well so don't want to tinker too much either. Pk'er and good face offs. hopefully he doesn't sulk from going from how many rounds whould we win to do we make the dance? Cap hit info anyone? Joe

with a game in hand that could be worth 3 instead of 2. how would a 3-2-1-0 system be harder to gain points? all games would be worth 3 total points, not just the ot games. It was bad enough they put the shootout in, but to do it and not do it right just continues to baffle me.

Why mess with a team that is on such a streak? I thought Lou has been waiting for a loss to move him and the team just hasn't cooporated. He's the third line center with a rookie and a 2nd year player(with Kovy double shifting depending on how well Kovy is backcheking that game). He's been decent on the draws and I don't think they have been giving up a ton of chances even with Teddy's shaky D at times. Can Josefson replaced him and that line keep the solid D that has been crucial (every line, I'm not implying it's arnott's line alone that is playing good D) during this streak? Possibly, but a lot to ask for a player that has seen what 7 nhl games? Marty has been sitting becasue of how well the team is playing(and rightfully so, altough jaques will have a very quick hook). To me that is saying the team is cliking and don't tinker too much. Since langs has been gone the lines fit and have roles. Why send a message (to the team and it's fans) that you don't think the playoffs are a possibility. Still a long shot but 9 points in 22 games sounds very doable after gaining 18 in 17 games. The team has to believe it has a shot, selling at this point might just deflate the entire comeback. Is a 2nd rounder worth whatever little magic they have made? that said, 0-2 this weekend and get what you can. He asks to go and you have to let him go as well.

I was never a huge fans of Langs(I'm not saying I disliked him, but there are always players you tend to like more then others and he wasn't one) but I don't think I go overboard with the hate now either. I didn't like him as the choice of the captain because he got too emotional with the refs and they are human and it never helps by yelling at them. look at the year Ftorek was behind the bench, the team never got the benefit of doubt because the coach was emotional and in turn the players got emotional with the refs. I thought that would happen with langs. when ZZ pops was happening I thought I was wrong because he played well, which in turn the team played well and everything was fine. Once langs was taken off of that line last year, he never fit in quite right anywhere. I thought much of the musical lines last year was to find a spot for langs to get him going despite him just not looking as good as he had in the past(probably nagging injuries, not dogging it as others may claim). IMO he deserved to be sat (a game here or there) earlier then just the last game when Lemaier finally did sit him to rest(as he did a few other older players that last week). He didn't handle it like a captain should. The can't get up for the playoffs (or whatever the exact quote was) really left a bad taste in my mouth. Again, speculation about personal problems was out there, and he couldn't keep the off the ice stuff and off the ice. It affected his play. Like his play was affected this year by being asked to waive the nmc in training camp(why he didn't think it would effect him is beyond me, he is very emotional). once he was moved, it cleared a spot for Rolston(who has seen more wrath towards him from this board then Langs had) to get ice time with skilled players and even on the kill to get his game going. It's not that langs was a locker room cancer, it's just that all of the pieces of the team fit better with him gone, or having to worry how he would react if he was put on the fourth line or got less mins(he threw a hissy fit for being rested a game when other were rested, if you believe trembley he threw the fit about not wanting to take a penalty shot because he didn't see ice time in ot) One other thing that got under my skin. When the Devils were faultering last year, it took Jaques to call the players only meeting. Langs should have had a better feel for the team and should be calling those types of meeting himself. When the going is good, he is a capable(that's not fair enough, good, not quite great) captain. When things aren't going his way, not so much. Just like Tom in the godfather, just not a good wartime Consigliore. Thats my take at least.

per tg http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/brodeur_participating_in_devils_morning_skate_mckenna_missing/

Just wanted to babble on about a few things at last nights game. Yes, the crowd was getting on Cam Ward in the third period, downstairs gets a lot of crap for being quite just wanted to give props(is that what the kids are saying nowadays) to them when they are into the game Zubrus blocked a shot(saw someone mention it hit his hand) with just under 7 mins left in the second. Finished his shift, and Kovy took his spot for the remaining couple shifts that period and to start the third. Zubes didn't come out for the begning of the third but did finish the game. Stop with the stupid penalties please. Only reason the game got competative was the back to back penalties. Kovy still makes something out of nothing. He is by far not perfect but sometimes he just creates opportunities where none should exist. He is just a frustrating player to watch becasue sometimes when you think he has a good chance nothing comes out of it. Reminds me of Jeremy shockey how he makes great diving catches but if you throw it to his numbers he drops the ball. I thought Zharkov had a great game. anyone else notice that Fayne and Salmala where out there together on the PK in the third. Actually, I'm sure you did becasue fayne got caught being too agressive and gave up a good chance. I know I'm gonna get crap for this but the Moose chant is starting to get to me. i don't mind it when he makes a save. But when the shot is wide, he bobbles the puck and drops his stick or when he stops the puck behind the net stop with the moose calls. Please. It takes away from when he does make a good save. I won't even get that upset when he stops a shot from the blue line with no traffic although i think that is pushing it as well if the other I am also disapointed that I only ate 6 dollar dogs. Although I still think I could have taken the guy in the hot dog eating contest. A few mistakes here and there but I don't think any player had a bad game. Was elias's goal considered 4 on 4?

I tend to agree with keeping 'our fans suck' as a slogan or whatever while being a liason between the team and it's fanbase doesn't seem to reflect very well on the team. I have never been on hf boards or even plan on ever going on there so I have no agenda nor do I know who you are. And I do agree that our fans suck but I'm not working (volenteering, whatever you want to call it) closely with the team. And why this thread went off on a musical tangent is beyond me, it is so much personal preference. The girl behind me was singing along to every horrible poppy crap song last night. She enjoyed it, I'd rather have stuck dollar dogs in my ears then listen to those particular songs. To each there own. Still never thought I would have seen Ramones described as cheesy though.

Carolina has so many home games left that it would be tough on the fanbase to start selling off assets.