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The Thread Formerly Known as The Reasons for Optimism Thread


Colorado Rockies 1976

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At the moment i cant even find reasons to be optimistic about next year. I have so little confidence the organisation will be able to add what it needs or is even willing to make the changes necessary to compete next year.

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Ok, guys, I did some math!

 

If the Devils just go 10-2-1, and then Washington and Columbus lose out, and the city of Detroit officially goes bankrupt and closes down the Red Wings for the season, then the Leafs protest rumors of a second team in Toronto by seceding from the league, we can sneak into the 7th or 8th spot. Then, just a quick upset of the Bruins or Pens, and it's smooth sailing to the finals!

I call shotgun for this bandwagon.  :cheers:

Edited by NJDevils1214
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If we're looking ahead to next year, IMO- and I know many will disagree- the reason for optimism is that Lou lamoriello will not accept losing.

So for all of those looking to tank/rebuild, I'm happy to say there is no shot of that happening.

So what you're saying is, we can expect another year like this one next season?

Joy.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

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So what you're saying is, we can expect another year like this one next season?

Joy.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

A marginally better year next year is not unrealistic even if the plan is addition by subtraction (e.g. not signing someone like Statsny). That can put us in the playoffs, which is a good result.

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Sweep the rest of the homestand, then see where we stand. The defensive lapses and turnovers from simple challenges of the puck, drive me absolutely crazy. So many goals from the Florida & Boston game should not have been scored. 

Oh well.

Never give up!  LGD!

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If we're looking ahead to next year, IMO- and I know many will disagree- the reason for optimism is that Lou lamoriello will not accept losing.

So for all of those looking to tank/rebuild, I'm happy to say there is no shot of that happening.

Like he did not accept losing after last season?? Becuase we are so much better this year, right??

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Like he did not accept losing after last season?? Becuase we are so much better this year, right??

 

When he added Schneider, Ryder, Clowe, Jagr, and Brunner? Just because the team didn't come together as expected doesn't mean nothing was done. Sometimes there's no quick magical fix.

Edited by Devil Dan 56
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Like he did not accept losing after last season?? Becuase we are so much better this year, right??

I gotta be honest... if Kovalchuk were still on the team, don't you think we'd be in a different situation right now? I can't blame Lou for not fixing the problems of last season. He got Schneider to take care of the goaltending issues. He signed some guys that seemed like they'd help with scoring (all of Brunner, Ryder, and Clowe were probably expected to have much better seasons). Still, once your best forward is gone, there's only so much you can do.

 

I know he's just one player, and one player isn't enough to make or break your team. But remember last season when Kovalchuk was injured for ~10 games? The Devils didn't win one of them. Think about how much Jagr adds to this team. I firmly believe that Kovalchuk would have had a similar effect.

 

Call me a blind optimist, but unless something crazy happens again (Schneider "retiring"), I can't see Lou neglecting to change up the team that's playing this season.

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With Kovy, realistically there is no Jagr here this year. And for as good as Kovy can be, this year's Jagr >> last year's Kovy.

 

This season, so far in the regular season and playoffs combined, Kovy has 17 goals and 24 assists in 49 GP.  He had a 9.3 shooting% in the regular season (7.7% in four playoff games so far).  I'd say this year's Jagr >>> THIS year's Kovy.   

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Well, at least Lou saw this inevitable collapse coming and got some pieces back for some Vets and expiring contracts.  Can you imagine if we were going into next season with this horrible logjam on D still present?

 

..... :doh1:

 

Given the prices teams were getting on deadline day, I don't think it makes much difference at this point.  At the time I was hoping to see Zidlicky get moved out because I thought he could bring a nice return and Lou could sell it to the team and fans as finally clearing the logjam on D (open a spot for Larsson).    At the point that Lou has let this roster decay to, the conditional 3rd rounder we might have received doesn't even begin to address the underlying issues.  

 

Keeping Jagr was a no-brainer if he wants to sign with us again next year.  He's frankly one of our two best forwards and he and Elias are still the perfect role models for the young guys. 

 

Brodeur should have been moved but that has nothing to do with gaining assets for the future.  He obviously had no real trade value, anyway.  

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This season, so far in the regular season and playoffs combined, Kovy has 17 goals and 24 assists in 49 GP.  He had a 9.3 shooting% in the regular season (7.7% in four playoff games so far).  I'd say this year's Jagr >>> THIS year's Kovy.   

 

Losing Kovy last year is just another surface blemish.  In the long run, getting out from that contract will prove to be beneficial.   The franchise killer is that I still think Parise would have been signed a year in advance at a reasonable price if not for JVB's Summer of Kovy.    

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A marginally better year next year is not unrealistic even if the plan is addition by subtraction (e.g. not signing someone like Statsny). That can put us in the playoffs, which is a good result.

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I think Stastny would be an excellent addition to this team. We have no other way of adding a player of his quality to this team any time soon. Edited by Chimaira_Devil_#9
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And if Zach was here and if ....

Kovy is not here, whether or not you can expect that to happen, its LLs job to fix it.

For the record Clowe, Bruner & Ryder.. combined -39!! OUCH!

I was going to bash LL for some of the contracts, but other than Clowe & Volchenkov I guess they are not that bad, Ryder, Brunner, & sal all have 1 more year, although Salvador really needs to go.

I think Fayne, Zubrus & Ruotu make too much, but they are not crippling.

Problem is there are very few kids ready to step in, that is something the DEVS alwasy did very well, we always had players ready to step in a contribute!!

If we donot have kids ready then LL will be forced to go out and over pay more over the hill players... I HATE THAT!!

LL needs to find a way to stock pile young players & picks so maybe out farm can start producing stars again!! or atleast trade bait!! Agian this is LLs failure!

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So what you're saying is, we can expect another year like this one next season?

Joy.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

personally, I value the ~20 years in which he tried and successfully built a playoff team more than the 2 years (3 including this one) he came up short. If you want to put more stock in those 2 years, go ahead, but I will never bet against Lou, and I guarantee you by doing so I'll come out ahead way more often than not.
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personally, I value the ~20 years in which he tried and successfully built a playoff team more than the 2 years (3 including this one) he came up short. If you want to put more stock in those 2 years, go ahead, but I will never bet against Lou, and I guarantee you by doing so I'll come out ahead way more often than not.

 

Most of the groundwork for whatever success we've had in the last 10 years was laid in the first 15.   He's had some good trades in recent years (Schneider, Kovy and even Zid) but our best players were already established (MB, Elias and Parise drafted) prior to Lou's decline and helped cover up the mess he's been for quite some time.  Drafting and development has been non-existent for years, free agency is usually a disaster, etc.    

Edited by Lateralous
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personally, I value the ~20 years in which he tried and successfully built a playoff team more than the 2 years (3 including this one) he came up short. If you want to put more stock in those 2 years, go ahead, but I will never bet against Lou, and I guarantee you by doing so I'll come out ahead way more often than not.

I very much so respect what he's done for this organization.

 

To keep it simple, let's say I'm especially wary of keeping people around because of their legacies after watching this Marty fiasco unfold.

 Drafting and development has been non-existent for years, free agency is usually a disaster, etc.    

 

Bingo.  I don't consider Lou a good F/A GM, and drafting has been surprisingly awful for the past..what..decade?

Edited by Devilsfan118
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