Mid-Season Poll: Will Hughes be first Devil to reach 100-points this season ?

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

18 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

“bUt hE wAS jUsT A gOoN!”

I swear - the amount of idiots I’ve seen online claiming all Stevens did was hit is just insane. Like dude didn’t have 900+ points. 

And he could've had even more points.  Lemaire basically told Stevens after a career-high 78-point season "We're going to look to other players to provide offense", and had him adjust his role...to Stevens' absolute credit, he did exactly what was asked of him, no complaints. 

[Nicomo]

39 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

And he could've had even more points.  Lemaire basically told Stevens after a career-high 78-point season "We're going to look to other players to provide offense", and had him adjust his role...to Stevens' absolute credit, he did exactly what was asked of him, no complaints. 

Yep. Same with Elias. 

[MadDog2020]

2 hours ago, Nicomo said:

Yep. Same with Elias. 

Nieds too. Although Nieds and Lemaire sometimes butted heads.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 hours ago, Nicomo said:

Yep. Same with Elias. 

Not really…Lou simply didn’t always do right by him.  A lot of “Here’s your linemates, now make it work!”  It wasn’t him being asked to give up some offense as much as it was often not being given the right kinds of players to get the best out of him.  

[Nicomo]

38 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Not really…Lou simply didn’t always do right by him.  A lot of “Here’s your linemates, now make it work!”  It wasn’t him being asked to give up some offense as much as it was often not being given the right kinds of players to get the best out of him.  

I’m going to have to disagree big time if you don’t think Elias couldn’t have put up even bigger numbers on a more run and gun team. 

[mfitz804]

2 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

I’m going to have to disagree big time if you don’t think Elias couldn’t have put up even bigger numbers on a more run and gun team. 

That’s pretty hard to argue against. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

I’m going to have to disagree big time if you don’t think Elias couldn’t have put up even bigger numbers on a more run and gun team. 

No what I was saying was that Elias was hurt here by not having worthy talents skating with him…that hurt his numbers for sure.  I remember there were times that he was saddled with Zubrus.  He deserved better than that.  But yeah I don’t doubt he could’ve put up better numbers with more offensive-minded teams…I even mentioned at times that I thought that weighed on him at times…wondering if staying with the Devils had been the right decision.

[mfitz804]

Just now, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I even mentioned at times that I thought that weighed on him at times…wondering if staying with the Devils had been the right decision.

He has a couple of really gaudy rings that probably make him think it was. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Just now, mfitz804 said:

He has a couple of really gaudy rings that probably make him think it was. 

I’m talking about after he chose to stay here as a UFA…that was when it was completely in his hands, as to where he played.  That was AFTER the Cup wins.  

[Nicomo]

Just now, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I’m talking about after he chose to stay here as a UFA…that was when it was completely in his hands, as to where he played.  That was AFTER the Cup wins.  

Right, and he could have helped his HoF chances had he went somewhere else and put up even better numbers. That’s all I was saying. 

Glad he didn’t though. Playing for only one team in this day and age is just so special. I never thought I’d see your boy TB12 in another jersey, but here we are. 

[mfitz804]

3 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I’m talking about after he chose to stay here as a UFA…that was when it was completely in his hands, as to where he played.  That was AFTER the Cup wins.  

Ahh I gotcha. 

[MB3]

9 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I’m talking about after he chose to stay here as a UFA…that was when it was completely in his hands, as to where he played.  That was AFTER the Cup wins.  

He’s said definitively yes before in his interviews. After the 06 season he told his agent “try to make it work with the devils”. Lou told his agent basically “hey, ain’t gonna happen, we won’t be close so we’re not even submitting an offer.” The Kings and Rangers both offered 6y/42m. Neither would offer a NTC. He didn’t want to move out west so he told the Rangers “add an NTC and I’ll go there” (again, because Lou didn’t offer him a fvcking contract). They deliberated for a while, he eventually called Lou himself and said “here’s what the rangers are offering. match it and i’m a devil”. Lou said he could do $42m but it needed to be 7 years, and he’d add the NTC. and a lifer-devil was born! 

elias said he’s incredibly proud to have played his whole career for 1 team. 

[Puckbuster]

4 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

He has a couple of really gaudy rings that probably make him think it was. 

Exactly, fvck personal stats.  Cups are what matter.  Winners want their name etched onto the greatest trophy in sports.  That’s the difference between a talented team and a great team.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

11 hours ago, MB3 said:

He’s said definitively yes before in his interviews. After the 06 season he told his agent “try to make it work with the devils”. Lou told his agent basically “hey, ain’t gonna happen, we won’t be close so we’re not even submitting an offer.” The Kings and Rangers both offered 6y/42m. Neither would offer a NTC. He didn’t want to move out west so he told the Rangers “add an NTC and I’ll go there” (again, because Lou didn’t offer him a fvcking contract). They deliberated for a while, he eventually called Lou himself and said “here’s what the rangers are offering. match it and i’m a devil”. Lou said he could do $42m but it needed to be 7 years, and he’d add the NTC. and a lifer-devil was born! 

elias said he’s incredibly proud to have played his whole career for 1 team. 

Yeah in the end and overall it worked out but there were times during that 7-year $42 million contract where I think he wasn't always thrilled with his circumstances and wondered just a little how much greener might have been elsewhere...like I said previously, he was a player whose talents screamed for better players to work with, and Lou simply wasn't providing that for him...and the first two seasons of that new deal, he was SO snakebit...seriously, thank God that he had such a productive year in 2008-09, because I think he absolutely NEEDED that, for his sanity, at that point in his career.  And the linemates that he was asked to carry that season were Brian Gionta (who got off to a great start but then cooled considerably, and by that point had settled into "pretty good" at best) and Dainus Zubrus (who never had any business being on a line with Elias like, ever)...and somehow he managed 78 points in 77 GP. 

I have no idea of course but I think eventually Elias made peace with some of what was happening at some point during that contract and from that point on was simply going to enjoy being a Devil no matter what and be the best soldier that he possibly could...and has become Devils royalty for life and deservedly so.

And I think Elias and Lou definitely didn't have the same kind of close relationship that Marty and Lou did...think there's ANY chance that Lou would miss Marty's jersey retirement, assuming he was healthy enough to attend?  Somehow he didn't show up for Elias'.  And yeah we know how close Elias was to going across the river...it's really a testament to Patrik that he gave Lou every chance to retain him.  Some players absolutely would've just taken the Rangers' offer, soyonara, end of story.  That being said, Lou did sign him to one last "Lifetime Achievement" deal when it didn't figure to be terribly cost-effective...he signed Elias up for his Age 37-39 seasons to solid money, and the results were about what you'd expect them to be...sharp decline in his Age 38 season and of course a ton of games missed during his final season...but if a guy spends his entire career playing for you and is getting close to 40, that's usually how it ends.  You rarely get the mike-drop, going-out-on-top moment.