Is it wrong of me...

[Jerrydevil]

of course if broduer steals one of the 3 losses (OR EVEN PLAYED DECENTLY I MEAN WOW HE WAS BAD IN GAME 1 AND 4) we would be tied 2-2.

Man, the truth just stings like a mother!

[Devils731]

I would say Marty stole the only win and should have stole game 3 but the team didn't score even 1 that game. Then game 1 gets pinned on Marty for making 0 big saves that games even if the goals themselves weren't all his fault.

[Triumph]

they could sign handzus. he'd help the forecheck a great deal. playoff scoring is off the forecheck, not off the rush. gomez hasn't been able to generate anything off the rush except for bad angle shots from 40 feet out.

handzus had an ACL tear and i think he's a huge pilon who doesn't work very well in the new nhl. i'd be interested if we were to move parise to center but i don't see us doing that.

with the way dainius zubrus has played for the sabres, i'd actually like to get him here. he is just excellent in the corners and along the boards - very underrated. i always thought he was a mediocre player who got points 'cause washington has no one better. not so.

bergfors is going back to sweden - he did nothing this year in the AHL, and his status as a top prospect is in doubt. he's still very young, though.

Edited May 3, 2007 by Triumph

[Devils731]

Bergfors was putting up really good AHL numbers until the WJC. Then he stopped doing anything and with the rumors being homesick and unhappy I tend to believe his leaving the AHL team messed up his head for the rest of the season.

[sundstrom]

3. Fourth Line- geeze, are these guys just "throw-ons"...? C'mon...we do not have the ability to roll four lines like Ottawa and ultimately that is costing us the game. We have no depth and it is showing big time here. I'm surprised we got away with it during the regular season

4. Colin White- horrible! This guy has done jack for this team all season long and I think it is time for a change of scenery. Luko and Matvichuk have done better, and are a bit cheaper...expect him to be packaged in a deal over the summer

in a salary capped league with at least 5 players making well more than $3MM/year, your 4th line is going to be making close to nothing.

and colin white is going nowhere unless pronger is unhappy in anaheim now.

I was wondering this afternoon if the Devils should go after Cujo as a back up.

I know we all love Sarge, but I think it's time to cut ties with him.

again - salary cap means brodeur backup = league minimum roster filler

and sarge will retire a devil...of this i have NO doubt.

[sundstrom]

while not deriding the original poster, i think it's best if we actually WAIT until the Devils' offseason to discuss it.

[puckrock]

This isn't overreaction Don, a serious flaw in the Devils' system is being exposed just like it was last year in Carolina. A similar team is beating them with an inferior goaltender, styfling defense, and an amazing transition game. This isn't just a few unlucky bounces, there is something fundamentally wrong. 100 point seasons are possible but I seriously don't see how this team can win 4 seven game series in a row against the best teams in the league with their current coaching style and make up.

Of course if Brodeur stepped up and played like "the best goaltender in the league" then maybe this would all be moot.

Excellent breakdown. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[BulletToothTony]

handzus had an ACL tear and i think he's a huge pilon who doesn't work very well in the new nhl. i'd be interested if we were to move parise to center but i don't see us doing that.

with the way dainius zubrus has played for the sabres, i'd actually like to get him here. he is just excellent in the corners and along the boards - very underrated. i always thought he was a mediocre player who got points 'cause washington has no one better. not so.

bergfors is going back to sweden - he did nothing this year in the AHL, and his status as a top prospect is in doubt. he's still very young, though.

[Devilish34]

All the little glitches are exposing themselves against a good team. The checking line is signed for awhile. They arent' getting any faster and it showing as the league speeds up.

Gomez possible on his way out. The poor offensive output will get worse.

Someone said Elias hasn't panned out as the captain. I agree, maybe Gio or Parise would be better. Something is really odd there, they hard edged Devils always seem to be the one catching up.

And please Lou find someway to get a Defensive stud. There is no one defense pair that is head and shoulders over the others. They need one for shutting down the top lines.

[msweet]

Well considering this team has been built on (well since 1993-94) the concept of having a checking/shutdown line that's SOLE job in life is to shut down the oppositon's top line... and that line is getting OWNED... yeah I'd say we need to make some serious changes there

the strength of this team is its top 6 forwards and that's about IT.... and that'd been getting slowed down just enough of late....

The concise and definitive post on What is wrong...

Add to that...

Stevens>>White

Nieds>>Raffi

SEA >> EGG

etc., etc... we have been on a continuous players quality decline since 2001... we were lucky to win in 03 and the weight of this problem lies 100% in Lou's lap.

I hope his public comments about we need a tweak here and there are just that... and he emerges from the 3M debacle and fixes the team.

[devilsfan26]

White and Oduya for Dion

[Speedy G]

Hi, folks. I've been reading here for a while, and finally registered. Been a fan since Sean Burke and the first trip to the playoffs. On to the topic...

I've seen three major and obvious problems during these playoffs.

1. The defense corps is weak - there is no #1 defenseman, and thus no top pairing. Remember when we used to match Stevens up against the opposing top line? That's how you stop a top line, not with a set of defensive forwards eating up most of your ice time. Obviously, guys like Stevens don't grow on trees, but we need someone back there we can count on. Losing Niedermayer was a killer.

2. Two of our lines can't score, and one of them gets the most minutes. End the matchup nonsense - the Madden line has been getting worked over throughout the playoffs. How about making the opponent's top line play a little defense for a change? We can still match lines, but not all of the time. Giving all of those minutes to Madden/Pandolfo/Brylin just isn't going to get it done. The best players have to play the most.

3. Elias has awful. I hope (and assume) it's due to injury or illness, but he's been just terrible. I've been wanting to see Parise get some time with Gomez, but it hasn't happened.

I expect #3 to correct itself next season. #2 is largely a Devils tradition, but it won't work unless we have the defensemen that allow us to shut teams down, and we are far from having that. #1 is the real problem. Find a #1 defenseman, and things will look a whole lot better.

[davemaleyfan]

Definitely not wrong to feel that way. I hate to even think about comparing this situation with the Philly series...apples/oranges.

IMHO, I think the main thing that needs to be looked at is this teams size and toughness. I truly hope they don't pursue Briere, because I truly don't believe the Devs need another 5 foot something spark plug. Nothing against the smaller players on this team, becuase they work their tails off. They're getting hit, and nothing is happening. We can watch a guy like Gionta get as ticked off as he wants, and work as hard as he wants...most of the time, in the corner against a guy like Chris Phillips, Gio's not coming away with the puck. Not a knock on him, it's just the way it is. I think that's a big issue that needs to be addressed.

As much as this pains me, I think it might be time to either cut ties with Brylin (ouch), or at least give him the role that Dowd had this year...4th line, handful of minutes, PK, etc.

It boggles my mind how much more money Madden makes than Pando, but dems is the breaks.

I 100% expect to see Clarkson become a regular next year, and I would love to see a guy like Rupp just get a chance to play 9-10 minutes a game.

As for the "D", I love the way Greene is progressing. Him, Martin, White and Oduya, as stated, are here for the long haul. Short term, Luko and Matvichuk are fine, but the "D" needs to get a little tougher IMO (Sheldon Souray). If any "positive" is coming out of this series, it's that any negotiaing chips Rafalski had are quickly being flushed down the toilet

[friezenmy@#%off]

they get more scoring, obviously.

lou put the best team possible out on the ice this year - of that I have no doubt. you point to a bad move he made that significantly affected the team this year.

ps if you say elias you are a moron

[Triumph]

Zubrus would be a perfect pickup. He's legit top 6 talent with grit. He won't score more than 25 or so goals but he's got speed, skill and rarely loses a one on one battle which is an element the Devils are completely lacking now. The Devils could take a cheap low risk flier on a guy like Zednik for added speed and scoring depth. Zubrus and Zednik would likely cost the same if not less than Gomez alone.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

I still think he's the best captain we've got.

[Pepperkorn]

To me the "hole" is focus - consistency. Solid play just happens to this particular group of guys - they don’t make it happen. They do not control their own destiny.

• Conditioning.

• Roles are not clearly defined. "Well rounded player" has been taken too far and lead to confusion in this "new NHL."

• Coaching -

• Someone who knows how to hold responsible hard-working guys accountable.
  Someone who can see room for improvement when everyone is doing "their best"
  Someone patient with the game as well as the players
  Someone who understands the Devils system
  Someone who respects chemistry yet doesn't buy into things simply "clicking"
  

• TRUST – self-trust, system-trust, trust of your fellow players and your coach.

Mostly though these guys have to lighten up -- they're all doing too much because they think everyone is counting on them to do their part, and then some -- but it's a mess - when things go awry with these guys it appears to me to be too many cook spoiling the soup.

I guess I have given up on this season - because none of this needs to be said until it's done this year...

EDIT: Who am i kidding - I gave up on this season long about Christmas - the dust settled on the personnel changes and new NHL with the start of this season - things still didn't pan out - what was to do short of firing Julien who had to go anyhow. Bad fit. at least the problem is clearer now - to me anyhow

Edited May 3, 2007 by Pepperkorn

[Pepperkorn]

and we can stroke ourselves all we want - but you have to make the best of the hand you're delt and we can't guess what that hand will be nor can we guess how any new parts will contribute to the team as a whole. I dont mind all the players/roles you all think need to be filled, I'm just saying I have to work from a place of: what if it's not available and/or: what if it seemed like we got it but it fails. You can't rely on people's skills - you have to rely on goals (no pun intended ) and a system IMO.

[SC Devs Fan]

PK not a mention of Stevens or an emoticon? I DEMAND to know who is posting using your name!

EDIT: I see you use one on your second post but I'm still wary

Edited May 3, 2007 by SC Devs Fan

[Jerrydevil]

To me the "hole" is focus - consistency. Solid play just happens to this particular group of guys - they don

[Pepperkorn]

I Devils' hockey - it's been a tough year.

Oops didn't see jerry's post. Yeah - c'est la vie. Everyone is writing about the blue line needs so no need for me to. Just adding something different into the mix.

I haven't been able to see many games. What I have seen - the defense was puck chasing - the forwards were playing D -- or is the team THAT slow?

No one was in front of EITHER net... no one defending ours no one crashing theirs. WTF? Everyone was fvcking around with bullsh!t half-assed attempts at defensive playing.

If the defense sucks there comes a time you have to JUST LET THEM SUCK so everyone can see what the fvck is going on with the team. But when everyone is everyone's way and you get to blame this forward that D guy... i mean yeah - it's obvious - but man when it's THAT obvious just let it shine and play your ass off but dont cover ass - it's wasn't the winning solution IMO. The D then can never be held appropriately accountable. They were given a bye and that's unacceptable under all circumstances.

I'm not articualting it that well. I just dont think covering - playing OVER rather than through the problem was the correct choice. I think it was short sighted and stubborn.

Edited May 3, 2007 by Pepperkorn

[Jerrydevil]

If the defense sucks there comes a time you have to JUST LET THEM SUCK so everyone can see what the fvck is going on with the team. But when everyone is everyone's way and you get to blame this forward that D guy... i mean yeah - it's obvious - but man when it's THAT obvious just let it shine and play your ass off but dont cover ass - it's wasn't the winning solution IMO.

[mikepopowich]

The thing that allot of people dont get is allot of the fans of this team have the Yankees type of mentality, its championship or bust. Regular season success is great but when the season ends their is only one trophy that really counts.

[NJDevs4978]

Pepperkorn, I just don't agree with a lot of this, but c'est la vie. I think the players on this team DO understand their roles and work hard and play within a system. It's a personnel issue IMO, specifically on the blue line. These guys just aren't measuring up as a group. They cough up the puck a lot in our zone. We're getting pushed around, too. Throw in the bad goals by Marty and it equals Ottawa 3, Devils 1.

[SueNJ97]

One of the few posts around here I can agree with. I'll also say there's some coaching decisions (or lack thereof) that I don't agree with. It's just annoying, the absolute refusal to either change up the lines or initiate play as opposed to reacting - funny how when Julien was here that was the fault of the staff, now it's the players fault