Reality Check Time

[Triumph]

post of the month by daneyko.

[Beezer34]

The devils aren't getting thoroughly outplayed, they are just having defensive breakdowns in spurts during games.

...doesn't matter. The Devils need a shake-up, and sitting someone could be just what the doctor ordered.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.. the Devils woe's have been beyond just the "last few games". Granted, this team overachieved throughout September, October, & November. But it's been .500 hockey during December, January, & February. Look over the past 26 Games... a perfect 13 Wins & 13 Loses. -26 Games worth is about 2 months of hockey folks. It's silly to try and simplify the struggle's with just dynamics. (or the notion that Kovalchuk would solve everything) There's some (not alot) dead weight on this squad. Some true FAT that needs to be trimmed, one way or the other.

The offense better step it up, that was the idea behind the Kovalchuk trade after all.

Believe it or not, I really don't blame the offense.. as much as the rest of the team at this point. Night in, night out, this team gets burned.. and it's continually the offense people immediately look at to blame. I don't think that's right.

Over the past 8 games: we've allowed a total of 24 goals, for a GAA of 3.00 exactly. Is it really fair to ask an offense to score 4-5 goals a game, in order to get a win? I know we've been peppered with a ton of shots lately.. but it's been 2 weeks since this team has held the opposition to 2 goals or less. Blame it on Marty.. the defense.. the PK.. Mottau.. JL.. whatever! It needs to be corrected asap.

[ThreeCups]

...doesn't matter. The Devils need a shake-up, and sitting someone could be just what the doctor ordered.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.. the Devils woe's have been beyond just the "last few games". Granted, this team overachieved throughout September, October, & November. But it's been .500 hockey during December, January, & February. Look over the past 26 Games... a perfect 13 Wins & 13 Loses. -26 Games worth is about 2 months of hockey folks. It's silly to try and simplify the struggle's with just dynamics. (or the notion that Kovalchuk would solve everything) There's some (not alot) dead weight on this squad. Some true FAT that needs to be trimmed, one way or the other.

Believe it or not, I really don't blame the offense.. as much as the rest of the team at this point. Night in, night out, this team gets burned.. and it's continually the offense people immediately look at to blame. I don't think that's right.

Over the past 8 games: we've allowed a total of 24 goals, for a GAA of 3.00 exactly. Is it really fair to ask an offense to score 4-5 goals a game, in order to get a win? I know we've been peppered with a ton of shots lately.. but it's been 2 weeks since this team has held the opposition to 2 goals or less. Blame it on Marty.. the defense.. the PK.. Mottau.. JL.. whatever! It needs to be corrected asap.

I don't blame Marty as much as I do the others. Maybe Marty has not played his best, but he is not costing us games. Our pathetic defense looking around while people buzz our net is a problem. Mottau, Rolston, Pando and Nieds should be all be scratched for a game soon. Not likely/plausible for them all to be scratched the same game, but they should take turns sitting one out. Maybe when these guys have to wear a suit to the game instead of a jersey they will get it through the heads that they have been playing like sh!t!

[sundstrom]

please do not even think of referencing the 2000 team for comparisons with this one.

that one had two HOF in their prime on defense and rafalski playing some excellent hockey.

a healthy paul martin playing at the absolute zenith of his game is a #5 on that team.

this NHL is so different from that one. there really aren't great defenses anymore. no team really gets past the #2 or #3 without seeing serious warts. the difference is that the really strong teams play defense with excellent offenses - pitt, wash, sj, chi - they have puck possession and frighten other teams into simply trying to chip the puck out and just be glad they thwarted a scoring play rather than trying to create offense of their own.

the defenders on this team all require a help-style defense - they are all constantly exposable by themselves - but when their partner is competent and their forwards help, they can be servicable. the problem has been too much of neider/rolston fvckups and "lapses of defensive play" from our new toy (there was a play tonight where white whipped it around the boards to where kovy would've been to get the puck out but he was at the red line looking to start offense - the flyers kept the puck in at a totally open point).

there's work to be done for sure.

[MadDog2020]

Please, after three games? I know Mogilny didn't do dick for us in terms of scoring in the playoffs in 2000, but what he did do was scare the fvck out of teams who thought they could just shut down the A-Line and do the Devils in. Instead, the Devils did really crappy the last 10 games of the season, and then turned it on during the playoffs. I don't care if they continue to lose a game here and there, I'm just watching and waiting and seeing how the lines gel and how things will go once the Olympic break is over.

This is a team that has the talent to win a Stanley Cup. Lou has gone out and landed the biggest bestest scoringest free agent on the market, and it sickens me to continue to hear the complaints. Before, it was "Lou never lands the big guns" and as soon as he lands the best offensive player to ever don the Devils jersey, every fvcking complete idiot tool moron retard on this board has a conniption cuz they lost two of their first three games.

SHUT THE fvck UP!!!!!

You got your offensive superstar, and now what, you have to have Phaneuf join the team too before you're convinced Lamoriello will do what it takes to win?

I am just sick and fvcking tired of idiot Devils fans with a memory that lasts one fvcking game. WE JUST LANDED KOVALCHUK, WHAT THE fvck!!!!!!!

Give it ten games, the Olympics maybe, at least more than three games before you start with this idiot sh!t that Koivu is going to push us over the top after one of the top 10 forwards in the game doesn't win us 10 games in a row by himself.

Apologies for all the cursing, I'm drunk and upset.

[justdo3043]

This team needs a serious attitude adjustment, or else we're looking at a guaranteed first round playoff exit. Thoroughly outplayed (and beaten) by many of the teams we could be seeing in the first round (Flyers, Rangers, Canadians, Lighting). The special teams are downright awful. You expect them to give up and not score pp goals. Idiotic plays in our own end as a result of laziness and sloppiness. Not to mention that Ansi Salmella has more goals than Kovy to this point.

And you know what, it's only going to get WORSE after the Olympic break considering the our not-awful players will not be getting any rest.

Relax dude...in my opinion we've gotten better from toronto to new york to tonight...this team is stacked on offence and if Martin plays at his best it'll make a huge difference in our run

IMOP we could make a serious run for the cup

[DevilinLA]

I agree, Dano - post of the month right there.

[brickwall30]

Please, after three games? I know Mogilny didn't do dick for us in terms of scoring in the playoffs in 2000, but what he did do was scare the fvck out of teams who thought they could just shut down the A-Line and do the Devils in. Instead, the Devils did really crappy the last 10 games of the season, and then turned it on during the playoffs. I don't care if they continue to lose a game here and there, I'm just watching and waiting and seeing how the lines gel and how things will go once the Olympic break is over.

This is a team that has the talent to win a Stanley Cup. Lou has gone out and landed the biggest bestest scoringest free agent on the market, and it sickens me to continue to hear the complaints. Before, it was "Lou never lands the big guns" and as soon as he lands the best offensive player to ever don the Devils jersey, every fvcking complete idiot tool moron retard on this board has a conniption cuz they lost two of their first three games.

SHUT THE fvck UP!!!!!

You got your offensive superstar, and now what, you have to have Phaneuf join the team too before you're convinced Lamoriello will do what it takes to win?

I am just sick and fvcking tired of idiot Devils fans with a memory that lasts one fvcking game. WE JUST LANDED KOVALCHUK, WHAT THE fvck!!!!!!!

Give it ten games, the Olympics maybe, at least more than three games before you start with this idiot sh!t that Koivu is going to push us over the top after one of the top 10 forwards in the game doesn't win us 10 games in a row by himself.

Apologies for all the cursing, I'm drunk and upset.

PotY!!!

Thank you for being the voice of reason. Truly this is what I was expecting when I clicked on the "Reality Check Time" only to find more bullsh!t doomsday garbage and the revival of the even stupider (YES "stupider" I know it's not a word it just best describes the stupidness) idea about Phaneuf trades. GET A GRIP PEOPLE!!!!

sometimes I think there should be a 1 day waiting period after losses before people are allowed to post it cut out a lot of the stupidity...

[Cowutopia]

We are the same team as last year except we've traded Gionta for Kovalchuk, Madden for Niedermayer, Oduya for Greene, and Fraser for whoever the fvck.

I can't say I'm too upset with those changes. I want to add a D-man now, just someone solid like Salvador that doesn't suck like MOTTAU.

Edited February 9, 2010 by Cowutopia

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

I know its not on our immediate needs list but I would like another forward with some jam to his game. We finesse the puck to the net too much, nobody outside Zubrus goes to the net consistently. If we could somehow unload Rolston to Columbus for Torres I would be pretty ecstatic. I understand Clarkson is coming back but I like a lot of jam on my sandwiches. lol

Edited February 9, 2010 by Jas0nMacIsaac

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

We are the same team as last year except we've traded Gionta for Kovalchuk, Madden for Niedermayer, Oduya for Greene, and Fraser for whoever the fvck.

I can't say I'm too upset with those changes. I want to add a D-man now, just someone solid like Salvador that doesn't suck like MOTTAU.

The poor man is tired and playing against tough competition. Let him play 16-18 minutes a game and you will notice a difference in his play.

The one player I want on this team is Pavel Kubina, he was excellent for Toronto and he has been excellent for Atlanta. He may cost a pretty penny though.

Parise - Zajac - Langenbrunner

Kovalchuk - Elias - Zubrus

Rolston - Belanger - Clarkson

Pandolfo - McAmmond - Niedermayer

Martin - Kubina

Greene - Salvador

Mottau - White

Brodeur

Danis

Thats my ideal team to make a serious run at the stanley cup. Zharkov, Fraser and picks would need to be moved in order to make it happen

Edited February 9, 2010 by Jas0nMacIsaac

[CRASHER]

You know there are days I love this board

When the Devils win 10 of 12... OMG WE'RE PEAKING TOO SOON AND WE'LL CHOKE IN THE PLAYOFFS

We play .500 hockey (which 8-10 teams would kill for right now )... OMG THE WORLD IS FALLING APART AND WE'LL NEVER WIN A GAME PEOPLE!!!!

You guys kill me

Yes this team has a need or two... what team DOESN'T??? You just added a serious new ingredient to a big pot of chili.... could ya let the new pot settle a little before you put a spoon in and go "it don't taste any different"

The best thing about this board is it makes you appreciate the ACTUAL people who are in charge of running an NHL team and what they gotta deal with

[adavid]

We could win if the NHL would just eliminate the 2nd period.

[PaDevsFan]

Agreed but we're all sick of it. Kovalchuk hasn't been the lightning in a bottle we were all hoping for. Salmela, who actually looked really promising as an offensive defenseman, gets knocked out. The PP still struggles. I know we're tired but this just sucks.

That is the point I know we are tired too, but havent all teams played the same amount?? Come on, Missing 1 Dman shouldnt mean all of our defense is worn down, if so then why not play some younger guys for a few games?? We are losing anyway give the guys that are so called worn down a rest for 2 or 3 games and see if it helps. The breakdowns defensively arent going to be any worse in my opinion by playing a few Lowell guys for 3 or 4 games, but now we only have a few games till the break anyway too late for that...

[RunninWithTheDevil]

for the love of GOD LOU PLEASE scratch Mottau

edit: i'd also like to add that ILYA has 2 points in 3 games regardless of whether you think thats enough time to "click" with the team. once he really gets "clicking" we wont need a thread like this. it happens every season folks, our annual slump. We'll be back on the horse soon.

Edited February 9, 2010 by RunninWithTheDevil

[PaDevsFan]

I agree, this is a bit of an overreaction to a slump. They haven't been badly outplayed. I mean, it's not helping their Cup chances, but it's not to say they're a really bad team.

We just really have holes in defense. Martin coming back will help, but I think we really do need a trade, somehow, to get a good, reliable defenseman. Just a top 4 guy who can eat some minutes if nothing else. I don't think Eckford/Corrente will really help all that much, and I don't think sending Mottau down is going to help. Scratching him, maybe, but not sending him down (like some people are suggesting).

Come on really a slump???? please define for me a slump? We have been sayting they are in a slump for 6 weeks now. It is getting a bit old and un realistic to keep calling this a slump. A slump lasts a week 10 days maybe 6 - 8 games, but this team is in more than a slump at this point. Even the wins I mean come on 8 Wins 12 losses in their last 20 games?? Even the wins recently OT and a 4 - 3 win against the worst team in the League? This team is certainly in more than a slump right now.

[Triumph]

kubina's not coming from atlanta jason, atlanta is still in the playoff race

[mikeford]

sure, but how about brian pothier, tom poti, jeff schultz, and tyler sloan? at best, you could call any one of them mediocre. at worst, you could call them the worst player in the entire NHL (Sloan)

Washington is middle of the pack in GAA, I don't understand the point you are trying to make at all.

[HellOnICE]

As much I'd love Kubina, I've said it for weeks - Tri's right. DW isn't going to trade him because they don't have a terrible shot to make it in to the playoffs.

I think a guy like Zidlicky, Jonsson, maybe even guys like Leopold, Jan Hejda.

Guys like Lubo Visnovsky are interesting, as is Scott Niedermayer - but it's going to take too many pieces to trade and we don't have a first rounder left.

I do know, and I said this before the season even started, that the Defense was not good enough and I stand by that. However, we already got Kovalchuk as a rental, we might as well break the bank and "Go For the Gold", so to speak.

[HellOnICE]

Washington is middle of the pack in GAA, I don't understand the point you are trying to make at all.

His point is that even the great teams don't have great defenses past the top few guys. However, the difference between Washington and us, is guys like Greene and Poti are better puck movers than our guys (side from Martin).

[theamazingtiny]