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Johnny Mac and the retro sweater

NJD Jester

By NJD Jester,
in Hell

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NJD Jester

NJD Jester 0

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Am I the only Devils fan left that still has some bitterness about Johnny Mac demanding a trade?

I'm going to snag a retro sweater, and have been considering name options: Verbeek, Terreri, Dano. But MacLean 15 speaks to me. I always liked Mac in the red and green days, but have never gotten past the trade thing, even as he and Lou and the team have obviously made amends.

I don't know ... maybe I just go Terreri (after Twitterers dismissed my Troy Crowder idea). Dude personified Devils hockey during some rather awful post-1988 times.

<JESTER>

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ice dog

ice dog 0

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that goal he scored against panger in chi town '88 absolves him of all sin...;)

seriously can still remember the flip i did off the sofa best moment in devils history as far as i'm concerned.

your better off getting a Perry Anderson #25 or a Dave Maley #8, i mean why go with the one of the cliche big name guys, so much cooler to get one of the cool journey men that played hard in relative obscurity.

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NJD Jester

NJD Jester 0

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Always loved Mac myself, but his trade demand always left a sour taste in my mouth....and then when he went to the RAGS??!?! I said at the time I hope that it prevented his jersey from EVER being retired....

You make a good point. Ranger taint. Ruins Driver and Holik and Shanny in some regard too.

But another poster makes the Chicago argument, and it's hard to ignore that either.

<JESTER>

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CRASHER

CRASHER 56

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once they retire I think you gotta let the bitterness go

it's ok to hate them when they play, but once they hang it up... time to move on and remember the merits of them

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Don

Don 4

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I understood where JMac was coming from at the time of the trade demand.

It was only fractionally about money. It was mostly about playing the kind of game that he wanted to play. He always wanted to be on the offensive side of the game... he thought he could score goals, if not for the Devils than for someone else. However, Devils management thought otherwise and limited his role to checking line and PK.

Given that he was my favorite player at the time, and still my all-time favorite Devil, I thought he still had what it took to put the puck in the net. I even bet Crasher that he would score 25 goals with the Rangers. He ended up with 28, but Crasher maintained that they were mostly due to the skill of his PP linemate who's name starts with a G, ends in a Y and has a Z in it.

When a guy demands a trade because the team is giving him grunt duty, I can understand that more than winning the Conn Smythe and then demanding to renegotiate your existing contract for more money. The former is about enjoying what you do for a living, while the latter is about greed.

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Devils731

Devils731 36

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If the trade demand was the last JMac and the Devils had ever gotten together then it would be a problem for me. Since JMac and the Devils are back together it's more like a temporary fight between two good friends that becomes water on the bridge.

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Pepperkorn

Pepperkorn 107

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Just, what's annoying is I feel ZERO sense of loyalty from the guy -- he's doing what's best for him at all times. So if it works out that's also what's best for the Devils swell. But I'm not going to kid myself into thinking he learned some valuable lesson about character. No - he learned the smart choice is sticking with Lou. and I think he has a healthy distrust of himself from his past experience. He knows he values hockey above all -- but he's still looking out for numero uno - and how can you hold that against a guy? But I KNOW he does not like kool ade - he'll go tot he store and buy it, he'll mix it up and serve it but he'll only politely wet his lips with his dixie cup full. He's the guy that ignores you when you say "Who didn't finish their kool ade?" but starts industriously helping you clean up.

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MantaRay

MantaRay 72

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Jester,

I have the same issue about the trade demand (and also players looking to hold the franchise hostage).

While I have respect for what J-Mac did for the franchise, there is a little disloyalty I feel for him (as well as Pepe, Holik, and Gomez).

I accept them as part of the franchise, but there is still a little baggage that they come with.

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DaneykoIsGod

DaneykoIsGod 120

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I'm gonna go with the Lemieux retro. Can't believe I haven't heard anyone else talk about getting a good ol' Peppe Jersey!

That's what mine is.

It weird, Pepe's contract demends were more of an offense than Mac's trade demands. But the fact that Pepe didn't sign with the Rangers makes him much more easily forgivable (in my eyes at least).

I still can't believe MacLean was a Ranger.

Edit: Also, the fact that Pepe got traded back and helped us win another Cup certainly helps his case too.

Edited by DaneykoIsGod
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Jerrydevil

Jerrydevil 149

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This stuff doesn't bother me because there's two sides to every story, and we don't know all that goes on behind the scenes. Regarding MacLean: Sometimes, it's over, and you don't want to stick it out anymore. When he was here, he worked hard and played well. That's what I remember, in addition to the big goals.

Ranger taint most certainly does not affect Bruce Driver. The Devils didn't want him. What was the guy supposed to do? He still wanted to play and the Rangers wanted him.

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mouse

mouse 43

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If the trade demand was the last JMac and the Devils had ever gotten together then it would be a problem for me. Since JMac and the Devils are back together it's more like a temporary fight between two good friends that becomes water on the bridge.

Water ON the bridge is a bit of a problem. :whistling:

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Random Poster

Random Poster 85

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Ranger taint most certainly does not affect Bruce Driver. The Devils didn't want him. What was the guy supposed to do? He still wanted to play and the Rangers wanted him.

No, it's not that the Devils didn't want him, they did. However, Lou wouldn't give Driver a no-trade clause (Driver was among the first players with this in his contract w/the NYR). The Rangers did and that's where he went to be able to stay in the NJ/NY area.

Edited by SJP20
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Pepperkorn

Pepperkorn 107

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Edit: Also, the fact that Pepe got traded back and helped us win another Cup certainly helps his case too.

See in keeping with my other posts analogy - Claude will always line up for the kool ade then gag on it, spit it out, say it sucks then run back for seconds as if it'll be better?

:koolaid:

Stevens treats it more like a vitamin pill... "I'm not saying I enjoy it -- but I know it' s good for me and it's good for you too so just choke it down men!

Brodeur -- "I dunno -- I think it's kind of good :noclue: "

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