GDT-12/18/10 NJD Vs. Atlanta 7:00 PM

[Egg]

I am not totally sold on the whole "fire JMaC " thing.

I am guessing that Lou has seen one too many coaches run off by players quitting on them.

I think that this is where he puts his foot down and is going to ride out JMaC for the season , with the hopes that whoever is acting like a little biatch about not agreeing with the coach , realizes that this time the coach is here to stay , and if the players don't like it , it's THEM that needs to go.

[maxpower]

Of course they are max. Every one of them has underperformed. Theres a reason we we were.considered Preseason cup contenders. Don't confuse not giving a fvck to not having talent

preseason cup contenders = worth about 5 cents. they're not as good as alot of people thought they were. yeah, they're not this bad either, but there comes a point where it's self-fulfilling. and here we are.

I really question the talent. there's alot of washouts there. and one of their actual talents isn't playing. the other one was MIA until a week ago, and still can't do anything except bomb shots from the point

Edited December 19, 2010 by maxpower

[RizzMB30]

In all seriousness, I am starting to believe more and more that this season is exactly what this fanbase needs to adjust its spoiled-brat attitude portrayed by some.

The predictions that this team cannot have success without names like Brodeur, Elias, Arnott, Langenbrunner, on game sweaters. Thats not the NJ devils Organization - the organization has always been about a team.

I think Lou will get back to that after realizing that the nostalgia is over - and he may never be able to meet his "Brodeur Cup Window" - he just well may begin building a competitive team for the future.

Go ahead, call me out for being preachy - but -

A year ago at this time many here were acting as if the playoffs were just a given and it took a team no work to get there.

The post season is the real season was the mantra. Some here have never seen a Devils team that is the equivilant of failure-on-ice.

Many bickered and reiterated the Lou-lip-service about how failure was "unacceptable" and the standards are "higher than anywhere in NJ".

While I agree with this in principle - I hope that this season at least allows us, as a fanbase, to grow and appreciate what we have had - and what will no doubt continue to have in the future.

Players that worked hard, HOf'rs, guaranteed successful teams despite difference in coaching strategies, lunch-pail grinders, and a GM that always kept us competitive despite the league making rules to stop us.

If we can gain one thing from all of this - I think it is humility and a greater appreciation.

I completely agree with you DevilinLA. Although I don't agree with your points on Elias, I do agree that our fanbase is a majority of spoiled brats who didn't get their own way this season...This season didn't go as planned and I'm not saying be happy that we're losing, but try and be "good" losers. Although you talk about the TEAM, it's the players that make this a team.

[SterioDesign]

Looking good

[SatansDevils]

Bergie is a healthy scratch

For the 5th time this season already for Bergfors. That sure says a lot. No thanks. I rather would have Kovy anyday.

[jagknife]

on one hand i'm really glad i missed this disaster cause of work, but on the other hand i wish i got to see how awful they looked. not in the sadistic kind of way, but more the "who the hell really deserves the finger pointed at them" kinda way.

i love this team, i will still root for them regardless of record or performance. thats why i asked people in the supporter section to not boo last night, they know they suck something awful so what the hell's the point? granted i didnt care if anyone told me to f-off and did it anyway, but still why even bother booing, it doesnt change anything.

i also find it kinda funny that the scapegoat for a select few people has a 5 game point streak going.

[devlman]

preseason cup contenders = worth about 5 cents. they're not as good as alot of people thought they were. yeah, they're not this bad either, but there comes a point where it's self-fulfilling. and here we are.

I really question the talent. there's alot of washouts there. and one of their actual talents isn't playing. the other one was MIA until a week ago, and still can't do anything except bomb shots from the point

While the team isn't as good as ppl once thought, the fwds are talented imo. Yeah there are some washouts there but its still a deep group. It's easy to question the talent after the fact but everyone and their mother drooled over this group in October. They're all just underperforming. Kovy is a perfect example. Hes a lot more talented than he's showing.

Edited December 19, 2010 by devlman

[devlman]

This season didn't go as planned and I'm not saying be happy that we're losing, but try and be "good" losers. Although you talk about the TEAM, it's the players that make this a team.

I'm sorry but this is sh!t. Maybe if our team salary wasn't maxed out. Maybe if we didn't have cup ambition coming into this year. Maybe if this wasn't supposed to be our year. Maybe if we were rebuilding. Maybe if we didn't lose a first rd pick signing the supposed missing piece to the puzzle. Maybe if weren't so unbelievablely uncompetitive, even for a sh!tty team. Maybe if we were the islanders and just playing loads of young players. Be good losers my ass. It sounds like denial and excuses to hide from the pain and failure.

[ice dog]

i agree with devlman... this team is a hot load of stinking sh!t.

they are not even competing and look completely lost.

It would be one thing for them to kind of suck and be a marginal playoff team...

but to just collapse into the worst team in the league is insane.

i feel bad for the season ticket holders... not fun.

my only investment were a few games while they were in California...

the high lite of course was staples center where a raucous sell out crowd was urinating on images of Lou Lamoriello..

god what a crazy season this is! Lol!

[devilsrule33]

Team went out the window with Kovalchuk. Team first became, SIGN HIM FIRST! Take less money to play for a winning in New Jersey, ended with Kovalchuk. Blame Kovalchuk or Lou (I personally blame both), but you lost the team before me with Kovalchuk. He is an outstanding talent that does NOT make anyone better by playing with them. DevilinLA, someone forgot to tell Kovalchuk about team.

This is on Lou Lamoriello no John Maclean. He should step down or be forced out! The mistakes he has made have been made for years dating back to just before signing Mogilny, McGillis, and Matvichuk.

I also love it when people blame guys like Colin White and Volchenkov who when you don't notice them in a game it is a good thing (unless you are talking bone-jarring hits).

But as for team... this team isn't one. Atlant proved they don't need Kovalchuk and are thriving without him.

Kovalchuk is not the problem here. This team just flat out sucks. If the Devils don't sign Kovy this off-season, they are not a better team (if everything else stays the same with the injuries). Forget about 15 years and $100 million. This is year one of that deal and his cap hit is $6.67, 1.62 million more than Rolston and a decade younger. You can blame Lou all you want, but don't make it seem like the identity has now changed with Kovy. He wants what everyone else here wants...to win and win badly. He has been in a losing situation his whole career. Take out Kovy, and you still have that "team" identity, and they will still suck with that "team" identity. And Kovy is struggling, but he also as no one here making him a better player or giving him any space at all.

As for Atlanta having success without Kovalchuk. It looks bad that he switches teams and the teams switch places in the standings, but you just can't compare the two teams. Look at the rosters of the Thrashers in 2003-2004 and the roster now. What you have is a lot of lottery draft picks accumulated with some very savy moves by their new GM Dudley, (finally a very smart one), and an awesome coach in Ramsey. They raided the Hawks of their depth and took some of their most underrated players. And what do you know Byfuglien and Ladd lead their team in points. They have a prospect in Anthony Stewart, who they received in the Hossa deal, who for years seemed like a gigantic bust. Now he is a significant contributer on their team. Evander Kane is 19 years old, taken 4th overall last year, and is on his way to becoming a star. And what about their goaltender Pavelec? 1.80 GAA and .943 save percentage. Insane numbers. But I imagine Kovalchuk not being there is the reason he is playing out of this world.

Anyone blaming this on Kovalchuk isn't paying close enough attention.

[Meals on Wheels]

I'm heavily depressed by this team...I think I need some counseling

[DevilinLA]

People in LA have loser standards.

Despite our crappy defense our fwds are deep and talented. So to have just 9 wins is simply unacceptable, no matter how you slice it-esp. for a franchise with our standards.

I never said it was "acceptable" - I said its a learning experience for this fanbase.

In regards to your infintile personal insult of LA's "loser standards" I have one response - our female population.

Argument done - spoiled brat.

[Sickman]

LOL. Really? Brodeur had NOTHING to do with those Cups. What a stupid post.

Hell on ice already took the words out of my mouth, but yeah, that's not what I was saying at all. Don't pop up on the board once in a blue moon and then act like an a$$hole. I'm one of Marty's biggest defenders in this place and I know he was a major piece of this team helping them win their three cups. Give me a fvcking break.

Kovalchuk is not the problem here. This team just flat out sucks. If the Devils don't sign Kovy this off-season, they are not a better team (if everything else stays the same with the injuries). Forget about 15 years and $100 million. This is year one of that deal and his cap hit is $6.67, 1.62 million more than Rolston and a decade younger. You can blame Lou all you want, but don't make it seem like the identity has now changed with Kovy. He wants what everyone else here wants...to win and win badly. He has been in a losing situation his whole career. Take out Kovy, and you still have that "team" identity, and they will still suck with that "team" identity. And Kovy is struggling, but he also as no one here making him a better player or giving him any space at all.

As for Atlanta having success without Kovalchuk. It looks bad that he switches teams and the teams switch places in the standings, but you just can't compare the two teams. Look at the rosters of the Thrashers in 2003-2004 and the roster now. What you have is a lot of lottery draft picks accumulated with some very savy moves by their new GM Dudley, (finally a very smart one), and an awesome coach in Ramsey. They raided the Hawks of their depth and took some of their most underrated players. And what do you know Byfuglien and Ladd lead their team in points. They have a prospect in Anthony Stewart, who they received in the Hossa deal, who for years seemed like a gigantic bust. Now he is a significant contributer on their team. Evander Kane is 19 years old, taken 4th overall last year, and is on his way to becoming a star. And what about their goaltender Pavelec? 1.80 GAA and .943 save percentage. Insane numbers. But I imagine Kovalchuk not being there is the reason he is playing out of this world.

Anyone blaming this on Kovalchuk isn't paying close enough attention.

Spot on imo. What I find most funny about the whole thing is that the players we sent over to Atlanta in the Kovy deal really have nothing to do with their turnaround. I guess Oduya is a serviceable player for them but Bergfors is getting scratched left and right and Cormier is a prospect. That trade didn't turn sh!t around for them. Kovy was walking in the summer no matter what.

Games like today really make me miss guys like McKay and Marshall. The good old days when this team played with some grit. Now we're saddled with the likes of Clarkson and Rolston. There is just so much dead weight on this roster and it has finally caught up with them.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Sickman

[franconianhell]

I saw the highlights only, but that's enough to have me speechless. Where did it all go wrong, devils...

It's hard to not believe the season is already over for us. But we are getting pretty close to that, and i don't see a way of changing that for the moment. How can you have a streak of wins going on, by completely resetting after a good game played / a win?

It's not that i as a fan would be mad about my team after a loss, when they are showing some effort. But you can hardly speak of effort when you caught 7 goals. Goal #6 was a moose blooper of course....oh boy...

[overtime98]

Atlanta gets rid of Kovalchuk and builds their team without him in the offseason and become a MUCH better team and sits in first place...... We Acquire Kovalchuk (-21) and get ourselves into major cap trouble and we are one of the WORST teams in the NHL.

Big deal Kovalchuk has a few goals in the last 5 games. How many did we win? Didnt he score goals in atlanta when that team was losing games? Kovalchuk scoring goals does not add up to wins or moving up in the standings.

For the 5th time this season already for Bergfors. That sure says a lot. No thanks. I rather would have Kovy anyday.

This is working out wonderful for us! Sitting in last place is fun because we have Kovy! LOL

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

In all seriousness, I am starting to believe more and more that this season is exactly what this fanbase needs to adjust its spoiled-brat attitude portrayed by some.

The predictions that this team cannot have success without names like Brodeur, Elias, Arnott, Langenbrunner, on game sweaters. Thats not the NJ devils Organization - the organization has always been about a team.

I think Lou will get back to that after realizing that the nostalgia is over - and he may never be able to meet his "Brodeur Cup Window" - he just well may begin building a competitive team for the future.

Go ahead, call me out for being preachy - but -

A year ago at this time many here were acting as if the playoffs were just a given and it took a team no work to get there.

The post season is the real season was the mantra. Some here have never seen a Devils team that is the equivilant of failure-on-ice.

Many bickered and reiterated the Lou-lip-service about how failure was "unacceptable" and the standards are "higher than anywhere in NJ".

While I agree with this in principle - I hope that this season at least allows us, as a fanbase, to grow and appreciate what we have had - and what will no doubt continue to have in the future.

Players that worked hard, HOf'rs, guaranteed successful teams despite difference in coaching strategies, lunch-pail grinders, and a GM that always kept us competitive despite the league making rules to stop us.

If we can gain one thing from all of this - I think it is humility and a greater appreciation.

I was thinking this last night at about 5-1. How many people said things like "the regular season sucsess means nothing without playoff sucsess" and was thinking i wonder how many of those people still think the same now. People have taken for granted th winning seasons and all the times we have been at the top of the pack.

This must feel like the end of the world to some!

What is pissing me off at this stage is the problems with the team are so obvious yet its all to late to fix. We cannot break out to save our lives, it got comical last night to the point i was sat there laughing out loud. the amount of latteral passes between the two d men, who could have been saying to each other "you take it" "no you do it i dont want to". Comical.

This makes forchecking us a walk in the park, and it forces turnover after turnover. No wonder our forwards stats are all so terrible , they get litteraly no help. We need 3 puck movers and greene needs to go. I may have to give up my keepership at this point, just cant defend him anymore.

Elias has been fantastic this year, he makes things happen whenever he is on the ice and no one saying "he is past it" will change my mind. Our best player by far. Tedenby is also going to be fantastic, he terrorises people, he just wont give up the puck and is a threat all the time. Last night he danced through about 5 people and didnt have any options so frustrating.

Rolston is done in the NHL, he has lost it, that hook last night was a massive joke. Then again it could just be playing on this team. I think Langs should go for his own sake, he is still usefull and can have some sucsess somewhere else.

Oh and Volchenkov is starting to look good, but he solves none of our real problems.

[LucifersDog]

What should I say "that I saw it coming as far as Marty's slide"? This team stopped being a team when Marty was allowed to run the show as far as his playing time. When Marty's personal records were more important than the teams record. When he was given all the attention..that not a team. Lou allowed this to happen.

[ryani1978]

What an embarrassment! Going to the game last night in Atlanta, I sat in the upper section behind the goal so I got to see a perspective I don't get to see on TV. Beside the Devils not even trying last night (with exceptions to a few), there gameplan needs to change. Watching the Devils send in 1 forward on the forecheck basically gives them free range to get into our zone. The defence hardly ever pinches, although they finally started to only after it was 4-0. Atlanta was so aggressive at both ends of the ice. With the post lockout era, it's time to look at changing the philociphy of this team.

We still have skill. We have a lot of hope for the future. We need to trade our assets and others that won't help going forward (Arnott, Langs, Sal if healthy, Greene, etc.) We need to keep our core and hope to pull a Philly. We will also need a new coach as my alltime favorite Mac is just not cut out for this job. I really feel that this is a much needed wake up call for our franchise and we will come out of it a fresh and renewed team next year.

LETS GO DEVILS!

[Devs3cups]

Wow, just wow.

Kovy starting to get the goals and points thats good!

With him and probably parise locked up plus Larsson the future is bright with those three!!

Go DEVILS!! GO KOVY!!!

[moj8681]

What should I say "that I saw it coming as far as Marty's slide"? This team stopped being a team when Marty was allowed to run the show as far as his playing time. When Marty's personal records were more important than the teams record. When he was given all the attention..that not a team. Lou allowed this to happen.

I'm going to +1 this.

I'm no message board stud, so I don't know how to quote multiple posts, but a few posts above, someone mentioned that there's no one this team creating space for Kovy and making him better. I agree with the first part, but as for the second, as a supposedly world class player – no, I'm not quoting anyone, but anybody making that kind of money is expected to be a world class player, and from a purely historical statistical standpoint, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who would disagree with that in regards to #17 – the onus is on Kovalchuk to make OTHER players better. And that hasn't happened. At all.

For example, Zach Parise made Travis Zajac look like a potential fantasy stud last year and Jamie Langenbrunner had the best offensive outputs of his NHL career skating with Parise. Zach made those guys better, and I think you can argue that he helped make Zajac a rich(er) man.

By no means am I trying to throw all the blame on Kovy, because in his defense, you can polish this turd of a team til the reflection makes you squint, its still a turd. But thus far, I just don't see him as anything other than a very predictable individual (a thought echoed by most of the 20+ teams the Devils have faced this year). And for a world class player, that's really disappointing.

[Marv4Life]

You can be "world-class" all you want, but when you are constantly being misused by the coaching staff, when you have linemates/teamates who either aren't up to your skill level or resent you playing here, it comes back to bite ya. Yet he's the only guy who showed up all week. Go figure.

Bottom line is MaClean should not have been head coach in the first place. And before the season stated Lou had ample time to get rid of the dead weight. He even had time at the "20-game mark"; what happened with that?

Edited December 19, 2010 by Marv4Life

[Jerrydevil]

You can't absolve Kovalchuk by saying this team was going to stink anyway. Well, you can, but it's weak sauce. Of course, it's not all his fault, but his individual performance has been alarmingly bad.

I see that the board's Billy Graham is lecturing about spoiled fans again. Never has a poster who meant so well come off so badly.

[devlman]

I never said it was "acceptable" - I said its a learning experience for this fanbase.

In regards to your infintile personal insult of LA's "loser standards" I have one response - our female population.

Argument done - spoiled brat.

Your female population consists of fake, plastic, superficial, materialistic women with low standards....much like the fan you are. You're not in new jersey so you don't understand our fan base and are not part of it. Go root for the kings. Maybe they can deal for superstar mike mottau. Then you can really get to enjoy a sh!tty team and preach about the benefits of losing.

[Quinn01]

It helps if you pretend the guy in your avatar is JMac.

Where did you find that anyway?

My friend found it and sent it to me on facebook and I thought it was perfect for an avatar.

[Devil Dan 56]

I never said it was "acceptable" - I said its a learning experience for this fanbase.

In regards to your infintile personal insult of LA's "loser standards" I have one response - our female population.

Argument done - spoiled brat.

While I agree that this fan base and team were due for a season like this (and that they need it), its not really fair to call everyone who doesn't enjoy it spoiled. Most of the fan base has never seen a losing, non-playoff season, let alone one like this. Give them some time to get used to it.