2013 New Jersey Devils (Team/Player Discussion)-Offseason FA and trade talk Part XII
- Thread starter glenwo2
- Start date
- Status
- May 1, 2011
- 133,593
- 63,348
I agree that the teams penalty killing last year was VERY bad. If not for all the shorthanded goals we scored then we were the lowest scoring team in the league. The penalty killing was a joke, and led to a lot of unstoppable goals for both Marty and Moose. In fact Marty had an above average even strength save percentage last year, and one of the best in the league before he was injured. Moose however, had one of the worst even strength save percentages in the league.
I think Schnieder's save percentage will go down a little bit, because we give up less shots than Vancouver. When you face less shots, you have a lower margin for error with goals against, thus lowering the save percentage. Still it will be much better than Moose, and probably better than Marty too. If the penalty killing is a POS again though, it might go down significantly, but still better than Marty and worlds better than Moose.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
One of the things that was bad last season WAS Kovalchuk. A guy playing 26 minutes a night scoring 4 even strength goals WAS a major problem. Last season Bernier was a better producer/TOI than Kovalchuk was....that was the deficit in goal production....
We no longer have to rely on one person scoring a significant percentage of goals, the minutes will be more evenly distributed and so will the scoring
It is the exact formula the devils have used for decades to win divisions and stay competive with non-elite forwards. It is Devils hockey.
- May 1, 2011
- 133,593
- 63,348
I'm joining the church of Jim now!
Kovalchuk was one of the most heartless players on the team last year. Probably played with the least amount of heart and effort. Was on pace for his worst season (Yes playing with the other space junk and other bums did have some effect to be fair) and just dogged it most of the time. I would have never thought this, and wouldn't have known better had what just transpired the last two days never happened.
He didn't even step up, and help Moose out by bailing him out when he couldn't hold the fort. I'm thinking the whole time that he's injured or hurt from the 2012 playoffs injury, but he was just playing gutless most of the time. He looked the best shorthanded, and his speed aged 5 years at least. I don't think his speed really aged though, I just think it was a lack of effort, and taking it easy like Rockefeller Center. Also his PATHETIC shootout attempts this year were quite a sight. Anyone who thinks this is sour grapes, I don't know what to tell you. I gave him the benefit of the doubt thinking he wasn't completely healthy, but he was just a BUM in 2013. He looked like the player he was in 11-12 when he was at the world championships a week after the season ended.
Trash talking Kovy now that he's gone, when each and every one of you would die to have him back.
Tundra
Registered User
- Oct 20, 2005
- 10,393
- 1,394
Even a diminished Kovy was our best player. Even I could admit that. The other teams game planned around stopping him. And when he went down we went from a little below average scoring to no scoring. Someone should get the actual stat since it was extremely telling after he got hurt.
SKNJD9
Hi, I'm mat.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
Originally Posted by megajake View Post
Trash talking Kovy now that he's gone, when each and every one of you would die to have him back.
Jake JimEIV has trashed the Russian ever since they talked about getting him. So I'll give Jim that he never did waver on that. For the amount of pounding he took for having his opinion he pretty much has all the right in the world to trash him.
However to say the Russian was not at times good for the Devils is ********. He put ***** in the seats, brought some life to the team, and almost helped us win a fourth cup.
Now that he has decided to go back to Russia and ****ed us over the way he did. Waiting until after many were signed before making his move put him right there with Gomer and Zach.
We allHated the contract and knew it would not go the full term in a good way. The low life did us a favor.
Believe me I was one of his biggest followers. NOW 
Trash talking Kovy now that he's gone, when each and every one of you would die to have him back.
Jake JimEIV has trashed the Russian ever since they talked about getting him. So I'll give Jim that he never did waver on that. For the amount of pounding he took for having his opinion he pretty much has all the right in the world to trash him.
However to say the Russian was not at times good for the Devils is ********. He put ***** in the seats, brought some life to the team, and almost helped us win a fourth cup.
Now that he has decided to go back to Russia and ****ed us over the way he did. Waiting until after many were signed before making his move put him right there with Gomer and Zach.
We allHated the contract and knew it would not go the full term in a good way. The low life did us a favor.
Believe me I was one of his biggest followers. NOW
Last edited:
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
Tundra
Registered User
- Oct 20, 2005
- 10,393
- 1,394
The player the opposition fears most. Even on our PP, the entire PK would gravitate towards him. Kovy was the meal ticket on the team.
MasterofGrond
No, I'm not serious.
How are people still claiming Hedberg was the only issue in net last year?
Brodeur put up a .901
That's AWFUL
Brodeur put up a .901
That's AWFUL
- May 1, 2011
- 133,593
- 63,348
Jim didn't want him here back when we thought he wanted to be here.
What the guy did was completely disgusting. I'm not saying he's a TRASH player, but he completely dicked this team over. That's some balls he's got to do what he did.
Did you see how he played last year? Maybe you were one of the plenty (Including me) that was fooled by him. Forgive us for thinking the guy was just being classy when he told his Russian fans he wanted to stay. The guy was never anything but classy before this **** that he just pulled. Forgive me for thinking the guy was legit not completely healthy. It wasn't even debatable that he was hurting badly during the 2012 playoffs, and I thought it was possible that it carried over.
MasterofGrond
No, I'm not serious.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
Maybe we can use Jansen and get him a gun then...that oughta be really scary for the opponent... who needs results?
- May 1, 2011
- 133,593
- 63,348
At even strength he had a 919 save percentage which was above league average. He was also very good before he got injured. He had one of the worst shorthanded save percentages in the league, as did Hedberg. They both had around the same save percentage shorthanded, except one of them was much better at even strength. Hedberg was also one of the worst in the league at even strength as well.
That tells me that the penalty killing as a team had a decent amount to do with that. Marty wasn't that good after he came back from injury, but he was let down by the penalty killing for a lot of the season. Hedberg was too, only he was also bad at even strength, which Brodeur was not.
Tundra
Registered User
- Oct 20, 2005
- 10,393
- 1,394
That's why Cam has a two-way contract for under a million. Would you like to seriously have this conversation with the other 30 GMs in the league last season? What do you they would say when asked "Who is the devils best player?" What do you think the answer would be? We know you never liked Kovalchuk, but don't be obtuse.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
Devils Trap
Registered User
Tundra
Registered User
- Oct 20, 2005
- 10,393
- 1,394
A 36 year old Elias versus a 30 year old Kovalchuk? Really? They would want Elias? 20+ indicating 2/3rds of the league? If your hypothesis is true, then why didn't a bidding war ensue over Elias' services that were widely available?
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
Yes a 36 soon to be 37 year old Elias is far superior to Kovalchuk in every facet of the game still today.
Unknown Caller
Registered User
- Apr 30, 2009
- 10,332
- 7,975
I disagree with Elias. It's not like teams were salivating over him during free agency (although there are rumors that Detroit really wanted him). If Kovalchuk was a free agent this summer, he would have teams lining up for his services. Patty has been one of my favorite players since he came into the league, but Kovalchuk was a game-changer. He could completely change the complexion of a game when he was healthy.
- Status
