I'm not even sure how many teams have that guy you're referencing. At least in a Tom Wilson capacity. He's a bit of a unicorn like that. And i think guys like Lomberg are pretty rare as well. Honestly, I just think that level of crazy is kind of rare, but I digress. Down the lineup bully guys? Sure, some teams have them, but their impact seems wholly overrated on this board and I'm not sure how much I want them actually playing and as I said before, these guys aren't preventatives. Would their retaliation lift the team up? I mean, I find it unlikely, but again, I don't know how you realistically quantify it as I doubt that it's even been tracked.
Some of this I think is just fans being fans and this is a victim complex. There's legitimately know way of knowing whether this team gets the raw end of the stick like this at a greater or lesser rate than the rest of the league. There's no real way to quantify it. Cheap shots happen all the time in every game. We've seen Dillon go psycho. Honestly, I feel like so far this team they have been far faster and aggressive in going after the other team than I can remember in quite some time because of guys like Dillon and Kovacevic.
Bastian is a big dude but he's way out of his league if he's trying to step in with some of those guys. He defended his teammate (what everyone is bitching about) and got his ass kicked. So now we have to respond to the response of the response just because he got his ass beat? I just want to win a hockey game, man.
Nobody is saying you can't be chippy and be physical like el boomer is suggesting. But don't put yourself in a disadvantageous position because defending Nate's honor become your primary goal.
I agree team is more aggressive so far this season and it is likely because of Dillon and Noesen and Kovacevic etc.
I'm not saying there's a Tom Wilson esque player and lomberg on every team, but this team has to figure out something.
In the last 14 months you have:
-Bastian getting face blasted in an uneven fight setup with lomberg after Bas trying to defend Cotter (likely out some time TBD)
-Cotter getting head smashed into boards by lomberg after already down on the ice/boards
-Lazar taking a cheapshot low to the leg by Gudas (required knee or leg surgery)
Last season:
-Sieges getting headshot concussion by Rempe (out a month)
-Bastian fighting Trouba the same game after getting a basically a concussion after Rempe cheap hit (out for like a month)
-Bastian getting railroaded by Rempe headshot/charge (see above)
-a couple boards that were wreckless plays onto our team (Luke x2) one by Colorado
-Nico getting headshot by clifton (out for 20 games or something)
-Nosek taking a massive hit to the moon (although this was his fault) but no one really responded to Trouba (nosek out like a month)
I think I'm missing a few from last season.
Just never ends - but it needs to stop somehow.
Hard to win and stay healthy-ish if you have guys unable to set a strong persistent presence of team toughness.
If the impression around the league we are punching bags and/or weak to defend against cheapshots, they will just keep happening every season, like a roulette for different players.
I don't know how to quantify this to compare against what the rest of the league deals with, month to month, but it sure feels like NJD getting the raw end the last season and a half, and it needs to end (somehow with the team setting a presence or finding the right personnel to do this)
People/fans get upset at MacDermid on the roster, but I really understand the reaction of the team to at least have a heavyweight around to keep guys like Rempe not expecting a free for all every time they play us. At least Rempe has it in the back of mind that his face can get smashed a bit as a response when he plays against.
