GDT: Habs in Jersey

[guitarguyvic]

Nona, Vic does not take very well to people calling out Lou for the group he has assembled. I was doing it the last two weeks, and he really wasn't happy with that. I feel Lou is fair game here as well as ownership. We didn't have to re sign Salvador, and now we have 8 defensemen, and with the way this team was assembled there is absolutely no room for just one forward injury. One forward injury to this team is a devastating blow to an already thin forward corp.

Remember last year we were 15th in the league in goals scored when you take out the 12 goals we got for winning 12 shootouts. Unfortunately the only trade bait we had without making the team worse is now injured. Not that I really thought Tallinder had any value anyway.

I take issue with people calling out anyone based on assumptions, whether it's Lou, PDB, the players, etc. For example, many simply assume that Lou never went after Semin or never tried to trade for a forward. You just simply don't know if that is true.

Criticizing the Sal contract makes sense if you don't agree with it because we know it actually happened. That is the difference. And even then, if you didn't criticize it at the time it happened but are complaining about it now after the fact, well then that is just disingenuous.

But yeah keep misrepresenting me as just some Lou fanboy.

 

[Devils Dominion]

"Nordiques nation" was an absolute embarrassment tonight. Yeah, you really proved something, all 150 of you that showed up. GIVE THEM A TEAM! ROFL.

Possible there were not more than 150 tix available.
But I heard from people at the game they had about 500 of them overall.

 

[JK3]

Well it's just going to be more rearranging the deck chairs at this point unless they make a move. Too many important holes plugged with the usual fodder.

Zubs will help but I don't think it's going to make as much of an impact as everyone thinks. Pushing Poni down to the 3rd line will help though.

I just wish everyone would get on the same page. Moose will be great but then there's no goal support. We score goals, Moose ***** the bed. Clarkie, Patty and Kovy or the secondary guys go nuts but all at different times.

The biggest thing we are missing is timely or clutch scoring. Sykkie was great at it but that ship sailed a long time ago.

 

[Devils Dominion]

are they bigger *******s then the ones at CAA? the worst ever!

such dicks to the people that were there taking a few photos after the last game loss to the sens in '07 playoffs.

i also have heard some not so nice stories about them through the vines.

Security at The Rock is fine from what I have seen overall since 2007.
They have bounced out many opposing fans, usually Rags and Philly fans.

They definately are more tolerant than CAA seucurity and let fans push the envelope.

 

[AfroThunder396]

So basically we can't ever criticize the GM for failing to fill an obvious hole and leaving the depth completely unbalanced towards the D, since we 'don't know'. That's the GM's job, to fill the holes

I understand what he's saying. The GM's job is to make the team better. If Lou had an opportunity to make the team better but decided not to because it would jeopardize our finances or would be detrimental long-term, I trust Lou's judgment.

Lou has earned the benefit of the doubt x1000. I don't think he's above criticism, but saying "we suck and therefore it's Lou's fault" is overly simplistic and not a reasonable criticism at this time (when we have multiple injuries and players are giving questionable performances), IMO.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

When you have 2 forwards needing to get treatment in the third period because they are trashed from lack of forwards on the team, then that really doesn't have another direction to go. I understand that played a lot of games in a short stretch but that shouldn't be happening with about half a season to go.

 

[Wingman77]

 

[guitarguyvic]

When you have 2 forwards needing to get treatment in the third period because they are trashed from lack of forwards on the team, then that really doesn't have another direction to go. I understand that played a lot of games in a short stretch but that shouldn't be happening with about half a season to go.

Last season after 29 games:
(15-13-1, 31 points, 9th in the Conference)
Zach Parise-Adam Henrique-Ilya Kovalchuk
Petr Sykora-Patrik Elias-Dainius Zubrus
Eric Boulton-Ryan Carter-David Clarkson
Mattias Tedenby-Tim Sestito-Cam Janssen

This season after 29 games:
(13-10-6, 32 points, 7th in conference)
Poni-Loktionov-Kovalchuk
Elias-Henrique-Bernier
Carter-Zajac-Clarkson
Barch-Gionta-Kostopolous

Of course, Loki is also currently injured, but when he and Zubrus comes back this is what it could look like:
Elias-Lokti-Kovy
Zubrus-Henrique-Clarkson
Poni-Zajac-Bernier
Carter-Gionta-Kostopolous

Or some variation of that. Still need a top 6 winger, but it's not significantly worse than what we had at this point in the season last year.

I see no reason why this team can't make the playoffs. If they don't it's on them, not the GM.

 

[Bleedred]

Criticizing the Sal contract makes sense if you don't agree with it because we know it actually happened. That is the difference. And even then, if you didn't criticize it at the time it happened but are complaining about it now after the fact, well then that is just disingenuous.

This isn't fair to say at all. How many people LOVED the Rolston signing back in 2008 (I never did) but by 2009 changed their mind?. And how many more had definitely changed their mind by 2010? I never loved the Salvador contract, but I think it's gonna mess with us a little bit, it's a lot for what he brings and how old he is. I didn't like the Tallinder contract either, but it looks pretty good next to the 37 year old stay at home defensemen, 8-10 points a season Salvador.

I also find it hard to believe Sykora was not approached by any teams. If not for a training camp tryout at the very least. Sykora was most likely approached by more teams over the Summer than he was after the lockout. He didn't sign with anyone over the Summer cause he wanted badly to stay with the Devils. After the first couple weeks of July he was the second highest scoring UFA remaining on the market after Shane Doan.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

This isn't fair to say at all. How many people LOVED the Rolston signing back in 2008 (I never did) but by 2009 changed their mind?. And how many more had definitely changed their mind by 2010? I never loved the Salvador contract, but I think it's gonna mess with us a little bit, it's a lot for what he brings and how old he is. I didn't like the Tallinder contract either, but it looks pretty good next to the 37 year old stay at home defensemen, 8-10 points a season Salvador.

I also find it hard to believe Sykora was not approached by any teams. If not for a training camp tryout at the very least. Sykora was most likely approached by more teams over the Summer than he was after the lockout. He didn't sign with anyone over the Summer cause he wanted badly to stay with the Devils. After the first couple weeks of July he was the second highest scoring UFA remaining on the market after Shane Doan.

the sykora thing makes me very sad.

i mean at least he could hit the net with his shot.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Last season after 29 games:
(15-13-1, 31 points, 9th in the Conference)
Zach Parise-Adam Henrique-Ilya Kovalchuk
Petr Sykora-Patrik Elias-Dainius Zubrus
Eric Boulton-Ryan Carter-David Clarkson
Mattias Tedenby-Tim Sestito-Cam Janssen

This season after 29 games:
(13-10-6, 32 points, 7th in conference)
Poni-Loktionov-Kovalchuk
Elias-Henrique-Bernier
Carter-Zajac-Clarkson
Barch-Gionta-Kostopolous

Of course, Loki is also currently injured, but when he and Zubrus comes back this is what it could look like:
Elias-Lokti-Kovy
Zubrus-Henrique-Clarkson
Poni-Zajac-Bernier
Carter-Gionta-Kostopolous

Or some variation of that. Still need a top 6 winger, but it's not significantly worse than what we had at this point in the season last year.

I see no reason why this team can't make the playoffs. If they don't it's on them, not the GM.

Lou acquired more pieces then that through the rest of the tenure and needs to do so this year is my point. Lack of movement is on the GM. That lineup you listed is not anywhere near what we ended making the playoffs with. You're kidding if you think losing Zach for Lokti isn't a big loss. Lou probably wanted more from Josefson and Tedenby but they can't even make the NHL. Definitely need Lokti and Zubrus back but its dangerous to bank on a fully healthy team before you can do anything, we're short on top end talent as is.

Lokti out is a huge blow because they were without their top center as zajac is playing like tar right now. Henrique and Kovy had to go back to rehydrate, i.e. IV. If 2 of your top 6 is gassed already then that is a bad sign and shows this team needs depth badly and not 4th line depth. That isn't on the players.