Speculation: Is it me, or ...

[MartyOwns]

agreed

 

[Billdo]

Here’s the thing I’ve always said about the Kovy punishment. Punishments like that are designed for Teams which cheat; circumventing the rules through under the table negotiations and back door deals. The Devils were not trying to hide anything; there were no secret payments or out of contract promises. The contact was submitted in accordance with the league for them to accept or reject. That is the reason these contracts need to be submitted in the first place. The league was in their rights to reject it, but to assets any penalty, let alone a harsh one, was way, way, out of line.

Incredibly well said. I am stil holding out a microscopic amount of hope that Lou fights that mandatory first round pick forfeiture thing. No precedent for that type of punishment nor was it a rule, going against the spirit of something never made sense to me.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Here’s the thing I’ve always said about the Kovy punishment. Punishments like that are designed for Teams which cheat; circumventing the rules through under the table negotiations and back door deals. The Devils were not trying to hide anything; there were no secret payments or out of contract promises. The contact was submitted in accordance with the league for them to accept or reject. That is the reason these contracts need to be submitted in the first place. The league was in their rights to reject it, but to assets any penalty, let alone a harsh one, was way, way, out of line.

And just think, the intended penalty was for the Devils to lose their next first round pick, and after some prodding, Lou was allowed to choose any of the next 4 years. Completely over the top. What was the point of the penalties being so harsh if the rules were going to be changed anyway? Some sort of "don't cross the league" message? **** that.

Frankly, I've wondered (probably unnecessarily) if all the recent attention paid towards the Devils with stadium games and the draft and whatnot has had to do with the Kovalchuk penalty. Lou Lamoriello has been a tremendous ally for Bettman and the NHL in the past, and it's hard for me to imagine him taking such a public display of ******** sitting down.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

It's funny that nhl.com ranked Gomez, Brodeur, Daneyko, and Parise as the best first round picks at their number, but the devil's website only has the links to Brodeur and Daneyko.

 

[Rella17]

The NHL was trying to send a message. You might be right that it was too harsh, but that had nothing to do with us being the Devils and not the Flyers, Bruins, or Canucks.

yes it did

not a chance in hell that happens to a bigger market team

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

bunch of Jesse Venturas in here

 

[New Jersey]

The Devils aren't a sexy team by any means (and I'm okay with that), but the League definitely doesn't have a vendetta. If anything, the Draft and outdoor game in the Bronx probably means the League feels exactly the opposite towards the Devils and wants the team to become more popular.

(That's me being optimistic, though. I hate the NHL and I always will.)

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I'll be e-mailing Daly about how viable the NJ market is next year to prep us for the McDavid lotto win.