GDT: Senators @ Devils 7:00 PM MSGSN, MSGSN2, ESPN+

[glenwo2]

I mean, I don’t know what calling out Kovacevic who has only been here this season has anything to do with last year. Not to mention the amount of turnover on the roster currently since then to begin with.

I think general claims of not caring are garbage to be honest. Of course they care. I’d argue they care too much because many of them seem to be playing scared or tentative with the puck. That is the biggest problem as of late to me.

I imagine that Sheldon calling him out was frustration from the Calgary game and this past game where the overall team Defense was ass.

*also what Satans Hockey just said above*

 

[devilsblood]

Complete trash from Keefe.

Kovy was our second best defenseman yesterday. You just re-signed him. And you end up throwing him under the bus because you couldn't face the heat.

I kind of see it the other way, the willingness to call out you "better" guys, guys that are signed longer term, guys that we know are going to be here, that's calling out the whole team, this is lighting a fire under the core of the team. As opposed to his passive aggressive shots at Nemec, which while well deserved, only hurts the confidence of a kid who feels he is on the outside to begin with.

This team needs a spark. Does something like this do it? Maybe not, but worth a try.

 

[devilsblood]

Said it last year but something is wrong in the locker room and fully believe it now more than ever. Glad Sheldon finally calling them out I dunno what it is but these guys just don’t care it’s been their story for years now

I don't know if it's something "wrong" per se, but maybe as an example, Nico scores a pretty big goal last night which gets us back in the game, and we get a zero emotion cellie. Bratt is always a zero emotion guy. Even Jack's cellies have been toned down.

We might be too business like as a group. Which for a fairly young team which has won nothing, might not be the best mental approach.

 

[Bleedred]

I honestly blame Keefe for ruining the 3 game winning streak momentum by starting Markstrom against Pittsburgh, then doing it again against Calgary.

No way Allen should have been sitting for either game. No way Allen should be sitting tomorrow because of last night’s game.

Markstrom better have his best game as a Devil tomorrow, just like he had his best game for the Flames the other night in a game where he wasn’t playing goal for the Flames.

You know he’s getting the start. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he started anyway even if Allen won last night 3-2. Allen was doing that the last two times in the game before they started Markstrom.

 

[JimEIV]

Kovacevic yapping about having to play like a playoff mindset when he's doing horrible icings and throwing pucks up the middle of the ice late into games that cost us points is laughable. Have no issues with what Keefe said.

I kind of have a problem with what Keefe said....regardless of play, Kovacevic's comment was pretty pedestrian...

"we gotta play like it's the playoffs".

It's practically nonsense... Nearly just filler for when a microphone is stuck in your face after a bad loss.

The coach using that opportunity to attack a player, a defenseman when you're down 3 D and have another with special needs?

Well I don't know, that seems like chicken shit to me.

That fat upalumpa shouldn't have said anything about the individual...and just addressed the elephant in the room of a sinking ship

 

[JrFischer54]

I mean, I don’t know what calling out Kovacevic who has only been here this season has anything to do with last year. Not to mention the amount of turnover on the roster currently since then to begin with.

I think general claims of not caring are garbage to be honest. Of course they care. I’d argue they care too much because many of them seem to be playing scared or tentative with the puck. That is the biggest problem as of late to me.

I’m not saying this cause he called Kovy out. The team absolutely does not care outside very few chances they totally mailed in that third period. This isn’t some throw away game in Dec this is basically playoff hockey. The record entering the 3rd down reinforces it. They just go through the motions and if they happen to score great. Kovy even said they need to have a playoff mentality

 

[Satans Hockey]

I kind of have a problem with what Keefe said....regardless of play, Kovacevic's comment was pretty pedestrian...

"we gotta play like it's the playoffs".

It's practically nonsense... Nearly just filler for when a microphone is stuck in your face after a bad loss.

The coach using that opportunity to attack a player, a defenseman when you're down 3 D and have another with special needs?

Well I don't know, that seems like chicken shit to me.

That fat upalumpa shouldn't have said anything about the individual...and just addressed the elephant in the room of a sinking ship

Players need to be held accountable and he's been dog shit for us recently, I don't see the issue with it. If these players can't handle being called out once in awhile they need to be outta pro sports. We have one of the least hardest teams in terms of being held accountable by the media in all of pro sportsm

Guy just got a $20 million contract extension that he should have never been given during the season and has been costing us games.

Dude just needs to suck it up and play better.

 

[My3Sons]

I kind of have a problem with what Keefe said....regardless of play, Kovacevic's comment was pretty pedestrian...

"we gotta play like it's the playoffs".

It's practically nonsense... Nearly just filler for when a microphone is stuck in your face after a bad loss.

The coach using that opportunity to attack a player, a defenseman when you're down 3 D and have another with special needs?

Well I don't know, that seems like chicken shit to me.

That fat upalumpa shouldn't have said anything about the individual...and just addressed the elephant in the room of a sinking ship

I’m disappointed Keefe thought publicly calling out Kovacevic was appropriate. If Keeef thinks Kovacevic has struggled then man up and tell him face to face. Just my thoughts.

 

[devilsblood]

Players need to be held accountable and he's been dog shit for us recently, I don't see the issue with it. If these players can't handle being called out once in awhile they need to be outta pro sports. We have one of the least hardest teams in terms of being held accountable by the media in all of pro sportsm

Guy just got a $20 million contract extension that he should have never been given during the season and has been costing us games.

Dude just needs to suck it up and play better.

I have no issue with the mid season contract. If we didn't sign him now, we were going to need to sign him in the offseason, so why not.

But is there some complacency on Kova's part post extension signing? Possibly. Does this remark awake him from that complacency? I could see that being a thing.

End of the day I see Keefe's comment as a jolt to the team. The team clearly needs one. I really don't see the negative here.

Conversely I didn't like the "we are playing 5D" comment. That makes whoever the 6th d-man is, who at this point is barely an NHL player, and one who is not playing well, feel more pressure. That player doesn't need that.

 

[devilsblood]

I’m disappointed Keefe thought publicly calling out Kovacevic was appropriate. If Keeef thinks Kovacevic has struggled then man up and tell him face to face. Just my thoughts.

Is he not giving guys shit on the bench during the game? Looked like he was after the 2nd goal last night. And we don't know if he's getting on the guys in practice or in the locker room.

Coaches calling out players in the press is not new. Done all the time.

 

[Devs3cups]

These guys don't need to be coddled.

Keefe has had good results as a coach with his system (in the regular season anyway), and this team isn't producing nor playing the way it should.

At some point the coach gets pissed off.

Let's see how the team responds.

 

[Devs3cups]

Coaches calling out players in the press is not new. Done all the time.

It's done multiple times, every single season. Kind of a nothing burger really.

I also hope he doesn't address it AT ALL. Don't shy away from it.

Again, let's see how the team responds.

 

[JimEIV]

Players need to be held accountable and he's been dog shit for us recently, I don't see the issue with it. If these players can't handle being called out once in awhile they need to be outta pro sports. We have one of the least hardest teams in terms of being held accountable by the media in all of pro sportsm

Guy just got a $20 million contract extension that he should have never been given during the season and has been costing us games.

Dude just needs to suck it up and play better.

I think calling a player out has a time and place...that was not it.

It was an innocuous comment by Kovacevic.

Our D Corp has been decimated, we've had a few frustrating losses recently and the coach attacking a remaining pilar on Defense in public was simply the wrong decision in my opinion.

Keefe's job is to hold this together in the face of adversity... I think his comments came off as a weak leader with no answers and little character.

 

[Eggtimer]

We must be masochists, my friend. It almost seems like a prerequisite to being a Devils fan. I’m 47 and really miss our glory days.

I’m close to same age . Been a fan since I was about 8 years old . I remember the “ have another doughnut “ comment made by Schoenfeld , and that playoff run was when I was hooked as a lifelong fan of the Devils . I was a “fan” befure that but was mainly due to me collecting stickers for the Panini NHL sticker books that they had ba k then . I loved the way the Devils jerseys and goalies looked like in their uniforms and thought the NJ emblem was awesome lol . Then the 1988 playoff run cemented my fandom. I loved the fact that they were a bunch of humble , hard working under dogs and had no real superstar players, yet they made it far that year . Been a fan ever since and will always be a fan .
Being from Calgary ( just outside of Calgary ) , people always ask me how / why the hell I ended up a Devils fan . People assume it’s because of Brodeur ( I was a goalie ) . It sucked back then where the only time I could watch the Deviks play was either live when they came to Calgary or Edmonton or watching highlights of games on tv . It was very very seldom that a Devils game would be televised live . It was a special treat whenever that happened .

 

[MadDevil]

Maybe if the players actually played like it was a playoff game instead of completely f***ing no showing a third period where they had a multi goal lead and ended up with zero points the previous game the coach wouldn't be so testy.

 

[Devs3cups]

Maybe if the players actually played like it was a playoff game instead of completely f***ing no showing a third period where they had a multi goal lead and ended up with zero points the previous game the coach wouldn't be so testy.

Might be worth a try. I’m sure the coach is super pleased with the effort the last 2 games with wild card teams breathing down our necks. But we can’t be too hard on the players, poor guys!!!

No issue with how Keefe responded.

Maybe it even lights a fire under the team.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Silly me, thinking we could hold on to a playoff spot and do some damage with Seigs, Hamilton and Hughes out for the season and Markstrom in preseason shape after injury, what was I thinking ?

 

[JK3]

Nah I thought that was pretty lame by Keefe, maybe he should find a way to stop his team from shitting the bed for almost three months straight, Yeah we're pretty banged up now but he couldn't do it with a full lineup in Jan and Feb.

 

[BahlDeep]

I kind of see it the other way, the willingness to call out you "better" guys, guys that are signed longer term, guys that we know are going to be here, that's calling out the whole team, this is lighting a fire under the core of the team. As opposed to his passive aggressive shots at Nemec, which while well deserved, only hurts the confidence of a kid who feels he is on the outside to begin with.

This team needs a spark. Does something like this do it? Maybe not, but worth a try.

No it doesn't.

Kovy gave a pretty cliche answer if you listen to the interview. Nothing warranted this type of response from Keefe.

There's a way to single out a certain player in a presser. Keefe went for Kovy's throat on this one.

 

[devilsblood]

It sucked back then where the only time I could watch the Deviks play was either live when they came to Calgary or Edmonton or watching highlights of games on tv . It was very very seldom that a Devils game would be televised live . It was a special treat whenever that happened .

Going back to that time period, not many in NJ had access to televised Devils TV either. Not only did you need cable(which we didn't have) but also needed The Sports Channel which had zero chance of happening in my house.

A Ranger fan buddy of mine is a Rag's fan because MSG was included with regular cable while Sports Channel was not. I imagine this is not uncommon amongst Rag fans in NJ.

 

[devilsblood]

No it doesn't.

Kovy gave a pretty cliche answer if you listen to the interview. Nothing warranted this type of response from Keefe.

There's a way to single out a certain player in a presser. Keefe went for Kovy's throat on this one.

Clearly Keefe is more concerned with Kova's on ice play then his answer.

Not sure what way of singling out a player would be acceptable.

 

[Devs3cups]

Nah I thought that was pretty lame by Keefe, maybe he should find a way to stop his team from shitting the bed for almost three months straight, Yeah we're pretty banged up now but he couldn't do it with a full lineup in Jan and Feb.

The players had no trouble playing the system in December and they had their best stretch of play by a WIDE margin while doing it. Maybe they could show up (and could’ve in January) and play solid hockey. Now, do I think the team has the bottom-6 to be a good team overall? No. But I think the point still stands in a way.

 

[BahlDeep]

Clearly Keefe is more concerned with Kova's on ice play then his answer.

Not sure what way of singling out a player would be acceptable.

Constructively?

Keefe's answer is the one of a 5 year old who couldn't handle his emotions.

 

[Bleedred]

"we were not hard enough"

Are you suggesting we call up Mike Hardman?

 

[Bleedred]

Kovacevic was kind of a weird player to single out like that, but he possibly could have done to that to some other guy if they were interviewed after the game and that reporter said their name and that he had to say the same things. It's always possible Keefe could have said the same about that player instead.