I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Only reason i I think kovy played so bad was due to his back injury as well as the injury he suffered during the season. Not to mention the team as a whole struggled.
Only winger I'd say that is better then kovy is kane. And even that is debatable.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
Oops brain fart. Yea well he's a gimme. Hes the 3rd best player in the league IMO. And cmon. Girouxs a center.
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I think he played bad because his heart and head were back home in Russia still.
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Yeah that's what I thought too. I admit, I never thought he would do something like this. So I thought his less than memorable play was due to possibly still having that back injury, and maybe to some extent garbage linemates like Ponikarovsky. After this bomb was dropped a few weeks ago it was like ''Okay that explains that''.
He was the best player at the world championships IMO. He was a shell of that player for much of the 2013 season in the NHL.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
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No question some of his poor numbers had to do with his linemates....I don't think there is anyway around that.
Even if kovy wasn't the best winger he was definitly top 10. How can you say we are better off without him? Especially considering how big of a roll he played.
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In 10-11 he somehow produced well with Palmieri on his line. That was when he was playing LW though. That could have had something to do with it, but who knows? He played with tons of just okay players in Atlanta and had better seasons than he ever had with the Devils. Then again those players were still better than the 2013 Ponikarovsky, or the rookie Stefan Matteau.
He didn't do much to help us last season. When Moose needed some help to get some goals on the board while he was struggling, Kovalchuk was usually nowhere to be found to help his buddy out. The whole ''Kovalchuk is one of the few gambreakers in the league''. We didn't see him break or decide many games in 2013. Some of his shootout attempts were pathetic, where he wouldn't even get a shot on net.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
in the short term, no, we're probably not better without him
but in the long term, I think we are. especially with the whole cap recapture fiasco.
I do think we will be a deeper team this year than we were last year though
but in the long term, I think we are. especially with the whole cap recapture fiasco.
I do think we will be a deeper team this year than we were last year though
- May 1, 2011
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Yup and that's why I voted No that the team is not better without him, but I think the team will be better this year than it was last year. Who even wants a Kovalchuk that isn't giving it his all?
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
I think the two can be mutually exclusive. Perfectly acceptable to just say Lou put together a better team this year then last year.
I do wonder who well the new faces will gel together, but when/if they do this should be a very good squad IMO.
Main board folks thinking we are going to be bottom feeding will be in for a rude awakening.
JimEIV
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See my whole premise is this...1. A team is better with distributed scoring and minutes than front loaded scoring and minutes.
2. Distributed scoring and minutes were not possible with Kovalchuk in the lineup...A top loaded line leaves a team much more susceptible to greater swings and highs and lows. Money and time were just not available with Kovalchuk.
A front loaded team with a talented prospect pool can work because you can supplement the top lines with an injection of cheap good talent. We don't have that.
So removing the top end player and replacing him with distributed minutes and scoring gives you a better chance at consistent scoring and success...it also takes the pressure off the weak prospect forward group...it gives them time to develop without having to be forced into the lineup.....
That's just my opinion of it.
2. Distributed scoring and minutes were not possible with Kovalchuk in the lineup...A top loaded line leaves a team much more susceptible to greater swings and highs and lows. Money and time were just not available with Kovalchuk.
A front loaded team with a talented prospect pool can work because you can supplement the top lines with an injection of cheap good talent. We don't have that.
So removing the top end player and replacing him with distributed minutes and scoring gives you a better chance at consistent scoring and success...it also takes the pressure off the weak prospect forward group...it gives them time to develop without having to be forced into the lineup.....
That's just my opinion of it.
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I think Lou put together the best team he could. Totally redeemed himself after last year. Not his fault Kovalchuk felt like leaving either. I'm more concerned about coaching to be honest. I'm a little paranoid we might see the same thickheaded crap from Deboer again. He had me extremely aggravated late last season. I actually was laughing my ass off when he got ejected from the game at MSG.
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