Can Kovy crack 1000 as a Devil/Pass Elias?

[tycobb]

Kovy is a really big, strong guy, who doesn't use that size or strength very much. As his speed deteriorates it might help him to use that size to compensate. Jagr does it very well and is very productive into his 40's.

And this isn't so much a knock as an observation.

Not saying you were knocking him, but Jagr has always been a puck possession horse. Kovy hasn't and probably won't be as he age. He still can be affective 40 since he has an excellent shooting and passing abilities.

 

[Classic Devil]

Not saying you were knocking him, but Jagr has always been a puck possession horse. Kovy hasn't and probably won't be as he age. He still can be affective 40 since he has an excellent shooting and passing abilities.

I honestly think Kovy is most effective when he slows his game down. It wouldn't surprise me to see him evolve into a better all-round player when his speed starts to go.

 

[Balance]

Should be noted Kovy has been here 3.5 years. We did not make the playoffs in 2 of those years, and got booted in the 1st rnd in the 1/2 year. He also missed a grand total of 11 games this year. So it is certainly not as easy as "we are cup contenders with him and pitiful without him". Honestly If I'm looking at what was different between our 2 recent non playoff years and our one cup run it would appear to be Parise.



I agree Kovy is a game breaker. On pure physical ability it's Kovy by a wide stretch. But Elias imo, is clearly a more cerebral player, a much better defensive player, and a player who gives a more consistent effort. So he closes that pure physical gap by a decent amount.

As to why Kovy gets grief while Elias gets the love. Elias is a homegrown talent who has won 2 cups. Kovy was traded from an awful team and has been the "best player" on 2 teams that has not made the playoffs while in NJ.

Not trying to attack Kovy here either. I'm a fan. Just trying to give an honest critque.

Remember why we actually missed the playoffs with Kovalchuk:
1. John Maclean - end of story. When the team had Lemaire, it went on fire and proved that not only would the team have made it to the playoffs with him all season but it could have finished first in the east.
2. Kovalchuk couldn't play for a quarter of the season - The team lost every game besides 1 that Kovy couldn't compete in.

The point is simple in that the Devils missing the playoffs had nothing to do with Kovalchuk at all. It was either the team or the coaching that failed. Remember, in the playoffs Kovalchuk played injured and led the team in scoring. The only full season Kovalchuk played with the team in the playoffs was the one where they went to the SCF.

Elias is good and I understand the defensive argument, but he just isn't Kovalchuk good. Take Kovy out of the lineup and the team couldn't win. Elias' absence would hurt the team but there is no way the team would win 1 in 11 games with Kovy in the lineup and a capable head coach. Remember during the SCF run Elias was invisible in point production and the team still made it that far. If it was Kovy who was invisible that run would have been cut short.

I don't think Kovalchuk gets the most hate or anything either. He is easily the most popular player on the team not named Brodeur (just look at the amount of jerseys in the crowd) and people chant his name throughout the games and nobody gets that treatment besides Henrique which really was just a rookie sensation chant. The only type of hate Kovalchuk receives is probably the media looking to attack him and making a story. He's just a perfect target because of the contract that he got and his nationality. That's why the stories of him not returning to the NHL to attend an informal practice for KHL games were ever written because he's just a good scapegoat used by the media.

 

[Balance]

Not saying you were knocking him, but Jagr has always been a puck possession horse. Kovy hasn't and probably won't be as he age. He still can be affective 40 since he has an excellent shooting and passing abilities.

Kovalchuk does not need his speed at all. We saw this in the SCF run when he led the team in points. His puck moving ability and passing is too good to get stripped of the puck even when he is slowed down.

 

[devilsblood]

This team was playing lousy hockey for a good month b4 Kovy got hurt. won 6 of 19 or something like that.


Would they have won more then the 1 game they won in his absence. Sure. But we should not act as though this team was dominanting until he got hurt.

 

[njdevils1982]

Not saying you were knocking him, but Jagr has always been a puck possession horse. Kovy hasn't and probably won't be as he age. He still can be affective 40 since he has an excellent shooting and passing abilities.

passing? yeah, not bad .....

 

[Bleedred]

This team was playing lousy hockey for a good month b4 Kovy got hurt. won 6 of 19 or something like that.


Would they have won more then the 1 game they won in his absence. Sure. But we should not act as though this team was dominanting until he got hurt.

That was with Moose playing though.

Not that I blame him too much cause he was rarely bailed out by the team. They weren't scoring many goals for him at all. Kovy was still averaging more points during that span than anybody did during his absence.

He was also playing without consistent linemates. Zajac was centering him, then Henrique, and finally Lokti. His wingers were frickin Alexei Ponikarovsky who was the WORST forward on the team last year, and Stefan Matteau. A rookie who was likely not meant to be with the team for any more than 5 games last season.

If not for Kovy then we likely aren't still in a playoff spot by the time Marty came back, or by the time Kovy was first injured.

 

[Balance]

This team was playing lousy hockey for a good month b4 Kovy got hurt. won 6 of 19 or something like that.


Would they have won more then the 1 game they won in his absence. Sure. But we should not act as though this team was dominanting until he got hurt.

Hedberg was playing absolutely awful and he was losing the games himself. With Brodeur and Kovy in the lineup, the team was dominant and still is.

All this team needs is good goaltending, coaching, and Kovalchuk for a good playoff run. For the cup, the team needs a better defense that can contribute offensively.

 

[Bleedred]

Hedberg was playing absolutely awful and he was losing the games himself. With Brodeur and Kovy in the lineup, the team was dominant and still is.

All this team needs is good goaltending, coaching, and Kovalchuk for a good playoff run. For the cup, the team needs a better defense that can contribute offensively.

For a good playoff run we also need some more offense too I think.

Think of all the shorthanded goals we scored too this year. 11? 12? Now next year if we don't score that many shorthanded, and our penalty killing percentage is as piss poor as it was last year then we're in some trouble.

Scoring on our PK kept us from being the lowest scoring team in the league by quite a few. We had to be the worst offensively at 5 on 5.

 

[Balance]

For a good playoff run we also need some more offense too I think.

Think of all the shorthanded goals we scored too this year. 11? 12? Now next year if we don't score that many shorthanded, and our penalty killing percentage is as piss poor as it was last year then we're in some trouble.

Scoring on our PK kept us from being the lowest scoring team in the league by quite a few. We had to be the worst offensively at 5 on 5.

That offense needs to come from the defense. It's not just the defense scoring but just helping the forwards out too. So while not even scoring they could hit the net and keep the forcheck going instead of shooting it high and wide nearly every time.

I would salivate over Larsson breaking out offensively, Zidlicky putting up another good offensive season, and the Devils signing another good offensive defenseman. That team could be enough to win a cup.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the team is/was far from dominant.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

haha

we need a test before going deeper

 

[MartyOwns]

That team could be enough to win a cup.

I like the cut of your gib, but you cant watch a team like the hawks or bruins and think we’re anywhere close to their level right now

 

[tsipka]

We've seen this team be dominant the last few seasons. The problem is that their dominance is not sustainable over 82 games plus playoffs, which can be said for probably every team. The devils certainly aren't close to the levels of the bruins or blackhawks right now. They had a better chance with parise on the team, but now that top line is just a one man show.

 

[Balance]

I like the cut of your gib, but you cant watch a team like the hawks or bruins and think we’re anywhere close to their level right now

We made the cup final with the current D core and Salvador scoring. I could easily see with the right defensive upgrades.

 

[Desert Devil]

passing? yeah, not bad .....

This game was played in the future?

 

[Bleedred]

That was the best game of the season against the Islanders even though we only won 2-1. It was way better than the game Moose had a shutout in. If we don't break it open with 3 minutes left then that game might go the other way.

That first game was like one of the best games our forecheck worked all season, but then again the Isles get pinned in a lot. That also was the peak of Kovy and Trav's success this season too. Hey Remember when Zajac was on pace for 48 goals 2 games into the season?

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Kovy will crack 1000 as a Devil. Keep the faith (Insert Bon Jovi clip)

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Kovy will crack 1000 as a Devil. Keep the faith (Insert Bon Jovi clip)

yea, good luck with that.

 

[MartyOwns]

We made the cup final with the current D core and Salvador scoring. I could easily see with the right defensive upgrades.

defensive upgrades? so our forwards are Cup capable?

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Salvador played out of his mind during the finals run, you can't list him as a deterrent when his scoring helped get us there. His regression, although expected by everyone except for Lou apparently, occurred last year.