JR did not... just say that (Despres/Lovejoy Trade)

[Tasty Biscuits]

Yeah, I mean, I didn't like the Despres trade (obviously) and wish Lovejoy were playing better, but I just shake my head at **** like "the official Ben Hatejoy" thread or whatever the hell it is.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

Yeah, like the guys that say they'd punch Kunitz in the face if they saw him on the street. Good luck with that.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Let's just say you would be surprised by who reads these boards. It's one of the reasons I try to be respectful of the players, even if it's Adams, Glass, etc. I try to keep my criticism to their on ice play. Some have kids, parents, friends, wives, etc who read the boards.

That's why I can't stand people who call players POS, losers, worthless, etc. You can say Scuds is a bad hockey player now, but that doesn't make him a worthless piece of ****. No need for that or the constant insults thrown on young kids like BB.

As for the "journalists" I know that read these boards, certain ones deserve for it to be open season on them for how they act. I tried to defend Rossi for years because in the end he was a human being like all of us, but he's brought the ire of people on himself. I no longer feel badly for him.

DK is the one I figured was reading this place. It just seemed like he was trying so hard to "be what we wanted him to be" (or whatever, I don't know what goes on in his head) towards the end of last season when everyone was ruthlessly mocking Shelley Anderson, he started being the one to speak out and say what we were thinking, leading to him being the one to speak to Mario and Burkle (until David Rasputin Morehouse showed up and turned everything creepy), and it seemed like the curtain started to get pulled back at that "Rasputin" moment, and when we were still critical and suspicious of what was going on, DK decided to hell with us and started trashing BB and 47 and towing the kiss-ass PR line.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

It's not even toeing the kiss-ass PR line. It's appealing to the casual yinzer masses who aren't diehard enough to have any real insight into the intricacies of the team. These are the guys who buy Scuderi jerseys because the Pittsburgh media tells them he's an elite defensive defenseman, and an all world leader. There's many more of those guys than there are us HFboards ********, so he's playing the numbers and saying/doing what will appeal to them to get subs.

 

[spcastlemagic]

Yeah, like the guys that say they'd punch Kunitz in the face if they saw him on the street. Good luck with that.

Yeah I'm pretty sure Kunitz would have enough iron in his blood to handle that situation

 

[Riptide]

Do you think he's voted off the island after this season?

Unless they miss the playoffs, that's wishful thinking. And even if they miss the playoffs, that's still wishful thinking. Realistically, both him and MJ are back next season.

 

[Riptide]

Of course they do. Also, you better damn well believe management or their cronies are here as well.

Very very unlikely that management or players are on these boards.

 

[GFF]

Yeah, I mean, I didn't like the Despres trade (obviously) and wish Lovejoy were playing better, but I just shake my head at **** like "the official Ben Hatejoy" thread or whatever the hell it is.

Agreed. I wasn't a fan when he was here last time but he has improved although still not a great aquisition I have no interest in a thread titled as that is!

 

[IcedCapp]

Agreed. I wasn't a fan when he was here last time but he has improved although still not a great aquisition I have no interest in a thread titled as that is!

has he improved?

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Of course they do. Also, you better damn well believe management or their cronies are here as well. I still think the trade of Despres was a middle finger by someone in management, MOREHOUSE, to these very boards. Morehouse seems like a petty politician that would like to crush his opposition by any means necessary.

Morehouse has it out for HFB in particular. I love it.

 

[GFF]

has he improved?

From my limited viewing of him last time and this time yes. Are you telling me you wouldn't mind having the old Lovejoy back in place of this Lovejoy. Honestly? Seriously? This Lovejoy is still not perfect but much more desirable than the old one.

 

[UnrealMachine]

From my limited viewing of him last time and this time yes. Are you telling me you wouldn't mind having the old Lovejoy back in place of this Lovejoy. Honestly? Seriously? This Lovejoy is still not perfect but much more desirable than the old one.

Lovejoy Part 1: 98 games played, 25 points, +20. 82-game rate of 21 points and +17.

Lovejoy Part 2: 18 games, 3 points, -6. 82-game rate of 14 points and -27.

 

[billybudd]

From my limited viewing of him last time and this time yes. Are you telling me you wouldn't mind having the old Lovejoy back in place of this Lovejoy. Honestly? Seriously? This Lovejoy is still not perfect but much more desirable than the old one.

He's been brutal since we started playing him 27 minutes a night. I don't think that's a coincidence.

But even with what we were getting from him before that...which was 'okay'...I swear to God the Ben Lovejoy who played for the Anaheim Ducks was better than that.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Very very unlikely that management or players are on these boards.

And yet, Very possible indeed!

 

[Mr. T]

Of course they do. Also, you better damn well believe management or their cronies are here as well. I still think the trade of Despres was a middle finger by someone in management, MOREHOUSE, to these very boards. Morehouse seems like a petty politician that would like to crush his opposition by any means necessary.

Morehouse: Mario, can I trade Despres?
Lemieux: Why?
Morehouse: Some people on a website about hockey prospects were making fun of me.
Lemieux: You've worked in politics, I'm sure lots of people on many websites have said horrifying things about you.
Morehouse: But...but...they said I secretly run the team and have too much power.
Lemieux: That's awful. Trade Despres to show those jerks a lesson. Take a personal day on Friday, too.

 

[Sideline]

Very very unlikely that management or players are on these boards.

I know for a fact that some NHLers check out HF once in a while. I don't know if it's the case for Penguins players, but it happens with other guys; I have literally sat next to a guy that was reading HF while we were shooting the ****.

 

[ColePens]

Lovejoy Part 1: 98 games played, 25 points, +20. 82-game rate of 21 points and +17.

Lovejoy Part 2: 18 games, 3 points, -6. 82-game rate of 14 points and -27.

These stats aren't fair and this is kind of why I hate stats. It'd be like looking at Fleury's stats of late and say he's not an elite goalie. It's very unfair.

I like Lovejoy, the player, as a #6/7. He's solid at that role. He was solid the first time. The biggest INCONSISTENCY in his game is the fact that our system is the definition of inconsistent. It was bad under DB because it was non-existent. It's bad under MJ because it's bad. That's been an issue for MJ for awhile, even in Portland. The team is bad right now and that's why you see his stats in the dumpster. If Lovejoy was here for the good, he'd get some cheap plusses and points.

To me, he's slightly better than he was before. Same speed, more tenacious, and a little better with his stick. That's literally it. He's moved from a standard #7 to a standard #6 w/ potential to be a solid consistent bottom pairing dman. He has not shown ANY upside of being a top 4 guy. Not even one game worth.

This is one you have to eye-test it and gather many differing opinions to collect a solid answer.

 

[Shady Machine]

From my limited viewing of him last time and this time yes. Are you telling me you wouldn't mind having the old Lovejoy back in place of this Lovejoy. Honestly? Seriously? This Lovejoy is still not perfect but much more desirable than the old one.

I wouldn't mind not having Lovejoy at all and having Despres back, but that's just me.

 

[MrBurghundy]

From my limited viewing of him last time and this time yes. Are you telling me you wouldn't mind having the old Lovejoy back in place of this Lovejoy. Honestly? Seriously? This Lovejoy is still not perfect but much more desirable than the old one.

I'd say they haven't changed one single bit. I don't care which Lovejoy we have. They both weren't good enough then, and they aren't good enough now.

 

[Riptide]

Lovejoy Part 1: 98 games played, 25 points, +20. 82-game rate of 21 points and +17.

Lovejoy Part 2: 18 games, 3 points, -6. 82-game rate of 14 points and -27.

Different teams and different situations. Regardless of what you're trying to say with those stats, Lovejoy as an individual is much improved over where he was as a player when he first left here and went to Anaheim. That doesn't make this trade any better, but at least be honest about it.

 

[Shady Machine]

Different teams and different situations. Regardless of what you're trying to say with those stats, Lovejoy as an individual is much improved over where he was as a player when he first left here and went to Anaheim. That doesn't make this trade any better, but at least be honest about it.

Much improved? I'm not sure I have seen any evidence in his time here that illustrates much improved. A little calmer and steadier maybe, but that's about it.

 

[djt153]

Much improved? I'm not sure I have seen any evidence in his time here that illustrates much improved. A little calmer and steadier maybe, but that's about it.

it seems like lovejoy has improved mentally but the pens have picked him up just in time for the physical side of his game to fall apart due to age.

 

[Riptide]

I like Lovejoy, the player, as a #6/7. He's solid at that role. He was solid the first time. The biggest INCONSISTENCY in his game is the fact that our system is the definition of inconsistent. <snip> If Lovejoy was here for the good, he'd get some cheap plusses and points.

To me, he's slightly better than he was before. Same speed, more tenacious, and a little better with his stick. That's literally it. He's moved from a standard #7 to a standard #6 w/ potential to be a solid consistent bottom pairing dman. He has not shown ANY upside of being a top 4 guy. Not even one game worth.

Perhaps not here, but he played some great hockey as a top 4 D with Fowler in Anaheim. And honestly, I think he could do well with someone like Ehrhoff or Martin (PMD who can carry a pairing).

The bottom line is he can definitely be better than he has been, but he's not someone who's going to be able to carry a pairing. In his prime, he's basically a more mobile version of Scuderi, or a less skilled version of Martin, while being fairly physical. All in all, not a bad thing to have. Just not something I would have traded Despres for.

While I hate the trade, him as a player/asset is someone who can help us going forward. However I still think the best way to handle that is with Scuderi being moved, and a FA D brought in.

Maatta - Letang
Sekera - Lovejoy
Dumoulin - Pouliot
Cole

Something like that. Perhaps not Sekera, but a LH PMD capable of playing 20+ minutes. However that only works if Scuderi is not here. The moment you put him back onto a paper roster, you run into issues trying to fit in more than 1 of DP/BD/SH into the top 7. And with how DP has played and the fact that BD will have to go through waivers... that's not an acceptable solution.

 

[IcedCapp]

i would love for someone to point to something Lovejoy does on the ice and say "there, that's improvement."

Right now, people who continue to say "he's improved" are doing nothing but mouthing words. Seemingly parroting what they were told right after the trade. Lovejoy has, outside of a 3-game stretch, not displayed *any* of that.

 

[billybudd]

Perhaps not here, but he played some great hockey as a top 4 D with Fowler in Anaheim. And honestly, I think he could do well with someone like Ehrhoff or Martin (PMD who can carry a pairing).

The bottom line is he can definitely be better than he has been, but he's not someone who's going to be able to carry a pairing. In his prime, he's basically a more mobile version of Scuderi, or a less skilled version of Martin, while being fairly physical.

While I hate the trade, him as a player/asset is someone who can help us going forward. However I still think the best way to handle that is with Scuderi being moved, and a FA D brought in.

Maatta - Letang
Sekera - Lovejoy
Dumoulin - Pouliot
Cole

Something like that. Perhaps not Sekera, but a LH PMD capable of playing 20+ minutes. However that only works if Scuderi is not here. The moment you put him back onto a paper roster, you run into issues trying to fit in more than 1 of DP/BD/SH into the top 7. And with how DP has played and the fact that BD will have to go through waivers... that's not an acceptable solution.

This is basically what I see with Lovejoy, though it's certainly not been in evidence since our GM put us in a situation that he has to play 30 minutes a night.