GDT: New Jersey Devils @ New York Islanders 2:00 PM

[JimEIV]

1)Was the shot on Hughes that egregious?
.

Probably not ..I didn't even know it happened in real speed. But that shouldn't matter. I guarantee you his teammates and the guys on the bench knew what happened.

 

[McDuffz88]

I am a little perturbed that a player like Jack Hughes for our team can take a cross check that takes him out of the game and there is zero retaliation.

That ain't right.

I don't understand how nobody had to answer for that... especially in a meaningless preseason game where a penalty or an ejection means nothing.

This was my biggest concern heading into this season. Jack is gonna have a massive target on his head & it doesn't help that our division alone we got some really tough competition. I was at the game tn and Hughes was getting bullied all game. I counted atleast 5 times he got laid out. Now I don't advocate for gooning up. But with that said I think it would not hurt to have atleast 1 enforcer on the team for the 4th line. I would rather that over someone like Johnsson. Do we have a big players? Sure, but are those players tough? Absolutely not. We just don't got anyone rn who could stick up for our young players. Imagine a guy like Reaves laying out Jack...I think Hughes would be dead lol

 

[Hisch13r]

This was my biggest concern heading into this season. Jack is gonna have a massive target on his head & it doesn't help that our division alone we got some really tough competition. I was at the game tn and Hughes was getting bullied all game. I counted atleast 5 times he got laid out. Now I don't advocate for gooning up. But with that said I think it would not hurt to have atleast 1 enforcer on the team for the 4th line. I would rather that over someone like Johnsson. Do we have a big players? Sure, but are those players tough? Absolutely not. We just don't got anyone rn who could stick up for our young players. Imagine a guy like Reaves laying out Jack...I think Hughes would be dead lol

This is dumb. Tough guys do not deter dirty plays. Remember when Simmonds was on the team and Jack got crushed? Remember when Wilson brained Marchessault with Reaves on the team? Remember when Cooke brained Savard when Lucic was literally on the ice with them? The game was literally far dirtier back in the days that every team had enforcers. It's like how states with more guns have more gun violence. If they're around it's going to lead to more dumb shit. They're useless.

 

[McDuffz88]

This is dumb. Tough guys do not deter dirty plays. Remember when Simmonds was on the team and Jack got crushed? Remember when Wilson brained Marchessault with Reaves on the team? Remember when Cooke brained Savard when Lucic was literally on the ice with them? They're useless.

I disagree. Just look into our own past. Having a guy like Scott Steven's can change an entire dynamic off of fear. Players were legit scared of him to the point they would alter their games. You bring up Simmonds but in my opinion Simmonds is a terrible example. No one should be scared of a guy whose in his mid 30s weighing only 185. Did he have a reputation when he was younger? Sure but these days the kids are much bigger then him. He's not a goon anymore.

 

[JimEIV]

This was my biggest concern heading into this season. Jack is gonna have a massive target on his head & it doesn't help that our division alone we got some really tough competition. I was at the game tn and Hughes was getting bullied all game. I counted atleast 5 times he got laid out. Now I don't advocate for gooning up. But with that said I think it would not hurt to have atleast 1 enforcer on the team for the 4th line. I would rather that over someone like Johnsson. Do we have a big players? Sure, but are those players tough? Absolutely not. We just don't got anyone rn who could stick up for our young players. Imagine a guy like Reaves laying out Jack...I think Hughes would be dead lol

Agreed on all counts. There needs to be someone in this lineup that can keep the opponent honest.

Edit: and what makes matters worse, we can't even make them pay on the Power Play.

 

[mdj12784]

Agreed on all counts. There needs to be someone in this lineup that can keep the opponent honest.

Edit: and what makes matters worse, we can't even make them pay on the Power Play.

I remember it being a nonissue because Jack was too fast and elusive to get hit…

 

[JimEIV]

I remember it being a nonissue because Jack was too fast and elusive to get hit…

Nobody is ever fast or elusive enough to not get caught. If someone has ill intent they'll eventually find their moment.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Man if we had a goon the NHL would suspend him before he even had a chance to defend a teammate.

 

[mdj12784]

Nobody is ever fast or elusive enough to not get caught. If someone has ill intent they'll eventually find their moment.

Agree. Maybe people’s minds will change when one or more of our better players get seriously hurt…

 

[JimEIV]

Agree. Maybe people’s minds will change when one or more of our better players get seriously hurt…

Nobody seemed to care in the past...Marchand has done a number on us with no response from anyone.

 

[McDuffz88]

People think you need every player in your lineup to be skilled but it's more about diversifying your talent. To make a great hockey team you need players to bring different qualities to the game. That includes having dudes who just lay people out & are in the lineup for the sole purpose of preventing head hunting. It's greatly underestimated how a big hit can change a way a player thinks the game. Just knowing there is a guy in the lineup who will 100% retaliate makes a big difference mentally. Theres nothing more pathetic then a team that let's the star players get laid out with no fight. If you don't have a backbone there is 0 chance you make it to the finals.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I am a little perturbed that a player like Jack Hughes for our team can take a cross check that takes him out of the game and there is zero retaliation.

That ain't right.

I don't understand how nobody had to answer for that... especially in a meaningless preseason game where a penalty or an ejection means nothing.

100%

 

[AusDev]

I disagree. Just look into our own past. Having a guy like Scott Steven's can change an entire dynamic off of fear. Players were legit scared of him to the point they would alter their games. You bring up Simmonds but in my opinion Simmonds is a terrible example. No one should be scared of a guy whose in his mid 30s weighing only 185. Did he have a reputation when he was younger? Sure but these days the kids are much bigger then him. He's not a goon anymore.

Let us know when you find another one of those.

 

[Bleedred]

Hilarious that we were getting shutout until Schneider came into the game.

Both goals were stoppable. We’ve seen Sharangovich score on actual NHL goalies before on that shot, but the Jankowski goal stunk. He scored on himself.

Thought Cory would bounce back since it’s been 3 years now since the hip surgery, but he’ll only be bouncing back to the press box.

 

[Bleedred]

Just saw the cory goal... what a gift. But he's an ElItE GoAlIe....

Wonder if he'll be the backup since varlomov is injured. Sorokin will be the best tri state goalie..

Nobody will argue that he’s an elite goalie anyway anymore. He hasn’t been elite or anything even close to average in going on 6 years and he’s been downright incompetent for over 3 years now.

The only hockey executives in North America that seem to think he has anything to offer are the fine people of that very well-run organization in your neck of the woods.

 

[Hisch13r]

I disagree. Just look into our own past. Having a guy like Scott Steven's can change an entire dynamic off of fear. Players were legit scared of him to the point they would alter their games. You bring up Simmonds but in my opinion Simmonds is a terrible example. No one should be scared of a guy whose in his mid 30s weighing only 185. Did he have a reputation when he was younger? Sure but these days the kids are much bigger then him. He's not a goon anymore.

Nice of you to only look at the Simmonds example but completely ignore things like Cooke braining a star player with Lucic literally on the ice when it happened... Using a HOF player as your example of what a team needs is absolutely hilarious. Sure I'd love to have Scott f***ing Stevens of all people. Nice of you to also move the goalposts as that wasn't your original point either. Your original point was about having a 4th line enforcer. It's incredibly dumb to waste a roster spot on guys who do not deter dirty plays from happening but only retaliate when dirty plays do happen. Hockey was a far dirtier game back in the day when every single team had enforcers. If anything having goons just makes the game dirtier and puts your stars more at risk

 

[Hisch13r]

Let us know when you find another one of those.

Yeah if only we could find the hardest hitting player of all time who was also a HOF caliber player to put on the team

 

[MadDevil]

It's too bad our enforcer decided to retire.

 

[Offseason Champs]

I guess we caught up to the Rangers rebuild since now it’s time to jettison skill and accumulate toughness.

 

[My3Sons]

Yeah if only we could find the hardest hitting player of all time who was also a HOF caliber player to put on the team

In sure they still have Lovejoy’s phone number.

 

[McDuffz88]

Nice of you to only look at the Simmonds example (which is also just dumb because but completely ignore things like Cooke braining a star player with Lucic literally on the ice when it happened... Using a HOF player as your example of what a team needs is absolutely hilarious. Sure I'd love to have Scott f***ing Stevens of all people. Nice of you to also move the goalposts as that wasn't your original point either. Your original point was about having a 4th line enforcer. It's incredibly dumb to waste a roster spot on guys who do not deter dirty plays from happening but only retaliate when dirty plays do happen. Hockey was a far dirtier game back in the day when every single team had enforcers. If anything having goons just makes the game dirtier and puts your stars more at risk

How is the Simmonds example dumb? Your telling me Simmonds is someone people in the league should fear? That's a joke. The whole point of it is, that having someone that will 100% retaliate with no questions asked will lower the chances of teams targeting Hughes or our young guys (as happened today) will you be satisfied when Hughes gets destroyed one day & misses half a year or more to injury? As of this very moment our team is completely spineless. The fact it's completely acceptable to just let your stars get laid out is a recipe for disaster. Teams will pick up on this & do it even more knowing we won't do anything. I'm not even saying to goon up the team. I would never do what the rangers did. But having 1 player who can do the dirty work if need be will not hurt the team by any means. Its 1 roster spot. By the fact of us having someone who can lay people out it sends message to the other coach by saying if you target our stars then we'll target yours. Trust me the coaches know this. They don't want their stars being targeted either so it becomes a mutual respect thing. You think it was a coincidence Hughes got laid out 5 times today? They knew we weren't gonna do anything so why not stop until they do damage (which they eventually did). You think this would work in the playoffs? We might be skilled, and we might be big, but we're soft as pillows.

 

[My3Sons]

How is the Simmonds example dumb? Your telling me Simmonds is someone people in the league should fear? That's a joke. The whole point of it is, that having someone that will 100% retaliate with no questions asked will lower the chances of teams targeting Hughes or our young guys (as happened today) will you be satisfied when Hughes gets destroyed one day & misses half a year or more to injury? As of this very moment our team is completely spineless. The fact it's completely acceptable to just let your stars get laid out is a recipe for disaster. Teams will pick up on this & do it even more knowing we won't do anything. I'm not even saying to goon up the team. I would never do what the rangers did. But having 1 player who can do the dirty work if need be will not hurt the team by any means. Its 1 roster spot. By the fact of us having someone who can lay people out it sends message to the other coach by saying if you target our stars then we'll target yours. Trust me the coaches know this. They don't want their stars being targeted either so it becomes a mutual respect thing. You think it was a coincidence Hughes got laid out 5 times today? They knew we weren't gonna do anything so why not stop until they do damage (which they eventually did). You think this would work in the playoffs? We might be skilled, and we might be big, but we're soft as pillows.

And yet Wilson and Marchand get away with cheap shots over and over again and never seem to be the recipients of any revenge. It seems that the whole league has gone soft in that regard and the league does little to deter sociopaths. You think they’d want to protect their best players.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

How is the Simmonds example dumb? Your telling me Simmonds is someone people in the league should fear? That's a joke. The whole point of it is, that having someone that will 100% retaliate with no questions asked will lower the chances of teams targeting Hughes or our young guys (as happened today) will you be satisfied when Hughes gets destroyed one day & misses half a year or more to injury? As of this very moment our team is completely spineless. The fact it's completely acceptable to just let your stars get laid out is a recipe for disaster. Teams will pick up on this & do it even more knowing we won't do anything. I'm not even saying to goon up the team. I would never do what the rangers did. But having 1 player who can do the dirty work if need be will not hurt the team by any means. Its 1 roster spot. By the fact of us having someone who can lay people out it sends message to the other coach by saying if you target our stars then we'll target yours. Trust me the coaches know this. They don't want their stars being targeted either so it becomes a mutual respect thing. You think it was a coincidence Hughes got laid out 5 times today? They knew we weren't gonna do anything so why not stop until they do damage (which they eventually did). You think this would work in the playoffs? We might be skilled, and we might be big, but we're soft as pillows.

I don’t think having someone who will retaliate will lower the chances at all. None of the guys that do stuff like that are scared of getting beat up after, whether the team has some big goon or not. It’s not like they’re gonna get seriously hurt or something in a fight after. The biggest deterrent is the rule book and suspensions even if suspensions are softer than people would like at times.

 

[JimEIV]

I don’t think having someone who will retaliate will lower the chances at all. None of the guys that do stuff like that are scared of getting beat up after, whether the team has some big goon or not. It’s not like they’re gonna get seriously hurt or something in a fight after. The biggest deterrent is the rule book and suspensions even if suspensions are softer than people would like at times.

Agreed...that is why we should have someone to take similar liberties with Barzal.

That's how you stop it.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Agreed...that is why we should have someone to take similar liberties with Barzal.

That's how you stop it.

That won’t stop it. That will just escalate it. They’re not gonna say oh we did something to Barzal let’s just stop. It’s gonna be okay you run Barzal, we run Hughes more and IMO Hughes is a lot easier to run than Barzal.