GDT: Ottawa Senators @ New Jersey Devils 7PM EST

[Benedict Parisechuk]

We must lead the league in moral victories. Gold stars and silver linings for everyone!!! Take the next few practices off, you deserve it.

Shut up, take the boos, suck it up, gut it out, stop using excuses for every god damn thing that happens and win a ****ing game in front of your fans. The we tried hard, didn't have any luck, sad sack, poor me, loser attitude seems rampant now. Between Pete and the players just lacing em up and trying is good enough for them. Gomez is the only guy who actually seems concerned.

Where's the flying jelly jars, where's the bench throwing, where's the garbage can smashing, where's the skates flying across the locker room?!?!

They're probably out now celebrating a we tried hard moral victory dinner, followed by the Gold Star sticker ceremony and to finish this wonderful night out, a team building pillow fight at Sal's house.

Their all out celebrating in the ball pit at Chuck-E-Cheese, participation trophies in hand. Hey, they outshot an opponent and put "pressure" on the opposing goalie. Their all winners!

 

[StnTwnDevil]

I agree but I also don't think Lou would put his job on the line for Pete's sake...unless he wants to retire soon and thus doesn't care (which I don't think is true but it is possible)

These Owner's know what Lou just went through with Vanderbeek. Lou specifically said that a cloud was lifted off the entire team after new ownership took over. I'm sure they're taking that into account. Plus, what about the sixers? I doubt there is anything on the line right now.

 

[NJDevs26]

I agree but I also don't think Lou would put his job on the line for Pete's sake...unless he wants to retire soon and thus doesn't care (which I don't think is true but it is possible)

It's as much principle as anything else, I've never seen Lou as one to be dictated to about anything, although some think that was already the case with the Kovalchuk contract. If he no longer has complete or near-complete autonomy then I don't see him wanting to remain in the job.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Usually that's where I'm at too, or boo at the end of a bad period. The last three minutes were the point they got booed, and by then they'd already started to crap out. I did boo a little in the last thirty seconds out of frustration when they were wetting their pants at the thought of taking a shot. The whole last 5-6 minutes it looked like they got intimidated and were afraid to shoot.

That's my take. They didn't get booed in the 2nd when they were outplaying them (even with weak sauce scoring chances).

They got booed end of game after a few minutes where it was clear they left off the gas. Fatigue or not no fan wants to see there team get worse as the need for a goal becomes more desperate.

I and I imagone everyone there wanted to see desperation to end that game and they definitely didn't get it. No shots in the last 5 or so minutes. A 6 on 5 that started late and was a complete mess.

That part of the effort deserved booing.

 

[glenwo2]

I was never a fan of tanking but we'll get there without even trying

Best Quote of the Night right here.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's as much principle as anything else, I've never seen Lou as one to be dictated to about anything, although some think that was already the case with the Kovalchuk contract. If he no longer has complete or near-complete autonomy then I don't see him wanting to remain in the job.

I agree, but I also think Lou is going to fire him without any prompt at some point this year. I don't see Pete coaching this team next year at all.

And ya, brining up the 76ers is a good point. This same ownership group is condoning one of the most disgraceful tank jobs in pro sports. Definitely makes the idea they are going to push Lou out anytime soon seem remote.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Which by the way Marty said publicly LAST year was the case, let's not forget that. And that lassiez faire atitude is so far from what Lou was when we were winning.

Ya I still think Marty was taking a side shot at Pete and his locker room atmosphere with that one.

Other guys have cracked slightly too. Jagr and Camm have in a very round about way have questioned some of Pete's choices and his system.

Jagr did that last year too with the comments about lack of chemistry and constant line shuffling.

 

[Basement Cat]

Don't get me wrong with what I'm about to say, the Johnny Mac days absolutely sucked but...

This teams situation is by far more bleak than it was at any point in the J-Mac era. I feel worse about this group than I did at any point in that first half of the season under Coach "Ya Know". That team ****in sucked, it was absolutely brutal, but it had pieces. We had a top 3 goal scorer in the league who was just having a down year. We had future Captain America who was just hurt, but was at the time a top 15 forward. That team had some talent, elite talent on its roster. What the hell does this team have to show for? Old, slow, injury prone. Yes we have some very talented young defenseman to be excited about. Problem is they are mistake prone just like any 20-22 year old defenseman will be. These guys are 3-5 years away from their respective peaks. What else does this organization have other than that? No semblance of a decent first line player (nevermind elite forward) on the roster or anywhere in the pipeline.

I know it's way past the time to get over it, but Jesus Christ I miss Kovy and Parise

 

[Emperoreddy]

Don't get me wrong with what I'm about to say, the Johnny Mac days absolutely sucked but...

This teams situation is by far more bleak than it was at any point in the J-Mac era. I feel worse about this group than I did at any point in that first half of the season under Coach "Ya Know". That team ****in sucked, it was absolutely brutal, but it had pieces. We had a top 3 goal scorer in the league who was just having a down year. We had future Captain America who was just hurt, but was at the time a top 15 forward. That team had some talent, elite talent on its roster. What the hell does this team have to show for? Old, slow, injury prone. Yes we have some very talented young defenseman to be excited about. Problem is they are mistake prone just like any 20-22 year old defenseman will be. These guys are 3-5 years away from their respective peaks. What else does this organization have other than that? No semblance of a decent first line player (nevermind elite forward) on the roster or anywhere in the pipeline.

I know it's way past the time to get over it, but Jesus Christ I miss Kovy and Parise

Miss Zach more then kovy.

Even if I don't like how zach did it. It was his right as a free agent to sign where he wanted.

Kovy walked out on a contract. I can't miss him.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Don't get me wrong with what I'm about to say, the Johnny Mac days absolutely sucked but...

This teams situation is by far more bleak than it was at any point in the J-Mac era. I feel worse about this group than I did at any point in that first half of the season under Coach "Ya Know". That team ****in sucked, it was absolutely brutal, but it had pieces. We had a top 3 goal scorer in the league who was just having a down year. We had future Captain America who was just hurt, but was at the time a top 15 forward. That team had some talent, elite talent on its roster. What the hell does this team have to show for? Old, slow, injury prone. Yes we have some very talented young defenseman to be excited about. Problem is they are mistake prone just like any 20-22 year old defenseman will be. These guys are 3-5 years away from their respective peaks. What else does this organization have other than that? No semblance of a decent first line player (nevermind elite forward) on the roster or anywhere in the pipeline.

I know it's way past the time to get over it, but Jesus Christ I miss Kovy and Parise

Well said. You absolutely cannot sugar coat this. The franchise is in a morbid place right now.

 

[glenwo2]

Rich Chere ‏@Ledger_NJDevils 2m2 minutes ago
Patrik Elias on boos: "We didn't deserve that. I didn't appreciate it." http://nj.com/devils

Love ya, Patty but in this case, I'm going to have to say "Shut the hell up!". The team sucks and you're part of that "suck".

DEAL WITH IT.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's not worse than the MacLean losing felt to me both because the team was just geting destroyed every game and because at the time we were capped out, Kovy looked like a $100 million bust while Parise was hurt and a year away from FA, where many of us thought he'd walk away to be on a winner cause the team ****ed balls. And the captain was an unhappy ****.

At least the saving grace of this year's team is they're not locked into a lot of this crap long-term and we have plenty of cap space coming up, plus there's light at the end of the tunnel with the D/goaltending (hopefully). And the guys who are signed long-term are the ones that better be part of the solution anyway (Clowe aside).

 

[glenwo2]

@TGfireandice: Gomez: "We’ve got to stop it now. We’re at home. That’s the main thing. There’s no time to get frustrated."

When Gomez is the only guy on the team that gets it. You know things are really bad.

Perhaps the only guy out there who gave a crap and has "given a crap" ever since he was brought back.

 

[Basement Cat]

Miss Zach more then kovy.

Even if I don't like how zach did it. It was his right as a free agent to sign where he wanted.

Kovy walked out on a contract. I can't miss him.

That's fine with me man. I harbor pretty ill feelings towards both of them. I mean, Parise walked away from a Stanley Cup caliber team that he was the captain of. That's a shot in the nads for us fans. Kovy obviously most of us are in agreement there (the disagreement is who would take him back?).

I just miss having someone who would put fear into opponents when he was on the ice/puck was on his stick. Nobody on this team can back a defense off. Jagr is still our best forward and what defenseman is afraid of him breaking out of the zone? He and 99% of this forward group take about five strides to hit their pathetically slow top speed. You have 3rd pairing scrub defenseman of our opponents pinching and stepping up well before the red line because they are not respecting anyone's speed on this team. So that forces the dump and chase...which we all see how it's working out with this forward group.

 

[NJDevs26]

Gomez also hasn't been beaten down from two-three years of team suckage the way most of these guys have been.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's not worse than the MacLean losing felt to me because at the time we were capped out, Kovy looked like a $100 million bust while Parise was hurt and a year away from FA, where many of us thought he'd walk away to be on a winner cause the team ****ed balls. And the captain was an unhappy ****. At least the saving grace of this year's team is they're not locked into a lot of this crap long-term and we have plenty of cap space coming up. And the guys who are signed long-term are the ones that better be part of the solution anyway (Clowe aside).

Ya, things were bleak as **** during that time. Even more bleak because at the time we thoight our defense was doomed. We knew marty couldn't play forever and there was no replacement and with the looming threat of Zach leaving and kovy not working out our forward situation looked almost as bad as it does now.

IF you ignore the cup run. The things that worked out since then is. Marty is replaced and the defense is looking healthy and nearly rebuilt.

 

[glenwo2]

Gomez also hasn't been beaten down from two-three years of team suckage the way most of these guys have been.

True but then again there was that one time where it took him a billion years before scoring a goal.....

 

[glenwo2]

Would be coaching staff first. New ownership doesn't care about drafting history under Jeff's time. They aren't even hockey people.

It would take another year or two of zero improvement for them to nudge Lou out.

They will give me a new coach and at least this offseason to show progress.

Give *you* a new coach? I knew you were Lou in disguise.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Last thing I will say about Patty. Again I think the situation warranted it. The crowd stuck behind them all game. They even stayed with them after the 5th(****ing 5TH!!!) PP failed.

Crowd turned in the last few minutes when they couldn't even enter the zone but dump and chased every time, couldn't get a shot on goal, and then a pathetic 6 on 5 that had them passing back and forth for like a minute without even attempting to shoot.

They haven't won a home game since November 11th (wow) and are on a 5 game losing streak.

He is allowed to have his opinion, but facts are facts. If he and the team don't start playing better soon there won't be any boos anymore, there will just be an empty arena.

 

[Bcap88]

I agree, but I also think Lou is going to fire him without any prompt at some point this year. I don't see Pete coaching this team next year at all.

And ya, brining up the 76ers is a good point. This same ownership group is condoning one of the most disgraceful tank jobs in pro sports. Definitely makes the idea they are going to push Lou out anytime soon seem remote.

That's basketball tho, Basketball is so easy to rebuild a team since 5 players on play at a time. You really only need 3 good players to be competitive. 2-3 years of tanking translates into more success than 2-3 of tanking in hockey

 

[Bcap88]

It's not worse than the MacLean losing felt to me both because the team was just geting destroyed every game and because at the time we were capped out, Kovy looked like a $100 million bust while Parise was hurt and a year away from FA, where many of us thought he'd walk away to be on a winner cause the team ****ed balls. And the captain was an unhappy ****.

At least the saving grace of this year's team is they're not locked into a lot of this crap long-term and we have plenty of cap space coming up, plus there's light at the end of the tunnel with the D/goaltending (hopefully). And the guys who are signed long-term are the ones that better be part of the solution anyway (Clowe aside).

that second half lemaire tenure really made up for the abomination of the first 40 games. That was fun to watch even tho they didn't make the playoffs that year at least you could tell there was energy,efficientcey and a concentrated effort on winning and not tanking. This year to many guys going through the motions

 

[REM17]

Pete my consider Gio as center of the 1st PP unit since he will not cover the shooting lines as much as the bigger bodies.....

 

[REM17]

that second half lemaire tenure really made up for the abomination of the first 40 games. That was fun to watch even tho they didn't make the playoffs that year at least you could tell there was energy,efficientcey and a concentrated effort on winning and not tanking. This year to many guys going through the motions

that was the one they went on a 10 games winning streak and missed the playoff by 1 or 2 points, correct?
they were the best team in the second half.

 

[REM17]

We must lead the league in moral victories. Gold stars and silver linings for everyone!!! Take the next few practices off, you deserve it.

Shut up, take the boos, suck it up, gut it out, stop using excuses for every god damn thing that happens and win a ****ing game in front of your fans. The we tried hard, didn't have any luck, sad sack, poor me, loser attitude seems rampant now. Between Pete and the players just lacing em up and trying is good enough for them. Gomez is the only guy who actually seems concerned.

Where's the flying jelly jars, where's the bench throwing, where's the garbage can smashing, where's the skates flying across the locker room?!?!

They're probably out now celebrating a we tried hard moral victory dinner, followed by the Gold Star sticker ceremony and to finish this wonderful night out, a team building pillow fight at Sal's house.

great post!

 

[The Wumpus]

There are no flying jelly jars because this team isn't underachieving. I honestly don't think this team as currently constructed can get much better results than this. If you look at our F lineup, (and keep in mind that it's almost 2015) it is absolutely putrid. We're simply getting the expected results.

Our D should continue to improve, but when rolling 4 rookies/sophomores every night there are going to be problems.

We're at the bottom of a deep hole right now. If everything goes right, it will take 5 years to be competitive again. Our D should be in top form by then.

The forwards will have to be rebuilt virtually from scratch. It won't be pretty. Just hope we draft well and make a shrewd trade here and there. It's the only way out of this mess.