What if NJ had won the Cup *then* Parise bolted?

[JimEIV]

What if we all individually created a stupid "What if" thread on hockey's future simultaneously?

 

[TheUnseenHand]

What if we all individually created a stupid "What if" thread on hockey's future simultaneously?

We'd be the main board?

I don't see why this thread is stupid either Jim. It's a fair question with answers that are quite interesting. Well, IMO that's the case anyway.

I understand you like Parise and I don't think this was meant to be a bash thread.

 

[MartyOwns]

ohhhh he would’ve stayed if only we hadn’t signed Kovalchuk to such a long term deal, thereby ****ing on our years of putting the team first!! ohhh damn you Kovalchuk, damn youuuuuu

puck farise, have fun freezing your nads off

 

[Better Call Sal]

ohhhh he would’ve stayed if only we hadn’t signed Kovalchuk to such a long term deal, thereby ****ing on our years of putting the team first!! ohhh damn you Kovalchuk, damn youuuuuu

puck farise, have fun freezing your nads off

I love it.

 

[BrodeursCups]

ohhhh he would’ve stayed if only we hadn’t signed Kovalchuk to such a long term deal, thereby ****ing on our years of putting the team first!! ohhh damn you Kovalchuk, damn youuuuuu

puck farise, have fun freezing your nads off

Brilliant...

The "I'd take Parise over kovalchuk " crowd looks more pathetic by the day.

-7, 1pt in 5 games. Beast mode for 12 million...

 

[JimEIV]

We'd be the main board?

I don't see why this thread is stupid either Jim. It's a fair question with answers that are quite interesting. Well, IMO that's the case anyway.

I understand you like Parise and I don't think this was meant to be a bash thread.

If you start a sentence with "what if", and it's not a proposed solution to an existing problem, you can bet good money it is a worthless conversation.

 

[Tretyak 20]

@TH2NSTATSGUY: Parise: on ice for 1 GF, 8 GA in series vs Hawks. Was -7 and did not have a shot on goal in Game 5. First time w/o shot in 244 games

^^ This here is what makes losing Prissy much easier. He's just not the kind of player who can lead a team in the playoffs. I saw it during last years' Cup run, and I'd suspected it before. Prissy is purely a regular season player who can't elevate his game when the physical play intensifies. I'm glad we didn't end up stuck paying him $90+ million for years. It still sucks that we lost him for nothing, though.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

If you start a sentence with "what if", and it's not a proposed solution to an existing problem, you can bet good money it is a worthless conversation.

threads about feelings don't have solutions just like arguments with wives don't have winners.

 

[JimEIV]

Brilliant...

The "I'd take Parise over kovalchuk " crowd looks more pathetic by the day.
...

You have to be completely delusional to surmise in any shape way or form that Kovalchuk had a better season or had a bigger impact on his team than Parise did this season.

That Minnesota team missed the playoffs for the last 4 years and got to play the clear cut favorite for the cup in the first round while we watched the draft lottery with great anticipation and you're going to critize his playoff performance??? Good grief man...perspective here is bizare to say the least.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

The animosity towards Zach is pretty misplaced. He did nothing wrong. Some people can't handle that our anointed franchise player left for another team, so there's every attempt to demonize him.

 

[Tretyak 20]

What if New Jersey was really Minnesota?

Then the Sopranos would have been alot less interesting.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

You have to be completely delusional to surmise in any shape way or form that Kovalchuk had a better season or had a bigger impact on his team than Parise did this season.

That Minnesota team missed the playoffs for the last 4 years and got to play the clear cut favorite for the cup in the first round while we watched the draft lottery with great anticipation and you're going to critize his playoff performance??? Good grief man...perspective here is bizare to say the least.

Don't think it's that clear cut. Adding Ryan Suter did a decent amount for Minnesota too.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

You have to be completely delusional to surmise in any shape way or form that Kovalchuk had a better season or had a bigger impact on his team than Parise did this season.

That Minnesota team missed the playoffs for the last 4 years and got to play the clear cut favorite for the cup in the first round while we watched the draft lottery with great anticipation and you're going to critize his playoff performance??? Good grief man...perspective here is bizare to say the least.

You have to be completely delusional to think that we have a better roster then the Wild, thus making them the "better" team... but the fact remains that Parise wasn't and won't be able to take that team anywhere until they add a legit gamebreaker.

I know you don't like Kovy but you have to admit that he was the one behind the wheel last year and not Zach, wich saw us reach the finals with a above average team.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The animosity towards Zach is pretty misplaced. He did nothing wrong. Some people can't handle that our anointed franchise player left for another team, so there's every attempt to demonize him.

free agents have left in the past and I haven't hated them

it was all about the lip service and how he dragged everyone along, only to go play with his lover. thats why people hate him. not because he left.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I think when healthy we're a better team than the Wild.

 

[glenwo2]

What if New Jersey was really Minnesota?

It's too warm.

You have to be completely delusional to surmise in any shape way or form that Kovalchuk had a better season or had a bigger impact on his team than Parise did this season.

That Minnesota team missed the playoffs for the last 4 years and got to play the clear cut favorite for the cup in the first round while we watched the draft lottery with great anticipation and you're going to critize his playoff performance??? Good grief man...perspective here is bizare to say the least.

Here's some perspective for you, Jim :


In an 82-game season, that Wild team is MISSING the playoffs like always. They were already on the down-swing when they barely got in. The 48-games would be a little past the half-way point of a normal season and the Wild would've continued to lose and lose and lose and then be planning for the draft by the time the playoffs came around.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Of course Parise didn't do spectacular things on the road to the SCF but he still was a hard working legit 1st liner able to give a lot space to his linemates. Kovalchuk on the other hand was wasn't really consistent, due to injury or not, but he's been Mr. Clutch for us plain and simple.

I've said it already, to me Kovalchuk-Parise games were extremely complementary. No question why they both had a worse season without each other. Once again, purely based on hockey, Parise took a god awful decision to leave NJ.

 

[toews]

I think Parise saw that the devils were on the downturn, due to the age of both their goalies. So if they won it, I think he would have still left. I also think if they won it Brodeur wouldve retired. But thats another story. I think the Devils are on their last legs, and will soon turn to rebuilding. And I think Parise saw that.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Have a good day sir.

 

[JimEIV]

You have to be completely delusional to think that we have a better roster then the Wild, thus making them the "better" team... but the fact remains that Parise wasn't and won't be able to take that team anywhere until they add a legit gamebreaker.

I know you don't like Kovy but you have to admit that he was the one behind the wheel last year and not Zach, wich saw us reach the finals with a above average team.

I really don't understand how you make that claim?

I'm looking at the game logs now....They both scored the same amount of goals in just about every series...The stats are virtually even, Both did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the finals it is very obvious today that Parise was the catalyst for that line...It is very obvious today that Parise has the ability to make players around him better or at the very least utilize players around him better..

But I don't even want to travel down this path because it will go in circles with "Oh he was hurt".

I surely didn't see Kovalchuk as driving force in last years playoff run...The first line which both players were on was largely ineffective for most of the playoffs. From the second round on the 4th line was pretty much the saving grace of the team. If there was someone behind the wheel last year it from the that bottom 6 for sure....But the run was very much a team effort in my opinion.

 

[JimEIV]

It's too warm.





Here's some perspective for you, Jim :


In an 82-game season, that Wild team is MISSING the playoffs like always. They were already on the down-swing when they barely got in. The 48-games would be a little past the half-way point of a normal season and the Wild would've continued to lose and lose and lose and then be planning for the draft by the time the playoffs came around.

And that brings us back full circle to "What if"

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I really don't understand how you make that claim?

I'm looking at the game logs now....They both scored the same amount of goals in just about every series...The stats are virtually even, Both did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the finals it is very obvious today that Parise was the catalyst for that line...It is very obvious today that Parise has the ability to make players around him better or at the very least utilize players around him better..

But I don't even want to travel down this path because it will go in circles with "Oh he was hurt".

I surely didn't see Kovalchuk as driving force in last years playoff run...The first line which both players were on was largely ineffective for most of the playoffs. From the second round on the 4th line was pretty much the saving grace of the team. If there was someone behind the wheel last year it from the that bottom 6 for sure....But the run was very much a team effort in my opinion.

That is why I enjoyed last year's run so much. It was an immaculate team effort taking us to the finals and 2 games from glory. That 4th line would have to be honored if it happened.

 

[Tretyak 20]

I really don't understand how you make that claim?

I'm looking at the game logs now....They both scored the same amount of goals in just about every series...The stats are virtually even, Both did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the finals it is very obvious today that Parise was the catalyst for that line...It is very obvious today that Parise has the ability to make players around him better or at the very least utilize players around him better..

But I don't even want to travel down this path because it will go in circles with "Oh he was hurt".

I surely didn't see Kovalchuk as driving force in last years playoff run...The first line which both players were on was largely ineffective for most of the playoffs. From the second round on the 4th line was pretty much the saving grace of the team. If there was someone behind the wheel last year it from the that bottom 6 for sure....But the run was very much a team effort in my opinion.

How many empty-net goals did Parise have?

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

I really don't understand how you make that claim?

I'm looking at the game logs now....They both scored the same amount of goals in just about every series...The stats are virtually even, Both did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the finals it is very obvious today that Parise was the catalyst for that line...It is very obvious today that Parise has the ability to make players around him better or at the very least utilize players around him better..

But I don't even want to travel down this path because it will go in circles with "Oh he was hurt".

I surely didn't see Kovalchuk as driving force in last years playoff run...The first line which both players were on was largely ineffective for most of the playoffs. From the second round on the 4th line was pretty much the saving grace of the team. If there was someone behind the wheel last year it from the that bottom 6 for sure....But the run was very much a team effort in my opinion.

Parise's goals were mostly the result of him throwing the puck at a empty net IIRC. I do agree that our 4th line was stellar but when looking at our top players, Kovalchuk was head and shoulders better then Parise.

Parise has the ability to make players around him better? He didn't turn Miko Koivu or Heatley into studs and I'd say the only player that really misses Parise is Zajac, since they play the same type of game.

Every team needs a "star grinder" like Parise and yes, he probably was the perfect compliment to Kovalchuk since he's a finisher and Parise is not. As a all around player, Parise might be the better player but if you won't to depend on a player to deliver when it matters the most, I'll take Kovalchuk over Parise every day of the week.

Zach kept crying out our 1st round exits but in reality, he was part of the problem as well cause we relied on our "superstar" to deliver and he failed each and every time.

 

[MartyOwns]

The animosity towards Zach is pretty misplaced. He did nothing wrong. Some people can't handle that our anointed franchise player left for another team, so there's every attempt to demonize him.

some people cant handle that the reason most people don't like him is because he isnt a New Jersey Devil any more. same as john erskine, brian boyle, or any of the other 500 players.

look, its pretty obvious. if we had the choice of going back in time and not getting Kovalchuk, trading our first for joe corvo and called it a day, we’d be in much better shape. unfortunately, until time travel is a viable means for team management, we have to deal with what we have.