Kovalchuk a healthy scratch?

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=338484

Anyone else see this ending badly for Maclean? I can't imagaine Lou is too happy with this, and we know his history with coaches.

[#96 0]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=338484

Anyone else see this ending badly for Maclean? I can't imagaine Lou is too happy with this, and we know his history with coaches.

Must have been something pretty bad for him to get scratched. I mean, the team isn't exactly playing well and could use any help they can get.

My guess, Kovalchuk is upset at the lines, the way he's being used and Johnny Mac laid down the law in attempt to show the team who's boss. Of course I don't really know, but you can't have a player, any player, questioning the coach.

You know what happens next...teammates get split between the coach and Kovalchuk, the team divides, team plays like crap, Kovie gets labeled a cancer, yadda yadda yadda. Wouldn't be the first time we've seen this.

[17D1998 1]

I still can't figure out why THE DEVILS, most likely the least offensive-minded team in the league, signed Kovalchuk (ahah, computer tried to correct me, ''Do you mean Kalashnikov?'' OMG that's racist! ). To me, it was always clear a situation like this would arise sooner or later. I don't know, are they trying to turn Kovy in some sort of Yzerman, like Bowman did in the early 90's? Not gonna work, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets traded before the trade deadline

[#96 0]

I still can't figure out why THE DEVILS, most likely the least offensive-minded team in the league, signed Kovalchuk (ahah, computer tried to correct me, ''Do you mean Kalashnikov?'' OMG that's racist! ). To me, it was always clear a situation like this would arise sooner or later. I don't know, are they trying to turn Kovy in some sort of Yzerman, like Bowman did in the early 90's? Not gonna work, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets traded before the trade deadline

The owner needed a marquee player to help sell tix. The Debs rarely sell out and 10-12K fans on the regular is per usual. He really put the team at a disadvantage by getting Kovie. So many other things come into play now: cap contraints, money to spend on "character guys", the "Parise Question" for next season..all of that was collateral damage that I guess the owner was willing to inflict on the team. He handcuffed himself. Some of the other moves by Lou were questionable too, most notably the 3mil for Clarkson. I mean, cmon, leave contracts like that to Slats!

It's backfired, for now. I'm not saying the ship is sinking, but it's definitely not on the right course.

[Speedz98 15]

I still can't figure out why THE DEVILS, most likely the least offensive-minded team in the league,

That's not true. You're ignorant. You remind me of West Coast team and Canadian team press who only pay attention to the devils when they come to their city and have no idea how they actually play.

With that in mind, they are not an overly defensive minded team like they once were. (And any good team in the NHL realizes your defense better be a brick wall if you want to win) Right now though, the Devils are playing like a bad team in general.

[17D1998 1]

Man don't get mad like that and insult me for no reason, I admit I don't watch the Devils a lot but the reason why is that they never seem to score more than 3 goals, at least of all the games I happened to watch since the last 3 years (except against the Canadiens ahah they always destroy us)

[Speedz98 15]

I apologize. It's just to often that the Devils will play a 2-1 game and "oh they're a trap team" and then there can be a game with any other team, say Washington-Pittsburgh and its a "Defensive battle" "goaltending duel".

[ibeck 38]

I am sure maclean and lou talked this one over, before they scratched him.

[Steve_v3 289]

Must have been something pretty bad for him to get scratched. I mean, the team isn't exactly playing well and could use any help they can get.

My guess, Kovalchuk is upset at the lines, the way he's being used and Johnny Mac laid down the law in attempt to show the team who's boss. Of course I don't really know, but you can't have a player, any player, questioning the coach.

You know what happens next...teammates get split between the coach and Kovalchuk, the team divides, team plays like crap, Kovie gets labeled a cancer, yadda yadda yadda. Wouldn't be the first time we've seen this.

Totally agree.

This probably will not end well. Most likely for Johnny Mac. Kovalchuk will be almost untradeable because the contract.

[hamstercaster 2]

Read this morning that Lou had approved McLean's decision to scratch him. That French article also pointed out that apparantly one of the owners had put pressure on Lou to sign Kovalchuk allthough it was going against Lou's principles on how to build a team.

[sickwilly 37]

I still can't figure out why THE DEVILS, most likely the least offensive-minded team in the league, signed Kovalchuk (ahah, computer tried to correct me, ''Do you mean Kalashnikov?'' OMG that's racist! ). To me, it was always clear a situation like this would arise sooner or later. I don't know, are they trying to turn Kovy in some sort of Yzerman, like Bowman did in the early 90's? Not gonna work, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets traded before the trade deadline

If things continue to go poorly do you think anyone would want that contract at the deadline?

[ibeck 38]

Read this morning that Lou had approved McLean's decision to scratch him. That French article also pointed out that apparantly one of the owners had put pressure on Lou to sign Kovalchuk allthough it was going against Lou's principles on how to build a team.

I think we read the same article, it was pat vanderbeek who said they need to change the culture of the Devils being boring hence they signed Ilya who is the opposite of boring.

[althoma1 574]

If things continue to go poorly do you think anyone would want that contract at the deadline?

It's unlikely, but if the Rangers convinced Montreal to take on the Gomez contract then anything is possible.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Read this morning that Lou had approved McLean's decision to scratch him. That French article also pointed out that apparantly one of the owners had put pressure on Lou to sign Kovalchuk allthough it was going against Lou's principles on how to build a team.

Meddling owners? In Pro sports? Now I've heard everything.

/sarcasm. :)

[chippa13 1844]

Totally agree.

This probably will not end well. Most likely for Johnny Mac. Kovalchuk will be almost untradeable because the contract.

Almost untradeable? I think he is absolutely untradeable with that large of a cap hit for that many years.

[hamstercaster 2]

I wonder how Marty Brodeur feels about that signing. He's taken pay cuts signings after signings in order to keep some players. Now with the Kovalchuk signing I think that they will have a hard time signing Parise next year.

[chippa13 1844]

They will get some space next year from Arnott so that will help with getting Parise signed but they'll have a hard time adding any pieces on the back end in the form of a puck mover.

[#96 0]

They will get some space next year from Arnott so that will help with getting Parise signed but they'll have a hard time adding any pieces on the back end in the form of a puck mover.

Heard some things about this today...

First thing is that an "inside source" is claiming that the Devil locker room is in disarray because nobody knows who's getting traded, sent down, released, etc. It's causing lots of derision, and has been since before the start of the season. Some factions on the team are against Kovalchuk for ruining the team because of his contract, and other factions are for him.

Second, the owner of the Devils and owner of the Nets (some Russian dude) want the Nets in The Rock for the next few seasons while the Brooklyn deal gets finalized, arena built, etc. (if it actually happens!?!?). Supposedly the Russian Nets owner pushed Vanderbeek to get Kovalchuk, a fellow Russian.

It's funny, because at the beginning of this thread I posted how player goes against coach, team separates, player gets labeled a cancer...and wouldn't you know it, YahooSports has an article about Kovalchuk being a coach killer.

Damn, I'm good.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Heard some things about this today...

First thing is that an "inside source" is claiming that the Devil locker room is in disarray because nobody knows who's getting traded, sent down, released, etc. It's causing lots of derision, and has been since before the start of the season. Some factions on the team are against Kovalchuk for ruining the team because of his contract, and other factions are for him.

Second, the owner of the Devils and owner of the Nets (some Russian dude) want the Nets in The Rock for the next few seasons while the Brooklyn deal gets finalized, arena built, etc. (if it actually happens!?!?). Supposedly the Russian Nets owner pushed Vanderbeek to get Kovalchuk, a fellow Russian.

It's funny, because at the beginning of this thread I posted how player goes against coach, team separates, player gets labeled a cancer...and wouldn't you know it, YahooSports has an article about Kovalchuk being a coach killer.

Damn, I'm good.

Kinda like predicting rain in Seattle isn't it *L*

[chippa13 1844]

Looks like McLean could be the first coaching casualty of the season.............

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=339006

DEVILS' GM LAMORIELLO STATES MACLEAN'S JOB IS SAFE

We all know what that means.

[Chadd 916]

Looks like McLean could be the first coaching casualty of the season.............

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=339006

We all know what that means.

So that means Thanksgiving?