Recap: Devils 3, Caps 2

I’m not a Jagr-apologist, but that’s not really fair: Jagr was the Pens after Lemieux retired, and continued to dominate the league while he was alone. And was the Captain to boot.

I don’t think that’s a valid comparison, except by way of talent, especially considering that Jagr was oftentimes the best player on the ice when he played for teams he wanted to play for.

I really don’t think that’s Semin. I think Semin wants to be here, I think he just can’t figure out how to bring it all together all the time.

Y’know who I’m gonna go with as my Semin analogy (besides Alex Kovalev, who I think is a good fit)? Chris Webber.

C-Webb had all the talent in the world, didn’t like to be coached, and couldn’t win the big game. Maybe not a perfect fit, but you knew fairly early on that Webber would never win a Championship. Do we know that with Semin? No. But I’d guess some folks are starting to suspect it.

Right, forgot about the length.

Helm for Varly? That doesn’t get rid of Semin though. Maybe Todd Richards needs another horse to run-and-gun (of course he does)? Was it GOD saying Semin for Pierre-Marc Bouchard last season? Brent Burns hasn’t been having a great season so far, maybe him?

Very nice. He didn’t even know he beat Brodeur it came out so fast.

I’m happy to keep having him called up over someone who doesn’t have a real future with the team. (Aucoin)

Yeah, I pointed that out to my girlfriend on the replay. He was like “Rebound, rebound? What?” And then Perreault hugs him.

Check out the post on battleofcali.com from when Fro was benched recently. Pretty good description of his situation.

But Semin isn’t Canadian, so teams won’t overlook his headcasey-ness

Kessel got a lot but he’s younger and more cost controlled and there’s no worry he might leave for Russia.

Edmonton’s nice this time of year. Or so I’m told.

Horcoff would make a great third line center for us.

I started it, so I shall prolong it.

yeah, cap room helps too.

I’m totally not convinced he’s worth a long-term deal; time will tell. But I’m not ready to start poring over trade possibilities after 15 games, however stinky he was tonight.

I know you didn’t.

I dunno. Zajac is a pretty awesome 3rd liner if that’s how you look at him. I get the impression that Johansson has more offensive talent than most 3 Cs but I can’t really speak to his game at all.

Rec’d for passion.

Another form of the trap would be the left-wing lock, a defensive system implemented by Scotty Bowman in his years as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, who also won three Stanley Cups using this system but interestingly enough aren’t accused of ‘killing’ hockey, though this probably has more to do with prejudice against the Devils by the greater hockey community than anything else.

The Bowman Wings were moderately interesting to watch; the Devils under Lemaire were and are deathly boring. That’s the difference.

Look, your passionate about your team, but that doesn’t change the fact that the traditional trap isn’t very interesting, and particularly aesthetically pleasing, to watch. I spent 5 years really wanting to like Minnesota but Lemaire instituted the trap there and it was god-awful boring. Its a testament to the passion that Minnesotans have for the game that they sold out all those games.

I (and most others here) know what the trap is. Explaining how it works doesn’t mean that it isn’t boring as sin to watch.

And yes, the Wings did use a version of a trap, but the reason they aren’t criticized isn’t because the Devils are some poor victim. It’s because the Wings combined the suffocating defensive style with a skilled, puck possession based offense that is far more entertaining to watch than anything Lemaire’s Devils do. Both teams clog the neutral zone and force the other team to dump the puck. The difference is that when the Devils get the puck back up the ice they dump and chase the puck, putting up a fairly passive forecheck if they don’t get control of the puck.

The Wings get the puck and skate it into the zone and control the puck, allowing their forwards to display their skill and creativity to create chances rather than just trying to out-dump and chase the other team or feast off neutral zone turnovers.

I just get irritated when other hockey fans try to dump all over the Devils achievements, as if they somehow mean less because the Devils are the team accomplishing them,

You responded first to me, and I didn’t discount the achievements, I noted them. My problem with NJD is that they play boring hockey. That is fact.

and I’m sick and tired of hearing all of the fictitious nonsense about Lou Lamoriello and Jacques Lemaire conspiring with one another to ruin the game of hockey by inventing the trap from people who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.

Nobody brought Lou up, and nobody mentioned conspiracy. Lemaires has made hockey fucking boring. The teams he coaches are always among the least fun teams to watch. You’re fucking 20. You have what, 10 years of hockey watching that you remember? Tops? Don’t come over here and talk about “people don’t know what they are talking about.”

[The trap] was later taken up by the championship winning teams of the Montreal Canadiens during the ’70’s (teams on which players named Jacques Lemaire and Larry Robinson, both of whom would go on to coach the Devils to championship victories, played a large role).

Those teams also had some seriously amazing offensive players, and they let them play. They didn’t always play “4 men in the neutral zone” hockey. Those Canadians teams would not have neutered Parise, like Lemaires has.

I’m very impressed that you know the mechanics of the trap. Whoopdy fucking do. Now can you explain why it’s so boring? The entire point of the ire?

Another form of the trap would be the left-wing lock, a defensive system implemented by Scotty Bowman in his years as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, who also won three Stanley Cups using this system but interestingly enough aren’t accused of ‘killing’ hockey, though this probably has more to do with prejudice against the Devils by the greater hockey community than anything else.

You are aware that DET is one of the most hated franchises right? They are the closest thing the current NHL has to an evil empire. Nobody really likes them. On top of that, NJD plays in a division with PIT, PHI, and NYR. 3 teams that Caps fans hate the most. If ever there was a team the Caps fans would like to succeed, it’s NJD. But we don’t like NJD, not because they win, or even because they beat us, but because they are fucking boring.

Further, regarding DET, they had some amazing offensive players and allowed them to play offense. They never shut down the forecheck or offensive creativity like the NJD teams did. That’s just fact. The Russian 5 weren’t known for slowing the game to a snail’s pace and waiting for turnovers. They pressured teams and brought pace and action to the game. But you were still in short pants, so you don’t recall that.

Your “Mickey Mouse organization” (which nobody here invoked) has 3 rings. You certainly played a big part in that kellyn, make sure you remind us when your name goes up in the rafters.

You’re acting like an overly self-conscious and defensive snot. Thanks for coming by.

I’ve never seen the man sans goalie gear in person, so I can’t really argue that point, but at least our goalie isn’t nicknamed ‘Jose Three-or-More.’ (Which I actually think is quite clever, by the way. Does anyone know who made it up?)