swan

I was watching the Islanders game the other night and the announcer said
that the team had studied the Devils over the offseason and were using
their defensive pattern as their basis for a defense.
Detroit said the same thing but lets face it they are 16th in defense and
are way to concerned with scoring-- which will be their downfall.

I see one of two things happening-

A. The NHL is going to suc***b to the growing pressure to make the game one
dimensional in the name of scoring. Take out the redline, get rid of the 2
line pass, Goaltender can't leave the crease, 4 on 4 etc. are all arguments
which threaten the very fiber of the statistics that love so much not to
mention would screw Marty.
-----or---- more likely
B. To be more successful teams will all move the way of the Devils defensive
game in which the following will happen-
1. scoring will become more of a premium than it is now.
2. Goalies and Snipers will become even more valuable than they are now- and
both will be needed to win.
We would still have Marty, but otherwise we would be screwed bigtime. For a
while our transitional game would carry us, but the rest of the teams would
figure that out too.
No longer would a bunch of 15-20 goal scorers be so successful. The team
that would be ideal now would be Colorado. Scoring forwards like Lidstrom
and Blake would become huge also.
Maybe I am paranoid, but I see this happening exponentially. I can see the
Devils losing a bunch of 2-1 1-0 games.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Swan

--
"Give a man a fish, feed him for a day;

Teach him to fish, feed him for life."

Share your fish with him, and imitate Christ.
mm

iain fraser

I don't really have thoughts on the two points you pose, but felt additional
info. could be used by others. Unfortunately I was only half listening when
Doc and Chico were talking about changes in the AHL ice (blue line being
something like 3 feet wide or something - Cindy? help me out?). They're
trying it out as a possible NHL change. These line changes could be the
start of the changes you foretell Swan.

ezoto

I have to disagree whole heartedly swan. Remember the Dallas series?
When the Dallas coach ( who is coaching a hated rival now ) said that
the Devils forward were the fastest he ever played against. And this
was a team that supposedly played dull boring defense. The bottom
line is this. The NHL, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, MSG and the dictator
owner Dolan " HATE!!! " the New Jersey Devils. They all hate the
Devils for what they are and don't give an ounce of respect to the
fans. I bet the NHL tried to help Boston get Lou out of Jersey so the
Devils could fail. The Devils have 3 cups already after all this.
Hopefully barring any situation the Devils will have a chance at
successfully defending the Cup.

EZoto

mventolo

From: EZoto ezoto@eznet4u.com

You could look at today's game and see how fast they are... on the odd occasion
their passing is on, and the opponent is dumb enough to let them out of the
defensive zone clean.

They definately have speed.. they're not a cloggy team.

swan

That line you speak of "SAE" is an anomaly for us EZ.
That was a one time shot. The team in 2000 was the most offensive we have
ever had. Have you seen any chemistry between any of the players this year?
I haven't.
How many behind the back passes to a trailing winger-- who read his mind and
put it in, have you seen this year--zero. That was commonplace for SAE.
We had the complete package then.
That line would fair very well in the new NHL I spoke of.

Don't, however, confuse this team with that team.
those days are gone,
Swan

cindy

"the neutral zone will be increased by four feet while each of the blue
lines is increased by two feet on the side toward the goal.
Also, the red center line will be increased by a foot on each side, making
all three lines three feet wide rather than just one foot. It is hoped the
changes will increase offensive tempo of the game by giving players more
room to create plays and generate speed in the neutral zone, and allowing
some passes that currently would voilate the two-line pass rule.

The experiment, conducted at the request of the NHL, will involve games in
Hamilton, Ontario, Dec. 27 and 28, Toronto Dec. 28 and 30, St. John's,
Newfoundland, Jan. 6 and 7, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Jan. 23 and 24."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1689526

mventolo

From: "Swan" bekkinmike@SPAMMMcharter.net


Actually, the team the next year was, but who's nitpicking. Two 40 goal
scorers, at least three players with more than 70 points, and a third in the
league Elias with 97 points.

Yes... Madden and Pandolfo. I assume you're just overlooking them. You
know, Jay is having a decent offensive year. And Nieds seems to have
chemistry with everyone...

It's kind of a trick question, since they're banged up right now, and even
then, they were tossing players all over the place. No, they really don't
have any cohesion as a team, and I think that hurts them breaking out their
speed. But they moved the puck well tonight, who knows? Maybe giving Rupp
more time with Gomez will pay dividends. I don't understand why Rasmussen is
playing with Elias and Friesen, since it pairs two guys who can't pass with a
scorer who always tries to give the puck up, but who knows?

You're assuming they can't have chemistry.
But, wait a second... what the hell was the A-Line? The three ingredients
were:

1) A nice second-third line player who was a good passer and a somewhat
all-around player who couldn't put the puck in the ocean if he was on a
deserted isle. Scored 10-15 goals a season, missed probably three times that
many golden chances. Had the indignity of holding Bobby Holik's bags, setting
him up so he could stuff 20 goals by February and then go on an extended
vacation... and if you think Bobby's passing it back?!

2) A sprity little Czech who had speed and a nice shot, but the toughness of
drenched toilet paper. An abject disappointment, whom outside of the first 3
months of his NHL career, had not fulfilled his potential. Played first/second
line only because of his skill and lack of scoring depth on the team, and even
then, would ride the pines in playoff games and was so bad in his second NHL
season he was *banished*, even though he was one the leading scorers the season
before.

3) A big forward who was lazy as shit and was on a line with Jay Pandolfo
stinking up arenas around the NHL before the A-Line was created. Comments
were made about him playing like he was riding along on a couch. Well, maybe
if he was impregnating some 18 year old on it...
Don't think he had more than 15 goals in any season in his short Devils career
up to that point, had played with all the top forwards, accomplished nothing.
Before his heroics, no one would have cared if he stayed or went, got a pass
because he was traded for only one of the most hated players in Devils history.

I'll let you figure out who's who. So don't tell me chemistry can't come
floating out of thin air...

greg

I think you're giving other teams too much credit. The Devils have
continued to succeed because they adapt to changes in the league
(usually, as the league catches up to the Devils). Most significantly
was the way Lou transitioned from the "Crash Line" teams to a smaller
but quicker group of forwards. That came at a time when everyone and
their mother was drafting every big body in Canada in the post-Lindros
rush.

The bottom line is that the Devils' success is based on the players on
the ice, not just a system. If they can continue to have the
goaltending they've had, and at least four great defen*****, it
doesn't matter where the rest of the league moves.
<JESTER>

iain fraser

thanks

chris

Screwing Marty should be the last concern any hockey fan should have,
including Devils' fans. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't
mean squat.

There is no question that many (or even most) hockey games lack
excitement, and that is partially due to the influx of trapping
systems, muchmuchmuch bigger players, and many more mobile defen*****.
But those things are simply part of the game's evolution, and
shouldn't be changed.

However, that doesn't mean that meaningful changes can't be made to
help the game along. Football does this all of the time, and look how
entertaining that sport is. I believe three things would take care of
the action problem the NHL currently has (please note that I didn't
say 'scoring problem'): Larger rinks, redline elimination, call
obstruction/holding/etc. That's really all it would take, IMO. The
larger rink issue is the biggest one though. There simply isn't any
room on the ice, and the game is played at primarily at low speeds in
the neutral zone (which is usually a turnover-fest) or scrumming along
the boards. So many goals are of the 'ugly' kind: 7 players sumo
wrestling in front of the goaltender and - voila! - goal light goes
on. Speed and flow are all but gone, and without a larger surface,
it's never going to come back. Never, ever.

I don't see why we have to change the fabric of the game by not
allowing goaltenders to play the puck or to have 4-on-4 all of the
time.

Chris