My Thoughts Regarding this Obvious Benching

[MCDevils]

First, almost everything I'm going to say is speculation based off the small hints and leaks we all have read over the past 6 months.

Here are my thoughts:

I believe that Ilya hasn't played well at all this season. Sure, he had some points, but other than some decent PP opportunities and the two goals, he's been a total nonfactor in all the games. I also acknowledge that he's responsible for half our wins. Let's be honest though, he wasn't playing well and anyone who says he was is essentially deluding themselves or is blinded by the smooth skating.

JMAC obviously wasn't pleased that he wasn't meshing with Parise and Zajac who obviously work much better off a cycle. That's fine, but Kovy has basically been demoted and instead of working harder, etc he disappeared in a game where almost everyone had a solid effort (Montreal).

Now, everyone on here acknowledges that regular season success with this team hasn't amounted to anything in recent history. Fine, then the Devils needs to regroup as a team and all get on the same page.

Did it take a benching in October to wake Ilya up? Maybe. Is it possible that after making he playoffs once in Atlanta he assumed that the Devils were just so good that they were guaranteed to make it this year, and they weren't going to need to fight for it?

Stop looking at the contract and look at the play. Maybe this is JMACs way of letting this team know that it's his ship, and if you want to play, you better fight every night.

Seriously, Pelley looked like his nose was torn off when he returned in a 5-0 game. That's a player leading by example, and he makes the least money in the room.

I also believe that a motivated Ilya is just as good as Parise. So hopefully that's the end result of this.

There's no way that MacLean should be fired over this loss. Ilya playing wouldn't have made any difference.

I also wonder if the locker room was upset with Ilya again for some of the 2 minute PP shenanigans.

Finally, all this could be total BS because he could have simply had something like a family emergency that he didn't want getting out to the public (I doubt it, but it could have been.)

 

[nj_cup]

sorry but rookie head coach benching a star winger who was the biggest FA this team ever signed? 2 weeks into a 2-5-1 start? then going out and get banged 6-1?

no excuse for what maclean did NONE

 

[TiLoBrown]

sorry but rookie head coach benching a star winger who was the biggest FA this team ever signed? 2 weeks into a 2-5-1 start? then going out and get banged 6-1?

no excuse for what maclean did NONE

The excuse is that there have been times where Kovy has been on the ice and it looks like hes only thinking of himself, then theres times where it looks like hes not thinking at all. Fuck this "star" player bullshit. If he wants to be the star player, play like Parise, thats a star player. Even if hes not scoring hes helping out on D, hes working for the puck, hes playing Devils Hockey. Kovy isnt. Kovy should have been benched.

 

[nj_cup]

yeah your right that 6-1 drubbing....i guess it would've been 9-1 if kovy played then eh?

 

[TiLoBrown]

You really want to argue? Just when I'm thinking I should remove you from my ignore list you say something like that.

 

[rp2five]

I think this was a risky benching by MacLean. I know plenty of fans that paid and went to the game who were pretty pissed that Kovy wasn't playing.

The outcome we all hope for is Kovy comes out and plays like a man possesed tonight. The team responds and pulls together some sort of winning streak. In a few weeks, this will be forgotten.

However, if the team continues to play poorly, this will haunt MacLean and possibly split the lockerroom.

 

[kellmit]

JMac was trying to tell his players... I don't care who you are or how much you make you show up to play EVERY GAME and Kovy hasn't been doing that... It was a huge risk and it didn't pay off last night but if it makes this team open their eyes then good on JMac

 

[devs30rko]

the bottom line is IT IS OKAY to do this after a big bad loss in bad slump. it sends a message.


IT IS NOT okay to do it when you've been slumping, but your team as a whole just played its most complete game of the season and you won your 2nd game.

 

[TiLoBrown]

I dont believe that Devs, I think its ok to do it no matter when it is. And another reason I think last night was fine was because after we we're already winning by a couple of goals Kovy still tried to stick handle through the entire instead of just slowing down and seeing what other options he had or even throwing it in the corner to by more time for a line change (which I think we were doing I'm not sure). So while the rest of the team was playing their most complete game, Kovy wasnt on the same page and thats the reason he should have been benched IMO.

RP, if I had tickets to last nights game I'd be pretty pissed Marty didnt play...I'd be fine with Kovy not playing since I've seen his selfishness all season long.

 

[rp2five]

Tilo, I don't really see that selfishness. I see him trying to stick handle through players when the team is down and look dead out there. Maybe he thinks he has to do it himself out there at times. When you are paid that kind of money, you try to do whatever it takes to score and win.

Also, about being selfish, he passes plenty. Problem with some of his linemates is the are rarely prepared to take his passes. He plays a highly skilled game. If you are on his line, you need to be prepared for sometimes unexpected, threaded passes. Thats why when he played with Parise, they united for some highlight level plays and goals.

I didn't see that benching coming at all. Most Devil fans were shocked.

 

[devils30mb]

I personally haven't seen any selfishness. I've seen more of Kovy passing off when I wish he would shoot.
I agree with what rp said and was shocked that he was a healthy scratch.

 

[TiLoBrown]

I'll admit, the first couple of games he passed too much, not so much since then.

 

[nj_cup]

yeah your right lets not hold the captain responsible with 0g and a -6 or our alltime leading scorer elias 1 goal and a -7? or how about not starting marty when he is clearly slumping? yeah nah lets sit kovalchuk and just draw MORE pressure and MORE scrutiny and MORE negative questions

yeah thats exactly what this team needs! tilo go ahead and block me i dont care....i just listed 3 players that just as equally deserve to be benched and that doesnt happen



rp i agree 100% if i went last night and no kovalchuk i'd be pissed!

 

[MCDevils]

Kovalchuk hasn't played well along with a bunch of others. Hasn't looked good tonight either.

This benching had to do with Ilya and nothing else. Don't try to deflect the topic to other players. If you want to discuss them, make a new thread.

Furthermore, no one knows why he sat so the idea that nothing was wrong is bogus.

 

[MCDevils]

BTW, what are you saying, that you would have been fine if Kovy played scored two goals and lost 6-3?

 

[MCDevils]

Now that's how you score goals Ilya, getting down and dirty. Good pressure!

 

[MCDevils]

I wish they could duplicate this effort more often.

 

[nj_cup]

well seeing how tilo was fine with kovy being benched im just wondering why the big fail of elias thus far hasnt been benched? tonight he was invisible again!

 

[MCDevils]

I'm not having a debate with you because your defense of Ilya entirely revolves around discussing other players.

 

[MCDevils]

Arnott played very, very little for the 2nd and 3rd periods. He's going to be next for MacLean.