Team needs pep talk

[SJ20]

From Mike Rice!

Well, maybe not, as it didn't seem to work for Rutgers.

 

[TheSgtDabbs]

On that topic, If I was an 18-20 something adult and some coach threw a basketball at me, you better believe I'd throw it right back at his face. How those players stood there and took that is beyond me.

 

[linebackeru]

Team about to flatline for the season.

Man are they painful to watch these days. Kovy can't get back soon enough

 

[Devsfan4life95]

Team about to flatline for the season.

Better not say anythin other than "we're fine" or "we;ll still make it" around here or you're a bad fan. With the lack of a move when we NEEDED one Lou does nothing so I saw the writing on the wall we AIN"T MAKING IT. But around here you have to tow the optimistic line or you're a "quitter" Guess there's no room for realists on sports message boards anymore.

 

[nj_cup]

On that topic, If I was an 18-20 something adult and some coach threw a basketball at me, you better believe I'd throw it right back at his face. How those players stood there and took that is beyond me.

yeah no kidding! i mean the only reasoning is that they are on a scholarship and they are only good enough for rutgers b ball so why risk it?

whats the tuition down there?

 

[nj_cup]

Better not say anythin other than "we're fine" or "we;ll still make it" around here or you're a bad fan. With the lack of a move when we NEEDED one Lou does nothing so I saw the writing on the wall we AIN"T MAKING IT. But around here you have to tow the optimistic line or you're a "quitter" Guess there's no room for realists on sports message boards anymore.

perfect chance for our captain to step up and do something!

 

[Nasty_Magician]

There's a big difference between being nervous and upset, and constantly saying "we're fucked, everybody sucks, blow it up!" If linbacker had been making that same exact post for 2 months straight, 5 times a day, every day then we'd be getting on his case.

 

[linebackeru]

There's a big difference between being nervous and upset, and constantly saying "we're fucked, everybody sucks, blow it up!" If linbacker had been making that same exact post for 2 months straight, 5 times a day, every day then we'd be getting on his case.

I had held out hope till this last stretch. The losses in Florida and the fashion they came in did it for me. Follow that up with The Isles game and I am looking towards the draft. Hopefully a ping pong ball breaks our way. If I had heard one more pipe hit off a Devils stick I might have thrown up last night.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

The way I look at it, is we've played like dog shit for 2 months now and we're still in a position to make the playoffs. That's not some crazy dream or holding out hope. If we win a couple of games we make the playoffs. If we play well we will win those games.

If we gave the effort we did in lastnights game against the Bruins when we played the Florida teams and the Isles we'd have 3 more wins. Play like that from here on out (minus the whole not scoring thing) and we can make the playoffs.

 

[SJ20]

Exactly, Dabbs. I remember having a much shorter fuse when I was 18-20 and would not have just stood there and let a coach do that to me OR another player.

My thinking with this team is that Lou really missed the boat by not replacing Parise, be it last summer and yesterday. Here is why. Right now, we have pretty much the same team that went to the SCF last season minus Parise. Now, more than ever, we needed a guy like Vanek or even a Jagr to replace KOVY and help get us into the playoffs. It would have been the shot in the arm this team needed. IT would have shown the team that Lou is going for it. And when Kovy returns, this team would have been that much more lethal.

Right now it does seem like a team that is just full of 3rd liners just grinding it out. And the poster who mentioned the lack of QUALITY shots on goal is SPOT ON. Get in front of the damn net. And quit shooting at the goalie's crest. Now, I do think Sully will help to a degree. However, we can't expect him to pick up the slack while Kovy is out like a Vanek or a Jagr could have.

Just to cheer us up. I watched Minny vs LA last night. And LA won 3-0. Parise still is nowhere to be found against LA.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I'll say it again, it comes down to Zajac. He got the contract, he's supposed to be our top line center, and the amount of years we gave him makes me think he's expected to become a leader on this team. He's the biggest name that has been underperforming.

People will say Parise made him good, but what he does best has nothing to do with Parise. He's a monster on the boards, he's strong on the puck, he can win battles for the loose puck in the corners, he has great vision. I haven't been seeing any of that, his confidence is gone it seems like. He's been very timid with the puck, I rarely see him along the boards. He is the x factor. Zajac gets going this team gets going.

 

[rp2five]

For the most part, the effort is there.
Its the confidence, and finishing that is lacking.
Power play is terrible.
Last night was mostly unlucky and the team unable to finish its chances.

Regarding Zajac, he has played like a softie this season.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Would anyone else be in favor of reuniting the Poni-Zubrus-Bernier line? They worked well last year, and rather than have them spread out and trying to create room for the smaller guys on their respective lines, have a D try and contain that size. At this point, it can't hurt.

Carter and Gionta work their asses off each night, maybe throwing Clarkson or Zajac on a line with those guys could motivate them.

 

[DevilishWon]

Better not say anythin other than "we're fine" or "we;ll still make it" around here or you're a bad fan. With the lack of a move when we NEEDED one Lou does nothing so I saw the writing on the wall we AIN"T MAKING IT. But around here you have to tow the optimistic line or you're a "quitter" Guess there's no room for realists on sports message boards anymore.

Plenty of room for realists...little room for incessant whining

 

[DevFan60]

No scoring - no winning and no playoff. Lou screwed it up this trading timeline. Another 38 yrs old to improve our team? We don't need full rebuild, but we need to improve our forwards line up. Get at least 2 scorers. Not talking about Ovechkin type, but at least who capable to score 30+ in full season.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I'm really curious to see if Sullivan has anything left in the tank. I think we add somebody this offseason. Out of the UFAs we have I think Zids, Harrold, Sullivan, Poni and one of either Clarkson or Zubrus are gone. We have money and roster spots available. I'd imagine Elias will be back at a reduced price.