That's an extremely mathematically unsound analysis. The overall ice time, in fact, wouldnt change very much. What WOULD change, is that for about 2/3 (66%) of the game you have one of your superstars on the ice, whereas right now it's probably more like ~35% of the game. Moreover, regardless of ice time there is only ONE puck.
Not to mention, his constant misuse of the 4th-line all season. Part of the Devils recent success is having a functional 4th-line that isnt a complete and utter abomination to the sport of ice-hockey, and that actually **GASP** chip in with a positive effect on the game occasionally.
Lastly, it's the little things you have to pay close attention to see. There are tons of times when DeBoer gets outcoached by guys that ARE great coaches, like Torts (though I loathe him, cant deny he isnt a fantastic coach) or Laviolette, etc... matchups, last-changes, in-game adjustments, forgetting that in ice-hocky you have a timeout, etc......
A) Of course the overall icetime of Kovy and Zach wouldn't change much, it's the icetime of the lines they're on that would. Kovy's going to get his 23-24 minutes a game, Zach's going to get his 20-22. I realize some of that's going to be together on the PP anyway, but if you split them up you either reduce their even strength time or have the icetime of the top two lines become more disproportionate to the other two lines. I agree that ideally you'd want them on seperate lines because of the 'one puck' reasoning, but they've both scored 30+ this year while being together for most of the season, it hasn't been all bad.
B) Yes, he's misused the fourth line all season and there was absolutely no reason to dress two goons in certain games but some of that was due to personnel/injuries too. It's not like Brad Mills and Steven Zalewski were much better than the Goon Squad anyway.
C) DeBoer forgets he has timeouts? One of the few times I remember thinking ah we should have used a timeout here they were reviewing a goal anyway, he's used it pretty well in most cases.
I don't think he uses matchups much though sometimes he'll loosely use the Elias line as one...hell, we've been screaming for years at various Devil coaches to go away from the matchup system. When you have a shutdown checking line that can chip in offensively like Madden in his prime that's one thing, but going four shifts in a Game 7 without getting Parise-Zajac-Langs on the ice because you're matching up is no good either. Or having Pando (a healthy scratch most of the year) play three more minutes than Elias in that same game.
Ryan Carter is actually really good when he has good linemates like Bernier, and Josefson. Bernier is no chump or nobody either.
It's good when the 4th line can actually score. It's no crash line, but goals from the 4th line in the last 2 games, and the 4th line getting 12+ minutes, and Kovalchuk, and Parise both getting only 20 minutes is just really great to me. Everybody looks like they have much more energy too.
Some guys are just better assistant coaches.....he was decent in that role for us for quite while and he did do well when head coach of Lowell. Me thinking he struggles with the egos of the big boys instead of the young and up and coming players.
I don't know what his deal was with our team. He's probably an alright guy he seems to like coaching. I met him, and every other player for the Devils in the 90s when I was younger, and really liked meeting players. Not into it anymore or at least don't go out of my way for it.
He was a great guy when I met him, and didn't disappoint me as a young fan. Was behind the bench for the worst Devils team I've seen since like 85-86 Yes I remember that team! A team he actually played on which was just one of a few bad seasons before many great seasons when he played for us. I'm glad he's coaching somewhere else, and that his huge failure with the Devils head coaching job didn't cause any blemish on his resume that kept any team from hiring him. I sincerely mean that. It was cool clinching against him. I made a big deal out of it. I won't bash him. Us clinching has finally closed the door on that for me though at the same time it proves to me he was a terrible head coach.
We've been waiting for this night since the start of the 10/11 season! I'm completely erasing any bitterness for Maclean. If anyone asks me if I think he was a good coach I'll say hell no as a head coach he sucked. I don't feel the need to call him Mac Loser after tonight anymore. Other than that that door closed tonight. Not because we beat his team, but because we're in the playoffs!
im glad kovy is top 5 in points all that hate he got last season
Hart Trophy nominee maybe?
Spezza has 2 more points in 3 more games.
Eh Giroux has 6 more in the same amount of games.
Stamkos is on a team that's irrelevant right now. Sorry Tampa Bay not bashing, but the position in the standings shows that.
Malkin is getting it no matter what. Kovy does have a -10 though which would hurt if he was in a close race. It don't mean much to me, but in judging it probably does.
Points don't necessarily win it. Goaltenders have been nominated, and won like Hasek, and Jose Theodore even I think.
My buddy went to this game tonight. He was going down to Florida with his nephew, and buddy's to Wrestlemania, but thought it would be cool to stop in Raleigh to see this game on the way before they flew to Florida. Said it was pretty pleasant, and there were lots of Devils fans there. I guess I did hear some Devils chants it sure sounded like it. He said the food was good they had pulled pork and other good stuff, and the $108 dollar ticket is like a $250 ticket at Prudential for the same seat.
Now that the playoffs are a sure thing, I hope we beat the 3 seed in the first round. I don't know if I could take a loss to a south east team in the first round.
