| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| admin |
Posted - 10/23/2010 : 20:06:58
Did the Devils management make the right choice in benching the ill-performing $100 million superstar for Saturday's game against the Sabres? |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sensfan101 |
Posted - 10/26/2010 : 12:32:03
Tsn has confirmed he was a scratch because he missed a team meeting.
You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take Wayne Gretzky |
| Walter.Ego |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 16:37:31
Tough to say if it was the right decision because nobody really knows what happened, but it does seem a little harsh. He probably feels pretty good about his play in his returning game, scoring an easy tap in from an excellent pass from Zubrus followed by an exaggerated celebration, but not before he missed one from point blank range. He seems slimy to me. |
| Sensfan101 |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 16:24:45
I heard Kovalchuck missed a manditory meeting not sure if this is true or not.
You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take Wayne Gretzky |
| The Duke |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 15:50:50
Kovalchuk is a great player, wish the leafs had him but not for that money though. Beans i agree with you that no-one should be above any1 else on the team, but any1 who as been involved in sports knows this is never the case. Top players are well sought after and pampered from pee-wee hockey up, and they KNOW IT.
My guess is Kovalchuk demeened the coaches system some-how and its a personal thing. |
| Beans15 |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 10:46:18
What it says is that everyone needs to be accountable for what is expected of them and no one is above anyone else on the team.
Now, do I agree with this specific situation?? No. 5-7 games into the season is no time to start laying the beat down. Like Slozo said, fewer shifts, bench for a period, etc could have and should have been explored before putting the guy in the press box. However, there are not nearly enough coaches in the NHL today that have the stones to bench their star for under production.
What did Kovalchuk do in response?? Scored a goal. |
| n/a |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 10:40:00
I would say it's a bad move in today's NHL.
Given the money involved in getting him, and what they are paying him, all it does is put egg on management's own face - they did, after all, mortgage themselves in several areas to fit him in, only to sit a game.
On top of that, you ostracize a player, a relatively new guy (although he did play 20 odd games last year for them) who you just signed . . . aplayer with the star power to get coaches fired. A player who may not respond well to benching at all.
I am not saying a star player has to be totally coddled, but in today's multi-millionaire NHL, you do have to manage these guys differently. There were many other ways the club could have disciplined Kovalchuk, whether warranted or not.
It's a bad move . . . and it didn't do anything to wake up Parise, I noticed. New Jersey is certainly going through a difficult adjustment period right now, and they should be giving positive/negative reinforcement maybe in terms of shift length or number of shifts with a guy like Kovie . . .
And what does benching your top point getter on the team say to everyone else?
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
| Guest9103 |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 04:47:57
If anything, in terms of production, Parise's been even more disappointing... These are both supposed to be point-a-game or more guys. |
| ToXXiK1 |
Posted - 10/25/2010 : 02:09:07
This is just a sign of the nightmare NJ has brought upon themselves. The paid a huge price for, IMO, a one dimensional player. Now, after selling the farm, giving the children away, they expect Kovi to fit into their defence first structure.
Ummmmmm, that's not the player you gave the moon for. He's not a structure player, he's not a defence first player. This is just the start of a massive problem yet to explode in NJ. |
| Guest9964 |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 15:34:49
I'd actually like to see in what way Kovalchuk is "ill-performing"? In only the first 7 games of he season, he has 2G, 3A for 5 pts.
Sure, not point per game, but then again, I wonder how Ovie and Crosby would do when you only have about 14 teammates for a couple of games, playing against full rosters?
Nope, I don't think his benching is performance related, and I doubt we will find out what it was about if it was private or internal matters. |
| Guest9090 |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 15:21:43
whole team is a joke |
| Guest5806 |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 10:24:38
whats the reason for him being benched, nobody knows, f we knew that then this poll would be debatable, it's a stupid poll thus |
| The Duke |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 09:40:03
Kovalchuk to the leafs for jay rosehill  |
| Guest9729 |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 06:00:30
maybe he is doing the coaches wife |
| Pasty7 |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 00:37:46
theirs something we don't know and we probably won't hear about that is going on, he said or did something,, Maclean is quoted on tsn saying something like "he knows why he is sitting out"
Pasty |
| irvine |
Posted - 10/24/2010 : 00:07:05
I think benching Kovalchuk was the correct move.
It does a couple of things...
A) Shows Kovalchuk himself that even though he is the highest paid player on the team, he is not above any other player on the team. He will be held accountable, and expected to perform. Or, he'll sit.
B) It shows the team that, no body is above the team as a whole. Just because you make $500K or $10M per season, you're expected to play to your ability and skill set. If you don't, no matter your name or salary, you'll sit until you prove in practice and with your attitude that you're ready to step it up.
The Devils have been playing short-handed as it is, due to injuries and Kovalchuk's salary not allowing them to ice a full roster.
Then, benching Kovalchuk on top of that, shows every one that, they are expected to perform. No body is above any one.
Good call in my opinion. It might just work with a guy like Kovalchuk, a real reality check.
Irvine/prez. |
| Guest0924 |
Posted - 10/23/2010 : 23:50:38
devils coach should be fired and shot what an idoit |
| Utemin |
Posted - 10/23/2010 : 22:59:13
Make him skate until he pukes tortue him. but if a player is getting payed that much, play him you need to get him to perform well in games. Benching a player won't help with scoring issues only attitude.
The Monkey is me |
| Guest5806 |
Posted - 10/23/2010 : 22:09:12
he did something wrong, probably said something unwise which reflected poorly with his attitude to his coach |
