Hell-ya Kovalchuk! Devils want to win now
February 5, 2010 by samuelpwoo
Filed under New Jersey Devils & Ice Hockey
SamPWoo.com – The paradigm has changed in the Eastern Conference. The New Jersey Devils acquiring Ilya Kovalchuk just gave their power play and offense a significant boost. Once Patrik Elias returns from injury, New Jersey may have the best top two lines in the NHL.
How did Lou Lamoriello do it? He had to give up defenseman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, junior prospect Patrice Cormier and New Jersey’s first-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Some say he had to give up a lot for a rental. I beg to differ.
Yes, these are quality players, but they can be replaced. Essentially, the Devils farm system has proven this season that they can step in and do the job for Jacques Lemaire. But by obtaining Kovalchuk, it gives them an immediate offensive threat they have not seen since Alexander Mogilny. What did the Devils do that year? They won the Stanley Cup.
Once Patrik Elias comes back from injury, the Devils will have two power play units that can score at will and their point will cause havoc for defenseman trying to block the shooting lanes. This is going to open up and spread out their opposing team’s penalty kill. It may take some time for Kovalchuk to get used to his new surroundings, but I fully expect the power play to be running on all cylinders by the playoffs.
I feel that Lamoriello is not finished yet. The Devils still need some help on the blueline, even when Paul Martin returns to the lineup after the Olympic break. They have the world class goaltending. Lamoriello did not mortgage the future with this deal, but he certainly put most of his poker chips in the middle of the table and is all in. With Martin Brodeur having a Hart and Vezina trophy type record breaking season, Kovalchuk will certainly have a taste of winning.
More Kovalchuk coverage
I’ll have some quotes and more coverage of Ilya Kovalchuk in the next two days. Keep checking my blog and Hockey Primetime.
Now I know why Rangers fans are often confused.
I blame the MSG network. Maybe they should have just played 1994 Stanley Cup highlights instead. This is from last night’s game when the Rangers played the Capitals. This picture says it all. And they were not playing the Hurricanes. Sent to me by Blake Benzel of Hockey Primetime
e-mail: sampwoo@hockeyprimetime.com
