Stevens???!!!

[DevilDude26]

Does anybody know if Scott Stevens is going to be back for the playoffs?
(The first round more importantly)
The Devils have a 50/50 chance against the Flyers if he comes back,
but if doesn't return.....well the Devils are screwed.

[SuppaMan]

little heads up for ya, i think there screwed :P

[Lucretia]

Devils don't need Stevens to win. It'll be difficult without him, but not impossible, nor even improbable. They have a 50/50 chance against the Flyers WITHOUT Stevens, 60/40 with him. The Devils have owned the Flyers for a decade. It won't change this year.

[GoYanks016]

Devils don't need Stevens to win. It'll be difficult without him, but not impossible, nor even improbable. They have a 50/50 chance against the Flyers WITHOUT Stevens, 60/40 with him. The Devils have owned the Flyers for a decade. It won't change this year.

So thats why the Devils have dropped the last 3 meetings with Philly?

Stevens will be out for the rest of the season, because he's definitly out for the first round.

Devils dont even have 30% shot at winning.

[Lucretia]

First of all, the regular season doesn't mean squat. Even if it did, it's not like Philly blew out NJ. Second, the Devils broke the NHL record this year for fewest goals allowed (without Stevens, mind you). Third, as I've mentioned before, The Devils own the Flyers in the playoffs. They couldn't beat NJ with Lindros, Recchi, LeClair, etc, etc. The Flyers can absolutely win, but they won't. They lack the chemistry and the defense. Nobody ever thinks the Devils can win, yet that's what they just keep on doing, unlike the Flyers who lose EVERY year.

[NoPlayoff4Rngrs]

april is FLU season in Philly....time for the Flyers to choke as usual.

P.S> January must be flu season too, cause the EAGLES may be the biggest chokers in professional sports.

[DevilDude26]

I would like to believe you Lucretia....but you just have to face the
fact that the Devils are going to take a 1st round exit.
Nobody really answered my question wether or not he will be back,
but now its become obvious that he will NOT return.
The Devils stand no chance without him. He is the heart and soul of the team. Here are a few more reasons why the Devils can't win.

1. While NJ may have Brodeur,I really don't think he is good enough. He has struggled through the 2nd half of the season.

2. The Devils have really only 2 players that can get it done offensively.
(Elias and Gomez)
All the Flyers have to do is shutdown these 2 and we are incapable of scoring.

3. The Devils rely purely on their defense, and it just isn't the same without Stevens. Take a look at the Devils PK, it has gotten worse because forwards are not afraid to cross the blueline with there heads down.

Now PLEASE don't mistake me for a Flyers fan, I hate Phili, but I realize the Devs just can't beat them this year.
But that is not what p*sses me off the most.
What p*sses me off the most is everyone rooting against the Devils and hope they lose in the first round because they want NHL ratings to be higher, I realize the Devils style of play is boring to anyone that isn't a Devils fan, BUT, I wish they would quit *****ing about it.

Though I am positive NJ will lose against Phili, I can't help but think that anything is possible in the NHL. Because of these two things.
Every single time the Devils have played the Flyers in the playoffs (a grand total of 2 series) the Devils have beaten them and then gone on to win the cup.
Another thing is, even though I mentioned above that Brodeur has been struggling, for some reason he always seem to play awesome in the playoffs.

Well thats all I have to say, who knows maybe I'm wrong and Stevens will return for game 1, its possible, but very unlikely.

O yeah, SuppaMan you have no room to talk, the Aves are going down with NJ in the first round.
I watched the Aves and Predators game the other night and laughed when Kariya was injured.
(It couldn't have happened to a ***er guy)

DAMN YOU STEVENS!!!!! :evil: :evil:
GET OFF YOUR *** AND BEAT THE SH*T OUT OF THE FLYERS!!!!! :evil:

[GoYanks016]

the only reason the Flyers lost in the playoffs the last few years was because of Cechmanek.

He always let in easy goals.

By the way Lucretia, the regular season doesn't mean squat, It determines who gets into the playoffs. Devils had Stevens most of the regular season too

[Warden]

Stevens will not play. Heis still suffering from post-concussion sindrom.

[NoPlayoff4Rngrs]

the only reason the Flyers lost in the playoffs the last few years was because of Cechmanek.

He always let in easy goals.

By the way Lucretia, the regular season doesn't mean squat, It determines who gets into the playoffs. Devils had Stevens most of the regular season too

This post is a joke........

Cechmanek always let in easy goals?......how much NHL playoff experience does Esche have??

In case you didn't know.....NONE!
He hasn't even played in a playoff game at any level since 2000 in the AHL.

And 2nd-ly STEVENS missed more than 1/2 the season, and the Devils still broke the 80+ game season total goals against. (Also, the DEVILS had no practice Monday, but Stevens was on the ice at South Mountain Arena with trainer Bill Murray. They were timing him doing drills, and he was also doing shooting drills.

Nobody should count the DEVILS out just yet. Even without Stevens, the Devils have always stepped up their play, and the Flyers usually find a way to choke.......should be a great series.

[Lucretia]

and the Flyers usually find a way to choke.......should be a great series.

Precisely! Just like the stupid Eagles.

Chechmanek actually played well in my opinion.

It's simple: we have Brodeur (best goalie in the NHL), Elias (37 goals), Gomez (tied for assists in the league, I believe), Scott Niedermayer and Bryan Rafalski (two of the most underated defensemen in the NHL), John Madden (an incredible checking line center and a constant threat on the PK), and a whole team of players that are fundamentally sound and don't make mistakes (unlike the Flyers). No franchise has exemplified the word "team" in the NHL in the past decade like the Devils have.

I revise my prediction: DEVILS in 6!

[SuppaMan]

i state that devildude showed some idiocy there as i never mentioned anything about the avs or them even winning this year. What helps them break the GA stat is they play the trap. Your statement of talent on the team doesnt have a good point as there are many other playoff teams with a lot better talent up and down there rosters. Gomez is tied for the lead bcuz tanguay missed around 15 games and he still had 54 assists(which i think is 3rd or 4th maybe). To me, once you get pass neidermyer and rafalski the devils defense isnt that good, but the fact they play the trap and a defensive style of game helps them overcome most of that. I dont get the point that esche has never started yet, since every goalie has to get there first playoff start at some point..DUH. Anyway im not changin my opinion that its the flyers in 6

And yes apparently paul kariya is ***, and deserves to be injured according to devildude. If you seriously are happy when ppl get injured then something is wrong with you(unless your happy when ex Domi gets injured since he plays dirty and coulda killed niedermyer a few yrs ago). Your prolly just mad no good offensive player in the NHL would take a paycut to play for the devils.

[NoPlayoff4Rngrs]

Suppaman......explain to us what you think a trap defense is....and how you think it differs from the way other teams play d.

The fact is...."Trap" is just a excuse people use for teams that play great D.

[SuppaMan]

The fact is...."Trap" is just a excuse people use for teams that play great D.

and yet again devils fans prove me wrong, just when i think what they say cant get any dumber, they go and do this....AND TOTALLY DO NOT REEDEM THEMSELVES :lol:

how can you be a real hockey fan, im guessing you've never played as you probably dont understand any hockey strategies what so ever

[DevilDude26]

SuppaMan is an idiot. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Yes I am happy that Kariya is injured because I hate that guy and the aves because they are always overrated.

[NoPlayoff4Rngrs]

you're a genius, we are all ignorant.....but you still haven't answered the question.....let that speak for itself.

DEVILS IN 5

PHILLY TEAMS ALL CHOKE!!!


As for your comment of "TEAM TALENT".......ALL 3 devils cup wins came without a scorer in the top 20. Must be some type of depth there....huh?
And your comment of always relying on defense......in 2001 the Devils were the TOP SCORING team in the league....and made it to game 7 of the finals....since you are an Avs fan, im sure you didnt forget that.

Everyone just seems to HOPE the Devils lose.....they may be the most HATED team in the league....but then again....everyone hates a winner.

We'll have to see who gets the last laugh.

GO DEVILS!!!!!!!!!!!

[SuppaMan]

your talking as if the series is over, its not it hasnt even started yet

SuppaMan is an idiot.
Yes I am happy that Kariya is injured because I hate that guy and the aves because they are always overrated.

Its sad that you hate someone that isnt a bad person and are happy when they get hurt, thats just plain sick. Apparently that was also very hilarious and warranted as many "lol" faces as you put. But to call someone an idiot and then not even spell correctly, thats like the p ot calling the kettle black.

[Champ]

Noplayoffs4rngrs:they (NJ) may be the most HATED team in the league

I know what you were saying but i think that title is held by the most loved team...the leafs. There are sooooooooooo many leaf haters out there its not funny. I would say that the leafs are both the most loved and hated team in the NHL...sorry but NJ really isn't that popular, that's kinda funny too b/c they win cups...

Champ 8)

[Lucretia]

As for your comment of "TEAM TALENT".......ALL 3 devils cup wins came without a scorer in the top 20. Must be some type of depth there....huh?
And your comment of always relying on defense......in 2001 the Devils were the TOP SCORING team in the league....and made it to game 7 of the finals....since you are an Avs fan, im sure you didnt forget that.


All good points, unlike saying the trap is the reason the Devils win. What a load of horse***t. Many teams play some variation of the trap. The difference is that not only are the Devils good at it (and there trap is much looser now than in years past) but they are one of, if not the most, fundamentally sound teams defensively. Defense and goaltending win Cups, for the most part.

[OrangeAndBlack]

Suppaman......explain to us what you think a trap defense is....and how you think it differs from the way other teams play d.

The fact is...."Trap" is just a excuse people use for teams that play great D.

Hmmmm....I'm starting to think none of you know what the trap is.
Maybe I'm missing something here....but NP4R...are you saying that there is no difference between the trap and regualr defence????

Trap is just an excuse for blah blah blah?!?!?! You're kidding right...please tell me that was sarcasm.....

[NoPlayoff4Rngrs]

Enough of all the BS......on with the games.....should be a couple of GREAT series in the EASt....Devs vs. Flyers and Leafs vs. Sens......the bad part is that these teams will all weaken each other for the second round....we'll have to see what happens.

[GoYanks016]

Enough of all the BS......on with the games.....should be a couple of GREAT series in the EASt....Devs vs. Flyers and Leafs vs. Sens......the bad part is that these teams will all weaken each other for the second round....we'll have to see what happens.

Add on the MTL-BOS (kind of a rivalry) and NYI-TB (TB favortie, but NYI took 3/4 in regular season)

Don't forget the West.. ah, go ahead, forget the West, only interesting thing there is how nobody but me knows Nashville can sweep Detroit.. go ahead, call me crazy... but don't forget the 2003 Anaheim Mighty Ducks!