#7 Philadelphia knocks out #2 New Jersey

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Kovalchuk will make the league max in LA. He's like Hossa. A playoff choke. Although he has only been in the playoffs twice so maybe he should be cut a bit of slack.

Kovalchuk and Kopitar on the same line...

[edicius 3,269]

I'll say it again:

In Lou we trust bust.

[TheDetroitRedWings 286]

And they did it without their starting goalie. Boucher was actually very sub par the past 3 weeks leading up to the post season. But he's turned it on, and so have the rest of the flyers. This is definitely the biggest surprise for me so far during the playoffs. I thought for sure the devils would win in 7. Philly proved they're the better playoff team. I don't see them going to the finals or anything. But still, mad respect for not just beating, but destroying a very solid cup contender like new jersey.

[mmamolo 287]

Over dramatic? He played for Atlanta and how do you rest a team's fate on 1 player? The Devils have had 3 straight first round eliminations and you want to put Kovy on a pedestal.

Bud, take it easy. THat comment was meant to be taken in jest. It wasn't serious.

[stevkrause 1,247]

The KHL is gonna throw a huge offer at him.I wouldn't be surprised if he left the NHL.Paul Martin is a UFA,isn't he?I haven't really heard much about him as far as if he's gonna hit free agency or re-sign with the Devils.

The KHL just had it's largest team fold and is about to fold as a whole league... no way they can afford him now, some NHL team will give him 9 a year and 9 a year living in the US > 12 a year in Russia anyway...

Kovalchuk will make the league max in LA. He's like Hossa. A playoff choke. Although he has only been in the playoffs twice so maybe he should be cut a bit of slack.

6 pts in 5 games... I'd hardly call that a choke...

...So if Lids retires could we fit Kovs in next year? would we want to? Dats~Kovalchuk...wait is he an RFA or UFA?

UFA, but we can't afford him UNLESS Nick retires... no way possible...

with that said, I never want to see the day come where Nick retires, but if it HAS to come, Kovy would be a nice consolation prize...

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

The KHL just had it's largest team fold and is about to fold as a whole league... no way they can afford him now, some NHL team will give him 9 a year and 9 a year living in the US > 12 a year in Russia anyway...

6 pts in 5 games... I'd hardly call that a choke...

UFA, but we can't afford him UNLESS Nick retires... no way possible...

with that said, I never want to see the day come where Nick retires, but if it HAS to come, Kovy would be a nice consolation prize...

IF Nick retires,Brent Seabrook would be a nice consolation prize.

[stevkrause 1,247]

IF Nick retires,Brent Seabrook would be a nice consolation prize.

No chance - There's no way in HELL he EVER even sniffs FA... Chicago will re-sign him.

[Carman 387]

A lot of talk about NJ trying to get Carey Price.

They need to do something.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

No chance - There's no way in HELL he EVER even sniffs FA... Chicago will re-sign him.

True.They're gonna have to let a few guys go tho.Their cap issue is BAD

[stevkrause 1,247]

True.They're gonna have to let a few guys go tho.Their cap issue is BAD

but Keith and Seabrook will be neither of those... they are the CORE of their defense... I'm sure they'll get someone to take Campbell's bloated contract by attaching someone like Versteeg or Sharp to the deal, for little in return, basically trading cap space for value...

Sharp and Campbell to Carolina for high picks, prospects and maybe someone like Alexandre Picard in return?

I could see something like that happening... Carolina gets a bonafide top 6 guy and a top 4 D and Chicago gets some prospects and high picks and a ton of cap relief... makes sense to me...

[Guest screwdahawks]

Does anyone else think playing Brodeur 75+ games a year might not be the best strategy going into the playoffs?

Especially when their backups have been having equal or better stats the past couple years.

Is the guy just padding his stats at this point?

I was thinking the same thing. He's gonna be 38 next month. In my mind I can still do what I did 10 years ago but my body just can't manage to follow through..... 60 games should be the max for any goalie. Kipper has the same problem as Brodeur in my opinion.....

[stevkrause 1,247]

I was thinking the same thing. He's gonna be 38 next month. In my mind I can still do what I did 10 years ago but my body just can't manage to follow through..... 60 games should be the max for any goalie. Kipper has the same problem as Brodeur in my opinion.....

I'd go one further and say that 50-55 should be the max for any starter, considering he's probably going to need at least another 20-25 to win a Stanley cup and the fatigue factor on goalies is very clear...

Kipper will never win a cup for that very reason, they play him too much and when it comes to play important games, he's out of gas...

[Guest mindfly]

A lot of talk about NJ trying to get Carey Price.

They need to do something.

He's a RFA and the offer sheet will be more than 3.5M or whatever so it will require 1st rounders and stuff, and NJ already sent a 1st rounder to atlanta in the kovie deal, not very smart to be without first rounders 2 years in a row...for the future that is.

[Carman 387]

He's a RFA and the offer sheet will be more than 3.5M or whatever so it will require 1st rounders and stuff, and NJ already sent a 1st rounder to atlanta in the kovie deal, not very smart to be without first rounders 2 years in a row...for the future that is.

The talk is about shipping Langenbrunner out possibly.

[Finnish Wing 110]

I think Flyers winning was not a surprise at all. They had a good record against Devils in the regular season. I watched two Flyers-Devils games in the regular season and they looked solid.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

but Keith and Seabrook will be neither of those... they are the CORE of their defense... I'm sure they'll get someone to take Campbell's bloated contract by attaching someone like Versteeg or Sharp to the deal, for little in return, basically trading cap space for value...

Sharp and Campbell to Carolina for high picks, prospects and maybe someone like Alexandre Picard in return?

I could see something like that happening... Carolina gets a bonafide top 6 guy and a top 4 D and Chicago gets some prospects and high picks and a ton of cap relief... makes sense to me...

Sharp and Versteeg have been rumored to be leaving ever since the deadline.

[brett 1,029]

i actually called this upset. philly beat devils 5 times out of 6 regular season, devils kryptonite

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Why is this a surprise? Philly has owned Jersey all year.

Brodeur has now been outplayed in the playoffs since the lockout by guys like Ray Emery, Brian Boucher and Cam Ward.

Yet no one in the hockey media is as willing to criticize him as they are willing to suck him off whenever Jersey wins. I'm tired of the blind love Fatso gets.

Yeah, I can't believe this. Who would've thought Philly would even win the series - let alone be the first team to do so?

I did, and I also picked Boston to beat Buffalo.

I'm on pace to go 8-0 right now the way things are looking. First time for everything I guess.

[egroen 384]

Why is this a surprise? Philly has owned Jersey all year.

Brodeur has now been outplayed in the playoffs since the lockout by guys like Ray Emery, Brian Boucher and Cam Ward.

Yet no one in the hockey media is as willing to criticize him as they are willing to suck him off whenever Jersey wins. I'm tired of the blind love Fatso gets.

Considering the voters love affair with the Games Played and Shut Outs stats for goalies, he could continue to pull in Vezina nominations for the next 5 years... with 5 more first-round exits.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Considering the voters love affair with the Games Played and Shut Outs stats for goalies, he could continue to pull in Vezina nominations for the next 5 years... with 5 more first-round exits.

I just know that the NHL media will blame Kovalchuk or Jersey's other offensive stars, and will leave Brodeur mostly free of blame.

I hate that he has earned some kind of immunity for winning Cups by playing on defensive minded teams that employed the "trap". He deserves a lot of blame in this series and for their previous playoff failures. No way should "the greatest goalie ever" (yeah right) be outplayed by Brian Boucher.

[Finnish Wing 110]

Speaking of overrating Brodeur. Have you guys watched any Devils games with the Devils feed? I don't know what's the name of the commentator there (Chico maybe?) but after EVERY goal the Devils allow he's trying to explain why Brodeur had no chance on that one. It's just so ridiculous to listen as he always blames the defenders or the luck or just praises how the shot was the best he has seen. Brodeur makes no mistakes, I guess.

[esteef 2,679]

Playoff Hockey.

esteef

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Sept 4, 2009 - Flyers v Wings finals prediction

course right afterword I predicted Leino would be scoring 35...oops.

I at least got the coyotes not in Canada thing right!

[NGKEIB 32]

I'm honestly not that surprised - the Flyers ran roughshod over them in the regular season, and have a lot of players who are built for the playoffs. New Jersey has a recent history of playoff disappointment, so it's nice to see them keep that up.

Shame about Carter and Gagne though. It will be interesting to see Leino try to adapt to postseason NHL hockey.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Why is this a surprise? Philly has owned Jersey all year.

Brodeur has now been outplayed in the playoffs since the lockout by guys like Ray Emery, Brian Boucher and Cam Ward.

Yet no one in the hockey media is as willing to criticize him as they are willing to suck him off whenever Jersey wins. I'm tired of the blind love Fatso gets.

I did, and I also picked Boston to beat Buffalo.

I'm on pace to go 8-0 right now the way things are looking. First time for everything I guess.

It's a surprise, because they're not the same teams, AT ALL, that met in the regular season...