Many questioned the trade for Kovalchuk last year, and many more questioned it when the Devils looked just terrible against the Flyers in the playoffs. I attended every game of the series and Kovalchuk was not the reason they lost that series. The Devils stopped playing Devils hockey. Kovalchuk gave 200% out there. If anything it could be said he was guilty of trying too hard in that series. Trying to do everything himself. Kovalchuk and maybe Zubrus were the only two Devils who showed up against the Flyers.

The coaching staff from the Devils was baffled. The Devils players weren't listening to their coaches and the coaches were openly admitting that what was being worked on in practice was being ignored. And worse, when they went to the players to ask why they were ignoring it all....all they were getting back were blank stares.

People were quick to say the Kovalchuk experiment was an epic fail.

So what did the Devils do? They signed him for one of the largest contracts in history.

Why did they do it?

They did it because Kovalchuk legitimately loved being a Devil. He loved his teammates, and when you look at what happened last year on the ice, that was surprising. Yet he wanted to be a Devil. And they made him a Devil.

When Kovalchuk signed with NJ many were shocked and saying it was "very Un-Lamoriello" to do so. It was very un-Lamoriello to bring him into the Red and Black in the first place.

Why did Lou trade for him and then sign him?

Well, there is no team that is more closed off to rumors and leaks than the NJ Devils, so that has left us all to speculate. The common speculation around the NHL has been that Lou had no choice in the matter. This was a call from above. Ownership wanted NJ to get their own Crosby, their own Ovechkin. We honestly don't know.

What we do know is there were all sorts of murmurs that Lamoriello coming back to NJ for this season was NOT a given, and it took them a long time to sign him to his extension. Again, the murmurs were there was rift about what to do with Kovalchuk.

Then came the first Kovalchuk signing and the Press conference. Again, rumors that the NHL told Lamoriello not to hold the presser until the NHL looked into the deal. More rumors, this time that Lamoriello told ownership to not hold the press conference, but they did anyway.

Then came the rumors when the NHL nixed the deal that Lamoriello was thrilled he wouldn't have to gut his team. Then the deal is worked out and rumors that Lamoriello may leave NJ after the season and take the GM job for the Rangers.

But REMEMBER this. These all may be total speculation and we honestly have no idea what is going on in NJ...

So fast forward to last night...Kovalchuk is scratched by the coach. A healthy scratch. Shock waves went through the Philly press box despite the fact the Flyers were playing the Leafs, the Devils scratching Kovalchuk was news.

The Devils went out last night and played terrible hockey, losing 6-1 at home to Buffalo, and it's hard to remember a lower point in the regular season than last night was in NJ for these Devils.

Coach John MacLean is saying the scratching is between Kovalchuk and himself.

So why was Kovalchuk scratched?

Talking to sources today it may all come back to Devil's hockey. The source I spoke to believes Kovalchuk was scratched because the of the rest of the team, and NOT because of Kovalchuk. That MacLean went to him and basically said, "For years we have worked as a unit here. As a well-oiled machine, and these guys have never had a superstar to bail them out."

Essentially the theory is the Devils have been waiting for Kovalchuk to do something and not taking it on themselves. You know how sometimes a team comes together and plays better when they lose their star player to injury? John MacLean was hoping for that result last night. Like pulling your goalie even if it isn't really your goalie's fault, but just to make a point to the rest of the team. Hoping the team would rally and pick up their play.

John MacLean said continually last night, "Only Kovalchuk and I know why Kovalchuk was scratched."

Ilya is a good team player. Always has been. He has a ton of character. I can completely see MacLean saying to him, "I am going to scratch you to try and get everyone else to stop watching and start doing."

The result wasn't positive last night, and today there are murmurs Kovalchuk could be benched again tonight against the Rangers.

No, it was not a mistake to sign Kovalchuk.

In the end, I do believe the NJ Devils will be OK. There is a learning curve to going from a team which plays "all for one one for all" hockey to a team with a legit superstar. It will take time and in a league of parity time is always short.

There is a learning curve for the Superstar as well. To go from a team built around him to a team built as a team.

The Devils haven't had superstar forwards in the past. Actually, that is completely wrong. Zach Parise is a superstar. People don't look at him as a superstar, but he is.

And maybe there is your answer. Parise has to play a team game and give up some of his "superstar props" to be successful NJ Devil.


It will only get more interesting from here.

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