I know over the years many of you have voiced that you don't care for this player.  However, for a 4th and a 7th round pick.  I would take him and plug him into that third line.  He scored some big goals in the Devils run last year.  If he can play in New Jersey's system, something tells me he might be a good fit in Claude's as well.  In addition, at 1.8 million, his contract is only 200 k more than Gregory Campbell, very favorable number to plug in if you ask me.

Red can back me up here with my assertion that "Pony" was absolutely dreadful as a Jet to the point that fans were openly mocking him. Chevy was lucky to get anything for this guy the way he was playing.......

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/8945636/new-jersey-devils-acquire-alexei-ponikarovsky-winnipeg-jets

Lou Lamoriello beat us too it Mean....

 

Red can back me up here with my assertion that "Pony" was absolutely dreadful as a Jet to the point that fans were openly mocking him. Chevy was lucky to get anything for this guy the way he was playing.......

[/QUOTE]

I hear you.  I just think this guy needs to be in the right system and under the right leadership for his game to flourish.  Even with his poor start in the Peg, I would still take him over Bourque.

In response to MeanE's comment:

I hear you.  I just think this guy needs to be in the right system and under the right leadership for his game to flourish.  Even with his poor start in the Peg, I would still take him over Bourque.

[/QUOTE]


you may be right....I just have an aversion to TO castoffs....:)

In response to SanDogBrewin's comment:

My concern is that Shero & Lou are active even though their teams are leaders in the East.  PC has stated, "But if there are good deals that come early, you have to be in the ballgame. We're in the ballgame now. That was the proactive approach that we wanted to take here."  This is a time where I feel he should have been in the game.  Hopefully he has one up his sleeve, because I just don't like Bourque on the 3rd line.

You wish we had picked up Ponikarovsky? 2 goals and a -2 over 12 games this season? Pass.

In response to lambda13's comment:

better stats than Bourque....just sayin.

True, but I'm not trading anything worthwhile for Bourque or Ponikarovsky. We got Bourque for Hamill. I'd say that's a steal regardless.

I wouldn't even trade Bourque for Poni sraight up. He has been absolutley useless and his points were both pretty close to flukes. He hasn't been able to play away from the puck at all. He's been such a non-factor I almost forgot hat he was even on the Jets. A 7th and a 4th for a player they signed as a free agent who has been a no-show this season? That's a coup for Chevy.

In response to MeanE's comment:

Yah I hear yah but also when thinking of numbers you have to think of system fits. Red is stating syanora but Ponikarovsky might be better system fit for NJ than Peg.

PC is waiting for things to loosen up a bit more IMO, meaning more teams are out of the hunt for a playoff spot and the asking price goes to a GM who has just been ordered to cut payroll and plan for the future. Chiarelli is being more patient becuase he can afford to be when your team is in 1st place and he just survived a rash of injuries.

I would never play poker against PC...ever.

In response to red75's comment:

If we are going to base a player on the first 11-15 games of this season only, the Bruins have some pretty useless players as well, and besides Bourque, aren't having to learn a new system with new teammates.  A 7th & a 4th is good for Chevy, but my guess is that Ponikarovsky will be more valuable for the Devils in the short term for sure, and most likely the long term as well.  The Bruins, as were most of us, were hoping that Bourque would bring his offensive prowess to the NHL, with a change of scenery.  After 11 games, it doesn't appear that way, and he doesn't have a history of scoring 20 goals in this league.  

San, maybe you're right that he'll be a better fit in NJ, but he wouldn't have been a better fit in Boston. CJ's and Noel's styles are very similar - if he didn't fit in for Noel, he wouldn't for CJ.

I guess the Devils decided to pony up.;]

In response to lambda13's comment:

Why is that a steal? Hamill's career numbers are better than Bourque has managed, even with Bourque's recent hot streak included. Bourque is bringing down the play of the entire 3rd line. He is an anchor. I feel bad for the kid. He seems nice but I can't wait until he's gone.

In response to dezaruchi's comment:

Plus Bourque is getting ample PP time, and a decent amount of overall icetime. Hamill got neither. for the record, I am no fan of either of them.....

I'm not either. Hamill was an anchor too. He could hardly do anything worth mentioning. I defended him at the time but the more I think back the less impressed I become. It's a steal because I would rather see a Bourque wandering around then a bust that used to be a first round draft pick. It's bad memories of what could have been.

In response to red75's comment:

Or Lou Lam doesn't want to wait for an adjustment period for his 1st place team. Whatever Lou liked or likes about Poni it wasn't working in Peg.

@50 "I guess the Devils decided to pony up." Ba Zing!

In response to lambda13's comment:

I guess I just don't understand your thought process. Seeing a 27 year old Bourque performing at this level tells me he's unlikely to improve much. At least with a young guy like Hamill, there's still at least a glimmer of hope that he can become a serviceable NHL player.

I was hoping for something a little more for that 3rd line then Ponikarovsky. Glad PC passed.

 

 

 

No thanks to old players who were average in their prime.

In response to Not-A-Shot's comment:

Are you satisfied with a below average player in his prime?

In response to MeanE's comment:

 

 

Are you satisfied with a below average player in his prime?

 

 

lol....got to agree with NAS on this one, however. "Pony" is not a good  investment for this team in my opinion.

 

In response to MeanE's comment:

I am satisfied with being one point out of first in the conference with two games in hand.  Why aren't you?

In response to Not-A-Shot's comment:

or a point up in the division with two in hand.