Firm but fair, baby. Firm but fair. For the multitude of ways in which some Devils' fans have chosen to start picking apart a head coach who hasn't exactly had the greatest run of things on a lame hamstring of a lineup since signing his contract extension, it's important to remember why his players appreciate him so much. For better or worse, he's a guy who pulls no punches in calling it like he sees it. Considering Keith Kinkaid's extremely forgiving self-evaluation, I can't think of someone who was more in need of being dialed back from their own self-deception, and you can't hit the 'fuck you' button on the firmness of a one word answer combined with the fairness of a more objective opinion. That's not to put last night's loss entirely on a goaltender who has taken what little trade value he might have had at the turn of the calendar and cleared it blindly to the tape of opposing players in and around his own departed crease. After all, the Devils damn near skated their defensive zone dry in chasing around the Penguins during a second period that proved to be the difference. It is, however, to scoff at the idea of "bad bounces" belaboring another below average performance. In a game that ended in a one goal defeat, one goal against was brutal and another was stoppable. That doesn't mean the game was lost by Keith Kinkaid, of course, but his contribution certainly wasn't of the positive variety...
Personally, I find it refreshing that, even in a lost season, John Hynes is hunting the most harmless ducking of responsibilities. In my uneducated opinion, accountability is what has kept close a locker room that's endured far too much losing for anyone, none the least of which an underperforming goaltender, to be blaming it on bad bounces. Therefore, as harsh as it may read, that blunt disagreement was nothing more than a head coach doing some cultural maintenance for a team whose future doesn't stand to be made any brighter by any player adopting the "well, I could have been worse" perspective. Especially one who shares a crease with a guy who has held himself completely culpable despite having to bear the brunt of much less fortuitous circumstances this season.
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