Goaltenders
30 - Martin Brodeur
31 - Jeff Frazee
35 - Yann Danis
40 - Mike McKenna
50 - Gerald Coleman
60 - Dave Caruso
70 - Jeff Lerg
Defensemen
2 - Jay Leach
5 - Colin White
6 - Andy Greene
7 - Paul Martin
24 - Bryce Salvador
27 - Mike Mottau
28 - Cory Murphy
29 - Johnny Oduya
32 - Matt Corrente
33 - Mark Fraser
34 - Rob Davison
36 - Olivier Magnan
37 - Tyler Eckford
38 - Alexander Urbom
39 - Matt Cohen
41 - Harry Young
42 - Eric Gelinas
43 - Matt Delahey
65 - Matt Taorima
Left Wings
9 - Zach Parise
12 - Brian Rolston
20 - Jay Pandolfo
22 - Pierre-Luc Leblond
52 - Alexander Vasyunov
54 - Myles Stoesz
56 - Brad Snetsinger
58 - Louis Robitaille
61 - Ashton Bernard
64 - Kory Nagy
66 - Jean-Sebastien Berube
67 - Eric Castonguay
Centers
8 - Dainius Zubrus
10 - Rod Pelley
19 - Travis Zajac
26 - Patrik Elias
45 - Ben Walter
47 - Tim Sestito
53 - Michael Swift
55 - Stephen Gionta
57 - Patrice Cormier
59 - Adam Henrique
68 - Brad Mills
Right Wings
14 - Brendan Shanahan
15 - Jamie Langenbrunner
17 - Ilkka Pikkarainen
18 - Niclas Bergfors
23 - David Clarkson
44 - Kevin Cormier
48 - Vladimir Zharkov
49 - Nathan Perkovich
51 - Patrick Davis
62 - Nick Palmieri
63 - Matt Halischuk
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
NJ Devils: What To Do Next
To this point in the summer, the New Jersey Devils have laid out their plans and executed. The gameplan this summer is youth movement, and save for the Cory Murphy signing, that is exactly what's happened. The signing of Murphy gives the Devils 8 defensemen who could potentially play with the big club this season, and that's ignoring the fact that a strong training camp from Matt Corrente and/or Tyler Eckford can only increase that number. So working with the exact lineup of the Devils right now, here is what I would do in the GM's chair.
1. Re-Sign Brendan Shanahan to a 1-year contract.
I know there is a lot of interest in Shanahan, but as long as the price is not outrageous, the Devils need to do everything they can to bring Shanny back for one more season. He has been a solid addition to our group of forwards, provides solid veteran leadership, and would make a terrific role model for the young players who make the roster...he's also at the point in his career where all this will come at a reasonable price. I would set my limit at about $1.2 million, so if we can bring him back for one year at or below that price, I call this a no-brainer.
2. Can Rolston play center? If not, get one.
It was a short-lived experiment, but Rolston centering Elias and Gionta was a great line idea that was never given the proper time to pan out. Gionta is gone, but Nicklas Bergfors can slide into that right wing spot. Rolston has played center before, and has publicly called Jacques Lemaire the best coach he's ever had. The two have a great working relationship, and if the coaching staff can help Rolston take on a center role, we find ourselves with two quality scoring lines without having to spend any more money. Of course, Rolston has to be willing to take on this role...if he's not, the hole must be filled some other way. Nevertheless, the biggest hole on the Devils is at the center position right now. Which is semi-related to the next point...
3. Unload a defenseman or two...
I know that nobody is going to want Mike Mottau or Jay Leach, but they are clearly the weakest links on defense right now. Perhaps instead of praying to get someone of value in return, the Devils can further the draft movement by turning these spare parts into later round draft picks. I know many people don't see Mike Mottau as a spare part, but I do. He was reliable, but way too indicative of what the Devils defense has too much of: good enough, but not great defensemen. Maybe he can fetch a depth forward in return, but if not, I would trade both for draft picks. We're going to need those roster spots on defense to make room for the two or three defensive prospects that may be ready for primetime.
4. Let Jeff Frazee continue to develop.
The mere thought that Jeff Frazee could be backing up Martin Brodeur this season is ridiculous to me. He's had one good season, and will need at least one more before he should be considered for such a thing. With Yann Danis now in the fold, the Devils can and should give Frazee all the playing time he can handle in Lowell. Calling him up once in a while for a little trial-by-fire certainly won't hurt, but Frazee should spend most of the year gaining actual playing experience.
5. Ignore everyone around you.
I just don't get people. For the past two years, hoardes of Devils fans have been calling for a youth movement. "The Devils are too old, they're too slow, it's time for change." Well change is now here, and yet all I see around blogs are an endless barrage of comments berating Lou for "not doing anything," "running the team into the ground," etc. Am I the only one who has put two and two together here? This IS the youth movement you've all been calling for, get over yourselves and stop whining! We're better for playing it safe with our finances anyway; worst-case scenario, the cap doesn't go down like we thought it would, we spend the money on talent; best-case scenario, the cap does go down like we thought it would, we're sitting pretty while teams like Philadelphia desperately try to get under the cap...we pick up a quality player or two.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree? I'd love to hear it.
1. Re-Sign Brendan Shanahan to a 1-year contract.
I know there is a lot of interest in Shanahan, but as long as the price is not outrageous, the Devils need to do everything they can to bring Shanny back for one more season. He has been a solid addition to our group of forwards, provides solid veteran leadership, and would make a terrific role model for the young players who make the roster...he's also at the point in his career where all this will come at a reasonable price. I would set my limit at about $1.2 million, so if we can bring him back for one year at or below that price, I call this a no-brainer.
2. Can Rolston play center? If not, get one.
It was a short-lived experiment, but Rolston centering Elias and Gionta was a great line idea that was never given the proper time to pan out. Gionta is gone, but Nicklas Bergfors can slide into that right wing spot. Rolston has played center before, and has publicly called Jacques Lemaire the best coach he's ever had. The two have a great working relationship, and if the coaching staff can help Rolston take on a center role, we find ourselves with two quality scoring lines without having to spend any more money. Of course, Rolston has to be willing to take on this role...if he's not, the hole must be filled some other way. Nevertheless, the biggest hole on the Devils is at the center position right now. Which is semi-related to the next point...
3. Unload a defenseman or two...
I know that nobody is going to want Mike Mottau or Jay Leach, but they are clearly the weakest links on defense right now. Perhaps instead of praying to get someone of value in return, the Devils can further the draft movement by turning these spare parts into later round draft picks. I know many people don't see Mike Mottau as a spare part, but I do. He was reliable, but way too indicative of what the Devils defense has too much of: good enough, but not great defensemen. Maybe he can fetch a depth forward in return, but if not, I would trade both for draft picks. We're going to need those roster spots on defense to make room for the two or three defensive prospects that may be ready for primetime.
4. Let Jeff Frazee continue to develop.
The mere thought that Jeff Frazee could be backing up Martin Brodeur this season is ridiculous to me. He's had one good season, and will need at least one more before he should be considered for such a thing. With Yann Danis now in the fold, the Devils can and should give Frazee all the playing time he can handle in Lowell. Calling him up once in a while for a little trial-by-fire certainly won't hurt, but Frazee should spend most of the year gaining actual playing experience.
5. Ignore everyone around you.
I just don't get people. For the past two years, hoardes of Devils fans have been calling for a youth movement. "The Devils are too old, they're too slow, it's time for change." Well change is now here, and yet all I see around blogs are an endless barrage of comments berating Lou for "not doing anything," "running the team into the ground," etc. Am I the only one who has put two and two together here? This IS the youth movement you've all been calling for, get over yourselves and stop whining! We're better for playing it safe with our finances anyway; worst-case scenario, the cap doesn't go down like we thought it would, we spend the money on talent; best-case scenario, the cap does go down like we thought it would, we're sitting pretty while teams like Philadelphia desperately try to get under the cap...we pick up a quality player or two.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree? I'd love to hear it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Back to the Future IV: The French Connection
Ah, mid-July. The time of year when its very easy to get away from all things hockey related. Free agency has died down to a trickle, and most players and executives are on vacation. It’s the time of year when a mid-scrimmage fight at prospects camp becomes the top headline on a team’s website. Except of course, if you’re the New Jersey Devils, who still did not have a head coach to replace the grandest of all liars, Brent Sutter. And suddenly, the floodgates opened. Jacques Lemaire, back in the fold, bringing Mario Tremblay with him. MacLean accepting head coaching job in Lowell. Scott Stevens becoming an active tutor, Chris Terreri slowly but surely succeeding Jacques Caron as goaltending coach. Sure, no players were involved, but it was nonetheless a rather busy day by Devils standards. And while those of us here in Jersey (read: reality) love the signing, even if it comes with a tiny bit of skepticism, the hockey media is having a field day with it.
Okay, The Hockey News, we get it, it’s cool to hate Lemaire and it’s cool to hate the Devils. In fact I’m pretty sure you’re the ones who started that trend. You must be so proud. To be honest, THN, I don’t much care what you have to say. I’ve learned over the years that your writers are very much the hockey equivalents of Rush Limbaugh. You say things for shock value, not because you actually believe them. So fine, have your fun…preach like a darn prophet that 2010 will be 1995 all over again. Hey, if it means we win the Cup, you won’t find me complaining as we trap and clutch and grab our way to a parade down Mulberry Street.
But enough about those hacks. I’m here to talk about why Jacques Lemaire will be a great coach. Now, as usual, I’ve broken my argument down into easy-to-digest numbered points…nice and easy to read for all you THN writers out there. Keep practicing friends, you’ll get there.
1. Jacques works well with the young players.
Jacques Lemaire was terrific with a young Martin Brodeur, among other Devils youngsters, back in the mid 1990s, and considering the era of Devils history we are about to undergo this is the guy you want around. He knows how to get the most out of young talent, which means—oh dear god, Nicklas Bergfors might actually be played where he belongs and NOT on the fourth line? I must be dreaming.
2. Jacques can deal with Lou.
It takes a special breed to be able to play to the demands of master micromanager Lou Lamoriello and also manage to keep one’s sanity intact. Lemaire is such a coach. Not that Sutter wasn’t, but he quit on us and left, so…not really a relevant point anymore.
3. Jacques is probably just a placeholder.
John MacLean was just named the head coach of the Lowell Devils. Since I seem to see these things coming quite frequently, my early guess is that MacLean will get some head coaching experience in Lowell and be groomed to succeed Lemaire in a few years. It makes too much sense not to happen. Think about it…Bruce Boudreau and Dan Bylsma are now coaching a substantial crop of young players they had already coached in the AHL. With the new youth movement in full swing here in Jersey, MacLean may be about to meet the very same players he will be coaching in the NHL when his time comes. The players grow with the coach and vice versa, everybody wins.
Now this is not to say Lemaire hasn’t lost his touch, and might somehow believe that 1990s hockey can still succeed when we all know it really can’t. But early comments from both Lemaire and Lamoriello suggest the perfect scenario where success is almost guaranteed. Lemaire will come in and solidify the defensive side of our game, which clearly needs intensive rehab after last year’s playoffs. At the same time, he maintains the offense and the forechecking, and plays to the strengths of players like Parise and Elias, something he is also infamous for.
The players all want him, Lou wanted him, and most Devils fans wanted him. All he has to do is show up, leave the offense alone while solidifying the back end, and we can kill two birds with one stone; the one how Lemaire is bad for hockey, and the one that he won’t get his name on the Cup for the 12th time.
Okay, The Hockey News, we get it, it’s cool to hate Lemaire and it’s cool to hate the Devils. In fact I’m pretty sure you’re the ones who started that trend. You must be so proud. To be honest, THN, I don’t much care what you have to say. I’ve learned over the years that your writers are very much the hockey equivalents of Rush Limbaugh. You say things for shock value, not because you actually believe them. So fine, have your fun…preach like a darn prophet that 2010 will be 1995 all over again. Hey, if it means we win the Cup, you won’t find me complaining as we trap and clutch and grab our way to a parade down Mulberry Street.
But enough about those hacks. I’m here to talk about why Jacques Lemaire will be a great coach. Now, as usual, I’ve broken my argument down into easy-to-digest numbered points…nice and easy to read for all you THN writers out there. Keep practicing friends, you’ll get there.
1. Jacques works well with the young players.
Jacques Lemaire was terrific with a young Martin Brodeur, among other Devils youngsters, back in the mid 1990s, and considering the era of Devils history we are about to undergo this is the guy you want around. He knows how to get the most out of young talent, which means—oh dear god, Nicklas Bergfors might actually be played where he belongs and NOT on the fourth line? I must be dreaming.
2. Jacques can deal with Lou.
It takes a special breed to be able to play to the demands of master micromanager Lou Lamoriello and also manage to keep one’s sanity intact. Lemaire is such a coach. Not that Sutter wasn’t, but he quit on us and left, so…not really a relevant point anymore.
3. Jacques is probably just a placeholder.
John MacLean was just named the head coach of the Lowell Devils. Since I seem to see these things coming quite frequently, my early guess is that MacLean will get some head coaching experience in Lowell and be groomed to succeed Lemaire in a few years. It makes too much sense not to happen. Think about it…Bruce Boudreau and Dan Bylsma are now coaching a substantial crop of young players they had already coached in the AHL. With the new youth movement in full swing here in Jersey, MacLean may be about to meet the very same players he will be coaching in the NHL when his time comes. The players grow with the coach and vice versa, everybody wins.
Now this is not to say Lemaire hasn’t lost his touch, and might somehow believe that 1990s hockey can still succeed when we all know it really can’t. But early comments from both Lemaire and Lamoriello suggest the perfect scenario where success is almost guaranteed. Lemaire will come in and solidify the defensive side of our game, which clearly needs intensive rehab after last year’s playoffs. At the same time, he maintains the offense and the forechecking, and plays to the strengths of players like Parise and Elias, something he is also infamous for.
The players all want him, Lou wanted him, and most Devils fans wanted him. All he has to do is show up, leave the offense alone while solidifying the back end, and we can kill two birds with one stone; the one how Lemaire is bad for hockey, and the one that he won’t get his name on the Cup for the 12th time.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Free Agency Ain't Free
Though the 2009 NHL free agency period is just a day old, it’s already become clear what the Devils’ message is going forward.
Every year since the lockout, the trend has been the same. Have an outstanding regular season, clinch a playoff spot, possibly win the division, then proceed to play like garbage in the playoffs, leading to a first or second round exit. It’s a brick wall that Lou Lamoriello is tired of running into.
What is currently transpiring in the Devils Legion is not unlike two previous offseasons in the Devils’ history, those of 1998 and 2002. The Devils are usually a fairly stagnant team with minimal roster turnover every season, but once in a while when Lamoriello gets really sick of losing, he shuffles the deck. Time for a legal flashback, set your wayback machine to 1998.
During the season, after trading original Devil John MacLean, the Devils pulled off a deal that would prove historic: Bill Guerin and Valeri Zelepukin went to Edmonton for Bryan Muir and one Jason Arnott. At the time, Arnott had loads of potential but had not yet blossomed. Though he had been somewhat of a bust during his tenure with Edmonton, the right situation brought out the best in Arnott, who would go on to score the Cup-clinching goal in 2000. The next summer, the Devils signed the best player in the world not already in the NHL, Brian Rafalski, an undrafted enigma from Michigan playing in Finland. At the same time, fans saw the entrance of a new rookie class including Colin White and John Madden. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine winning in 2000 without the contributions of these four.
Fast forward to 2002. Though it was only one year removed from coming ever so close to defending their title, the ever popular A-line was becoming too dependent on one another for Lou’s liking. That, combined with their poor playoff performance signaled another major shakeup. Arnott was at the centerpiece of another major trade, this time heading to Dallas along with Randy McKay for Jamie Langenbrunner and Joe Nieuwendyk. Nieuwendyk’s impact would be immediately felt, while Langenbrunner was solid but truly saved his best for the 2003 playoffs. Completing the transition was the acquisition of Jeff Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky from Anaheim for Petr Sykora and Mike Commodore, a trade with Columbus to land Grant Marshall, the debut of rookie Brian Gionta and later on rookie Mike Rupp stepping in when Nieuwendyk went down.
Now, here in 2009, Lou has deemed it time for another makeover. Gone are the same players who ushered in the last “new era,” with Gionta off to Montreal, Madden to Chicago, and Rupp to Pittsburgh. Scott Clemmensen, who made the 2008-09 season worth playing, is now in Florida. And to be honest, I truly don’t understand the instant backlash from Devils fans.
I’m not attempting to say that this is the beginning of the road to Stanley Cup number four. I am saying that this is necessary, and we will be better for it. It’s not a knock on the play of any of the recently departed, and it’s not a reflection personally on any of them. It’s just the simple truth that if you continue to leave things as they are, you’re going to continue to hit brick walls. Maybe you don’t even make the playoffs next season.
The holes left are not expected to be filled by veterans, save for the potential re-signing of Brendan Shanahan. Rather, like White and Madden in 2000, like Gionta and Rupp in 2003, it’s time for the next wave of kids to hit the lineup. Remember these names, because you may very well see them in your program lineup at some point next year:
Matt Halischuk: Spent some time with the team last year, good solid young forward.
Alexander Vasyunov: Pure sniper, loads of skill.
Nicklas Bergfors: May finally have the chance to be used in his proper role.
Matt Corrente: Big solid defenseman with a mean streak.
Tyler Eckford: Quality puck-moving defenseman.
Rod Pelley: Mini-Madden may get his chance now.
Pierre-Luc Leblond: Instant fan favorite, sparkplug.
Jeff Frazee: Quietly training to become Brodeur’s successor, could potentially be the backup next year after an All-Star season in the AHL.
Of the above, maybe only two will make the 2009-10 roster. But with this promising group of prospects waiting in the wings, now is the time to get younger. We were an old and slow team last year, and everyone who predicted that the Hurricanes would skate circles around us proved to be right. Will it mean one or two down years? Maybe. But we will be much better for it in the long-run for a few reasons:
1. Everyone else. Look at the rebuilding teams in our conference sure to get better by the season: Montreal, Florida, the Islanders, etc. They only take 8 teams per year folks, and if someone is coming in, someone must come out. And with teams like Washington and Pittsburgh ready to maintain their levels of success, the Devils need to keep up. Sitting idle and pretending like everything was fine last year would have been a foolish route to take, and would surely see the Devils miss the playoffs for the first time since 1996. It’s one thing to miss the playoffs during a period of transition; it’s wholly another when you’ve got what you feel is a Cup-contending roster.
2. The salary cap. Both GMs and insiders alike are predicting the salary cap to go down after next season, possibly from 57 down to 50 million. While high spending teams like Philadelphia will be forced to unload players, the Devils will be sitting pretty on a few entry level deals. They may even have the cap room to pick up a quality player that another team can’t hold on to.
3. The next few summers. In the summer of 2010, priority #1 will be Paul Martin. In the summer of 2011, Zach Parise. In 2012, Martin Brodeur. We have too many contracts of core players to worry about in the future, and I’m sure any fan of the Devils would rather see our money spent on Zach Parise instead of Gionta or Madden. I know I would.
Look, I understand that Devils fans have become accustomed to rejecting change because it happens so infrequently, and I’m not going to deny that I get that way as well. But Lou is beginning to look progressive, and we as fans must adapt with him. Being stagnant was terrific in a non-cap world, but that world is gone. It’s time we joined everybody else here in the present. You can’t keep everyone, nor should you want to. The amount of backlash is understandable, but is also ill-advised. I wanted to point that out, and anyone who is upset with the Devils right now will be eating their words in a few years.
Every year since the lockout, the trend has been the same. Have an outstanding regular season, clinch a playoff spot, possibly win the division, then proceed to play like garbage in the playoffs, leading to a first or second round exit. It’s a brick wall that Lou Lamoriello is tired of running into.
What is currently transpiring in the Devils Legion is not unlike two previous offseasons in the Devils’ history, those of 1998 and 2002. The Devils are usually a fairly stagnant team with minimal roster turnover every season, but once in a while when Lamoriello gets really sick of losing, he shuffles the deck. Time for a legal flashback, set your wayback machine to 1998.
During the season, after trading original Devil John MacLean, the Devils pulled off a deal that would prove historic: Bill Guerin and Valeri Zelepukin went to Edmonton for Bryan Muir and one Jason Arnott. At the time, Arnott had loads of potential but had not yet blossomed. Though he had been somewhat of a bust during his tenure with Edmonton, the right situation brought out the best in Arnott, who would go on to score the Cup-clinching goal in 2000. The next summer, the Devils signed the best player in the world not already in the NHL, Brian Rafalski, an undrafted enigma from Michigan playing in Finland. At the same time, fans saw the entrance of a new rookie class including Colin White and John Madden. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine winning in 2000 without the contributions of these four.
Fast forward to 2002. Though it was only one year removed from coming ever so close to defending their title, the ever popular A-line was becoming too dependent on one another for Lou’s liking. That, combined with their poor playoff performance signaled another major shakeup. Arnott was at the centerpiece of another major trade, this time heading to Dallas along with Randy McKay for Jamie Langenbrunner and Joe Nieuwendyk. Nieuwendyk’s impact would be immediately felt, while Langenbrunner was solid but truly saved his best for the 2003 playoffs. Completing the transition was the acquisition of Jeff Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky from Anaheim for Petr Sykora and Mike Commodore, a trade with Columbus to land Grant Marshall, the debut of rookie Brian Gionta and later on rookie Mike Rupp stepping in when Nieuwendyk went down.
Now, here in 2009, Lou has deemed it time for another makeover. Gone are the same players who ushered in the last “new era,” with Gionta off to Montreal, Madden to Chicago, and Rupp to Pittsburgh. Scott Clemmensen, who made the 2008-09 season worth playing, is now in Florida. And to be honest, I truly don’t understand the instant backlash from Devils fans.
I’m not attempting to say that this is the beginning of the road to Stanley Cup number four. I am saying that this is necessary, and we will be better for it. It’s not a knock on the play of any of the recently departed, and it’s not a reflection personally on any of them. It’s just the simple truth that if you continue to leave things as they are, you’re going to continue to hit brick walls. Maybe you don’t even make the playoffs next season.
The holes left are not expected to be filled by veterans, save for the potential re-signing of Brendan Shanahan. Rather, like White and Madden in 2000, like Gionta and Rupp in 2003, it’s time for the next wave of kids to hit the lineup. Remember these names, because you may very well see them in your program lineup at some point next year:
Matt Halischuk: Spent some time with the team last year, good solid young forward.
Alexander Vasyunov: Pure sniper, loads of skill.
Nicklas Bergfors: May finally have the chance to be used in his proper role.
Matt Corrente: Big solid defenseman with a mean streak.
Tyler Eckford: Quality puck-moving defenseman.
Rod Pelley: Mini-Madden may get his chance now.
Pierre-Luc Leblond: Instant fan favorite, sparkplug.
Jeff Frazee: Quietly training to become Brodeur’s successor, could potentially be the backup next year after an All-Star season in the AHL.
Of the above, maybe only two will make the 2009-10 roster. But with this promising group of prospects waiting in the wings, now is the time to get younger. We were an old and slow team last year, and everyone who predicted that the Hurricanes would skate circles around us proved to be right. Will it mean one or two down years? Maybe. But we will be much better for it in the long-run for a few reasons:
1. Everyone else. Look at the rebuilding teams in our conference sure to get better by the season: Montreal, Florida, the Islanders, etc. They only take 8 teams per year folks, and if someone is coming in, someone must come out. And with teams like Washington and Pittsburgh ready to maintain their levels of success, the Devils need to keep up. Sitting idle and pretending like everything was fine last year would have been a foolish route to take, and would surely see the Devils miss the playoffs for the first time since 1996. It’s one thing to miss the playoffs during a period of transition; it’s wholly another when you’ve got what you feel is a Cup-contending roster.
2. The salary cap. Both GMs and insiders alike are predicting the salary cap to go down after next season, possibly from 57 down to 50 million. While high spending teams like Philadelphia will be forced to unload players, the Devils will be sitting pretty on a few entry level deals. They may even have the cap room to pick up a quality player that another team can’t hold on to.
3. The next few summers. In the summer of 2010, priority #1 will be Paul Martin. In the summer of 2011, Zach Parise. In 2012, Martin Brodeur. We have too many contracts of core players to worry about in the future, and I’m sure any fan of the Devils would rather see our money spent on Zach Parise instead of Gionta or Madden. I know I would.
Look, I understand that Devils fans have become accustomed to rejecting change because it happens so infrequently, and I’m not going to deny that I get that way as well. But Lou is beginning to look progressive, and we as fans must adapt with him. Being stagnant was terrific in a non-cap world, but that world is gone. It’s time we joined everybody else here in the present. You can’t keep everyone, nor should you want to. The amount of backlash is understandable, but is also ill-advised. I wanted to point that out, and anyone who is upset with the Devils right now will be eating their words in a few years.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Reviewing the Devils Draft
I have to start by saying that the 2009 Draft was the first one where I actually did some research beyond the top five prospects. I went full on, putting together a list of the players that I liked in the order I liked them, as if I was prepared to walk out to the draft table myself. The reason for this, aside from the fact that its summer and I find myself with quite a bit more free time, is that the Devils have always been known as a draft monster, an integral piece of the consistent high level of play from the mid 1990s forward.
But for some reason, whether or not it was the depth of the draft classes or just some poor selections—after all, this is an inexact science—the Devils went through a rough patch from 1999 to 2002 where the two most successful draft picks they made were Mike Rupp (2000) and Cam Janssen (2002). A few wasted first round picks—Ari Ahonen (1999) and Adrian Foster (2001)—never did crack the NHL, and the results really hurt the cupboard. This four year gap was enough to cause the Devils to look elsewhere to build around their core players, namely free agency. This is not the way the Devils have ever worked, and so beginning with Zach Parise in the all-time great 2003 draft class, the draft renaissance has begun.
Now, while every GM and fan wishes that every pick they make in a draft would develop into an NHL-caliber player, the reality is you’re probably not going to get more than two out of each draft class unless you really get lucky. For example, Parise & Petr Vrana in 2003, Mattias Tedenby & Patrice Cormier in 2008, etc. So that has become my standard now; if a draft class has at least two players who have the potential to make the NHL one day, I consider it an early success. (Of course time will tell whether or not it was really a success, but I’m talking initial impressions here.)
So with all that out of the way, let’s turn our attention to the 2009 draft. While waiting for the Devils to pick at 23rd, I noticed an interesting trend emerging. Minnesota picked Minnesota native Nick Leddy, Montreal picked Montreal native Louis Leblanc…pretty soon I was starting to wonder if Montvale, NJ native Kyle Palmieri would be headed our way. Even though he was ranked 6th on my list, Rundblad had already gone to Columbus, Leblanc to Montreal, so I was confident it would either be Palmieri or Landon Ferraro, my highest ranked remaining player. This is not to say that I didn’t like our actual selection, Swedish forward Jacob Josefson. He didn’t have the greatest World Juniors tournament in the world, but Dan Labraaten, the Devils’ head European scout, had been following him for quite some time, and had seen enough to know the potential this kid has.
But it was more than just the selection of Josefson…it was where the Devils selected him. Originally slated to pick 23rd, the Devils traded up to get Calgary’s 20th pick, throwing in the lower of our two 3rd rounders for Calgary’s troubles. (Things that make you go hmmmm…..) I suppose we’ll never know whether Calgary agreeing to this trade was more a product of knowing that their guy Tim Erixon would not be taken before 23rd, or if it was a small agreed upon consolation for swiping away Brent Sutter two weeks after he resigned.
I’m getting off track here. Despite actually doing my research this time, one thing I’ve learned is that the Devils will always do what you don’t expect them to, so while I really liked the kind of player Landon Ferraro or Kyle Palmieri could turn out to be, the Devils chose Josefson. I happen to love the pick, I just didn’t see it coming. A 6’0" forward is a nice change from the constant stream of Gionta-sized players who are typically appealing to New Jersey.
Second round pick Eric Gelinas is a 6’4" defenseman described as a young Chris Pronger. Should he pan out as expected, that right there are your two high potential picks. Rounds 3-7 saw the Devils take three more defensemen and two left wings, all above 6’0". There’s no question that size is a priority on the Devils of the future. There appear to be no late round gems a la Cormier, but we may have the huge linemate who can cash in on the rebound from a Cormier shot.
It is worth noting that once again, no goaltenders were selected. Jeff Frazee (2005) remains the last one, and though he is developing well, he’s going to need some backup. Lou Lamoriello, to his credit, said that the goalie they had been targeting was gone, so I can only assume they liked Koskinen as much as I did, though he got snatched up 31st overall. It’s nice to know they recognize the need there, but sooner or later we’re going to actually draft a goalie in the first round to avoid this happening again. I know they don’t want to take a goalie just to have one, they really want him to be “the one,” but with plenty of depth at forward and defense recently drafted, now is the time to seriously consider taking a goaltender with a first round pick. Drafting on a “best player available” basis for a long time is a great thing, except when you have a serious lack of depth at a certain position. Even if its one quality goaltender and then back to the same old philosophy, Jeff Frazee cannot hold down the farm on his own. Free agency is a fine temporary solution, but with the salary cap in jeopardy for the forseeable future, the more entry level contracts on your books, the better off you’ll be.
That was a lot to say about one problem, I know, and aside from that the 2009 draft was a successful one for the Devils. I’ll give it a B+ for two quality prospects.
But for some reason, whether or not it was the depth of the draft classes or just some poor selections—after all, this is an inexact science—the Devils went through a rough patch from 1999 to 2002 where the two most successful draft picks they made were Mike Rupp (2000) and Cam Janssen (2002). A few wasted first round picks—Ari Ahonen (1999) and Adrian Foster (2001)—never did crack the NHL, and the results really hurt the cupboard. This four year gap was enough to cause the Devils to look elsewhere to build around their core players, namely free agency. This is not the way the Devils have ever worked, and so beginning with Zach Parise in the all-time great 2003 draft class, the draft renaissance has begun.
Now, while every GM and fan wishes that every pick they make in a draft would develop into an NHL-caliber player, the reality is you’re probably not going to get more than two out of each draft class unless you really get lucky. For example, Parise & Petr Vrana in 2003, Mattias Tedenby & Patrice Cormier in 2008, etc. So that has become my standard now; if a draft class has at least two players who have the potential to make the NHL one day, I consider it an early success. (Of course time will tell whether or not it was really a success, but I’m talking initial impressions here.)
So with all that out of the way, let’s turn our attention to the 2009 draft. While waiting for the Devils to pick at 23rd, I noticed an interesting trend emerging. Minnesota picked Minnesota native Nick Leddy, Montreal picked Montreal native Louis Leblanc…pretty soon I was starting to wonder if Montvale, NJ native Kyle Palmieri would be headed our way. Even though he was ranked 6th on my list, Rundblad had already gone to Columbus, Leblanc to Montreal, so I was confident it would either be Palmieri or Landon Ferraro, my highest ranked remaining player. This is not to say that I didn’t like our actual selection, Swedish forward Jacob Josefson. He didn’t have the greatest World Juniors tournament in the world, but Dan Labraaten, the Devils’ head European scout, had been following him for quite some time, and had seen enough to know the potential this kid has.
But it was more than just the selection of Josefson…it was where the Devils selected him. Originally slated to pick 23rd, the Devils traded up to get Calgary’s 20th pick, throwing in the lower of our two 3rd rounders for Calgary’s troubles. (Things that make you go hmmmm…..) I suppose we’ll never know whether Calgary agreeing to this trade was more a product of knowing that their guy Tim Erixon would not be taken before 23rd, or if it was a small agreed upon consolation for swiping away Brent Sutter two weeks after he resigned.
I’m getting off track here. Despite actually doing my research this time, one thing I’ve learned is that the Devils will always do what you don’t expect them to, so while I really liked the kind of player Landon Ferraro or Kyle Palmieri could turn out to be, the Devils chose Josefson. I happen to love the pick, I just didn’t see it coming. A 6’0" forward is a nice change from the constant stream of Gionta-sized players who are typically appealing to New Jersey.
Second round pick Eric Gelinas is a 6’4" defenseman described as a young Chris Pronger. Should he pan out as expected, that right there are your two high potential picks. Rounds 3-7 saw the Devils take three more defensemen and two left wings, all above 6’0". There’s no question that size is a priority on the Devils of the future. There appear to be no late round gems a la Cormier, but we may have the huge linemate who can cash in on the rebound from a Cormier shot.
It is worth noting that once again, no goaltenders were selected. Jeff Frazee (2005) remains the last one, and though he is developing well, he’s going to need some backup. Lou Lamoriello, to his credit, said that the goalie they had been targeting was gone, so I can only assume they liked Koskinen as much as I did, though he got snatched up 31st overall. It’s nice to know they recognize the need there, but sooner or later we’re going to actually draft a goalie in the first round to avoid this happening again. I know they don’t want to take a goalie just to have one, they really want him to be “the one,” but with plenty of depth at forward and defense recently drafted, now is the time to seriously consider taking a goaltender with a first round pick. Drafting on a “best player available” basis for a long time is a great thing, except when you have a serious lack of depth at a certain position. Even if its one quality goaltender and then back to the same old philosophy, Jeff Frazee cannot hold down the farm on his own. Free agency is a fine temporary solution, but with the salary cap in jeopardy for the forseeable future, the more entry level contracts on your books, the better off you’ll be.
That was a lot to say about one problem, I know, and aside from that the 2009 draft was a successful one for the Devils. I’ll give it a B+ for two quality prospects.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
An Open Letter to the Future Coach of the New Jersey Devils
An open letter to the future coach of the New Jersey Devils
Dear Future Coach,
First of all, welcome! You have just signed on for a job that requires seemingly no good reason to be fired. In fact, no Devils coach has lasted more than three years since Jacques Lemaire stepped down in 1998. Incidentally, if you happen to be Jacques Lemaire, welcome back—and please know that if you try to implement the trap again, I will be calling for your head on a platter shortly.
Now, one thing you’ll need to learn rather quickly is that in many ways you are more a figurehead than anything else; Lou Lamoriello will coach the team vicariously through you. In fact, the only thing stopping the Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager/Head Ticket Salesman/Janitor/Popcorn Vendor/Backup Goaltender/Usher/Zamboni Driver from doing your job anyway is that it just seems like so much more work!
But there’s no going back now, you’re the guy! (Unless you miss your “family,” and by “family” you mean your brother who happens to be the GM of another team.) So before you begin your tenure behind the Devils bench, allow me to offer a few suggestions to help you make the most of your stay:
1. The system. Is down.
See, here at the New Jersey Devils, we feel like Brent was this guy we were seeing for a few years, and even though he had a lot of potential, he was afraid of commitment. But as far as what he did with the way the Devils play, we couldn’t have asked for more. It doesn’t matter what you think about defense winning championships, look at who we have on defense now compared to 2003…we don’t have the horses required to play defense-first anymore. Besides, look at what we accomplished under our shiny new forechecking system. One of the highlights of this past season was beating the two best teams in the league—Boston and San Jose—on back-to-back nights. We have arguably the best group of forwards that we’ve had in years, and if we don’t continue playing to our strengths, you’ll quickly find yourself the new head coach of the unemployment line.
2. Who’s Line Is It Anyway?
Congratulations, as the new head coach of the Devils, you’ve inherited the biggest waste of $3.5 million a year in NHL history. Any coach worth his salt can see Dainius Zubrus as a third liner at best. Zubrus may have been a second liner in Sutter’s bizarro universe where Brian Rolston is a fourth liner, but here on Earth you and I both know Rolston belongs with Elias. Otherwise, don’t be shocked when he doesn’t put up the numbers you expect of him.
3. The Kids Are Alright
We’ve got some great young prospects here, and a few of them might be ready to hit the NHL for good. Should you find yourself with Nicklas Bergfors on your lineup card, the appropriate thing to do is either put him on the top two lines, or scratch him. Bergfors is an offensive player whose role is to produce on a team’s top two lines. The last guy who had your job decided to play him on the fourth line, for around three minutes a night, and then scratched him because he “wasn’t producing.” How could he be expected to do anything when he barely played, and had to rely on linemates like Mike Rupp and Bobby Holik to help him get on the scoresheet? … Exactly.
Well, that about wraps it up. I hope that this helps you become adjusted to what you’re about to undertake. So, to summarize, understand your position under Lou, keep the offensive system, put together realistic lines, and play the kids properly when you have them, and you should be just fine. Unless of course Lou wakes up one day on the wrong side of the bed.
Best of luck,
The Jersey Devil
Dear Future Coach,
First of all, welcome! You have just signed on for a job that requires seemingly no good reason to be fired. In fact, no Devils coach has lasted more than three years since Jacques Lemaire stepped down in 1998. Incidentally, if you happen to be Jacques Lemaire, welcome back—and please know that if you try to implement the trap again, I will be calling for your head on a platter shortly.
Now, one thing you’ll need to learn rather quickly is that in many ways you are more a figurehead than anything else; Lou Lamoriello will coach the team vicariously through you. In fact, the only thing stopping the Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager/Head Ticket Salesman/Janitor/Popcorn Vendor/Backup Goaltender/Usher/Zamboni Driver from doing your job anyway is that it just seems like so much more work!
But there’s no going back now, you’re the guy! (Unless you miss your “family,” and by “family” you mean your brother who happens to be the GM of another team.) So before you begin your tenure behind the Devils bench, allow me to offer a few suggestions to help you make the most of your stay:
1. The system. Is down.
See, here at the New Jersey Devils, we feel like Brent was this guy we were seeing for a few years, and even though he had a lot of potential, he was afraid of commitment. But as far as what he did with the way the Devils play, we couldn’t have asked for more. It doesn’t matter what you think about defense winning championships, look at who we have on defense now compared to 2003…we don’t have the horses required to play defense-first anymore. Besides, look at what we accomplished under our shiny new forechecking system. One of the highlights of this past season was beating the two best teams in the league—Boston and San Jose—on back-to-back nights. We have arguably the best group of forwards that we’ve had in years, and if we don’t continue playing to our strengths, you’ll quickly find yourself the new head coach of the unemployment line.
2. Who’s Line Is It Anyway?
Congratulations, as the new head coach of the Devils, you’ve inherited the biggest waste of $3.5 million a year in NHL history. Any coach worth his salt can see Dainius Zubrus as a third liner at best. Zubrus may have been a second liner in Sutter’s bizarro universe where Brian Rolston is a fourth liner, but here on Earth you and I both know Rolston belongs with Elias. Otherwise, don’t be shocked when he doesn’t put up the numbers you expect of him.
3. The Kids Are Alright
We’ve got some great young prospects here, and a few of them might be ready to hit the NHL for good. Should you find yourself with Nicklas Bergfors on your lineup card, the appropriate thing to do is either put him on the top two lines, or scratch him. Bergfors is an offensive player whose role is to produce on a team’s top two lines. The last guy who had your job decided to play him on the fourth line, for around three minutes a night, and then scratched him because he “wasn’t producing.” How could he be expected to do anything when he barely played, and had to rely on linemates like Mike Rupp and Bobby Holik to help him get on the scoresheet? … Exactly.
Well, that about wraps it up. I hope that this helps you become adjusted to what you’re about to undertake. So, to summarize, understand your position under Lou, keep the offensive system, put together realistic lines, and play the kids properly when you have them, and you should be just fine. Unless of course Lou wakes up one day on the wrong side of the bed.
Best of luck,
The Jersey Devil
Monday, June 15, 2009
Top Five Potential Draft Selections
First thing’s first, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins! Once the Devils were eliminated they became my adopted team from the East, and while my adopted team from the West, Chicago, did not make it to the finals, Pittsburgh both made it and won. I’m also happy for a pair of former Devils—Bill Guerin’s only other Stanley Cup came here in Jersey back in his rookie year of 1995, and while Sykora was part of the winning team of 2000, he had to watch the celebration from the hospital after being injured during game 6. But obviously there’s a big difference between skating around with the Cup yourself and watching Larry Robinson on TV with your jersey on representing you doing so.
So with the NHL season now officially complete, and since I already covered the NHL awards, it’s time to turn our attention to the draft. Predicting what the Devils will do in the draft is nearly impossible because Lou Lamoriello and draft day guru David Conte have made a habit of going off the board and doing something unexpected. It has become a trend for the Devils to trade down from their original spot, still get the player they wanted because no one else saw in them what the Devils did, and use the extra draft picks to their advantage. It’s the reason that, save for a rough patch between 1999 and 2002, the Devils have become notorious as one of the best drafting teams in the NHL. Based on the current progress of the players chosen in last year’s draft, it would seem the Devils have struck gold. Mattias Tedenby is a flashy player, Brandon Burlon is a great standup defenseman, and Patrice Cormier has really made a case for himself between the World Juniors and the Memorial Cup.
But let’s turn our attention to the 2009 draft coming up in Montreal, and more specifically who the Devils will take first. Providing the Devils do not trade down, though they always seem to, they will make their first pick at 23rd overall. So taking into consideration team needs, as well as who will already be gone by the time the Devils hit the podium, here are the top five players I think the Devils should choose if they have the chance.
(Scouting information supplied by The Hockey News’ Future Watch 2009.)
5. Kyle Palmieri – C / 5’10" / Montvale, NJ / US NTDP / ISS #21
Described as a good skater who works hard, Palmieri presents many factors which make him an attractive pick. He’s a Jersey kid, his brother Nick is already in the Devils’ system, and the Devils have historically groomed kids of his description into solid NHL players (see Gionta, Brian & Parise, Zach). The two-way forward is headed for Notre Dame this fall, and seems to fit every category the Devils have historically loved about young forwards.
4. Louis Leblanc – C / 6’0" / Kirkland, QC / Omaha (USHL) / ISS #16
Another two-way center, Leblanc has what most teams want in a young forward; the ability to put up a lot of points without lacking ability on the defensive side of the puck. In his first year in the USHL, Leblanc went about a point a game in a league where most players simply don’t do that, and was named the USHL rookie of the year. This combination of skills makes him a worthwhile pick on draft day.
3. Mikko Koskinen – G / 6’7" / Vantaa, FIN / Espoo (Fin.) / ISS N/R
The last goaltender drafted by the Devils was Jeff Frazee back in 2005, and while he is currently projected as starting goaltender of the future, the Devils are in serious need of a backup plan in case he doesn’t pan out as expected. Koskinen has a huge frame and solid numbers to his credit (17-7-9, 1.91 GAA, .931 SV% last year with Espoo), but his late bloomer status means teams will be hard pressed to take him seriously after slipping through the past three drafts unselected. He’s a high risk/high reward pick, but a risk worth taking if both of the top two players on this list are unavailable.
2. Landon Ferraro – R / 6’0" / Burnaby, BC / Red Deer (WHL) / ISS #18
About a month ago, Ferraro’s biggest asset to the Devils was his spot on Red Deer’s roster and the connection to Brent Sutter. But the son of Ray Ferraro needs no such connections with the level of skill he has. The Rebels sniper’s only blemish is his defensive game, but consider how bad a team Red Deer is, and how well New Jersey teaches defense, and suddenly that isn’t enough to hurt his case. He is strong in every other area of his game, and his skating, work ethic, and strong mental game will go a long way on a team suddenly intent on drafting for offense.
1. David Rundblad – D / 6’2" / Lycksele, SWE / Skelleftea (SWE) / ISS #31
Despite his ranking, Rundblad has everything the Devils could want in a first round draft pick. He’s a full-on offensive defenseman who has great puck skills, the ability to quarterback a powerplay, and the potential to end up a top-pair NHL defenseman one day. His defensive game is questionable, but again, if there’s one thing the Devils can teach, it’s defense, especially when Larry Robinson works with your young defensemen. The big question is, will he still be available when New Jersey goes on the clock? If he is, the Devils should pounce on him or forever regret not doing so. With all of the focus on Hedman, Rundblad is the kind of under-the-radar player the Devils love, but still has more than enough skill to qualify a first round pick with. If Rundblad is still on the board at pick #23, or wherever the Devils may trade down to, not selecting him would be downright foolish, and a wasted opportunity at building on the promise of the 2008 draft.
So with the NHL season now officially complete, and since I already covered the NHL awards, it’s time to turn our attention to the draft. Predicting what the Devils will do in the draft is nearly impossible because Lou Lamoriello and draft day guru David Conte have made a habit of going off the board and doing something unexpected. It has become a trend for the Devils to trade down from their original spot, still get the player they wanted because no one else saw in them what the Devils did, and use the extra draft picks to their advantage. It’s the reason that, save for a rough patch between 1999 and 2002, the Devils have become notorious as one of the best drafting teams in the NHL. Based on the current progress of the players chosen in last year’s draft, it would seem the Devils have struck gold. Mattias Tedenby is a flashy player, Brandon Burlon is a great standup defenseman, and Patrice Cormier has really made a case for himself between the World Juniors and the Memorial Cup.
But let’s turn our attention to the 2009 draft coming up in Montreal, and more specifically who the Devils will take first. Providing the Devils do not trade down, though they always seem to, they will make their first pick at 23rd overall. So taking into consideration team needs, as well as who will already be gone by the time the Devils hit the podium, here are the top five players I think the Devils should choose if they have the chance.
(Scouting information supplied by The Hockey News’ Future Watch 2009.)
5. Kyle Palmieri – C / 5’10" / Montvale, NJ / US NTDP / ISS #21
Described as a good skater who works hard, Palmieri presents many factors which make him an attractive pick. He’s a Jersey kid, his brother Nick is already in the Devils’ system, and the Devils have historically groomed kids of his description into solid NHL players (see Gionta, Brian & Parise, Zach). The two-way forward is headed for Notre Dame this fall, and seems to fit every category the Devils have historically loved about young forwards.
4. Louis Leblanc – C / 6’0" / Kirkland, QC / Omaha (USHL) / ISS #16
Another two-way center, Leblanc has what most teams want in a young forward; the ability to put up a lot of points without lacking ability on the defensive side of the puck. In his first year in the USHL, Leblanc went about a point a game in a league where most players simply don’t do that, and was named the USHL rookie of the year. This combination of skills makes him a worthwhile pick on draft day.
3. Mikko Koskinen – G / 6’7" / Vantaa, FIN / Espoo (Fin.) / ISS N/R
The last goaltender drafted by the Devils was Jeff Frazee back in 2005, and while he is currently projected as starting goaltender of the future, the Devils are in serious need of a backup plan in case he doesn’t pan out as expected. Koskinen has a huge frame and solid numbers to his credit (17-7-9, 1.91 GAA, .931 SV% last year with Espoo), but his late bloomer status means teams will be hard pressed to take him seriously after slipping through the past three drafts unselected. He’s a high risk/high reward pick, but a risk worth taking if both of the top two players on this list are unavailable.
2. Landon Ferraro – R / 6’0" / Burnaby, BC / Red Deer (WHL) / ISS #18
About a month ago, Ferraro’s biggest asset to the Devils was his spot on Red Deer’s roster and the connection to Brent Sutter. But the son of Ray Ferraro needs no such connections with the level of skill he has. The Rebels sniper’s only blemish is his defensive game, but consider how bad a team Red Deer is, and how well New Jersey teaches defense, and suddenly that isn’t enough to hurt his case. He is strong in every other area of his game, and his skating, work ethic, and strong mental game will go a long way on a team suddenly intent on drafting for offense.
1. David Rundblad – D / 6’2" / Lycksele, SWE / Skelleftea (SWE) / ISS #31
Despite his ranking, Rundblad has everything the Devils could want in a first round draft pick. He’s a full-on offensive defenseman who has great puck skills, the ability to quarterback a powerplay, and the potential to end up a top-pair NHL defenseman one day. His defensive game is questionable, but again, if there’s one thing the Devils can teach, it’s defense, especially when Larry Robinson works with your young defensemen. The big question is, will he still be available when New Jersey goes on the clock? If he is, the Devils should pounce on him or forever regret not doing so. With all of the focus on Hedman, Rundblad is the kind of under-the-radar player the Devils love, but still has more than enough skill to qualify a first round pick with. If Rundblad is still on the board at pick #23, or wherever the Devils may trade down to, not selecting him would be downright foolish, and a wasted opportunity at building on the promise of the 2008 draft.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Remember This Name
Since the resignation of Brent Sutter, many names have been tossed about as far as prospective replacements, from the expected (John MacLean), to the qualified (Peter Laviolette), to the downright strange (Ted Nolan). But if the Lamoriello-run Devils are notorious for anything, it’s going off the board. When everyone at the 1990 draft loved Trevor Kidd, the Devils loved Martin Brodeur. When players like Brian Rafalski and John Madden went undrafted, the Devils decided to give them a chance. And while most people are convinced the next head coach of the Devils will be off the expected list of candidates, NorthJersey.com believes otherwise, and have certainly converted me in the process.
LINK: Haviland the Best Choice for Devils
The above article pegs current Chicago assistant coach Mike Haviland as the man for the job, and despite his name’s resemblance to Niclas Havelid, you don’t need to look very far into his bio to find out why.
Sure, as the article says, “he won ECHL titles as a head coach with Atlantic City and Trenton and then coached the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate (in Norfolk, Va,. and Rockford, Ill.) to three consecutive playoff appearances and was named the league’s coach of the year in 2006-07,” so he’s got plenty of winning experience, even before the recent success of the Blackhawks. And sure, “he has been a winner at every level with a winning percentage of at least .600 in six of his seven seasons as a minor league head coach with playoff berths in all seven seasons.”
But here’s the kicker: he’s from Middletown, New Jersey. His family has resided in Sea Girt, NJ for the duration of his coaching career. It’s ironic, but it also eliminates any possibility of pulling a Sutter.
Successful, experienced, a winner at heart, and he resides just a 45 minute shot down the Turnpike. Sounds like the perfect choice to me.
LINK: Haviland the Best Choice for Devils
The above article pegs current Chicago assistant coach Mike Haviland as the man for the job, and despite his name’s resemblance to Niclas Havelid, you don’t need to look very far into his bio to find out why.
Sure, as the article says, “he won ECHL titles as a head coach with Atlantic City and Trenton and then coached the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate (in Norfolk, Va,. and Rockford, Ill.) to three consecutive playoff appearances and was named the league’s coach of the year in 2006-07,” so he’s got plenty of winning experience, even before the recent success of the Blackhawks. And sure, “he has been a winner at every level with a winning percentage of at least .600 in six of his seven seasons as a minor league head coach with playoff berths in all seven seasons.”
But here’s the kicker: he’s from Middletown, New Jersey. His family has resided in Sea Girt, NJ for the duration of his coaching career. It’s ironic, but it also eliminates any possibility of pulling a Sutter.
Successful, experienced, a winner at heart, and he resides just a 45 minute shot down the Turnpike. Sounds like the perfect choice to me.
Good Riddance
I did not expect to have to write about this, though my foreshadowing blog would tell you otherwise, but the powers that be have forced my hand. Today, Brent Sutter has announced that he has resigned from the head coaching position for the Devils, deciding that he’d rather hang around Alberta and save his dying junior hockey team. Now as a statement on its own, that’s perfectly reasonable, but its the way in which this entire sequence of events transpired that has already left myself and many other Devils fans angry as hell.
Sutter has said all along that it was in his plans to re-evaluate his situation after every season. He did it in the summer of 2008, and decided to return. We knew this was coming sooner or later, so why all the anger? Well, from the moment a report came out from Canada during the season that Sutter might be considering leaving after the year, something was different about him. He continually wrote off the report, but the damage had been done. Watching the team the rest of the way, you couldn’t help but think that Sutter’s heart wasn’t really into it. I don’t claim to have experienced this personally, but I have heard numerous reports from fans who have met and talked to players that for as long as this report has existed, the players got uneasy when asked about Sutter. It would seem that he really lost the team at some point. The Devils were able to overcome a late March slump in time for the playoffs, but were outplayed and outmatched by Carolina. As a sidenote, I would suggest any new coach works the players to the brink of oblivion for two minutes every day, reminding them each time that it is makeup for the two minutes they decided not to try in game 7, but this is another story for another time.
So it is not the fact that Brent Sutter chose to be with his family and business, its the fact that if he even had to think about making the choice, he should not have been coaching or even thinking about coaching. Coaching in the NHL requires top priority in your life if that’s what you are going to undertake. Those coaches who are not fired first step down when they realize their heart is not 100% in their current coaching situation. They don’t say “oh I’ll think about it,” they just do it.
It’s also what a good coach he was for the Devils. He was the first to truly throw the defensive system out the window, and to only have a small dose of Lou’s kool-aid, not enough to govern the way he ran the team, as in…oh…every other coach that ever worked for Lou. It really appeared as if the era of Lou the dictator was over, that we’d finally have a coach who did what he really wanted to. And, at least until we hit the playoffs, we did as good if not better than in previous years under the regime.
But I’d rather have another puppet coach that truly wants to be there rather than an individual thinker whose heart was never really in it from the start. (Although if the Devils end up re-hiring Jacques Lemaire, prepare for another blog filled with both anger and statements which contradict what I’ve already said here, because that is NOT cool.) Sutter had the potential to do great things in New Jersey, and had he stayed a few more years may have gone down as one of the best coaches in Devils history. But alas, he’s had other priorities all along, and perhaps that would have caught up with him eventually.
So good riddance, Brent Sutter. Way to finish the job.
Sutter has said all along that it was in his plans to re-evaluate his situation after every season. He did it in the summer of 2008, and decided to return. We knew this was coming sooner or later, so why all the anger? Well, from the moment a report came out from Canada during the season that Sutter might be considering leaving after the year, something was different about him. He continually wrote off the report, but the damage had been done. Watching the team the rest of the way, you couldn’t help but think that Sutter’s heart wasn’t really into it. I don’t claim to have experienced this personally, but I have heard numerous reports from fans who have met and talked to players that for as long as this report has existed, the players got uneasy when asked about Sutter. It would seem that he really lost the team at some point. The Devils were able to overcome a late March slump in time for the playoffs, but were outplayed and outmatched by Carolina. As a sidenote, I would suggest any new coach works the players to the brink of oblivion for two minutes every day, reminding them each time that it is makeup for the two minutes they decided not to try in game 7, but this is another story for another time.
So it is not the fact that Brent Sutter chose to be with his family and business, its the fact that if he even had to think about making the choice, he should not have been coaching or even thinking about coaching. Coaching in the NHL requires top priority in your life if that’s what you are going to undertake. Those coaches who are not fired first step down when they realize their heart is not 100% in their current coaching situation. They don’t say “oh I’ll think about it,” they just do it.
It’s also what a good coach he was for the Devils. He was the first to truly throw the defensive system out the window, and to only have a small dose of Lou’s kool-aid, not enough to govern the way he ran the team, as in…oh…every other coach that ever worked for Lou. It really appeared as if the era of Lou the dictator was over, that we’d finally have a coach who did what he really wanted to. And, at least until we hit the playoffs, we did as good if not better than in previous years under the regime.
But I’d rather have another puppet coach that truly wants to be there rather than an individual thinker whose heart was never really in it from the start. (Although if the Devils end up re-hiring Jacques Lemaire, prepare for another blog filled with both anger and statements which contradict what I’ve already said here, because that is NOT cool.) Sutter had the potential to do great things in New Jersey, and had he stayed a few more years may have gone down as one of the best coaches in Devils history. But alas, he’s had other priorities all along, and perhaps that would have caught up with him eventually.
So good riddance, Brent Sutter. Way to finish the job.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Russian Roulette
Nobody can debate the legitimacy of retiring Scott Stevens’ #4. He’s either the first or second best Devil of all time, and there is no debating that. Without his leadership, how many of those three Cups would we actually have? I’m not sure many people disagreed with Ken Daneyko’s #3 either, although there was more gray area involved. Daneyko was an original, heart and soul Devil, the second draft pick in team history, and survived the early lean years to become a part of the team’s first ever playoff run in 1988, as well as all three Cups.
But I want to focus this blog on future banners to hang from Prudential Center’s rafters. Now, if there ever was a guarantee, it’s that Martin Brodeur will have his number #30 retired. I’m also nearly positive that Patrik Elias’ #26 will hang as well. And although it’s way too early to tell, Zach Parise’s #9 could one day be honored as well, providing he remains a career Devil and does not experience an unfortunate permanent drop in his play.
And as for former Devils, the names Scott Niedermayer and Sergei Brylin have been kicked around. Although I disagree, I can see the argument for Niedermayer. A key piece in all three Cups, Niedermayer is also one of the greatest players in our history. But I disagree with retiring his number because he chose to leave us to go play with his brother in Anaheim, and is already cementing his place in their history. People are not as mad at him as they are at people like Scott Gomez, but the fact remains. Even if he didn’t leave for money like Gomez, he still left. He can say it was a hard decision, but I don’t think it was. We all knew he wanted to win a Cup with his brother, he didn’t even look that happy when we won in 2003 because he was more concerned about how his brother felt about losing. But like I said, he made his mark on the Devils, and although I don’t agree with retiring his number, I can live with it if it happens. Besides, it’s not like Mike Mottau is going to take over the legacy or anything.
And then there’s Sergei Brylin. I cannot, and will not, ever understand the groundswell of support by Devils fans to immortalize #18. Like Daneyko, Brylin was certainly a soldier, and he certainly was on the team for all three Cups. But unlike Daneyko, Brylin hardly had anything to do with them aside from a goal in game 4 of the 1995 Cup Finals. Neal Broten and Shawn Chambers also scored in that clinching game, but you don’t see any rush on retiring their numbers. Brylin had a largely nondescript career, the kind of career where if you asked any non-Devils fan about Sergei Brylin, they’d probably tell you he succeeded Lenin as dictator of the Soviet Union.
So Devils nation, I implore you, why on earth do you want this man immortalized, hanging forever amongst the likes of Stevens, Brodeur, and Elias? He did not contribute anywhere close to as much as those three did to the success of the Devils. In fact, the only reason this skating basket of laundry was even still a Devil since the late 1990s was the immense loyalty of Lou Lamoriello, who has a tendency to blindly reward those who have done him good at some point, even if all signs of talent have simply gone out the window. (Jay Pandolfo at $2.5 million for the next 2 years anyone?)
Go ahead and look up Sergei Brylin’s stats, please. Or better yet, watch any Devils game from 1998 forward. Let me know if you even notice #18 in red, let alone notice him doing something productive. I think you’ll find that there’s a better chance of the name “SHANAHAN” hanging above a #18 banner.
But I want to focus this blog on future banners to hang from Prudential Center’s rafters. Now, if there ever was a guarantee, it’s that Martin Brodeur will have his number #30 retired. I’m also nearly positive that Patrik Elias’ #26 will hang as well. And although it’s way too early to tell, Zach Parise’s #9 could one day be honored as well, providing he remains a career Devil and does not experience an unfortunate permanent drop in his play.
And as for former Devils, the names Scott Niedermayer and Sergei Brylin have been kicked around. Although I disagree, I can see the argument for Niedermayer. A key piece in all three Cups, Niedermayer is also one of the greatest players in our history. But I disagree with retiring his number because he chose to leave us to go play with his brother in Anaheim, and is already cementing his place in their history. People are not as mad at him as they are at people like Scott Gomez, but the fact remains. Even if he didn’t leave for money like Gomez, he still left. He can say it was a hard decision, but I don’t think it was. We all knew he wanted to win a Cup with his brother, he didn’t even look that happy when we won in 2003 because he was more concerned about how his brother felt about losing. But like I said, he made his mark on the Devils, and although I don’t agree with retiring his number, I can live with it if it happens. Besides, it’s not like Mike Mottau is going to take over the legacy or anything.
And then there’s Sergei Brylin. I cannot, and will not, ever understand the groundswell of support by Devils fans to immortalize #18. Like Daneyko, Brylin was certainly a soldier, and he certainly was on the team for all three Cups. But unlike Daneyko, Brylin hardly had anything to do with them aside from a goal in game 4 of the 1995 Cup Finals. Neal Broten and Shawn Chambers also scored in that clinching game, but you don’t see any rush on retiring their numbers. Brylin had a largely nondescript career, the kind of career where if you asked any non-Devils fan about Sergei Brylin, they’d probably tell you he succeeded Lenin as dictator of the Soviet Union.
So Devils nation, I implore you, why on earth do you want this man immortalized, hanging forever amongst the likes of Stevens, Brodeur, and Elias? He did not contribute anywhere close to as much as those three did to the success of the Devils. In fact, the only reason this skating basket of laundry was even still a Devil since the late 1990s was the immense loyalty of Lou Lamoriello, who has a tendency to blindly reward those who have done him good at some point, even if all signs of talent have simply gone out the window. (Jay Pandolfo at $2.5 million for the next 2 years anyone?)
Go ahead and look up Sergei Brylin’s stats, please. Or better yet, watch any Devils game from 1998 forward. Let me know if you even notice #18 in red, let alone notice him doing something productive. I think you’ll find that there’s a better chance of the name “SHANAHAN” hanging above a #18 banner.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A Perfect Storm
The news of Mike Keenan’s firing in Calgary today did not affect me personally, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how bad this is for Devils fans. Things appear to be lining up almost too perfectly for a deathblow.
Don’t think Brent Sutter, currently in the midst of his yearly offseason evaluation, is going to seriously consider this Calgary job? Before you answer, consider the following:
1. Location, Location, Location.
The Sutters live in Red Deer, Alberta, almost exactly halfway between Edmonton and…yup…Calgary. If one of Brent’s issues is the distance from his family, which makes more sense, traveling across the continent to New Jersey, or a quick shot down Highway 2?
2. Brotherly Love
Brent’s brother Daryl is currently the Flames’ GM. You don’t think he’ll pull a Doug Wilson and at least consider hiring his dear brother? The Sutters are of the same head, they think the same way. It’s a similar bond that Sutter has to Lou Lamoriello, except for the being related part.
3. Workin’ Hard, or Hardly Workin’?
Everything about the Calgary Flames makes the situation hard to ignore for Brent. Despite having an all-star goaltender, a franchise player, and a capable veteran core surrounded by young talent, perhaps Brent can push the right buttons and get this team over its apparent hump. The Flames haven’t won a playoff series since the run to the Finals in 2004. While Sutter hasn’t won a playoff series with the Devils either, the thought may occur in the heads of both that by combining these two snake-bitten forces, success can be found.
In my opinion, Brent Sutter is the perfect coach for the Devils, and I really hope he doesn’t leave, at least until he finishes out the last year of his contract coming up this season, and I hope he stays far longer than that. But it would be foolish to look at all the variables that appear to be lining up and say that there isn’t a possibility of Sutter resigning and taking the Calgary job. Unfortunately, it’s more possible than we’d like to think.
Don’t think Brent Sutter, currently in the midst of his yearly offseason evaluation, is going to seriously consider this Calgary job? Before you answer, consider the following:
1. Location, Location, Location.
The Sutters live in Red Deer, Alberta, almost exactly halfway between Edmonton and…yup…Calgary. If one of Brent’s issues is the distance from his family, which makes more sense, traveling across the continent to New Jersey, or a quick shot down Highway 2?
2. Brotherly Love
Brent’s brother Daryl is currently the Flames’ GM. You don’t think he’ll pull a Doug Wilson and at least consider hiring his dear brother? The Sutters are of the same head, they think the same way. It’s a similar bond that Sutter has to Lou Lamoriello, except for the being related part.
3. Workin’ Hard, or Hardly Workin’?
Everything about the Calgary Flames makes the situation hard to ignore for Brent. Despite having an all-star goaltender, a franchise player, and a capable veteran core surrounded by young talent, perhaps Brent can push the right buttons and get this team over its apparent hump. The Flames haven’t won a playoff series since the run to the Finals in 2004. While Sutter hasn’t won a playoff series with the Devils either, the thought may occur in the heads of both that by combining these two snake-bitten forces, success can be found.
In my opinion, Brent Sutter is the perfect coach for the Devils, and I really hope he doesn’t leave, at least until he finishes out the last year of his contract coming up this season, and I hope he stays far longer than that. But it would be foolish to look at all the variables that appear to be lining up and say that there isn’t a possibility of Sutter resigning and taking the Calgary job. Unfortunately, it’s more possible than we’d like to think.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Devils Top Five Drafts
Since Lou Lamoriello took over as Devils General Manager in 1987, the Devils have earned a reputation as one of the best evaluators of draft talent in the NHL. Between Lamoriello and Director of Scouting David Conte—whom Lamoriello would contend really runs the show on draft day—save for an unfortunate stretch between 1999 and 2002, the Devils have always come through when it comes to making the most of their draft picks.
But when evaluating the top five drafts in Devils history, it is important to evaluate a draft year based on both quality and quantity. This criteria is the reason that a few select drafts—namely Zach Parise in that incredible 2003 draft, as well as Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rolston in 1991—have been left off the list. Despite the aforementioned being quality draft picks, all of whom paid off, the draft classes from those years on the whole was rather nondescript. Keeping this rule in mind, here are the top five draft classes in Devils history:
5. 1990
Other than drafting Martin Brodeur 20th overall—and believe it or not the Devils traded DOWN for this one—the 1990 draft landed the Devils a few other pieces. Despite having four capable goaltenders in the system and having just added a fifth in Brodeur, the Devils also took goaltenders Mike Dunham (53rd) and Corey Schwab (200th), both of whom would later serve as Brodeur’s backups in the late 1990s and early 2000s, respectively. Though three defensemen—Brad Bombardir, Chris McAlpine, and Jaroslav Modry—did not play the best hockey of their careers in New Jersey, all three went on to become reliable NHLers. Finally, at 221st overall, the Devils picked up Valeri Zelepukin, a key component to the Devils’ playoff run in 1994 and Stanley Cup in 1995.
4. 1998
The draft of 1998 did contain an ultimate bust in Christian Berglund, but it also landed the Devils four quality NHL players, two of whom made their name in Jersey. With back to back first round picks at 26th and 27th, the Devils nabbed Mike Van Ryn and Scott Gomez. Van Ryn did not play a single game for the Devils, but has put together a solid NHL career, while Gomez burst onto the scene in 2000, winning the Stanley Cup and Calder Trophy, and adding a second Cup in 2003. Brian Gionta (82nd) has had some impressive seasons as a Devil, including 2005-06, where he set the current franchise record for most goals in one season at 48. Despite his numbers steadily declining since, he has remained a top six forward. Pierre Dagenais (105th) looked promising in the AHL, but put together a quiet career in the NHL, playing minimal games for a few teams before settling into the German league.
3. 1994
Out of 12 draft picks made in 1994, 3 ultimately became quality NHL talent. After 25th overall pick Vadim Sharifijanov, who never really caught on in the NHL, the Devils struck gold twice, drafting Patrik Elias at 51st and Sheldon Souray at 71st. Elias has gone on to become the Devils’ all-time leading scorer, while Souray really found his game in Montreal, but has become a top-two defenseman. Finally, at 233rd, the Devils took the gritty Steve Sullivan, who has put together a respectable NHL career, and become a fan favorite in Nashville.
2. 2008
It’s always difficult to rank a draft class before it has time to pan out, but based on everything that has been reported about the Devils’ first four picks, all indications are it has the potential to go down as one of the best. Mattias Tedenby is a pure sniper, and the only thing standing between him and a successful NHL career is adjusting to the North American game. Brandon Burlon looks to be a fixture on future Devils defenses, alongside Tyler Eckford and Matt Corrente. Patrice Cormier is a solid all-around forward, and if the present is any indication, the future is bright for him, as well as Adam Henrique. Time will tell, but barring something unforseen, the 2008 draft class could easily go down as one of the best.
1. 1983
In just their second draft in team history, the Devils landed themselves the best combination of quantity and quality of talent to date. It began with John MacLean at 6th overall. MacLean, now an assistant coach with the Devils, would play every subsequent season right up to his trade to San Jose in 1997, winning the 1995 Stanley Cup along the way. MacLean held the Devils’ all-time scoring title until Patrik Elias passed him in 2009, and to this day holds or shares 10 Devils franchise records. At 85th, goaltender Chris Terreri came aboard, and Terreri would remain a fixture in the Devils’ net. Terreri was around for the breakouts of Sean Burke and Martin Brodeur, won the 1995 Cup as the backup, and went off on his own before returning to backup Brodeur one last time when the Devils won their second Cup in 2000. Terreri now works as the goaltending coach in AHL Lowell. Viacheslav Fetisov, one of the first Soviet players to enter the NHL, did not break in until 1989, but it was in 1983 that the Devils selected him with the 145th pick. Fetisov was on hand for the 1994 playoff run, but would play against the Devils in the 1995 Finals as a member of the Red Wings, where he would cement his NHL legacy. Now a hall-of-famer, Fetisov is Russia’s minister of sport, and to this day remains one of the greatest defenseman in NHL history. Compared to the other three, Alexei Kasatonov (225th) put together a mild career, but far outlived his value as the last Devils choice in the draft. Kasatonov’s real success came as a member of the Russian national team, winning one Olympic silver medal and two golds.
But when evaluating the top five drafts in Devils history, it is important to evaluate a draft year based on both quality and quantity. This criteria is the reason that a few select drafts—namely Zach Parise in that incredible 2003 draft, as well as Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rolston in 1991—have been left off the list. Despite the aforementioned being quality draft picks, all of whom paid off, the draft classes from those years on the whole was rather nondescript. Keeping this rule in mind, here are the top five draft classes in Devils history:
5. 1990
Other than drafting Martin Brodeur 20th overall—and believe it or not the Devils traded DOWN for this one—the 1990 draft landed the Devils a few other pieces. Despite having four capable goaltenders in the system and having just added a fifth in Brodeur, the Devils also took goaltenders Mike Dunham (53rd) and Corey Schwab (200th), both of whom would later serve as Brodeur’s backups in the late 1990s and early 2000s, respectively. Though three defensemen—Brad Bombardir, Chris McAlpine, and Jaroslav Modry—did not play the best hockey of their careers in New Jersey, all three went on to become reliable NHLers. Finally, at 221st overall, the Devils picked up Valeri Zelepukin, a key component to the Devils’ playoff run in 1994 and Stanley Cup in 1995.
4. 1998
The draft of 1998 did contain an ultimate bust in Christian Berglund, but it also landed the Devils four quality NHL players, two of whom made their name in Jersey. With back to back first round picks at 26th and 27th, the Devils nabbed Mike Van Ryn and Scott Gomez. Van Ryn did not play a single game for the Devils, but has put together a solid NHL career, while Gomez burst onto the scene in 2000, winning the Stanley Cup and Calder Trophy, and adding a second Cup in 2003. Brian Gionta (82nd) has had some impressive seasons as a Devil, including 2005-06, where he set the current franchise record for most goals in one season at 48. Despite his numbers steadily declining since, he has remained a top six forward. Pierre Dagenais (105th) looked promising in the AHL, but put together a quiet career in the NHL, playing minimal games for a few teams before settling into the German league.
3. 1994
Out of 12 draft picks made in 1994, 3 ultimately became quality NHL talent. After 25th overall pick Vadim Sharifijanov, who never really caught on in the NHL, the Devils struck gold twice, drafting Patrik Elias at 51st and Sheldon Souray at 71st. Elias has gone on to become the Devils’ all-time leading scorer, while Souray really found his game in Montreal, but has become a top-two defenseman. Finally, at 233rd, the Devils took the gritty Steve Sullivan, who has put together a respectable NHL career, and become a fan favorite in Nashville.
2. 2008
It’s always difficult to rank a draft class before it has time to pan out, but based on everything that has been reported about the Devils’ first four picks, all indications are it has the potential to go down as one of the best. Mattias Tedenby is a pure sniper, and the only thing standing between him and a successful NHL career is adjusting to the North American game. Brandon Burlon looks to be a fixture on future Devils defenses, alongside Tyler Eckford and Matt Corrente. Patrice Cormier is a solid all-around forward, and if the present is any indication, the future is bright for him, as well as Adam Henrique. Time will tell, but barring something unforseen, the 2008 draft class could easily go down as one of the best.
1. 1983
In just their second draft in team history, the Devils landed themselves the best combination of quantity and quality of talent to date. It began with John MacLean at 6th overall. MacLean, now an assistant coach with the Devils, would play every subsequent season right up to his trade to San Jose in 1997, winning the 1995 Stanley Cup along the way. MacLean held the Devils’ all-time scoring title until Patrik Elias passed him in 2009, and to this day holds or shares 10 Devils franchise records. At 85th, goaltender Chris Terreri came aboard, and Terreri would remain a fixture in the Devils’ net. Terreri was around for the breakouts of Sean Burke and Martin Brodeur, won the 1995 Cup as the backup, and went off on his own before returning to backup Brodeur one last time when the Devils won their second Cup in 2000. Terreri now works as the goaltending coach in AHL Lowell. Viacheslav Fetisov, one of the first Soviet players to enter the NHL, did not break in until 1989, but it was in 1983 that the Devils selected him with the 145th pick. Fetisov was on hand for the 1994 playoff run, but would play against the Devils in the 1995 Finals as a member of the Red Wings, where he would cement his NHL legacy. Now a hall-of-famer, Fetisov is Russia’s minister of sport, and to this day remains one of the greatest defenseman in NHL history. Compared to the other three, Alexei Kasatonov (225th) put together a mild career, but far outlived his value as the last Devils choice in the draft. Kasatonov’s real success came as a member of the Russian national team, winning one Olympic silver medal and two golds.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Offseason 09: Headlines
All is quiet in the world of the Devils right now. Fans and players alike have one eye on next season while the other looks back at the year that was with a disgruntled groan of frustration. There has been a distinctly empty stretch since the team cleaned out their lockers, not that this is unexpected. So while Devils fans watch their lesser sports and wait for some news, here is a brief update of what has happened in the world of the Devils since they packed up and took another team picture that won’t surface until next winter thanks to some very lazy web designers.
May 12: Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek ranked NHL’s second best owner by SI.com
No one’s ever had a bad thing to say about Vanderbeek, at least since it was a forgone conclusion where our new arena would be placed…but even so, I have to admit I was surprised at 2nd place. Not because he’s not a great owner, he really is…but one of the other top-5ers in particular could have taken second place and it would not have been surprising either. Mario Lemieux not only displaced contract money as a player to keep the Penguins financially stable, he also kept them in Pittsburgh and away from Jim Balsillie, all while a new arena finally got started. But I’m happy for Jeff and he really does deserve to be placed right under Detroit’s Illitch family. Any owner who would stand at Newark Penn Station handing out playoff towels to the fans deserves to be recognized.
May 12: Gionta’s Predicament and and Lamoriello’s Biggest Failure as GM
Jack Vallon at Bleacher Report examines why Gionta and Parise have reason to follow Gomez, and wouldn’t blame them for thinking about bolting to the Rangers. He puts into words what every Devil fan should have been thinking for the past two years: Really, Lou? You replaced Scott Gomez with…Dainius Zubrus? Zubrus is hardly a second line center, as the powers that be seem to think he is. Great, he had a career year the season before the Devils signed him, but he was also playing on a line with ALEX OVECHKIN! I didn’t think it took a rocket scientist to figure out that anyone could put up impressive numbers with Ovie as their winger. But back to Vallon: This writer has made me a fan, especially for constructing the best Dainius Zubrus analogy of all time:
“Putting Zubrus with Gio and Patty is like plopping a slice of processed American cheese on a platter of grilled prime rib-eye and slow matured, dry-aged sirloin steak, and expecting it to work for you.”
Pure. Brilliance. And very true, as well. I’d bet anything that if Sutter had actually given an Elias-Rolston-Gionta line time to gel, they most certainly would have. Giving them one game together is no way to examine all your options. Brent, I think you’re terrific, but let’s be real here for a second. Dainius Zubrus should be on the fourth line, third if he’s having a hot streak. That’s all he’ll ever be, and every second you put him on the top two lines is a second in the lives of Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta that they will never get back.
May 12: Devils AHL prospects 2008-09 review
HockeysFuture.com is a great website which chronicles the development of every team’s prospects. I’ve noticed, however, that despite the Devils’ ability to continue to churn out great drafts and prospects, the website always ranks the Devils in the bottom two in the league in terms of best crop of talent waiting in the wings. This year, we come in at a respectable disgraceful 30th. Read their explanation and see if you don’t just get the same question in your heads that I did:
“Strengths: Mattias Tedenby, acquired in the 2008 Entry Draft, joins fellow countryman Nicklas Bergfors at the top of the list of New Jersey Devils prospects. Both are exceptionally gifted and well-rounded players. Beneath them, however, viable top-six forwards are scarce. Matt Halischuk and Mike Hoeffel are part of a quality cast of checking forwards. The Devils also boast a fairly deep and diverse group of blueliners, from the gritty Matt Corrente and Mark Fraser, to Brandon Burlon and Anssi Salmela (note: you really couldn’t update this an entire month after Salmela was traded?). The Devils organization possesses size throughout. Weaknesses: A significant problem for the Devils is their lack of quality prospects between the pipes. The Devils haven’t drafted any goaltenders since 2005, when they took Jeff Frazee. Once highly touted, he was unseated as Minnesota’s starting netminder and turned pro early. He is off to a decent start so far as a pro.”
Doesn’t sound so bad, right? Their only true knock on us is a lack of goaltending depth, and hey they’re kinda right. Jeff Frazee is currently our only shot at a homegrown goalie of the future. Granted, Frazee had an incredible season in 08-09, but certainly won’t be ready to break the NHL for another few years, and if he doesn’t pan out, we’ve literally got nothing. But is that alone really enough to rank us DEAD LAST? Calgary’s system was described as “incredibly thin everywhere but between the pipes,” yet they land 28th. Colorado’s cupboard is as empty and vast as the Colorado River, and yet they earn a mildly respectable 18th. The article itself paints a rosy picture of quality talent coming up from all areas: Frazee, Matt Corrente, Tyler Eckford, Matt Halischuk, Nicklas Bergfors, Mattias Tedenby, Alex Vasyunov, Mark Fraser, and Pierre-Luc Leblond. The only negative aspect of the entire review was Petr Vrana, who missed most of the season with a broken leg, and let’s face it, that makes it pretty hard to play hockey. I didn’t read any other team’s report, but surely for all the positive words written about the Devils of the future, that can’t possibly still mean we’re as bad as it gets in the NHL, can it?
May 13: Ken Daneyko will host radio discussion with Rangers bad boy Sean Avery
Dano and former Ranger Ron Duguay host a weekly radio show on Siruis-XM, and Sean Avery was this week’s guest. I have not heard this show, but Ron most have pleaded with Dano beforehand, and I say that because Sean is still alive. Disheartening, I know, but Avery was apparently not at all like himself during the course of the day, so Dano probably had no reason get angry at him. Still…disheartening.
May 14: Niclas Havelid signs to play next season for Linkoping in the Swedish Elite League.
…And may I be the first to say, thank you dear god. I would have accepted him signing with another NHL team, but I’m sure he realizes, as we all do, that if the choices are returning to New Jersey—where he not only couldn’t fit in but stuck out like a sore thumb, or returning to Atlanta—or as I like to call them Ilya Kovalchuk and the Chicago Wolves, he might as well go play in his home country and the third best league in the world. Havelid’s departure leaves the Devils with $2.7 mil that thankfully will not be wasted on him, hopefully leaving us that much more to put toward keeping the only Swedish defenseman that matters to us, Johnny Oduya.
May 14: Sutter no closer to decision on his future with the Devils
Brent Sutter is relaxing in Red Deer, evaluating his position as he does every year. This has gotten him into a lot of heat with both media and fans, who interpret this as a sign that Sutter is not committed to the Devils. A faulty statement when you consider he did the same thing last summer, and obviously came back. For those who are still worried, however, John Fischer from In Lou We Trust, one of the best Devils blogs on the web, gives us some reassurance via simple logic.
“First, Sutter is actually open about this evaluation. Yes, he’s repeating the same message; but he’s actually engaging questions about it. If Sutter were truly thinking of leaving, then I would think the best thing for him to do would be to stay quiet to the media and simply just consult with Lou. Instead, he’s stating that any rumors of him coaching elsewhere aren’t true and that the playoff loss — shocking as it was — won’t effect his decision.”
All indications are that Sutter will be back, despite what the Canadian media wants you to believe. Just remember, they only WISH he would stay home and coach in Calgary or Edmonton because those two teams are in desperate need of new coaches.
Looking Ahead
On the free agent front, Lou Lamoriello has said only that he wants to re-sign all four Restricted Free Agents: Travis Zajac, Petr Vrana, Pierre-Luc Leblond, and Andy Greene. The Devils need to get younger in a hurry, and this would be a great way to do it. No news on the Unrestricteds, although expect Johnny Oduya to be priority #1, and either John Madden or Brian Gionta to return, but probably not both. Expect Scott Clemmensen to be retained only if he sees the market for him as a starter somewhere else is not as great as he thought it would be, which is probably not going to happen. If he does leave, however, Kevin Weekes will return.
Looking toward the draft, my pick would be David Rundblad, a great offensive defenseman from Sweden, if he’s still on the board. If not, look for the Devils to do what they always do and go off the beaten path. Also, look for the Devils to draft their first goaltender since Frazee in 2005. Surely, they cannot overlook this position for another year, right? (I said that last year also…)
May 12: Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek ranked NHL’s second best owner by SI.com
No one’s ever had a bad thing to say about Vanderbeek, at least since it was a forgone conclusion where our new arena would be placed…but even so, I have to admit I was surprised at 2nd place. Not because he’s not a great owner, he really is…but one of the other top-5ers in particular could have taken second place and it would not have been surprising either. Mario Lemieux not only displaced contract money as a player to keep the Penguins financially stable, he also kept them in Pittsburgh and away from Jim Balsillie, all while a new arena finally got started. But I’m happy for Jeff and he really does deserve to be placed right under Detroit’s Illitch family. Any owner who would stand at Newark Penn Station handing out playoff towels to the fans deserves to be recognized.
May 12: Gionta’s Predicament and and Lamoriello’s Biggest Failure as GM
Jack Vallon at Bleacher Report examines why Gionta and Parise have reason to follow Gomez, and wouldn’t blame them for thinking about bolting to the Rangers. He puts into words what every Devil fan should have been thinking for the past two years: Really, Lou? You replaced Scott Gomez with…Dainius Zubrus? Zubrus is hardly a second line center, as the powers that be seem to think he is. Great, he had a career year the season before the Devils signed him, but he was also playing on a line with ALEX OVECHKIN! I didn’t think it took a rocket scientist to figure out that anyone could put up impressive numbers with Ovie as their winger. But back to Vallon: This writer has made me a fan, especially for constructing the best Dainius Zubrus analogy of all time:
“Putting Zubrus with Gio and Patty is like plopping a slice of processed American cheese on a platter of grilled prime rib-eye and slow matured, dry-aged sirloin steak, and expecting it to work for you.”
Pure. Brilliance. And very true, as well. I’d bet anything that if Sutter had actually given an Elias-Rolston-Gionta line time to gel, they most certainly would have. Giving them one game together is no way to examine all your options. Brent, I think you’re terrific, but let’s be real here for a second. Dainius Zubrus should be on the fourth line, third if he’s having a hot streak. That’s all he’ll ever be, and every second you put him on the top two lines is a second in the lives of Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta that they will never get back.
May 12: Devils AHL prospects 2008-09 review
HockeysFuture.com is a great website which chronicles the development of every team’s prospects. I’ve noticed, however, that despite the Devils’ ability to continue to churn out great drafts and prospects, the website always ranks the Devils in the bottom two in the league in terms of best crop of talent waiting in the wings. This year, we come in at a respectable disgraceful 30th. Read their explanation and see if you don’t just get the same question in your heads that I did:
“Strengths: Mattias Tedenby, acquired in the 2008 Entry Draft, joins fellow countryman Nicklas Bergfors at the top of the list of New Jersey Devils prospects. Both are exceptionally gifted and well-rounded players. Beneath them, however, viable top-six forwards are scarce. Matt Halischuk and Mike Hoeffel are part of a quality cast of checking forwards. The Devils also boast a fairly deep and diverse group of blueliners, from the gritty Matt Corrente and Mark Fraser, to Brandon Burlon and Anssi Salmela (note: you really couldn’t update this an entire month after Salmela was traded?). The Devils organization possesses size throughout. Weaknesses: A significant problem for the Devils is their lack of quality prospects between the pipes. The Devils haven’t drafted any goaltenders since 2005, when they took Jeff Frazee. Once highly touted, he was unseated as Minnesota’s starting netminder and turned pro early. He is off to a decent start so far as a pro.”
Doesn’t sound so bad, right? Their only true knock on us is a lack of goaltending depth, and hey they’re kinda right. Jeff Frazee is currently our only shot at a homegrown goalie of the future. Granted, Frazee had an incredible season in 08-09, but certainly won’t be ready to break the NHL for another few years, and if he doesn’t pan out, we’ve literally got nothing. But is that alone really enough to rank us DEAD LAST? Calgary’s system was described as “incredibly thin everywhere but between the pipes,” yet they land 28th. Colorado’s cupboard is as empty and vast as the Colorado River, and yet they earn a mildly respectable 18th. The article itself paints a rosy picture of quality talent coming up from all areas: Frazee, Matt Corrente, Tyler Eckford, Matt Halischuk, Nicklas Bergfors, Mattias Tedenby, Alex Vasyunov, Mark Fraser, and Pierre-Luc Leblond. The only negative aspect of the entire review was Petr Vrana, who missed most of the season with a broken leg, and let’s face it, that makes it pretty hard to play hockey. I didn’t read any other team’s report, but surely for all the positive words written about the Devils of the future, that can’t possibly still mean we’re as bad as it gets in the NHL, can it?
May 13: Ken Daneyko will host radio discussion with Rangers bad boy Sean Avery
Dano and former Ranger Ron Duguay host a weekly radio show on Siruis-XM, and Sean Avery was this week’s guest. I have not heard this show, but Ron most have pleaded with Dano beforehand, and I say that because Sean is still alive. Disheartening, I know, but Avery was apparently not at all like himself during the course of the day, so Dano probably had no reason get angry at him. Still…disheartening.
May 14: Niclas Havelid signs to play next season for Linkoping in the Swedish Elite League.
…And may I be the first to say, thank you dear god. I would have accepted him signing with another NHL team, but I’m sure he realizes, as we all do, that if the choices are returning to New Jersey—where he not only couldn’t fit in but stuck out like a sore thumb, or returning to Atlanta—or as I like to call them Ilya Kovalchuk and the Chicago Wolves, he might as well go play in his home country and the third best league in the world. Havelid’s departure leaves the Devils with $2.7 mil that thankfully will not be wasted on him, hopefully leaving us that much more to put toward keeping the only Swedish defenseman that matters to us, Johnny Oduya.
May 14: Sutter no closer to decision on his future with the Devils
Brent Sutter is relaxing in Red Deer, evaluating his position as he does every year. This has gotten him into a lot of heat with both media and fans, who interpret this as a sign that Sutter is not committed to the Devils. A faulty statement when you consider he did the same thing last summer, and obviously came back. For those who are still worried, however, John Fischer from In Lou We Trust, one of the best Devils blogs on the web, gives us some reassurance via simple logic.
“First, Sutter is actually open about this evaluation. Yes, he’s repeating the same message; but he’s actually engaging questions about it. If Sutter were truly thinking of leaving, then I would think the best thing for him to do would be to stay quiet to the media and simply just consult with Lou. Instead, he’s stating that any rumors of him coaching elsewhere aren’t true and that the playoff loss — shocking as it was — won’t effect his decision.”
All indications are that Sutter will be back, despite what the Canadian media wants you to believe. Just remember, they only WISH he would stay home and coach in Calgary or Edmonton because those two teams are in desperate need of new coaches.
Looking Ahead
On the free agent front, Lou Lamoriello has said only that he wants to re-sign all four Restricted Free Agents: Travis Zajac, Petr Vrana, Pierre-Luc Leblond, and Andy Greene. The Devils need to get younger in a hurry, and this would be a great way to do it. No news on the Unrestricteds, although expect Johnny Oduya to be priority #1, and either John Madden or Brian Gionta to return, but probably not both. Expect Scott Clemmensen to be retained only if he sees the market for him as a starter somewhere else is not as great as he thought it would be, which is probably not going to happen. If he does leave, however, Kevin Weekes will return.
Looking toward the draft, my pick would be David Rundblad, a great offensive defenseman from Sweden, if he’s still on the board. If not, look for the Devils to do what they always do and go off the beaten path. Also, look for the Devils to draft their first goaltender since Frazee in 2005. Surely, they cannot overlook this position for another year, right? (I said that last year also…)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Offseason 09: How to Fix the Devils
A while back, I had written a blog about how the Devils should handle their free agency situation this summer. Looking back over what I had written, I realized that since that time, a lot of things have changed. So now that the offseason is unfortunately upon us, I’d like to revisit placing myself in the GM’s chair. Here is what I would do in dealing with free agency and why.
Keep
Johnny Oduya
Oduya should be priority #1 for the Devils this offseason. Rather underrated, and the only major piece of our defense set to become unrestricted, he will command—and deserves—a significant raise from the $600,000 he made in ‘08-’09, and will deserve every penny of it. He’s only going to get better, and with every team needing good offensive defensemen, we’d be wise to lock him up now. Taking a look at our defense, keeping him together with Paul Martin will be critical in the coming years.
Travis Zajac
Zajac is set to become a restricted free agent, and Lou has already said he will make every effort to sign him long term. He and Zach Parise are our one-two punch of the future, and he should be treated and signed as such. His play dropped off toward the end, but early on in the season, he really broke free from his sophomore slump, and as he ages his play will become more consistent. With his new contract, however, he should be given a gym membership. He really needs to get stronger to become more effective.
Brian Gionta
I have nothing against Gionta, but this is a conditional “keep,” the condition being how much money he wants. Lou will have his maximum value set well in advance, and should Gionta want more, we can use his cap room for better things, while giving offensive youngsters like Nicklas Bergfors the chance to finally prove themselves in the proper environment, i.e. NOT 6 minutes a night on the fourth line, as was the case early this year. Gionta is a tireless worker who needs to produce more, but if he stays at the right price, it will be worth giving him that chance.
John Madden
This is another conditional “keep,” and for the same reason. Madden is one of the best defensive forwards in the game, an alternate captain, and an all-around team player. He is without a doubt one of our core players who must be re-signed, but only at the right price. Unfortunately, Jay Pandolfo is making $2.5 mil per year, which may dictate what Madden will ask for. It is hard to believe Madden and Gionta will both be back, but individually it should depend on how what they want will fit into our cap structure.
Andy Greene
An upcoming RFA, Greene has followed up a potential-filled first year with a couple of steadily improving performances. Greene is a keeper as long as he will not be relied upon to play like a top-four defensemen. Andy Greene is a third-pairing defensemen at best, and should be paid as such. No need to break the bank on him, if he really thinks he’s worth more then let him go, but as a member of the 5-6 pair on defense, you can’t do much better.
Mike Rupp
Rupp is in a conditional state as well. Pierre-Luc Leblond has emerged as a replacement, and although Rupp has the size advantage, Leblond may prove to be cheaper. Time will tell, but I am fine with either one of these two players or both returning. Someone needs to give David Clarkson some backup.
Petr Vrana
Like Nicklas Bergfors, Vrana deserves to play in the role he was designed for, which is not low-minute nights on the fourth line. Sign him and keep a spot for him open, especially if John Madden will not be returning. Vrana has always been called a mini-Madden, and if John thinks he’s worth more money than we’re offering, now would be the perfect time to begin grooming Vrana for the role long-term.
Kevin Weekes
You were waiting for this one, weren’t you? Which goalie to keep when both are UFA’s? Weekes will require less money, and is the ultimate teammate when he’s not playing. Unlike Clemmensen, he has no delusions of being a starter anymore. Clemmensen, meanwhile, has played phenomenal, but wants to become a full-time starter now, and that opportunity cannot come in New Jersey. I will say this, however: if Clemmensen is willing to sign on as Marty’s full-time backup again, then I would keep Clemmensen instead. I just doubt that is going to happen
Pierre-Luc Leblond
I love what Leblond brought to the lineup this year, and I think he is on the verge of becoming a full-timer. He is most likely a cheaper option than Mike Rupp, and should be signed long-term. Leblond will prove to be a key building block for the future.
Ditch
Niclas Havelid
Havelid is, by far, the worst trade deadline acquisition in Devils history. Sure, it looked good at the time, but he just never fit in on this team. Always out of position, always making stupid plays that you wouldn’t expect a veteran to make. I will personally drive him to the airport if it means he never has to appear in a Devils uniform again for the rest of time.
Bobby Holik
It’s time for Holik to inform the post office that his mail is to no longer be forwarded to the Devils penalty box. His stupid penalties cost us far too many times this year, and if we honestly expect to have a better fate next season, there’s no way he can be part of that.
Scott Clemmensen
You can read the explanation above under why we should keep Kevin Weekes, but I will summarize by saying that if Clemmensen decides he is willing to return as Marty’s backup, I’d rather keep him. I just don’t believe he is willing to do that.
Brendan Shanahan
I put him here because he’s probably going to retire anyway, but also because we’re a very old team right now, and that’s how you get yourself into salary cap trouble. I loved the concept of Shanahan coming back for this year to help us make a run, but now we need to start getting younger like everyone else. If, at the end of the summer, we have the cap room to bring him back for one more season, however, I am not opposed to it.
Let me just clarify that I do not expect every single player on the keep list to return next season. Many of them are on there because they should be considered for being kept, but with the salary cap situation the way it is, all of them will not be brought back, nor should they. For example, Madden is on there because it would be great if he stays, but Vrana is up there because it’s very likely that Madden will choose to leave. So interpret the list with caution.
So now that we did all that, what do we need to add to make the 2010 Devils even better? The key is defense, defense, defense. If this year taught us anything, it’s that you cannot rely on a group of minor-leaguers to fill out an NHL defense. Our top four of Martin, Oduya, Salvador, and White were capable, but those last two spots need a serious upgrading. It’s not that Mottau played bad, but our top six needs to be stronger and more talented. I would focus my efforts this summer on signing a veteran stalwart defenseman, who can give our backline a higher profile. Stay-at-home or puck-mover, it doesn’t really matter. The bottom line is that any effort in free agency should be spent on making our defense corps far better.
Other than that, I like the pieces we have, and as long as some of those prospects that have been stewing in the minors for four or five years finally get the chance to prove themselves, I don’t think we need to do a whole lot else.
Keep
Johnny Oduya
Oduya should be priority #1 for the Devils this offseason. Rather underrated, and the only major piece of our defense set to become unrestricted, he will command—and deserves—a significant raise from the $600,000 he made in ‘08-’09, and will deserve every penny of it. He’s only going to get better, and with every team needing good offensive defensemen, we’d be wise to lock him up now. Taking a look at our defense, keeping him together with Paul Martin will be critical in the coming years.
Travis Zajac
Zajac is set to become a restricted free agent, and Lou has already said he will make every effort to sign him long term. He and Zach Parise are our one-two punch of the future, and he should be treated and signed as such. His play dropped off toward the end, but early on in the season, he really broke free from his sophomore slump, and as he ages his play will become more consistent. With his new contract, however, he should be given a gym membership. He really needs to get stronger to become more effective.
Brian Gionta
I have nothing against Gionta, but this is a conditional “keep,” the condition being how much money he wants. Lou will have his maximum value set well in advance, and should Gionta want more, we can use his cap room for better things, while giving offensive youngsters like Nicklas Bergfors the chance to finally prove themselves in the proper environment, i.e. NOT 6 minutes a night on the fourth line, as was the case early this year. Gionta is a tireless worker who needs to produce more, but if he stays at the right price, it will be worth giving him that chance.
John Madden
This is another conditional “keep,” and for the same reason. Madden is one of the best defensive forwards in the game, an alternate captain, and an all-around team player. He is without a doubt one of our core players who must be re-signed, but only at the right price. Unfortunately, Jay Pandolfo is making $2.5 mil per year, which may dictate what Madden will ask for. It is hard to believe Madden and Gionta will both be back, but individually it should depend on how what they want will fit into our cap structure.
Andy Greene
An upcoming RFA, Greene has followed up a potential-filled first year with a couple of steadily improving performances. Greene is a keeper as long as he will not be relied upon to play like a top-four defensemen. Andy Greene is a third-pairing defensemen at best, and should be paid as such. No need to break the bank on him, if he really thinks he’s worth more then let him go, but as a member of the 5-6 pair on defense, you can’t do much better.
Mike Rupp
Rupp is in a conditional state as well. Pierre-Luc Leblond has emerged as a replacement, and although Rupp has the size advantage, Leblond may prove to be cheaper. Time will tell, but I am fine with either one of these two players or both returning. Someone needs to give David Clarkson some backup.
Petr Vrana
Like Nicklas Bergfors, Vrana deserves to play in the role he was designed for, which is not low-minute nights on the fourth line. Sign him and keep a spot for him open, especially if John Madden will not be returning. Vrana has always been called a mini-Madden, and if John thinks he’s worth more money than we’re offering, now would be the perfect time to begin grooming Vrana for the role long-term.
Kevin Weekes
You were waiting for this one, weren’t you? Which goalie to keep when both are UFA’s? Weekes will require less money, and is the ultimate teammate when he’s not playing. Unlike Clemmensen, he has no delusions of being a starter anymore. Clemmensen, meanwhile, has played phenomenal, but wants to become a full-time starter now, and that opportunity cannot come in New Jersey. I will say this, however: if Clemmensen is willing to sign on as Marty’s full-time backup again, then I would keep Clemmensen instead. I just doubt that is going to happen
Pierre-Luc Leblond
I love what Leblond brought to the lineup this year, and I think he is on the verge of becoming a full-timer. He is most likely a cheaper option than Mike Rupp, and should be signed long-term. Leblond will prove to be a key building block for the future.
Ditch
Niclas Havelid
Havelid is, by far, the worst trade deadline acquisition in Devils history. Sure, it looked good at the time, but he just never fit in on this team. Always out of position, always making stupid plays that you wouldn’t expect a veteran to make. I will personally drive him to the airport if it means he never has to appear in a Devils uniform again for the rest of time.
Bobby Holik
It’s time for Holik to inform the post office that his mail is to no longer be forwarded to the Devils penalty box. His stupid penalties cost us far too many times this year, and if we honestly expect to have a better fate next season, there’s no way he can be part of that.
Scott Clemmensen
You can read the explanation above under why we should keep Kevin Weekes, but I will summarize by saying that if Clemmensen decides he is willing to return as Marty’s backup, I’d rather keep him. I just don’t believe he is willing to do that.
Brendan Shanahan
I put him here because he’s probably going to retire anyway, but also because we’re a very old team right now, and that’s how you get yourself into salary cap trouble. I loved the concept of Shanahan coming back for this year to help us make a run, but now we need to start getting younger like everyone else. If, at the end of the summer, we have the cap room to bring him back for one more season, however, I am not opposed to it.
Let me just clarify that I do not expect every single player on the keep list to return next season. Many of them are on there because they should be considered for being kept, but with the salary cap situation the way it is, all of them will not be brought back, nor should they. For example, Madden is on there because it would be great if he stays, but Vrana is up there because it’s very likely that Madden will choose to leave. So interpret the list with caution.
So now that we did all that, what do we need to add to make the 2010 Devils even better? The key is defense, defense, defense. If this year taught us anything, it’s that you cannot rely on a group of minor-leaguers to fill out an NHL defense. Our top four of Martin, Oduya, Salvador, and White were capable, but those last two spots need a serious upgrading. It’s not that Mottau played bad, but our top six needs to be stronger and more talented. I would focus my efforts this summer on signing a veteran stalwart defenseman, who can give our backline a higher profile. Stay-at-home or puck-mover, it doesn’t really matter. The bottom line is that any effort in free agency should be spent on making our defense corps far better.
Other than that, I like the pieces we have, and as long as some of those prospects that have been stewing in the minors for four or five years finally get the chance to prove themselves, I don’t think we need to do a whole lot else.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Devils In-Depth Rd 1 Gm 7 Recap / Season Recap
With a flick of the wrist, it was all over.
The deafening arena, the passionate play, the visions of Alex Ovechkin warming up on that very ice seemingly too real to be just visions. But in the end, the same old mistakes that have been killing the Devils all year long came back to bite them once again.
For those of you wondering why this loss is being touted by many as the worst in Devils history, allow me to explain a few things. In 1994, during that brief period in Stephane Matteau’s career where he actually mattered, the Devils had fought back to tie that game before it went into overtime. In 2001, when the Devils had a legitimate chance to repeat as champions, they came out and played an all-around horrible game, as if they themselves had wanted Ray Bourque to win. But last night, in Game 7, the Devils both had the lead, and were playing like they intended to move on, but they didn’t. As we eulogize the 2009 Devils, let us look back at the same mistakes which they were unable to correct all season long.
1. Powerplay
Not only in this series, but throughout the entire season, the Devils’ powerplay has been, in a word, atrocious. There is no other word in the English language to describe how utterly nonexistent their powerplay was all year. Sure, Brian Rolston got a PP marker to take the 3-2 lead in Game 7, and that’s terrific; but they had more powerplay chances after that, and ONE GOAL could have put this series away for good. It’s not that they don’t score on the powerplay, it’s that they can’t move the puck, they can’t set up scoring chances, they can’t even keep any pressure sustained for more than a few seconds before they watch the puck sail away. Game 7 was just one of the many instances in this series where one powerplay goal would have secured the win. But apparently, that is too much to ask for.
2. Clearing the Puck
This ties in heavily to the first point. Failure to clear the puck while the opponent sustains offensive pressure, seemingly with a great deal of ease, has burned the Devils far too many times this year, and in this last game. The Devils had multiple chances to just find a way to clear the puck somehow, and failed. Tim Gleason, meanwhile, did show some hustle, keeping the puck alive which set up the tying goal.
3. Positioning
Another factor in the tying goal that has burned them all year. If I had every game from this season on my computer, I could post at least 15 examples where the defense was poorly positioned. Many of those will involve Niclas Havelid, even though he was a deadline acquisition. Far too many times, there were instances where 3 or 4 Devils were all concentrated in one area of the ice, very close to each other. So when the opposing player slides the puck through all of them, to a wide open teammate, it’s a goal. Specifically for Game 7, those cross-ice passes that set up the tying goal SHOULD. NOT. HAPPEN. Niclas Havelid was a terrible disappointment, and easily the worst trade deadline deal that Lou has ever made. How he decides in his head that it’s more important to take the body of a player in front of Marty, when his teammate is already doing that, instead of getting a stick on that pass is flat out unacceptable.
4. Soft Goals
I hate saying it as much as anyone else, especially given the way he bounced back this year after a down period, but Martin Brodeur, for as great as he’s been all series, let in one of the easiest shots to stop he will ever face on Eric Staal’s game winner. Staal got all he wanted on the shot, but it was more of a lob than anything, and slow enough that anyone on these boards could have stopped it. Unfortunately, beginning with last year’s playoffs, Marty has been letting in some very easy goals lately. It was originally thought to be a cold streak that every player goes through, and eventually he rebounded. But when a goal like that goes in, you start to wonder how much he has left in the tank.
5. 60 Minute Effort
If you had to identify one killer which became the downfall of the 2009 Devils it was putting forth the full 60 minute effort. In Game 4, they only showed up for the third period, and not even the entire third period. In Game 7, they played arguably their best 58 minutes of the entire season. But hockey games don’t last 58 minutes, now do they? Two bad minutes can kill you in the playoffs, and they did.
But I hate to leave this season behind on such a sour note. I’m disappointed because of the tremendous potential this team had to go on a deep playoff run, but there were too many great things that happened this year to just write it off. First and foremost, obviously, are the two major milestones that were accomplished. Martin Brodeur is now the all-time winningest goaltender in NHL history, and Patrik Elias is now the all-time team leader in points. Zach Parise also had a breakout year, making his first All-Star team and coming dangerously close to breaking the franchise’s all-time marks for most goals and points in a single season. Here is a more complete list of Devils Milestones from the 08-09 season:
10/18: Petr Vrana’s first game, first goal.
10/22: Pierre-Luc Leblond’s first game, first point.
10/29: Matt Halischuk’s first game, first point.
11/01: Nicklas Bergfors’ first goal.
11/09: Jay Leach & Patrick Davis’ first game.
11/12: Jamie Langenbrunner’s 300th career assist.
11/21: Kevin Weekes’ 100th career win.
11/23: Jay Leach’s first point.
12/17: Dainius Zubrus’ 800th career game.
12/19: Jamie Langenbrunner’s 400th game as a Devil.
12/27: Zach Parise’s 200th career point.
12/30: Jamie Langenbrunner’s 500th career point.
01/04: Travis Zajac’s 200th career game.
01/06: Mike Rupp’s 300th career game.
01/10: Zach Parise’s 100th career goal, Brian Rolston’s 1,000th career game.
01/11: Bobby Holik’s 200th goal as a Devil.
01/21: Colin White’s 100th career point.
01/29: Johnny Oduya’s 200th career game.
02/03: Bryce Salvador’s 500th career game.
02/06: Patrik Elias’ 400th career assist.
02/11: Patrik Elias’ 800th career game, Brendan Shanahan’s 1,500th career game.
02/13: Zach Parise’s 300th career game.
03/01: Martin Brodeur’s 100th career shutout, Jamie Langenbrunner’s 200th career goal, Brian Gionta’s 300th career point.
03/10: Bobby Holik’s 1,300th career game.
03/14: Patrik Elias’ 700th career point, Brian Rolston’s 300th career goal.
03/17: Martin Brodeur’s 552nd career win, Patrik Elias’ 702nd career point.
03/18: John Madden’s 700th career game.
So while this season ended on a sour note, this season also brought a lot to cheer about for Jersey’s Team. All the injuries, all the new faces forced into the lineup who came through for the team, all the milestones. After all the obstacles, the Devils only finished with 106 points and their 8th division title. There are some tough decisions to make over the summer, and ones that may bring some new faces to Prudential Center. Despite the trade for Niclas Havelid, who hopefully will never be seen in a Devils uniform again, I have faith in Lou Lamoriello to rebuild this team and make the 2010 season one for the ages.
I’ll be posting my own thoughts on that matter in the next couple of days, but first, I really need some time to come to grips with the fact that the season of infinite potential is actually over.
The deafening arena, the passionate play, the visions of Alex Ovechkin warming up on that very ice seemingly too real to be just visions. But in the end, the same old mistakes that have been killing the Devils all year long came back to bite them once again.
For those of you wondering why this loss is being touted by many as the worst in Devils history, allow me to explain a few things. In 1994, during that brief period in Stephane Matteau’s career where he actually mattered, the Devils had fought back to tie that game before it went into overtime. In 2001, when the Devils had a legitimate chance to repeat as champions, they came out and played an all-around horrible game, as if they themselves had wanted Ray Bourque to win. But last night, in Game 7, the Devils both had the lead, and were playing like they intended to move on, but they didn’t. As we eulogize the 2009 Devils, let us look back at the same mistakes which they were unable to correct all season long.
1. Powerplay
Not only in this series, but throughout the entire season, the Devils’ powerplay has been, in a word, atrocious. There is no other word in the English language to describe how utterly nonexistent their powerplay was all year. Sure, Brian Rolston got a PP marker to take the 3-2 lead in Game 7, and that’s terrific; but they had more powerplay chances after that, and ONE GOAL could have put this series away for good. It’s not that they don’t score on the powerplay, it’s that they can’t move the puck, they can’t set up scoring chances, they can’t even keep any pressure sustained for more than a few seconds before they watch the puck sail away. Game 7 was just one of the many instances in this series where one powerplay goal would have secured the win. But apparently, that is too much to ask for.
2. Clearing the Puck
This ties in heavily to the first point. Failure to clear the puck while the opponent sustains offensive pressure, seemingly with a great deal of ease, has burned the Devils far too many times this year, and in this last game. The Devils had multiple chances to just find a way to clear the puck somehow, and failed. Tim Gleason, meanwhile, did show some hustle, keeping the puck alive which set up the tying goal.
3. Positioning
Another factor in the tying goal that has burned them all year. If I had every game from this season on my computer, I could post at least 15 examples where the defense was poorly positioned. Many of those will involve Niclas Havelid, even though he was a deadline acquisition. Far too many times, there were instances where 3 or 4 Devils were all concentrated in one area of the ice, very close to each other. So when the opposing player slides the puck through all of them, to a wide open teammate, it’s a goal. Specifically for Game 7, those cross-ice passes that set up the tying goal SHOULD. NOT. HAPPEN. Niclas Havelid was a terrible disappointment, and easily the worst trade deadline deal that Lou has ever made. How he decides in his head that it’s more important to take the body of a player in front of Marty, when his teammate is already doing that, instead of getting a stick on that pass is flat out unacceptable.
4. Soft Goals
I hate saying it as much as anyone else, especially given the way he bounced back this year after a down period, but Martin Brodeur, for as great as he’s been all series, let in one of the easiest shots to stop he will ever face on Eric Staal’s game winner. Staal got all he wanted on the shot, but it was more of a lob than anything, and slow enough that anyone on these boards could have stopped it. Unfortunately, beginning with last year’s playoffs, Marty has been letting in some very easy goals lately. It was originally thought to be a cold streak that every player goes through, and eventually he rebounded. But when a goal like that goes in, you start to wonder how much he has left in the tank.
5. 60 Minute Effort
If you had to identify one killer which became the downfall of the 2009 Devils it was putting forth the full 60 minute effort. In Game 4, they only showed up for the third period, and not even the entire third period. In Game 7, they played arguably their best 58 minutes of the entire season. But hockey games don’t last 58 minutes, now do they? Two bad minutes can kill you in the playoffs, and they did.
But I hate to leave this season behind on such a sour note. I’m disappointed because of the tremendous potential this team had to go on a deep playoff run, but there were too many great things that happened this year to just write it off. First and foremost, obviously, are the two major milestones that were accomplished. Martin Brodeur is now the all-time winningest goaltender in NHL history, and Patrik Elias is now the all-time team leader in points. Zach Parise also had a breakout year, making his first All-Star team and coming dangerously close to breaking the franchise’s all-time marks for most goals and points in a single season. Here is a more complete list of Devils Milestones from the 08-09 season:
10/18: Petr Vrana’s first game, first goal.
10/22: Pierre-Luc Leblond’s first game, first point.
10/29: Matt Halischuk’s first game, first point.
11/01: Nicklas Bergfors’ first goal.
11/09: Jay Leach & Patrick Davis’ first game.
11/12: Jamie Langenbrunner’s 300th career assist.
11/21: Kevin Weekes’ 100th career win.
11/23: Jay Leach’s first point.
12/17: Dainius Zubrus’ 800th career game.
12/19: Jamie Langenbrunner’s 400th game as a Devil.
12/27: Zach Parise’s 200th career point.
12/30: Jamie Langenbrunner’s 500th career point.
01/04: Travis Zajac’s 200th career game.
01/06: Mike Rupp’s 300th career game.
01/10: Zach Parise’s 100th career goal, Brian Rolston’s 1,000th career game.
01/11: Bobby Holik’s 200th goal as a Devil.
01/21: Colin White’s 100th career point.
01/29: Johnny Oduya’s 200th career game.
02/03: Bryce Salvador’s 500th career game.
02/06: Patrik Elias’ 400th career assist.
02/11: Patrik Elias’ 800th career game, Brendan Shanahan’s 1,500th career game.
02/13: Zach Parise’s 300th career game.
03/01: Martin Brodeur’s 100th career shutout, Jamie Langenbrunner’s 200th career goal, Brian Gionta’s 300th career point.
03/10: Bobby Holik’s 1,300th career game.
03/14: Patrik Elias’ 700th career point, Brian Rolston’s 300th career goal.
03/17: Martin Brodeur’s 552nd career win, Patrik Elias’ 702nd career point.
03/18: John Madden’s 700th career game.
So while this season ended on a sour note, this season also brought a lot to cheer about for Jersey’s Team. All the injuries, all the new faces forced into the lineup who came through for the team, all the milestones. After all the obstacles, the Devils only finished with 106 points and their 8th division title. There are some tough decisions to make over the summer, and ones that may bring some new faces to Prudential Center. Despite the trade for Niclas Havelid, who hopefully will never be seen in a Devils uniform again, I have faith in Lou Lamoriello to rebuild this team and make the 2010 season one for the ages.
I’ll be posting my own thoughts on that matter in the next couple of days, but first, I really need some time to come to grips with the fact that the season of infinite potential is actually over.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Devils In-Depth - Rd 1 Gm 6 Recap
Jamie Langenbrunner was rusty and the rest of the Devils played uninspired in a 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes, forcing a Game 7 Tuesday night in Newark.
Even if the Devils had showed up with some fire, intensity, and a desire to end the series while they have Carolina on the ropes, it’s hard to match the intensity of a team with their backs against the wall. That’s not an excuse, however, because the Devils came out looking as if they would much rather win the series on home ice. They got off to a fine start, but Dainius Zubrus taking a bad penalty set the tone for the rest of the game. Two of Carolina’s goals came on the powerplay, and the Devils never really mounted any serious pressure on Cam Ward after that first penalty.
This blog will be short because it does not take a novel to describe their efforts tonight. The Devils were lazy, bored, rusty…call it what you will. They are flat out lucky Marty Brodeur came to play. With the kind of help he was getting, he cannot be blamed for any of the Hurricanes’ goals. The point is that the Devils had better come out with an otherworldly effort on Tuesday. They had their foot on Carolina’s throat and let them get up, and now Carolina has the opportunity to do the same. Only they actually have the guts to step down hard.
I am flat out disgusted with the Devils’ “effort” in Game 6, and I hope they decide that on Tuesday that playing hockey is more important than playing golf. Clearly, they’re more interested in summer vacation right now.
Three Stars
1st: Ray Whitney
2nd: Eric Staal
3rd: Tim Gleason
Series Tied, 3-3
Friday, April 24, 2009
Devils In-Depth - Rd 1 Gm 5 Recap
Anyone who has ever complained about how boring low scoring games are has obviously never watched a 1-0 playoff game. Game 5 between the Devils and the Hurricanes was one for the ages, another chapter in an already classic series.
From the Devils’ perspective, the storylines heading in were tremendous: How will Martin Brodeur, fresh off his first career public meltdown, bounce back from a game in which the winning goal was scored with 0.2 seconds left in the game? How will Andy Greene play after being inserted into the lineup to replace the injured Bryce Salvador? Can the Devils play their way back into control in this series?
Both teams came out firing in the first period, but tonight would prove to be a goaltending duel. Martin Brodeur and Cam Ward both stood tall, including some spectacular highlight reel saves. As has become a common occurrence in this series, the first period was a physical one, including both goaltenders getting run over. Chad LaRose’s collision with Brodeur not only sent LaRose’s skate into Brodeur’s ankle, it also knocked Brodeur’s goal stick across the ice, resulting in a wacky moment which saw a stick-less Brodeur diving across the ice to stop a wide Carolina point shot.
The second period was much of the same, minus the goalie abuse, until the 11:22 mark, when the game’s only goal was scored. What a time for the Devils’ powerplay to click, as it entered the game 1-for-19. Andy Greene, a healthy scratch inserted into the lineup when Bryce Salvador went down after Game 4, had played a solid game so far, but really made his presence felt on the play. Greene threw a shot at the net that David Clarkson deflected home. Clarkson has become quite the clutch performer of late, having also scored the tying goal in Game 4.
The third period did not begin with a Devils’ effort to lock down the game, but as the clock winked down under the four minute mark, it became obvious to the Devils that this was going to end 1-0 as long as they could hold it down. That’s not to say there weren’t some great scoring chances throughout the third, including Cam Ward’s ludicrous glove save on Zach Parise.
Undoubtedly, however, the unsung hero of the third period was Jay Pandolfo, who had the guts to call himself out for not blocking Carolina’s game winning shot last game, and responded by blocking a couple of shots, including one late which could have potentially tied the game. But Marty stopped what got through, Brendan Shanahan cleared the puck once and for all, and the Devils helped Marty earn his 23rd career playoff shutout, tying him with Patrick Roy for the most all-time.
So why wasn’t this the 1-0 game everyone thinks of? Well for one thing, the final shot totals were 44-42 in favor of Carolina, and many of those shots for both sides were quality scoring chances which could have gone in. And in reality, it’s the scoring chances, more so than the goals themselves, which make for excitement within hockey games.
Well, now that that’s over, where does this series go from here? So far, the teams have taken turns winning games, so undoubtedly the early advantage goes to Carolina on their home ice, with their backs now firmly against the wall. It will be up to the Devils to finally break the trend, win one more game on the road, and advance to the second round. It is a task they are certainly capable of, but will not be easy by any means.
Regardless of what happens in Game 6, however, the omens which hang over this series are monumental. The team which has won previous matchups between these two teams has gone on to reach the Cup Finals all three times, but with last night’s Devils win, a new omen has emerged: Tonight’s was the Devils’ fourth 1-0 playoff victory in their history. The other three came in 1995, 2000, and 2003…if you know your Devils’ history, you can find the significance in that for yourself.
Three Stars
1st: Martin Brodeur
2nd: David Clarkson
3rd: Andy Greene
Devils Lead Series, 3-2
From the Devils’ perspective, the storylines heading in were tremendous: How will Martin Brodeur, fresh off his first career public meltdown, bounce back from a game in which the winning goal was scored with 0.2 seconds left in the game? How will Andy Greene play after being inserted into the lineup to replace the injured Bryce Salvador? Can the Devils play their way back into control in this series?
Both teams came out firing in the first period, but tonight would prove to be a goaltending duel. Martin Brodeur and Cam Ward both stood tall, including some spectacular highlight reel saves. As has become a common occurrence in this series, the first period was a physical one, including both goaltenders getting run over. Chad LaRose’s collision with Brodeur not only sent LaRose’s skate into Brodeur’s ankle, it also knocked Brodeur’s goal stick across the ice, resulting in a wacky moment which saw a stick-less Brodeur diving across the ice to stop a wide Carolina point shot.
The second period was much of the same, minus the goalie abuse, until the 11:22 mark, when the game’s only goal was scored. What a time for the Devils’ powerplay to click, as it entered the game 1-for-19. Andy Greene, a healthy scratch inserted into the lineup when Bryce Salvador went down after Game 4, had played a solid game so far, but really made his presence felt on the play. Greene threw a shot at the net that David Clarkson deflected home. Clarkson has become quite the clutch performer of late, having also scored the tying goal in Game 4.
The third period did not begin with a Devils’ effort to lock down the game, but as the clock winked down under the four minute mark, it became obvious to the Devils that this was going to end 1-0 as long as they could hold it down. That’s not to say there weren’t some great scoring chances throughout the third, including Cam Ward’s ludicrous glove save on Zach Parise.
Undoubtedly, however, the unsung hero of the third period was Jay Pandolfo, who had the guts to call himself out for not blocking Carolina’s game winning shot last game, and responded by blocking a couple of shots, including one late which could have potentially tied the game. But Marty stopped what got through, Brendan Shanahan cleared the puck once and for all, and the Devils helped Marty earn his 23rd career playoff shutout, tying him with Patrick Roy for the most all-time.
So why wasn’t this the 1-0 game everyone thinks of? Well for one thing, the final shot totals were 44-42 in favor of Carolina, and many of those shots for both sides were quality scoring chances which could have gone in. And in reality, it’s the scoring chances, more so than the goals themselves, which make for excitement within hockey games.
Well, now that that’s over, where does this series go from here? So far, the teams have taken turns winning games, so undoubtedly the early advantage goes to Carolina on their home ice, with their backs now firmly against the wall. It will be up to the Devils to finally break the trend, win one more game on the road, and advance to the second round. It is a task they are certainly capable of, but will not be easy by any means.
Regardless of what happens in Game 6, however, the omens which hang over this series are monumental. The team which has won previous matchups between these two teams has gone on to reach the Cup Finals all three times, but with last night’s Devils win, a new omen has emerged: Tonight’s was the Devils’ fourth 1-0 playoff victory in their history. The other three came in 1995, 2000, and 2003…if you know your Devils’ history, you can find the significance in that for yourself.
Three Stars
1st: Martin Brodeur
2nd: David Clarkson
3rd: Andy Greene
Devils Lead Series, 3-2
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Devils In-Depth - Rd 1 Gm 4 Recap
There’s a reason that hockey players always talk about playing “the full 60 minutes,” and it’s because of nights like this. For the first two periods of the game, Carolina flat out dominated the Devils. The Devils forwards put absolutely no pressure on Ward, the defense let the Hurricane forwards walk right through to Marty, who wasn’t exactly sharp himself. It’s not that he wasn’t stopping pucks, but he had no control over his rebounds, which burned him all three times.
But when Brian Gionta scored on a breakaway late in the second period, the Devils began an incredible comeback. Five minutes into the third, Brendan Shanahan buried a Gionta rebound to cut the deficit to one; then midway through the third, David Clarkson got hold of a rebound in front, and all alone, waited out Ward before cashing in to tie the game.
From that point forward, however, all the positive energy and momentum the Devils had built up came to a halt, even as the now scared Hurricanes cautiously tried to avoid giving up another scoring chance. Here was the Devils’ opportunity to put this team away and take a 3-1 series lead back home, but instead they threw away the momentum they had built with sloppy, lazy plays. And with less than 10 seconds left in the third period, it came back to haunt them. Lazy defense, the lack of desire to properly clear the puck, and Jay Pandolfo—too scared to be a man and block the shot—caused the Hurricanes to score a deflection goal with 0.2 seconds left on the clock. It was never an issue whether the puck crossed the line in time, the issue was the goaltender interference.
The NHL’s explanation:
The NHL’s goalie interference rule sets a mandate to protect the goalie in the blue ice – to let the goalie do his job. In the white ice, it is a more delicate matter, including who moved into whom. The referee has one split-second look at it and it is a judgment call. NHL Hockey Operations has no video review capacity in this instance. Hockey Operations officials agreed with the call on the ice, that it looked like the goalie, Martin Brodeur, moved out toward the skater.
Fine, it’s a judgment call, and it takes a split second. Watch the referee in that split second on the replay, he clearly is not even looking. Brodeur was out to play the angle on the shot, not to draw an interference call. Had a similar situation not have happened to the ref closest to the play a few weeks back, he may have had the guts to make the right call. Brodeur was likely angrier that the refs didn’t give him a break on this call, considering the far more obvious goalie interference call on Chad LaRose for Carolina’s third goal that the refs ignored.
But in the end, all of this is irrelevant. The refs made the call they did, Brodeur flipped out, the Devils were 0.2 seconds from overtime, but they go home losers instead. And as I said before, it’s their own fault. Maybe they pin the puck up against the boards instead of trying to clear it, maybe Pandolfo remembers that he’s a hockey player and takes one for the team, but none of those things happened, and the Devils head home back where they started from.
Bryce Salvador believes he might be able to play in Game 5, but after seeing how much pain he was in, I believe it’s a long shot at this point. There’s been no word just yet on whether or not Jamie Langenbrunner can return to the lineup, but it would be a huge boost if he could. Either way, one would hope the Devils can absorb what just happened to them, realize they only played hard for about 25 minutes last night, and come out on fire on Thursday.
Three Stars:
1st: Jussi Jokinen
2nd: Chad LaRose
3rd: Ryan Bayda
Series Tied, 2-2
But when Brian Gionta scored on a breakaway late in the second period, the Devils began an incredible comeback. Five minutes into the third, Brendan Shanahan buried a Gionta rebound to cut the deficit to one; then midway through the third, David Clarkson got hold of a rebound in front, and all alone, waited out Ward before cashing in to tie the game.
From that point forward, however, all the positive energy and momentum the Devils had built up came to a halt, even as the now scared Hurricanes cautiously tried to avoid giving up another scoring chance. Here was the Devils’ opportunity to put this team away and take a 3-1 series lead back home, but instead they threw away the momentum they had built with sloppy, lazy plays. And with less than 10 seconds left in the third period, it came back to haunt them. Lazy defense, the lack of desire to properly clear the puck, and Jay Pandolfo—too scared to be a man and block the shot—caused the Hurricanes to score a deflection goal with 0.2 seconds left on the clock. It was never an issue whether the puck crossed the line in time, the issue was the goaltender interference.
The NHL’s explanation:
The NHL’s goalie interference rule sets a mandate to protect the goalie in the blue ice – to let the goalie do his job. In the white ice, it is a more delicate matter, including who moved into whom. The referee has one split-second look at it and it is a judgment call. NHL Hockey Operations has no video review capacity in this instance. Hockey Operations officials agreed with the call on the ice, that it looked like the goalie, Martin Brodeur, moved out toward the skater.
Fine, it’s a judgment call, and it takes a split second. Watch the referee in that split second on the replay, he clearly is not even looking. Brodeur was out to play the angle on the shot, not to draw an interference call. Had a similar situation not have happened to the ref closest to the play a few weeks back, he may have had the guts to make the right call. Brodeur was likely angrier that the refs didn’t give him a break on this call, considering the far more obvious goalie interference call on Chad LaRose for Carolina’s third goal that the refs ignored.
But in the end, all of this is irrelevant. The refs made the call they did, Brodeur flipped out, the Devils were 0.2 seconds from overtime, but they go home losers instead. And as I said before, it’s their own fault. Maybe they pin the puck up against the boards instead of trying to clear it, maybe Pandolfo remembers that he’s a hockey player and takes one for the team, but none of those things happened, and the Devils head home back where they started from.
Bryce Salvador believes he might be able to play in Game 5, but after seeing how much pain he was in, I believe it’s a long shot at this point. There’s been no word just yet on whether or not Jamie Langenbrunner can return to the lineup, but it would be a huge boost if he could. Either way, one would hope the Devils can absorb what just happened to them, realize they only played hard for about 25 minutes last night, and come out on fire on Thursday.
Three Stars:
1st: Jussi Jokinen
2nd: Chad LaRose
3rd: Ryan Bayda
Series Tied, 2-2
Monday, April 20, 2009
Devils In-Depth - Rd 1 Gm 3 Recap
It was Brian Rolston who replaced the injured Jamie Langenbrunner on the Devils’ top line in Game 3, though Steve Cangialosi originally credited the game-winning overtime goal to Brendan Shanahan. Chico Resch, of all people, had to correct him.
Fortunately, Cangialosi was the only one making mistakes last night. Heading into Raleigh, statistics hung heavy over the Devils’ heads. “The Hurricanes have won their last 20 home games,” they heard… “the Devils are now 0-5 all time against the Hurricanes in playoff overtime…” “the last time Carolina played a home playoff game, they ended the night by hoisting the Stanley Cup.” But in order to get anywhere in the playoffs, you need to be able to win on the road, and the Devils came out firing. New Jersey grabbed the early lead at 6:05 of the 1st period, thanks to some terrific work by Brian Rolston, who relished his increased ice time. Rolston created a turnover in Carolina’s end, and the puck found its way back to Paul Martin at the point. Martin’s quick wrister was perfectly deflected by Zach Parise. But just 30 seconds later, the Canes struck back. Ryan Bayda pounced on a perfect rebound chance after a great save on Jussi Jokinen. The period closed out on a beautiful shift; Brendan Shanahan muscles Joe Corvo off the puck, leaving Brian Gionta alone with Cam Ward. A couple of nice dekes and a puck through the five-hole sends the Devils into the first intermission up 2-1.
Only one goal was scored in the second period, and it came at the most inopportune time for the Devils. Moments after killing off a 5-on-3, New Jersey was on the verge of finishing off the penalty kill, when just as time ran out on the penalty to Paul Martin, Chad LaRose tips a Patrick Eaves shot behind Brodeur to tie the game. Twice the Devils took the lead, twice Carolina tied it up. After trading quality scoring chances throughout the rest of the 2nd and 3rd, the teams prepped for their second straight overtime.
Fresh off embarassing themselves in Game 2, the Devils hit the ice for overtime with a lot of fire. Rather than sit back, this time they took the play to Carolina, and five minutes in, it paid off. Colin White sent a fumbled pass up the boards to Zach Parise, who carried the puck in and fired a shot. With Rolston parked in front of him, Ward made the save, and stopped Travis Zajac’s rebound, but Zajac crashed the net and put the second rebound upstairs. The Devils had broken the Carolina Curse.
So, Brian, how’s it feel to play on the top line?
“It was a lot of fun. I thought we had instant chemistry. We were just talking about it. We played well together, so it was just one of those things. It was good.”
Well said, as always.
Coach, what was the difference in overtime this time around?
“The important thing is we know how we need to play and how we want to play. When we play that way it’s a lot more fun to play. We were just getting out of the funk we were in the last six, seven or eight minutes. I think we focused on two things. At least give yourself a chance to win. In New Jersey we never did that because we just sat back.”
It was also nice to see the Devils crash the net for a change. The concept seems so foreign to them most of the time, yet when they actually do it they get results. It’s a wonder to me that they don’t try to crash the net more often given the positives that come out of it. Finally, let’s hear from Bobby Holik, who was told not to take stupid penalties when he returned to the lineup, but did just that.
“Oh man. No timing. No rhythm. No confidence. Jumping in mid-series in the playoffs, I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody.”
…especially when that anybody skates like a tree and has all their mail forwarded to the penalty box.
Three Stars:
1st: Travis Zajac
2nd: Chad LaRose
3rd: Zach Parise
Devils Lead Series, 2-1
Fortunately, Cangialosi was the only one making mistakes last night. Heading into Raleigh, statistics hung heavy over the Devils’ heads. “The Hurricanes have won their last 20 home games,” they heard… “the Devils are now 0-5 all time against the Hurricanes in playoff overtime…” “the last time Carolina played a home playoff game, they ended the night by hoisting the Stanley Cup.” But in order to get anywhere in the playoffs, you need to be able to win on the road, and the Devils came out firing. New Jersey grabbed the early lead at 6:05 of the 1st period, thanks to some terrific work by Brian Rolston, who relished his increased ice time. Rolston created a turnover in Carolina’s end, and the puck found its way back to Paul Martin at the point. Martin’s quick wrister was perfectly deflected by Zach Parise. But just 30 seconds later, the Canes struck back. Ryan Bayda pounced on a perfect rebound chance after a great save on Jussi Jokinen. The period closed out on a beautiful shift; Brendan Shanahan muscles Joe Corvo off the puck, leaving Brian Gionta alone with Cam Ward. A couple of nice dekes and a puck through the five-hole sends the Devils into the first intermission up 2-1.
Only one goal was scored in the second period, and it came at the most inopportune time for the Devils. Moments after killing off a 5-on-3, New Jersey was on the verge of finishing off the penalty kill, when just as time ran out on the penalty to Paul Martin, Chad LaRose tips a Patrick Eaves shot behind Brodeur to tie the game. Twice the Devils took the lead, twice Carolina tied it up. After trading quality scoring chances throughout the rest of the 2nd and 3rd, the teams prepped for their second straight overtime.
Fresh off embarassing themselves in Game 2, the Devils hit the ice for overtime with a lot of fire. Rather than sit back, this time they took the play to Carolina, and five minutes in, it paid off. Colin White sent a fumbled pass up the boards to Zach Parise, who carried the puck in and fired a shot. With Rolston parked in front of him, Ward made the save, and stopped Travis Zajac’s rebound, but Zajac crashed the net and put the second rebound upstairs. The Devils had broken the Carolina Curse.
So, Brian, how’s it feel to play on the top line?
“It was a lot of fun. I thought we had instant chemistry. We were just talking about it. We played well together, so it was just one of those things. It was good.”
Well said, as always.
Coach, what was the difference in overtime this time around?
“The important thing is we know how we need to play and how we want to play. When we play that way it’s a lot more fun to play. We were just getting out of the funk we were in the last six, seven or eight minutes. I think we focused on two things. At least give yourself a chance to win. In New Jersey we never did that because we just sat back.”
It was also nice to see the Devils crash the net for a change. The concept seems so foreign to them most of the time, yet when they actually do it they get results. It’s a wonder to me that they don’t try to crash the net more often given the positives that come out of it. Finally, let’s hear from Bobby Holik, who was told not to take stupid penalties when he returned to the lineup, but did just that.
“Oh man. No timing. No rhythm. No confidence. Jumping in mid-series in the playoffs, I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody.”
…especially when that anybody skates like a tree and has all their mail forwarded to the penalty box.
Three Stars:
1st: Travis Zajac
2nd: Chad LaRose
3rd: Zach Parise
Devils Lead Series, 2-1
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Devils In-Depth: Rd 1 Gm 2 Recap
Many will point to the inability to produce on the powerplay…the fact that they never really had a chance in overtime…but as far as I’m concerned, the Devils put forth a great effort in Game 2. But great effort doesn’t always mean win.
The first period saw both regulation goals, starting with a perfect deflection on the powerplay by Zach Parise. Parise tipped Paul Martin’s point shot perfectly. Then with 25 seconds to go in the period, the backbreaker. Coaches always say the first and last minute of each period are the worst times to give up a goal, but this was more reminiscent of the Devils’ first two on the last game of the season than anything. With Carolina on the powerplay, Colin White sent Joe Corvo up and over into the Devils bench, Ray Whitney’s shot went wide and took a funny bounce right to Eric Staal for the layup. At the end of the first, 1-1.
The second and third periods were much of the same, both teams working extremely hard, generating scoring chances but unable to capitalize. Truly, this game was more like the playoffs than game 1. Both teams hit their share of posts, including Zach Parise, who on a 2-on-1 saw his passing lane to Elias evaporate, and instead ripped a rare slap shot that rang off the pipe. In hindsight, perhaps the end of regulation was the worst thing to happen to the Devils tonight, as 14 minutes later, the teams headed for the locker rooms to prepare for overtime.
Entering game 2’s overtime, the Devils were 0-4 historically against Carolina in playoff overtime. Right from the puck drop it was apparent that something was different from the first three periods. Maybe it was the injuries sustained by Jamie Langenbrunner and Jay Pandolfo, but the Devils of overtime were far less aggressive and confident, and Carolina pounced on it. After a long period of time in the Devils zone, their opponents unable to clear the puck on multiple occasions, Joe Corvo fed Tim Gleason—yes, Mr. Zero Goals This Season himself, Tim Gleason—for a slapper that Niclas Havelid inexplicably kicked at. The puck redirected off Havelid and Brodeur was far too close to change his own direction. Puck goes in, Hurricanes win.
Brent Sutter on his teams’ effort: “We have nothing to feel bad about. We played hard here tonight against a very good hockey team. We saw a more physical team tonight, which we anticipated and expected. You lose home ice, but you’ve got to go down there and get it back. If you want to have success, you’ve got to win on the road, too.”
True, coach, but as well as the powerplay was tonight, scoring ONE more time on the PP would have won this game. Surely you can’t be totally happy with that, Zach?
“We’re moving the puck around well, and we got one. It’s a matter of putting it in the net. The chances are there.”
If history is going to continue to prove itself as it did last night, then history is still in the Devils’ favor: every time these two teams have met, the winner of the first game has always won the series, and the winner of the series has always reached the Stanley Cup Finals. So I am more than willing to have history repeat itself again and again. Series tied 1-1, back to work on Sunday.
Game 2 Three Stars:
1st: Tim Gleason
2nd: Zach Parise
3rd: Eric Staal
Series Tied, 1-1
The first period saw both regulation goals, starting with a perfect deflection on the powerplay by Zach Parise. Parise tipped Paul Martin’s point shot perfectly. Then with 25 seconds to go in the period, the backbreaker. Coaches always say the first and last minute of each period are the worst times to give up a goal, but this was more reminiscent of the Devils’ first two on the last game of the season than anything. With Carolina on the powerplay, Colin White sent Joe Corvo up and over into the Devils bench, Ray Whitney’s shot went wide and took a funny bounce right to Eric Staal for the layup. At the end of the first, 1-1.
The second and third periods were much of the same, both teams working extremely hard, generating scoring chances but unable to capitalize. Truly, this game was more like the playoffs than game 1. Both teams hit their share of posts, including Zach Parise, who on a 2-on-1 saw his passing lane to Elias evaporate, and instead ripped a rare slap shot that rang off the pipe. In hindsight, perhaps the end of regulation was the worst thing to happen to the Devils tonight, as 14 minutes later, the teams headed for the locker rooms to prepare for overtime.
Entering game 2’s overtime, the Devils were 0-4 historically against Carolina in playoff overtime. Right from the puck drop it was apparent that something was different from the first three periods. Maybe it was the injuries sustained by Jamie Langenbrunner and Jay Pandolfo, but the Devils of overtime were far less aggressive and confident, and Carolina pounced on it. After a long period of time in the Devils zone, their opponents unable to clear the puck on multiple occasions, Joe Corvo fed Tim Gleason—yes, Mr. Zero Goals This Season himself, Tim Gleason—for a slapper that Niclas Havelid inexplicably kicked at. The puck redirected off Havelid and Brodeur was far too close to change his own direction. Puck goes in, Hurricanes win.
Brent Sutter on his teams’ effort: “We have nothing to feel bad about. We played hard here tonight against a very good hockey team. We saw a more physical team tonight, which we anticipated and expected. You lose home ice, but you’ve got to go down there and get it back. If you want to have success, you’ve got to win on the road, too.”
True, coach, but as well as the powerplay was tonight, scoring ONE more time on the PP would have won this game. Surely you can’t be totally happy with that, Zach?
“We’re moving the puck around well, and we got one. It’s a matter of putting it in the net. The chances are there.”
If history is going to continue to prove itself as it did last night, then history is still in the Devils’ favor: every time these two teams have met, the winner of the first game has always won the series, and the winner of the series has always reached the Stanley Cup Finals. So I am more than willing to have history repeat itself again and again. Series tied 1-1, back to work on Sunday.
Game 2 Three Stars:
1st: Tim Gleason
2nd: Zach Parise
3rd: Eric Staal
Series Tied, 1-1
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Devils In-Depth: Rd 1 Gm 1 Recap
The New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes opened their playoff series last night to a packed house and rowdy crowd, myself included among them. Entering the game, all of the talk around the NHL was that Carolina was going to romp the Devils with their speed and skill, so much so that it would no longer be considered an upset if this #6 seed defeated the 3rd seeded Devils. Once the game began, however, the Devils made it clear that they were ready to play.
Despite not scoring until late in the first period, the Devils swarmed Cam Ward for most of the first period after a brief patch where the puck seemed glued to Carolina’s sticks. New Jersey, however, weathered the storm—yes, pun intended—and at 16:03 of the first period, Mike Mottau capitalized on a Hurricanes turnover by flinging the puck at the net and catching Ward off guard. The Devils took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Historically this season, the Devils had followed up terrific first periods with utterly mediocre second periods, but tonight they took the ice with the same fervor they had started with. Again, save for the inability to clear the zone for minutes at a time, the Devils controlled the play for most of the second. Some outstanding work on the cycle paid off, as Travis Zajac fed Zach Parise who threw one on net that beat Ward far side. Now playing with a two goal lead, the Devils smelled blood in the water and continued to throw everything at the net. Shortly after Zajac blasted a headhunter that actually made Cam Ward duck for cover, a quick line change set up Brian Gionta feeding Patrik Elias, who proceeded to launch an absolute laser right over Ward, and the Devils hit the locker room up 3-0.
Surely, you would think, the Devils would sit back and attempt to protect their three goal lead, but this was not the case. Finally, Brent Sutter’s constant calling for not sitting back paid off, as the team continued to press throughout the third. Carolina finally got on the board when the puck took an awkward bounce of Martin Brodeur and landed on the tape of Ray Whitney, who was perfectly positioned to pounce on his chance with little contention. But just when you thought the Devils’ spirits were broken, captain Jamie Langenbrunner charged up the ice and thirty seconds later, snapped one in behind Ward to restore the three goal lead. From that point forward until the final buzzer, the Devils remarkably did not let up. They continued to apply pressure, including a last-second shot from Johnny Oduya.
A 4-1 victory, a 1-0 series lead, and a game in which the “new” Devils executed their style to perfection; solid defensively, yes, but plenty of forechecking to boot, and rarely if at all sitting back and waiting. As the old saying goes, your best players have to be your best players, and with Parise, Elias, and Langenbrunner all tallying goals, this was certainly the case tonight. The Devils were 32-4-1 during the regular season when Elias and Parise each recorded at least a point, and as such their playoff success hinges tremendously on the team’s top two forwards producing at a consistent rate.
Just one win out of the required four, but the Devils have every reason to be happy with their effort. Carolina will surely come out angrier in Game 2, and the Devils need to be prepared for that. It will be challenging, but if the Devils can continue to put out similar efforts, it will be hard to beat them.
Game 1 Three Stars:
1st: Jamie Langenbrunner
2nd: Zach Parise
3rd: Mike Mottau
Devils Lead Series, 1-0
Despite not scoring until late in the first period, the Devils swarmed Cam Ward for most of the first period after a brief patch where the puck seemed glued to Carolina’s sticks. New Jersey, however, weathered the storm—yes, pun intended—and at 16:03 of the first period, Mike Mottau capitalized on a Hurricanes turnover by flinging the puck at the net and catching Ward off guard. The Devils took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Historically this season, the Devils had followed up terrific first periods with utterly mediocre second periods, but tonight they took the ice with the same fervor they had started with. Again, save for the inability to clear the zone for minutes at a time, the Devils controlled the play for most of the second. Some outstanding work on the cycle paid off, as Travis Zajac fed Zach Parise who threw one on net that beat Ward far side. Now playing with a two goal lead, the Devils smelled blood in the water and continued to throw everything at the net. Shortly after Zajac blasted a headhunter that actually made Cam Ward duck for cover, a quick line change set up Brian Gionta feeding Patrik Elias, who proceeded to launch an absolute laser right over Ward, and the Devils hit the locker room up 3-0.
Surely, you would think, the Devils would sit back and attempt to protect their three goal lead, but this was not the case. Finally, Brent Sutter’s constant calling for not sitting back paid off, as the team continued to press throughout the third. Carolina finally got on the board when the puck took an awkward bounce of Martin Brodeur and landed on the tape of Ray Whitney, who was perfectly positioned to pounce on his chance with little contention. But just when you thought the Devils’ spirits were broken, captain Jamie Langenbrunner charged up the ice and thirty seconds later, snapped one in behind Ward to restore the three goal lead. From that point forward until the final buzzer, the Devils remarkably did not let up. They continued to apply pressure, including a last-second shot from Johnny Oduya.
A 4-1 victory, a 1-0 series lead, and a game in which the “new” Devils executed their style to perfection; solid defensively, yes, but plenty of forechecking to boot, and rarely if at all sitting back and waiting. As the old saying goes, your best players have to be your best players, and with Parise, Elias, and Langenbrunner all tallying goals, this was certainly the case tonight. The Devils were 32-4-1 during the regular season when Elias and Parise each recorded at least a point, and as such their playoff success hinges tremendously on the team’s top two forwards producing at a consistent rate.
Just one win out of the required four, but the Devils have every reason to be happy with their effort. Carolina will surely come out angrier in Game 2, and the Devils need to be prepared for that. It will be challenging, but if the Devils can continue to put out similar efforts, it will be hard to beat them.
Game 1 Three Stars:
1st: Jamie Langenbrunner
2nd: Zach Parise
3rd: Mike Mottau
Devils Lead Series, 1-0
Monday, April 13, 2009
Devils Preview: Round 1
As the New Jersey Devils get set for their first round matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes, it’s time to begin the pre-series breakdown. As these are arguably the two least marketable teams in the playoffs, many people are going to overlook this series in favor of the “sexier” series (Flyers/Penguins, Bruins/Canadiens), so for those of you getting caught up in what the media wants you to focus on, here is your official Devils/Hurricanes primer.
Offense
The Devils and Hurricanes each boast a talented and deep group of forwards, and though the Devils’ forward corps is arguably an older, more experienced bunch, Carolina’s group is equally as talented, and very similar in nature. Each group of forwards is headlined by a young standout player, Zach Parise for New Jersey, Eric Staal for Carolina. Each offense contains a seasoned veteran—Brendan Shanahan and Rod Brind’Amour, respectively—who have seen it all and done it all in the NHL playoffs. It can be argued that between Staal, Erik Cole, Jussi Jokinen and Sergei Samsonov, Carolina’s horses arguably score at more opportune times than do standout Devils Parise, Patrik Elias, Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Gionta. Over the course of the season, however, the two teams ended up fairly even in offensive production; New Jersey ended the season at a 2.90 goals per game rate, good for 15th in the league. Carolina, meanwhile, was right behind them at 2.88, a 16th place league ranking. New Jersey’s powerplay, at 18.9% effectiveness, ranked 15th in the league to Carolina’s 18th place ranked 18.7, while Carolina had the better penalty killing percentage; their 80.4% (19th) ranked just above New Jersey’s 79.9% (20th). All in all, these are two very evenly matched offenses.
Defense
The Devils and Hurricanes are also alike in that they employ a defense-by-committee. Neither corps boasts a big-name impact player, but within each group all types of defenders exist and perform their roles, contributing to the success of the team. Anton Babchuk and Joe Corvo highlight Carolina’s back-end attack, while Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya are highly underrated puck carriers and setup men. But defensively speaking, New Jersey’s 2.52 Goals Against average (ranked 4th) bests Carolina’s 2.70 (8th), giving the Devils a slight edge defensively.
Goaltending
The goaltending matchup in this series is a student vs. master battle of sorts. Martin Brodeur, now statistically the greatest goaltender in NHL history, faces Cam Ward, who made Brodeur his role model on the way to breaking into the NHL in 2006. While Brodeur clearly trumps Ward in playoff experience, Ward has historically elevated his game to its highest level when his team meets his idol’s. In their only previous playoff meeting, Ward had the Devils’ number and defeated New Jersey 4 games to 1 in the second round of the 2006 playoffs. A horse for the ‘Canes in 68 games this year, Ward went 39-23-5, with a .916 Save % and a 2.44 GAA. Brodeur, on the other hand, missed 50 games from November to March while he recovered from elbow tendon surgery, but in 31 games finished 19-9-3, with a remarkably similar .916 SV% and a 2.41 GAA. Though 12 years his senior, the decorated Brodeur will be in for the fight of his life against a younger version of himself looking to recapture the glory which has eluded him since 2006.
Storylines
As previously mentioned, Ward will attempt to out-duel his role model. Ward will also be playing against his former junior coach; Devils head coach Brent Sutter coached Ward on the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels from 2001-2004. Historically, this has been a pivotal playoff meeting. The team that won each of the three previous series between these teams went on to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. The 2006 Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup. The 2001 Devils (vs. Colorado) and 2002 Hurricanes (vs. Detroit) lost in the Cup Finals.
The Devils Will Win If…
…Martin Brodeur brings himself back to the level of play we witnessed when he made his return to action in late February. The Hurricanes’ attack is pressing, and Brodeur must rise to the occasion. He’s been letting in some questionable goals lately, and that will have to stop.
…Zach Parise regains his scoring touch. The budding star (and future Devils captain) had been lighting it up all season while living on the NHL’s top five scoring list, but has hit a wall down the stretch. As Erik Cole could be a thorn in the Devils’ side, an effective Parise will certainly cause huge problems for Carolina.
The Hurricanes Will Win If…
…Cam Ward keeps on keepin’ on. Ward has got the Devils’ number, seemingly on speed dial, because when these teams meet, Ward very much resembles a brick wall. In the three games Ward has faced the Devils this year, the Hurricanes have won all three. Unfortunately for the Devils, every current goaltender who idolized Martin Brodeur growing up finds a new level when they stare him down at the other end of the ice.
…Anton Babchuk is given room. Babchuk’s cannon alone could be enough to outscore the Devils if he is left unchecked. Though the Hurricanes did not win the season finale in New Jersey, Babchuk scored both of their goals and kept them within striking distance. Unlike the Devils’ Brian Rolston, Babchuk’s shot is both hard and accurate, and while Rolston seemingly cannot hit the net, Babchuk always does. If the Devils are as lazy in their coverage of Babchuk as they were in the last game of the season, he will prove to be a deadly weapon.
Schedule
Game 1 – CAR @ NJD – Wed, Apr. 15, 7:30 PM
Game 2 – CAR @ NJD – Fri, Apr. 17, 7:30 PM
Game 3 – NJD @ CAR – Sun, Apr. 19, 7:30 PM
Game 4 – NJD @ CAR – Tue, Apr. 21, 7:30 PM
Game 5* – CAR @ NJD – Thu, Apr. 23, 7:30 PM
Game 6* – NJD @ CAR – Sun, Apr. 26, TBD
Game 7* – CAR @ NJD – Tue, Apr. 28, 7:30 PM
* If Necessary
Offense
The Devils and Hurricanes each boast a talented and deep group of forwards, and though the Devils’ forward corps is arguably an older, more experienced bunch, Carolina’s group is equally as talented, and very similar in nature. Each group of forwards is headlined by a young standout player, Zach Parise for New Jersey, Eric Staal for Carolina. Each offense contains a seasoned veteran—Brendan Shanahan and Rod Brind’Amour, respectively—who have seen it all and done it all in the NHL playoffs. It can be argued that between Staal, Erik Cole, Jussi Jokinen and Sergei Samsonov, Carolina’s horses arguably score at more opportune times than do standout Devils Parise, Patrik Elias, Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Gionta. Over the course of the season, however, the two teams ended up fairly even in offensive production; New Jersey ended the season at a 2.90 goals per game rate, good for 15th in the league. Carolina, meanwhile, was right behind them at 2.88, a 16th place league ranking. New Jersey’s powerplay, at 18.9% effectiveness, ranked 15th in the league to Carolina’s 18th place ranked 18.7, while Carolina had the better penalty killing percentage; their 80.4% (19th) ranked just above New Jersey’s 79.9% (20th). All in all, these are two very evenly matched offenses.
Defense
The Devils and Hurricanes are also alike in that they employ a defense-by-committee. Neither corps boasts a big-name impact player, but within each group all types of defenders exist and perform their roles, contributing to the success of the team. Anton Babchuk and Joe Corvo highlight Carolina’s back-end attack, while Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya are highly underrated puck carriers and setup men. But defensively speaking, New Jersey’s 2.52 Goals Against average (ranked 4th) bests Carolina’s 2.70 (8th), giving the Devils a slight edge defensively.
Goaltending
The goaltending matchup in this series is a student vs. master battle of sorts. Martin Brodeur, now statistically the greatest goaltender in NHL history, faces Cam Ward, who made Brodeur his role model on the way to breaking into the NHL in 2006. While Brodeur clearly trumps Ward in playoff experience, Ward has historically elevated his game to its highest level when his team meets his idol’s. In their only previous playoff meeting, Ward had the Devils’ number and defeated New Jersey 4 games to 1 in the second round of the 2006 playoffs. A horse for the ‘Canes in 68 games this year, Ward went 39-23-5, with a .916 Save % and a 2.44 GAA. Brodeur, on the other hand, missed 50 games from November to March while he recovered from elbow tendon surgery, but in 31 games finished 19-9-3, with a remarkably similar .916 SV% and a 2.41 GAA. Though 12 years his senior, the decorated Brodeur will be in for the fight of his life against a younger version of himself looking to recapture the glory which has eluded him since 2006.
Storylines
As previously mentioned, Ward will attempt to out-duel his role model. Ward will also be playing against his former junior coach; Devils head coach Brent Sutter coached Ward on the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels from 2001-2004. Historically, this has been a pivotal playoff meeting. The team that won each of the three previous series between these teams went on to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. The 2006 Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup. The 2001 Devils (vs. Colorado) and 2002 Hurricanes (vs. Detroit) lost in the Cup Finals.
The Devils Will Win If…
…Martin Brodeur brings himself back to the level of play we witnessed when he made his return to action in late February. The Hurricanes’ attack is pressing, and Brodeur must rise to the occasion. He’s been letting in some questionable goals lately, and that will have to stop.
…Zach Parise regains his scoring touch. The budding star (and future Devils captain) had been lighting it up all season while living on the NHL’s top five scoring list, but has hit a wall down the stretch. As Erik Cole could be a thorn in the Devils’ side, an effective Parise will certainly cause huge problems for Carolina.
The Hurricanes Will Win If…
…Cam Ward keeps on keepin’ on. Ward has got the Devils’ number, seemingly on speed dial, because when these teams meet, Ward very much resembles a brick wall. In the three games Ward has faced the Devils this year, the Hurricanes have won all three. Unfortunately for the Devils, every current goaltender who idolized Martin Brodeur growing up finds a new level when they stare him down at the other end of the ice.
…Anton Babchuk is given room. Babchuk’s cannon alone could be enough to outscore the Devils if he is left unchecked. Though the Hurricanes did not win the season finale in New Jersey, Babchuk scored both of their goals and kept them within striking distance. Unlike the Devils’ Brian Rolston, Babchuk’s shot is both hard and accurate, and while Rolston seemingly cannot hit the net, Babchuk always does. If the Devils are as lazy in their coverage of Babchuk as they were in the last game of the season, he will prove to be a deadly weapon.
Schedule
Game 1 – CAR @ NJD – Wed, Apr. 15, 7:30 PM
Game 2 – CAR @ NJD – Fri, Apr. 17, 7:30 PM
Game 3 – NJD @ CAR – Sun, Apr. 19, 7:30 PM
Game 4 – NJD @ CAR – Tue, Apr. 21, 7:30 PM
Game 5* – CAR @ NJD – Thu, Apr. 23, 7:30 PM
Game 6* – NJD @ CAR – Sun, Apr. 26, TBD
Game 7* – CAR @ NJD – Tue, Apr. 28, 7:30 PM
* If Necessary
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