Is it time for Lou to get his walking papers

[Uli Hiemer]

He can't do this for much longer but firing him would be insane. Ownership needs to bring in someone who has some new game influence. Someone who is well connected and aware of the current state of the game.

He'll be fired like Lemaire resigned in 1998.

 

[Elias2626]

The Devils, in their current state, look to be completely handicapped. They have no potential to be good right now, and need to sell everything and somehow get a first rounder. They need to trade away everything they got to get picks, prospects, and young players. Resign Schneider, and make things a little more exciting for fans and brighten the future for the team. We will suck for a while with the old guys, and will suck for a bit with young guys, so why not get started on the rebuild? Clean it up.

 

[MichaelJ]

The Devils, in their current state, look to be completely handicapped. They have no potential to be good right now, and need to sell everything and somehow get a first rounder. They need to trade away everything they got to get picks, prospects, and young players. Resign Schneider, and make things a little more exciting for fans and brighten the future for the team. We will suck for a while with the old guys, and will suck for a bit with young guys, so why not get started on the rebuild? Clean it up.

+1

They need to deal whatever they can to stock up and young players and draft picks. It doesn't have to be a long and painful process, they can use the new capspace and some of the acquired picks/prospects to bring in other talent. It would take some wheeling and dealing, but take advantage of teams at the deadline and squeeze them...then use that ammunition either in offseason trades or to build up the young talent.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Marty entering God Mode from 2006-2010 covered up a LOT of our problems. Had he not had one of the best stretches of goaltending we've seen in the modern era we would have missed the playoffs several more times. The only post-05 teams that I thought were well-built were 2009 and 2012.

We've lost 1st round picks in 2007 (Malakhov), 2010 (Kovalchuk), 2013 (Schneider), and 2014 (Kovalchuk). That's four of the last eight drafts. The four 1sts we've drafted have been Tedenby, Josefson, Larsson, and Matteau. One, MAYBE two regular NHL players.

Combine that with the drafting drought we had from 2000-2005 and it's no surprise we're forced to build through free agency, which just isn't viable in the cap era. Especially when you look at who Lou has chosen to sign - Zubrus and Jagr seem like the only UFA's that haven't been complete busts.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Ive been saying that our drafting the past decade has been horrific but not many wanted to hear about it

 

[R8Devs]

Get someone from San Jose to become GM.

 

[Kensu]

I'm convinced some of it falls on development.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'm convinced some of it falls on development.

well that I agree with

but that also goes back tot he GM

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

Tedenby, Josefson, Larsson, and Matteau are still young.

The drafts from 1999 to 2008 have been bad. Right now the kids from 2009 and 2010 (Josefson, Gelinas, Urbom, Helgeson, Merrill, Wedgewood) are taking their first steps. 2011 to 2013 looks good with Larsson, Coleman, Boucher, Pietila, Scarlett, Matteau, Severson, Johnson, Black, and Santini all looking like pretty good picks thus far.

We couldn't have a worse coach for the young guys tho.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Tedenby, Josefson, Larsson, and Matteau are still young.

The drafts from 1999 to 2008 have been bad. Right now the kids from 2009 and 2010 (Josefson, Gelinas, Urbom, Helgeson, Merrill, Wedgewood) are taking their first steps. 2011 to 2013 looks good with Larsson, Coleman, Boucher, Pietila, Scarlett, Matteau, Severson, Johnson, Black, and Santini all looking like pretty good picks thus far.

We couldn't have a worse coach for the young guys tho.

I could see them all not being impact players quite easily. Tedenby and Josefson for sure. Matteau could easily and Larsson doesn't look like anything to write home about.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

The young guys have their opportunity right now, and none have really stood out. (Tedenby, Josefson)

Larsson has looked more confident, but that's about it.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

The amount of losses, player and coach wise, has finally caught up to them. They've done a herculean job at covering up holes over the years when players left i.e Gomez, Rafalski, Martin, Gionta, Madden, etc. but the past 2 summers were the straw that broke the camels back. Parise, Robinson, and Kovalchuk is too much to overcome. Lou tried his best to replace them but it just was too tall of a task. Now, the Jinga piece was pulled and the team has collapsed.

Don't know how the hell they dig out of this but they really do have a ton of work ahead of them because this thing is in bad shape. Sell off what they can, hope to god they get the back pick, resign Schneider, and go from there.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Marty entering God Mode from 2006-2010 covered up a LOT of our problems. Had he not had one of the best stretches of goaltending we've seen in the modern era we would have missed the playoffs several more times. The only post-05 teams that I thought were well-built were 2009 and 2012.

So much this. Only reason they've been able to stay competitive all these years after repeatedly losing players is the one player who's been here the whole time: Brodeur. If not for him, we're probably looking at lottery teams the past few years. Now he's too old to carry the team and the results are showing.

 

[Bleedred]

As good as Marty was over the years, we still were able to average over 2 goals per game. Now we aren't. Even when Marty plays great (Philly game) we can't score a goal to save our lives.

 

[NC107*]

So much this. Only reason they've been able to stay competitive all these years after repeatedly losing players is the one player who's been here the whole time: Brodeur. If not for him, we're probably looking at lottery teams the past few years. Now he's too old to carry the team and the results are showing.

And who waited too long to fix that? Lou.

It's time for Lou to be held accountable.

Replace him now. Send a message.

 

[Tundra]

I could see them all not being impact players quite easily. Tedenby and Josefson for sure. Matteau could easily and Larsson doesn't look like anything to write home about.

This coach destroys the confidence of young players and think it comes from up top as well.

 

[Tundra]

27th rank offense in the NHL even with all the signings. Who else is not surprised? Those were complimentary FAs that they signed, in that they are more valuable complimenting an established core. If you don't really have a real offensive core, you probably don't sign them.

 

[B A T M A N]

Season over if this **** continues.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

There was no point in tanking when we had parise and kovy. Now we dont have any star players, so we will suck, whether we like it or not. We dont have the contender potential like we had. So im expecting a rebuild around schneids, larssy and henrique. Looking forward to it. In the mean time i wont be getting up at 2am to watch this pathetic circus dance on ice for only 60 minutes if we are lucky.

 

[NJDevils7]

Don't know if you can blame Lou. Kovy and Parise both left in a way that made it impossible for us to find a replacement for them via FA. They ****ed us.

 

[Lateralous]

Don't know if you can blame Lou. Kovy and Parise both left in a way that made it impossible for us to find a replacement for them via FA. They ****ed us.

It goes way beyond just losing those two. Some of the posts on this page do a great job of summarizing what a marginal job he's done for the last decade.

 

[Loyal Lou]

It goes way beyond just losing those two. Some of the posts on this page do a great job of summarizing what a marginal job he's done for the last decade.

You hit the nail on the head there.

Here's a list of where the Devils have gone wrong:

Horrid Drafting-Zero quality players in god knows how long. We are finally seeing that now. Albany is nothing to go crazy about. Defense looks better than the offense but the only ones to care about are Merrill and Gelinas

Parise and Kovalchuk- Nuff said.

Overpaying for under performance- I feel that money has been misspent on players who are brought in to score and then disappear. This could be a coaching thing but its something has to placed on both the players and coaches.

Not properly replacing holes due to FA- Its dang near impossible to replace the points Kovalchuk and Parise scored but you got to better than Clowe and Ryder.

2012 draft pick forfeit debacle- speaks for its self.
I forget anything else?

 

[Richer's Ghost]

yeah and he shoulda kept Gomez, Gio, Martin and Clarkson too! He spills talent like Michael J. Fox at a soup kitchen.

The man's a fool. Bring in Burke who knows what today's NHL is all about.

Am I doin' this right?

 

[RandoDoomer]

Canning Lou (or DeB or whoever at this point) would be like replacing the captain of the Titanic after it already hit the iceberg. The damage is done. The roster is a mess and will take some time to fix. So I guess getting a new regime in sooner rather than later couldn't hurt, but I don't think it'll save this season.

To belabor the Titanic analogy, they need to choose wisely who they put in the lifeboats and who's cut loose.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Teddy, Gionta, Olesz and Harrold can play the music...