Is it time for Lou to get his walking papers

[apice3*]

We have Gelinas, Merrill, Severson, and Larsson. All are young, with size and have good shots. That's 4 players in one organization, and all 4 are better than Urbom on both sides of the puck. Every single team has multiple versions of Urbom. That's why he wasn't claimed on waivers until he got to the teams in the 20's. If he was such a good D-man, he would have been picked up earlier. And when Erskine is healthy, Urbom might get waived again.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Urbom will stick with Caps.
Solid, mobile defenseman with a heavy shot.

Lou gave us this shell of a team-and also left us with no pick this season and it's looking like a lottery pick.

UNACCEPTABLE

 

[Bleedred]

I could care less for Urbom. I don't think he'll be that good, but I would take him over Petey Jr right about now.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I could care less for Urbom. I don't think he'll be that good, but I would take him over Petey Jr right about now.

There was no benefit to choosing Harrold over Urbom, at all.

You can't let a decent prospect get claimed on waivers for no return-and also choose to keep a pint sized and untalented defenseman over him.

 

[MadDevil]

Urbom will stick with Caps.
Solid, mobile defenseman with a heavy shot.

Lou gave us this shell of a team-and also left us with no pick this season and it's looking like a lottery pick.

UNACCEPTABLE

Yes, because coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance Lou should have known that the wheels would completely fall off and three 30 goal scorers would all leave the team over the next two offseasons.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Yes, because coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance Lou should have known that the wheels would completely fall off and three 30 goal scorers would all leave the team over the next two offseasons.

We were picking 29th, hello

 

[Bleedred]

We were picking 29th, hello

I have to agree with you there. I've been protesting it ever since it happened, but Matteau looking ''Good'' last season had people arguing with me about how it wasn't a bad idea. I understand Lou's thinking, a 2012 pick will be ready before a 2014 pick, but honestly I don't believe that to be necessarily true. If we do have a top 5 pick this year, that player may be NHL ready before Matteau is. To be fair, no GM really plans on having a top 5 pick in the next few years.

I don't think Matteau will be ready next year. I'm thinking 2015, but we'll probably bring him up next year. He really shouldn't have even been up last year.

 

[Captain Lou]

When we officially lose the 1st round pick next year, then I'll be mad. No point in getting upset over something that hasn't happened yet.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

Another thing that bothers me about not forfeiting the pick is : Parise leaving was a BIG possibility.

Did he not factor that in at all when deciding to keep it? He must have thought he was staying for sure.

 

[Bleedred]

When we officially lose the 1st round pick next year, then I'll be mad. No point in getting upset over something that hasn't happened yet.

I think at this point it's something that's guaranteed to happen though. The question is what number pick will it be? Or can we get maybe another first to make up for it if we trade Jagr?

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Another thing that bothers me about not forfeiting the pick is : Parise leaving was a BIG possibility.

Did he not factor that in at all when deciding to keep it? He must have thought he was staying for sure.

I've seen the story was that Lou wanted to show Parise and the other UFAs (but especially Parise) that he was confident the team would be a contender going forward, so he didn't want to surrender the pick, because it would send the wrong message.

That worked out well...

 

[Emperoreddy]

I've seen the story was that Lou wanted to show Parise and the other UFAs (but especially Parise) that he was confident the team would be a contender going forward, so he didn't want to surrender the pick, because it would send the wrong message.

That worked out well...

Sucks more if what Zach said was true about our offer being very close to the Wild's. Sounds like Lou did everything he could to keep the gang together and it blew up in his face.

 

[NJDevs26]

When we officially lose the 1st round pick next year, then I'll be mad. No point in getting upset over something that hasn't happened yet.

Yeah but every game impacts what level pick we're losing. It's become a backdrop of the whole season, especially as the team gets further and further buried in the standings. That's the biggest reason (even ignoring value) you dump it two seasons ago, to get rid of that black cloud.

 

[Captain Lou]

My point is that I am not entirely convinced that the pick will end up having to be forfeited.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

The team stinks.....so naturally the best course of action is to dress a goon over someone with actual hockey skills. Makes sense.

there's a famous quote but I can't remember who said it or exactly how it went but I think it was "God's the best comedy writer I know." or something close to that.

After yesterday, I think we can say the Hockey Gods are the best comedy writers we know.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

My point is that I am not entirely convinced that the pick will end up having to be forfeited.

If Lou can wiggle out of not forfeiting our first, it would show he still has some magic left and should stay, but he definitely needs to make changes in our scouting dept. Where does it say that these guys hold on to their jobs like the pope.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

its more the developing of players that is in question, not the scouts. its not like they are making ridiculous picks based on the rankings.

 

[glenwo2]

its more the developing of players that is in question, not the scouts. its not like they are making ridiculous picks based on the rankings.

So we blame the Minor-League coaching then?


Who's coaching in Albany right now?

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

My point is that I am not entirely convinced that the pick will end up having to be forfeited.

How can we say that the pick won't be forfeited? We already gave away 2/3 of our penalty, so you're saying that we'll just end up losing a 3rd and some cash?

There's no way that'll happen. You are intitled to your own opinion but that's like saying "I'm certain Parise will resign" after getting that one year deal that saw him hit free agency that same summer.

I get that we want what's best for our team but we often forget to use common sense when our heart is involved. If Lou wanted to fight that BS ruling, he would've done so and fought the entire thing, not just the 1st round pick.

 

[glenwo2]

DATW, you are correct.


Had the Devils fought this WITHOUT giving up the 3rd and the money beforehand, they might have a case.

But because they did give up the 3rd and the fine, that was an ACCEPTANCE of the punishment.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

How can we say that the pick won't be forfeited? We already gave away 2/3 of our penalty, so you're saying that we'll just end up losing a 3rd and some cash?

There's no way that'll happen. You are intitled to your own opinion but that's like saying "I'm certain Parise will resign" after getting that one year deal that saw him hit free agency that same summer.

I get that we want what's best for our team but we often forget to use common sense when our heart is involved. If Lou wanted to fight that BS ruling, he would've done so and fought the entire thing, not just the 1st round pick.

OUCH - why you gotta be dredging up old wounds?

Let the healing continue.

 

[Captain Lou]

How can we say that the pick won't be forfeited? We already gave away 2/3 of our penalty, so you're saying that we'll just end up losing a 3rd and some cash?

There's no way that'll happen. You are intitled to your own opinion but that's like saying "I'm certain Parise will resign" after getting that one year deal that saw him hit free agency that same summer.

I get that we want what's best for our team but we often forget to use common sense when our heart is involved. If Lou wanted to fight that BS ruling, he would've done so and fought the entire thing, not just the 1st round pick.

All you are doing is speculating. All I am saying is that if/when the must be forfeited and it actually is, that is when I will get upset. It makes no sense to get all up in arms over something that hasn't happened yet. It may very well be that the penalty cannot be appealed/fought/negotiated until are elements of that penalty are in place and enforced.

When time is on your side, you use it. Patience and letting events come to you is one of the things that a person learns with age. Yes, to us on the outside, it looks entirely like we will have to forfeit this year's 1st round pick. However, we never know anything that goes on behind the closed doors of this organization.

That fact, and also that Lou cannot possibly be so obtuse as to realize that the 29th pick in 2012 is the one to forfeit leads me to believe there are things going on behind the scenes that we just don't get any knowledge of.

Lou has fought this league many times before. Lou freaking went to Circuit Court judge to get an injunction to stop the suspension of Jim Schoenfeld over the donut incident, less than one year after he became GM. Why wouldn't he do it again?

 

[Captain Lou]

DATW, you are correct.


Had the Devils fought this WITHOUT giving up the 3rd and the money beforehand, they might have a case.

But because they did give up the 3rd and the fine, that was an ACCEPTANCE of the punishment.

You have absolutely no idea whether this is true.

 

[glenwo2]

You have absolutely no idea whether this is true.

No I don't but it's a likely argument that the NHL can use against Lou if he tried to fight this.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

All you are doing is speculating. All I am saying is that if/when the must be forfeited and it actually is, that is when I will get upset. It makes no sense to get all up in arms over something that hasn't happened yet. It may very well be that the penalty cannot be appealed/fought/negotiated until are elements of that penalty are in place and enforced.

When time is on your side, you use it. Patience and letting events come to you is one of the things that a person learns with age. Yes, to us on the outside, it looks entirely like we will have to forfeit this year's 1st round pick. However, we never know anything that goes on behind the closed doors of this organization.

That fact, and also that Lou cannot possibly be so obtuse as to realize that the 29th pick in 2012 is the one to forfeit leads me to believe there are things going on behind the scenes that we just don't get any knowledge of.

Lou has fought this league many times before. Lou freaking went to Circuit Court judge to get an injunction to stop the suspension of Jim Schoenfeld over the donut incident, less than one year after he became GM. Why wouldn't he do it again?

Because if you're going to fight something, you fight the entire decision, not the portion you choose that is the most "damaging" to our organisation.

You can quote Lou all you want by saying "If you have time, you use it" but that's ******** IMO. What "time" do we have? The time to fight that bogus penalty was the second it came out until the last second before handing in our 3rd or the cash.

By giving in 2/3 of that penalty, we are basically agreeing to the fact that we did try to circumvent the cap. If you get a speeding ticket, are you going to pay it with the intent of fighting the # of points they'll take away from your license? If you don't think you were going over the speeding limit, you'll fight the ticket AND the point deduction as well, not part of it.

Another thing that leads me to believe we won't fighting it is that the NHL will look like a bunch "push-over's" after creating such a media frenzy about it all and was one of the main points of the negatiations for the new CBA.

Reality is a ***** at times and we'll just have to face the fact that Lou pulled a turd out of his hat cause the rabbit dropped a load and bolted right after.