News Article: News from Around the League - Part XXXVI

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'd rather have 8 DMen than 14 forwards, if that is what you are asking

 

[NJDevs26]

Volchenkov isn't as bad as this board claims he is and Gionta isn't as good as this board claims he is.

No, but for our team as currently constituted (surplus on D both here and at the farm, lack of scoring forwards here) Brian would be a lot more neccesary than Volchenkov.

 

[manilaNJ]

Would you also rather keep the 8 D men, and only be able to carry 13 forwards too?

Having forwards for the sake of forwards isn't exactly the best option either.
Especially older forwards who have no chance of being bought out or traded (at least to us).

 

[Bleedred]

Having forwards for the sake of forwards isn't exactly the best option either.
Especially older forwards who have no chance of being bought out or traded (at least to us).

He would only be with us at that salary for a year though. Or a season, and a half at most. After that I'm sure he'd take a hefty pay cut regardless to stay, because he wanted to stay to begin with, and would have taken that cut back then in 09.

How about someone like Havlat? He's a couple years younger than Gio, but his contract is a year longer.

I'd rather have 8 DMen than 14 forwards, if that is what you are asking

I'm not sure why. Unless we can banish Janssen to the AHL where he belongs, and make use of that two way contract. We know that won't happen though. If that's your preference though then fine with me. I just think we need scoring right now, and on top of that our defensemen haven't really brought much scoring during the regular season for a while now as I discussed earlier.

 

[manilaNJ]

It's not his salary that gives me hesitance.
It's namely: a. I don't want to give up assets to get him.
and b. the team needs top 6 help, and is about to get loaded in bottom 6ers.
His days of being help to produce in the top 6 aren't done, but they're numbered for sure.

In terms of locking up salary space and handing out assets, etc, etc... I think we could do better than B. Gionta. Still love him, still wish that money went to him instead of Rolston... but what's done is done when it comes to Gionta for me.

As for Havlat... I love Havlat. Always wanted him.
But I don't see that happening either.
What I wouldn't give to see Elias & Havlat playing together in NJ during their prime, though.

 

[Bleedred]

What assets do you not wanna give though? Volchenkov or Tallinder? Or just not a player like Josefson, or high round picks?

I still think Gionta can play in the top 6 for the duration of this $5 million contract. I think Havlat possibly could too, but his is a year longer. If the asset is Volchenkov that's fine by me though. Volchenkov straight up or Volchenkov, and a 3rd round or 4th. Volchenkov likely won't go anywhere. Tallinder for Gionta wouldn't be enough salary clearance for Gionta or Havlat though.

Guys like Josefson, Henrique, Larsson, etc are off limits to me. I'd say Greene, and Fayne too, and obviously Patty, Zajac, Clarkson, Kovy, etc.

 

[manilaNJ]

Neither Montreal nor San Jose would do that, though. Volchenkov & Tallinder would hold little value to them.
What we're looking for is teams with the need for veteran dman to pair with their younger upcoming prospects.

I think St. Louis is the best place to trade Tallinder to. Volch... no idea where he would hold any value.

And if you're looking at contracts clogging up cap space, they're more hard pressed than we are. They're both well over $60mil

 

[Bleedred]

Neither Montreal nor San Jose would do that, though. Volchenkov & Tallinder would hold little value to them.
What we're looking for is teams with the need for veteran dman to pair with their younger upcoming prospects.

I think St. Louis is the best place to trade Tallinder to. Volch... no idea where he would hold any value.

And if you're looking at contracts clogging up cap space, they're more hard pressed than we are. They're both well over $60mil

Yeah I didn't think about those teams, and their cap space. I can't see how we can keep Zajac, Clarkson, Patty, and sign or trade for a forward though with a $60 million cap ceiling. I think we'll have to go in with what we got now pretty much just minus Zidlicky. I was very liberal on the figures though. Like $6.5 for Zajac. I doubt he sees that. Jordan Staal only got $6 million from Carolina. However he didn't make it to the market, and was given an extension a year in advance.

I think Patty will take a paycut like Marty did, but just a slight one the same way Marty did. $5.5 million for two years, or maybe $5.2 million.

 

[manilaNJ]

I know you're worried about the $60million in cap space. But contracts will adjust to that... quickly.

Just consider this, as worried as you are... with us having ~$4 million in wiggle room? There are literally 20 other teams are in deeper cap trouble than we are.

Of the remaining 9 teams with more money to spare than us... I only consider St. Louis & Ottawa viable threats to make a serious threat to run for our players.


When all is said and done, I don't see either side agreeing to having to cap crash down from $70 to $60 million in a single season.
Then who knows how high the cap will be the following seasons...

 

[manilaNJ]

Detouring for a little bit...

Larry Brooks ‏@NYP_Brooksie
Talk within NHL of flipping Winnipeg and Columbus for this year only pending future realignment...

Columbus would have a good chance, I think.
Being in a division with Detroit, Chicago and rising Nashville & St. Louis teams has been brutal on their ability to get their **** together and push forward as a franchise.

Maybe a year in the South East, with teams in similar positions, will hand them back some confidence.

 

[apice3*]

No, but for our team as currently constituted (surplus on D both here and at the farm, lack of scoring forwards here) Brian would be a lot more neccesary than Volchenkov.

I agree that we need less D and more forwards, but Gionta is not the answer especially at his cap hit.

 

[apice3*]

Detouring for a little bit...

Larry Brooks ‏@NYP_Brooksie
Talk within NHL of flipping Winnipeg and Columbus for this year only pending future realignment...

Columbus would have a good chance, I think.
Being in a division with Detroit, Chicago and rising Nashville & St. Louis teams has been brutal on their ability to get their **** together and push forward as a franchise.

Maybe a year in the South East, with teams in similar positions, will hand them back some confidence.

I'd like Columbus in the East but Detroit won't like it. Neither will Nashville but they don't have as much of a voice as the Red Wings.

 

[manilaNJ]

It'd only be for this season, and if its intraconference play only... something needs to be done about Winnipeg. They don't belong in the East, let alone the South East.

I think Detroit can be soothed over and appeased for half a season with the acknowledgment that their situation will be discussed once realignment becomes a greater priority again.

 

[apice3*]

I don't really see the point of flipping two teams temporarily for half a season. Rumor was apparently false anyway.

 

[manilaNJ]

Winnipeg.
They're at a huge travel disadvantage if they only play intraconference games in a compacted season.

I definitely understand there being some buzz about flipping them for a half season, I can't see them being happy with that at all.

 

[Bleedred]

It would be nice if players like Clarkson, and Zajac don't get ridiculous money. Both are still question marks as far as the league goes. At least as far as point/goal production goes. I could see Toronto going after Clarkson, and not re signing MacArthur. Clarkson's had one season scoring over 17 goals, and Zajac being injured most of last year, and the crappy 10/11 year, he really hasn't accumulated much points. I figure teams wanna pay for those players cause of the points or goals they score. Zajac is one of the top faceoff men in the league, and that would be something teams consider when courting him.

 

[apice3*]

Winnipeg.
They're at a huge travel disadvantage if they only play intraconference games in a compacted season.

I definitely understand there being some buzz about flipping them for a half season, I can't see them being happy with that at all.

Oh I understand that it sucks for Winnipeg, but I just don't get why you'd flip Winnipeg for Columbus for 48 games, and then possibly flipping Columbus for Detroit or Nashville in 2013-14. Just seems kind of stupid.

 

[apice3*]

It would be nice if players like Clarkson, and Zajac don't get ridiculous money. Both are still question marks as far as the league goes. At least as far as point/goal production goes. I could see Toronto going after Clarkson, and not re signing MacArthur. Clarkson's had one season scoring over 17 goals, and Zajac being injured most of last year, and the crappy 10/11 year, he really hasn't accumulated much points. I figure teams wanna pay for those players cause of the points or goals they score. Zajac is one of the top faceoff men in the league, and that would be something teams consider when courting him.

Clarkson is an outspoken loyal soldier. I don't think he leaves.

Zajac is a very quiet guy. Seems like the kind of person who doesn't need drastic change in his life.

I think both re-sign, although I wouldn't mind letting Clarkson walk if the money isn't right. Zajac deserves whatever he asks for.

 

[Bleedred]

Clarkson is an outspoken loyal soldier. I don't think he leaves.

Zajac is a very quiet guy. Seems like the kind of person who doesn't need drastic change in his life.

I think both re-sign, although I wouldn't mind letting Clarkson walk if the money isn't right. Zajac deserves whatever he asks for.

If some dumbass like Burke offers Clarkson $5 million I don't want him for that either. If Burke wants to sign Clarkson for that I think he lets MacArthur walk, and maybe we can sign him, and for way cheaper than $5 million. I also don't want Zubrus to be overpaid. $2.5 million for him is enough. He doesn't need to be making the same or more than he did last contract. Most 35 year olds salaries are deflating, not inflating. Especially considering people were complaining about Zubrus's current salary just as recent as early last year. Me not being one of them.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't know. Sometimes Marty takes a few weeks to get into a groove, and with a shortened season, we can't afford to be bad during that time.

All the Devils need is to make the postseason.


Marty will take it from there.

 

[Bleedred]

All the Devils need is to make the postseason.


Marty will take it from there.

No he won't! He lost us the SCF by giving up 3 softies in less than 5 minutes!

The crumbling bulin wall could have won us that game and finished the job!

 

[davebenj]

Clarkson is an outspoken loyal soldier. I don't think he leaves.

Zajac is a very quiet guy. Seems like the kind of person who doesn't need drastic change in his life.

I think both re-sign, although I wouldn't mind letting Clarkson walk if the money isn't right. Zajac deserves whatever he asks for.

It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for

 

[Bleedred]

I think some of us are worried that Zajac, and Clarkson will wanna go home, and play cause of the Parise incident. In reality he's the only player or at least the only player of significance to leave us to go play for his hometown team. There was Rafalski, but he wasn't wanted enough or pursued to stay by the Devils like Parise was.

Then there was that coach we had that did leave only to go home, and announce he had taken the coaching job with his local team. Too bad for him he went to coach the team that was making the playoffs until he got there, and wasn't brought back after the 3 years were up. Then had to fire the coach of the junior team he owns so he could give himself the coaching job there.

 

[davebenj]

I doubt Clarkson leaves. I'd be shocked actually. Zajac on the other hand I can totally see leave unfortunately.

 

[jkrdevil]

Guys who were undrafted UFAs tend to be more "loyal" to the teams that gave them a shot.