News Article: News from Around the League - Part XXXVI

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Gionta was supposed to be replaced by the likes of Bergfors and Tedenby lol. Plus his goal scoring went downhill the two years before he left. Volch seemingly added the physical shutdown D we hadn't had since the lockout.

Too bad physical shutdown D haven't been relevant since the lockout.

 

[jkrdevil]

Gionta was supposed to be replaced by the likes of Bergfors and Tedenby lol. Plus his goal scoring went downhill the two years before he left. Volch seemingly added the physical shutdown D we hadn't had since the lockout.

His replacement was supposed to be Rolston with Begfors/Tedenby replacing that role. In the end Gionta's replacement ended up being Kovalchuk. I would say that has worked out.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

Too bad physical shutdown D haven't been relevant since the lockout.

Wow... best post I've seen in the past couple of months, seriously.

If you can't skate, you're usefull in a limited role and that's just a fact cause the "new rules" are made for a faster game, period. The good old days of clutching and holding are dead and along with them went the Colin White's, the Derian Hatcher's, the Hall Gill's, etc, etc, etc.

You got a couple of a players still "alive" that are built in that very same mold but those who are earning anything over 2M$/2.5M$ are becoming rarer by the minute.

I would tag Anton Volchenkov and Douglas Murray as equals in terms of playing style, yet we are paying close to double in terms of salary for whatever reason. I know, we have to overpay on the open market, I get that... but overpaying for a physical SAH d-men who has limited skating abilities isn't and wasn't a smart move.

Just my opinion.

 

[MartyOwns]

now volchenkov cant skate? mama mia..

he's relevant. i dont think anyone likes the contract, but hes relevant. buy him out, sign him to a $3MM/yr, 2 year deal, trollololol

 

[Bleedred]

I'm personally pretty skeptical of the argument that Lou could simply alleviate this free agency mess by negotiating earlier.

Reality check: these players have agents who are pretty in tune with their market value and they are probably pretty hesitant to agree to anything before UFA.

Honestly, as a player, why wouldn't you go to UFA, even if you love your home team. Do what Elias did. Gauge your worth, milk some extra money, and stay put.

Let's use Salvador for example. If he's re signed the same week CBGB, Harrold, and Janssen were I think we could have kept him for $2.5 million maybe even $2. Now we don't know if he wanted to go to UFA or not, but I'm pretty sure Lou re signed him the morning of or the day before UFA started in 08. He did say in his interview after re signing that he asked Lou, and the Devils to match what he was offered. He didn't say if that was the max, but he did say he asked them to match, and that brings us to his $3+ million dollar a year contract.

You never know what these teams will offer when someone goes to the market. Remember what we heard a few teams offered Shane Doan? I know he was the last good UFA on the market, but still.

 

[Bleedred]

His replacement was supposed to be Rolston with Begfors/Tedenby replacing that role. In the end Gionta's replacement ended up being Kovalchuk. I would say that has worked out.

That's the only reason I'm not too bummed about it. Cause it opened up a spot for Bergfors, and then we got Kovy in that trade. Though he would have signed for less than that $5 million that Montreal gave him.

Let me ask this question. Would anyone here be alright with trading Volchenkov in a deal for Gionta? It would only come out a little less than a million more to take on Gionta's contract. Don't post this in a proposal on the main board. Just between us I wanna know.

 

[MartyOwns]

im pretty sure gio's best days are far behind him. i dont share in the gio love (well, brian anyway). i'd rather take a chance on a bought out gomer

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

Let's use Salvador for example. If he's re signed the same week CBGB, Harrold, and Janssen were I think we could have kept him for $2.5 million maybe even $2. Now we don't know if he wanted to go to UFA or not, but I'm pretty sure Lou re signed him the morning of or the day before UFA started in 08. He did say in his interview after re signing that he asked Lou, and the Devils to match what he was offered. He didn't say if that was the max, but he did say he asked them to match, and that brings us to his $3+ million dollar a year contract.

You never know what these teams will offer when someone goes to the market. Remember what we heard a few teams offered Shane Doan? I know he was the last good UFA on the market, but still.

And why's that?

Salvador knows his market value is higher than $2.0M, probably a decent amount higher. I think a lot of teams were interested in him.

If Salvador had the mentality that he wanted to the Devils to match whatever was offered, and if he knew he was probably worth around $3.0M, why would he sign for $2.0M?

That logic makes no sense. It's just something for people to complain about because they don't like the fact that Parise left.

 

[Bleedred]

im pretty sure gio's best days are far behind him. i dont share in the gio love (well, brian anyway). i'd rather take a chance on a bought out gomer

Seriously? Not ripping you or making fun of you. That's just an interesting statement.

A year of Gio, or a little more than a year of Gio at $5 million isn't bad, but only if we can unload someone. Someone who has a significantly large cap hit close to on par with his. Someone like Anton Volchenkov. In a $70 million salary cap we can afford to keep both if real dollars allowed us to. Not in a $60 million cap. By the way I don't think this trade would happen, but I'm trying to put this into perspective here. It's all hypothetical. Just like 99% of trade proposals over on that board.

 

[Bleedred]

And why's that?

Salvador knows his market value is higher than $2.0M, probably a decent amount higher. I think a lot of teams were interested in him.

If Salvador had the mentality that he wanted to the Devils to match whatever was offered, and if he knew he was probably worth around $3.0M, why would he sign for $2.0M?

That logic makes no sense. It's just something for people to complain about because they don't like the fact that Parise left.

I'm not complaining. I haven't complained too much about Salvador. It's Volchenkov's contract just like you. $2 million is a little low. I think he would have signed for $2.5 million if the Devils came to him. Let's just say a discount. He likely would have taken a discount before he went to the market. I don't know this for sure, because I do not know the man. You can't tell me you haven't heard of players taking the team discount for the team they already play for? And you also can't tell me offers can get absurd once a player hits the market.

 

[Oroku Saki*]

Volchenkov is a core player just like Zubrus is. He's not going anywhere. Tallinder will be the one to go. I still say we should have let Sal go. We got the most out of him last year. Know when to cut ties.

 

[Darius Dangleaitis]

Tallinder was a whole heck of a lot better than Volch when he came back.

 

[Oroku Saki*]

Tallinder was a whole heck of a lot better than Volch when he came back.

He was rested and injury free. He looked better then 90% of the players on the ice due to that alone.

 

[apice3*]

Was Volchenkov's PK CORSI used as a knock against him? My God. We didn't sign the guy to create offense while shorthanded. The las 3-5 pages of this thread are making my head hurt.

 

[Bleedred]

Tallinder was good the first two games he played after coming back.

I just re watched the 5 minute major the other night. I'm not mad anymore so I figured I should watch it. One of the goals I remember Tallinder losing a battle behind the net, and not long later one of the goals was scored. I think it was the one Brown roofed. I actually like Volch on the PK more than Tallinder. Though with a 5 minute PK you gotta use everybody. I remember Tallinder causing a shorthanded goal in the season that was blamed on Kovy. Just like how the PK meltdown in game 6 of the SCF was blamed on Marty.

 

[apice3*]

There really isn't anyone on the Devils that has that bad of a contract. Some are better than others, but there is nothing hampering us from doing anything. That's where bad contracts come into play. We have more cap space than most teams and I still believe the money issues are overblown. We can sign anybody that wants to play for us.

 

[Bleedred]

There really isn't anyone on the Devils that has that bad of a contract. Some are better than others, but there is nothing hampering us from doing anything. That's where bad contracts come into play. We have more cap space than most teams and I still believe the money issues are overblown. We can sign anybody that wants to play for us.

I made a cap geek roster for next year. It was not too long ago, but I forget the exact figure. I put in raises for Zajac, and Clarkson, and I was a little liberal with my figures. I think I put Zajac at $6.5 million, but I'm not sure he gets that much. Clarkson at $4.5 million. Henrique around $3 million, Josefson around $1.8 million. Zubrus at $2.5 million, and Patty at $6 million. I think it came out to close to $60 million. Just under it, and that's with Colin White's buyout hit wiped, and Zidlicky not being re signed. I didn't give Tedenby a raise, and if he gets one it won't be much, and it will probably be a two way. Same for Butler. No full NHL season won't give them enough time to prove they can stay in the NHL.

 

[apice3*]

I'd toy around with it now but it's kind of pointless with the uncertainty of the cap, and the AHL/NHL cap hit and amnesty proposals.

 

[Bleedred]

I'd toy around with it now but it's kind of pointless with the uncertainty of the cap, and the AHL/NHL cap hit and amnesty proposals.

I did forget Barch's buyout cap though!

**** Gomez I'd love to have Lecavalier on this team. Patty, and Henrique back to wing, Zajac, Lecavalier, Josefson, Carter/Gionta down the middle.

Sounds pretty good, but I wonder what Lecavalier would want? Probably too much. I wonder if salaries will go down period with a lower cap? Wonder what a player like Malkin gets on his next contract? I think they'll meet in the middle, and maybe go with a $63 million cap.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

enough of the Gionta (and Volchenkov) talk

for the love of God.

 

[Getzo5]

He'd better be well paid to wear that grey helmet with some yellow ad on it. Holy crap how ugly.

Swiss league strikes again. Zebras turned into cows.

 

[Bleedred]

enough of the Gionta (and Volchenkov) talk

for the love of God.

Why cause it isn't gonna happen? Alright enough of the trade board talk as well while we're at it.

You said the contract wasn't that bad. So you'd rather have the A-Train at $4.2 million for 3 more years, than Brian Gionta who actually brings some offense at $5 million for just a year?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

honestly yes I would.

 

[apice3*]

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

People complained that we haven't had a physical D-man since Stevens left. So we sign one of the most physical D-man in the last decade and after two years people want him gone.

 

[Bleedred]

honestly yes I would.

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