Confirmed with Link: Salvador Named Next Devils' Captain

[PWiz30]

Traitors who deserve it more then Zach:

Bruce Driver
Johnny Mac
Bobby Holik

Now I don't think I would retire any of them personally. With the exception of John Maclean - and thats if we remember him as a player and not as a coach. However, I'm just saying those three would deserve it more then Zach. Hell I would retire Cam Janssen's number before that asshat.

Why does this "Kings" guy want Parise's number retired? Why not Brylin? There is someone that warrant's consideration. Not that modern day Gomez. Sorry for getting a bit off topic but...what Devils fan would even entertain that thought?

Also good for Sal. This wasn't the "obvious" choice but it seems to have been purely locker room related. Seems like he'll be an excellent leader.

It's funny you say that. I was gonna suggest they give number 9 to Cam this year, being the biggest duster on the team and all.

 

[Andre Palot]

It's funny you say that. I was gonna suggest they give number 9 to Cam this year, being the biggest duster on the team and all.

Didn't we sign that guy that used to be on the Kings - Scott Parse? I was hoping we gave it to him.

 

[GratefulDevil]

Gotta love Chico creeping in the background of the Kovy interview.

 

[JimEIV]

Traitors who deserve it more then Zach:

Bruce Driver
Johnny Mac
Bobby Holik

Now I don't think I would retire any of them personally. With the exception of John Maclean - and thats if we remember him as a player and not as a coach. However, I'm just saying those three would deserve it more then Zach. Hell I would retire Cam Janssen's number before that asshat.

Why does this "Kings" guy want Parise's number retired? Why not Brylin? There is someone that warrant's consideration. Not that modern day Gomez. Sorry for getting a bit off topic but...what Devils fan would even entertain that thought?

Also good for Sal. This wasn't the "obvious" choice but it seems to have been purely locker room related. Seems like he'll be an excellent leader.

Driver was NOT a traitor....he was even willing to take less to stay in New Jersey. All he wanted was a No Trade clause because he didn't want to uproot his family and wanted to stay in New Jersey, which he never left. When the Rangers offered him that and the ability to remain in Montvale Lou still wouldn't brake his No Trade clause policy. I wouldn't consider that a traitor.

 

[PWiz30]

Didn't we sign that guy that used to be on the Kings - Scott Parse? I was hoping we gave it to him.

Hmm, too bad they didn't deal for Kevin Westgarth from the Kings. He's probably the worst player I've ever seen in the NHL and already has a 9 in his number.

 

[DatBoyJPP]

I never said they will have their numbers retired, but Zach and Langenbrunner definitely deserve consideration, which was my point. Sal doesn't. He's just a good player who happens to be a good guy and might be finishing his career here.

Nothing Parise did merits a number retirement. No cups, no significant team records and was only hear for what, 6 or 7 seasons.

 

[Saugus]

To be honest, I'm a little surprised it wasn't Kovy. But Sal is a fine choice. Probably been said already, but I wonder if he is the placeholder for Henrique to become the long term captain in the future once Sal leaves?

 

[StvBroDan]

Solid pick. Well spoken smart loyal guy give up his body for the good of the team. I thought it was going to be Kovy and was pulling for Kovy. Again great choice.

Retiring Zach's Jersey some day for what. Good guy, good player but not enough to be hanging the jersey up.
BTW Not mad that he left. I wish him luck but when push came to shove he didn't get it done.

 

[apice3*]

We've had 9 captains before Sal. Only 2 have their numbers retired. There is no way jersey retirement is a captain qualification.

 

[Saugus]

And I love having a defenseman as captain again.

And a defensive defenceman too. I kind of like it also. Been a while since we've gone back to the roots.

The same reason Elias openly voiced his opinion for Sal as C.

Very true. As Patty goes, so go the Devils. If it can't be him, it has to be a guy he endorses.

Your best player shouldn't automatically be captain - and that's a trend around the NHL I personally hate.

All we have to do is look to the Capitals to see how that can backfire horribly.

I think its funny that this is the same guy that we got for Cam.

And an injured Cam at that. He had a separated shoulder when the trade was made.

 

[Bleedred]

Parise's jersey retired? WTF?!

Let's just hurry up, and retire #9 for Kirk Muller instead.

 

[glenwo2]

Kayla has NOTHING on Larsson.....okay maybe not nothing.

 

[JerseyGuy276]

Good god almighty...

 

[Scott04]

I didn't say Stevens was a dyed-in-the-wool Devil when he became the captain, but it was later proven to be a good call - he spent a dozen years here, won three cups here, had his number retired here, and he's still here.

Lets give one guy the benefit of the doubt before getting the C, but lets not gave another. Yes, it obviously worked out for Stevens. Not going to bash him or that decision in the slightest. But we won't give Salvador the benefit of the doubt that he could be a good leader for this team? Double standards. Gotta love them.

And Parise had not earned any consideration for number retirement. All Parise had done was enough to say "if he plays another 8 years here and continues to be who he is, he'll get there." He had played 6-7 years here. Put up some good numbers, played the Devils brand of hockey. Cool. But he was never in consideration for any such recognition until/unless he spent the overwhelming majority of his career here. But that didn't happen. I'm not going to say he was "on his way" to getting his number retired when he didn't even get half way there.

 

[devilsrock]

I think its also a timing thing for Kovy. Not that they don't look at him as a leader on the team, because obviously they do (or why would he have had an A last year while there were a number of good candidates there). But after the whole mess with him in the KHL and him coming back late, it gives off a bad image to then give him the C. We know obviously 98% of the quotes we were hearing were false, and that it was a non-story. Yes, Lou gave him permission to play there for the ASG, which is obviously more than fine. But it doesn't look good that there was all of this (inaccurate) speculation, and the guy showed up 2 days after the start of camp, and is then rewarded with the C. Even if its not the intention, it gives off the vibe that the guy is above the team to a small extent, and that's the exact opposite of what this franchise stands for. Not saying the C was withheld from him as a punishment, or because of this situation at all. But its just part of why they COULDN'T give it to him now.

You are 100% right. He should of got his ass here before training camp if he wanted the C.

 

[Scott04]

You are 100% right. He should of got his ass here before training camp if he wanted the C.

Still don't think its necessarily that simple. It wouldn't have hurt, sure. But I don't think they gave it to Salvador as punishment to him for that too. May have been a tougher decision, but I assume it was Salvador's anyway.

 

[battlingBard56]

You are 100% right. He should of got his ass here before training camp if he wanted the C.

Agreed. Besides, the more I think about it, the more Salvador being captain makes sense. He leads by example, can be vocal when need be and also can maintain a level head at all times. You never see him pout or sulk regardless of what's going on. He plays hard but keeps it clean. He respects the opponent but will never give them an inch. And his sense of responsibility is probably unmatched on the team.
For right now, he's the best possible voice to represent the Devils as captain.
In my opinion, he's a great choice.

 

[glenwo2]

Gotta love Chico creeping in the background of the Kovy interview.

CHICO!!!!

I miss that clown.


It would be so nice to see/hear his off-the-wall commentary once again this year.

 

[devilsrock]

Still don't think its necessarily that simple. It wouldn't have hurt, sure. But I don't think they gave it to Salvador as punishment to him for that too. May have been a tougher decision, but I assume it was Salvador's anyway.

I really wanted Kovalchuk to have it before his comments to the Russian media. Congratulations to Sal he deserves it more.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Just checked up on our history.

Only 5 of our previous 9 captains held that distinction for more than a season (Stevens, Muller, Langenbrunner, Lever, Bridgman).

Elias, Niedermayer, Driver, and Parise only held the captaincy for a year each.

If Sal plays out his contract he'll be tied with Bridgman for 4th longest captaincy in Devils history.

 

[kiwidevil]

Congrats Sal. Love it on a Dman.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

Can't stand Chere, but he managed to speak to Al MacInnis about Sal getting the C.

To me it’s not a surprise that a team would name Bryce captain, MacInnis told The Star-Ledger today. The one thing that stuck out for me with Bryce is that he was a true professional from day one.

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[manilaNJ]

So happy for this decision. As soon as he was given that 3 year deal, I had a feeling it'd be him.
Very deserving and I believe he'll make a great captain.

No sense in being upset that either Kovalchuk or Zajac were slighted, they still have an opportunity to earn it down the road. And they'll still play their hearts out.

I really wanted Kovalchuk to have it before his comments to the Russian media. Congratulations to Sal he deserves it more.

Take those comments with a grain of salt. He meant no slight to the Devils. Just remember the audience he was speaking to.

 

[Chessarmy]

I was hoping for Kovalchuk and still feel like he would have been the better pick, but I'm not exactly angry about Salvador getting it either.

Still, Kovy was the better choice imo. You can tell the guy absolutely loves this team and he has an incredible amount of passion to be successful. Hopefully Kovy will get his C once Sal retires

 

[Desert Devil]

Cap'n Sal. The more I think about this decision the more I like it. I was really expecting it to be Kovy but I'm happy Sal got it.