Confirmed with Link: Updated: Devils SIGN Brunner (2 years, $2.5M AAV)

[Zubrus Coffee Maker]

wow good deal for Brunner, i was expecting at least 3 mill per

 

[Andre Palot]

What do we look like capwise now?

 

[JerryGigantic]

I feel like they owe it to gionta to trade him somewhere that he can play instead of sending him die in Albany.

Lil Gio was Captain of the Albany Devils when he got the end of the season call up where he finally stuck.

We have a number of older forwards (Jagr, Elias, Zubrus, Ryder) and those who have had major injuries (Zajac, Clowe, Josefson-if he even makes the roster), so with Gio's flex-appeal and big heart, and considering how well liked he is within the organization, him returning to the A to wear the C, and be our first injury call up isn't the end of the world (although his two-way contract stings a bit, at least for him...)

 

[DevilChuk*]

What do we look like capwise now?

Depends which 1-2 players we send down but we will be using 1M of next year's cap space to slide some bonuses over.

We technically would have 0 cap space but still around 2.3M of bonus cushion space to use (that would count against next year's cap).

 

[ryangib]

Lil Gio was Captain of the Albany Devils when he got the end of the season call up where he finally stuck.

We have a number of older forwards (Jagr, Elias, Zubrus, Ryder) and those who have had major injuries (Zajac, Clowe, Josefson-if he even makes the roster), so with Gio's flex-appeal and big heart, and considering how well liked he is within the organization, him returning to the A to wear the C, and be our first injury call up isn't the end of the world (although his two-way contract stings a bit, at least for him...)

I just feel like he's paid enough dues, skates hard every shift and shouldn't have to be the first injury call up. He doesn't deserve that. He can def play and get minutes somewhere else.

 

[JerryGigantic]

NEIL SHEEHY ‏@ICEHockeyAgent 2m

I-C-E Hockey Agency client Damien Brunner signs two-year, $5 M contract with New Jersey Devils.

Great terms. To the dwindling number still in the "Lou has lost it" camp, eat a red hot pork sword.

This off season has been breathtaking... From THE Schneid on draft day, to the new billionaire ownership, moving Tallinder and acquiring Jagr, Ryder, Clowe, Olesz and now Brunner. Plus letting the young D have every opportunity to win a roster spot.
This has been like hockey Christmas.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

Gionta has no trade value. He can stick it out in the AHL. He's done it most of his career. I'm convinced it's not happening though.

Josefson playing in his 5th preseason game tonight. If this isn't a showcase, I don't know what is.

 

[Bleedred]

I was actually worried about the fact that Gionta was gonna need a spot, and they didn't wanna lose the young players to waivers, was gonna ultimately leave no room for Brunner. Glad that did not happen.

 

[Bleedred]

Great terms. To the dwindling number still in the "Lou has lost it" camp, eat a red hot pork sword.

This off season has been breathtaking... From THE Schneid on draft day, to the new billionaire ownership, moving Tallinder and acquiring Jagr, Ryder, Clowe, Olesz and now Brunner. Plus letting the young D have every opportunity to win a roster spot.
This has been like hockey Christmas.

Yes it has. Sure beats the hell out of most any offseason we've had. I can't remember the last one as good as this.

It even beats the **** out of that crappy Summer of 2010 with all the Kovalchuk drama. I feel a bit more secure now than I did after we signed him.

Only thing I'm worried about. Someone said a while back they're afraid this will be like an expansion team. While I don't think it will be anywhere near that bad, I do have a little concerns about all the forwards who've never played with each other before. The quality of players and experience are much greater than that of an expansion team though.

 

[PWiz30]

 

[BadFella]

1) We needed this.

2) Don't like Yayo or Barch. Team Lil Gio!

 

[JimEIV]

I really think the shootout was a major reason he was signed. Not the sole reason, but an important one.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

so he replaces Kovalchuk's missing 5-7 shootout goals?

#desperate

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Daamn he pulled off the Dastyukian drag. I feel like if I tried that i'd tear both my acl and mcl

 

[hlaverty06]

I'm on team gionta

 

[JimEIV]

I've been watching youtube clips of him all afternoon. He can shoot the puck and he goes to the net looking for loose rebounds.

 

[billingtons ghost]

sadly, Gio is going.

Brunner fulfills our schnoz quotient, so...

 

[JimEIV]

A signing in September is kind of weird

 

[guitarguyvic]

I was actually worried about the fact that Gionta was gonna need a spot, and they didn't wanna lose the young players to waivers, was gonna ultimately leave no room for Brunner. Glad that did not happen.

You do a lot of worrying.

I'm really interested to see if this team will be able to defeat the notion that really good teams in the current NHL need at least one superstar forward in their prime. It certainly wouldn't be the first time (see the Devils of old and more recent incarnations of Nashville), but those teams had superstar D-men and goalies in their primes. We do have Schneider and an upcoming superstar D-man in Larsson (hopefully), but not sure they are at that level (yet).

I know one thing - almost no one thinks this team will be anywhere other than the basement of the division after 82 games. It's gonna be a really interesting season!

 

[SeidoN]

yay

 

[MartyOwns]

eat a red hot pork sword.

great expression.

awesome deal, so much depth. so far we're not getting a break on the injury front, so that depth is huge. nice, Lou

 

[Bleedred]

You do a lot of worrying.

I'm really interested to see if this team will be able to defeat the notion that really good teams in the current NHL need at least one superstar forward in their prime. It certainly wouldn't be the first time (see the Devils of old and more recent incarnations of Nashville), but those teams had superstar D-men and goalies in their primes. We do have Schneider and an upcoming superstar D-man in Larsson (hopefully), but not sure they are at that level (yet).

I know one thing - almost no one thinks this team will be anywhere other than the basement of the division after 82 games. It's gonna be a really interesting season!

Well I tend to think about things from every side. I wouldn't have been completely caught by surprise had we decided to pass on Brunner, and give a guy like Tedenby that spot.

Though I think last year (Tedenby replacing Parise) showing why that wasn't a good idea, plus a supply of cash, is the reason we are not taking that chance. And Brunner is just too good to pass up.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Great terms. To the dwindling number still in the "Lou has lost it" camp, eat a red hot pork sword.

This off season has been breathtaking... From THE Schneid on draft day, to the new billionaire ownership, moving Tallinder and acquiring Jagr, Ryder, Clowe, Olesz and now Brunner. Plus letting the young D have every opportunity to win a roster spot.
This has been like hockey Christmas.

Yep, which means if the devils struggle this year, it's the players own damn fault (and maybe deboer depending on his "decisions" that people might be worried about). Couldn't have asked for a better offseason from Lou this year, he's done all he can. Let's hope the players deliver.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

it's like the Marianas trench in here - so deep!

 

[day1devilsfan]

This makes me happy... that is all