What exactly is Lou's plan?

[King In The North]

Honestly, with all their young defenseman coming up and Schneider in net, Kovalchuk would have made this team much better and competing for a playoff spot.

Lou tried to cover up his exit by signing and retaining as much veteran forwards as he could but unfortunately most of them are pretty much done in this league. Should really trade Ryder and Zubrus to signal a rebuild.

 

[Szechwan]

Honestly, with all their young defenseman coming up and Schneider in net, Kovalchuk would have made this team much better and competing for a playoff spot.

Lou tried to cover up his exit by signing and retaining as much veteran forwards as he could but unfortunately most of them are pretty much done in this league. Should really trade Ryder and Zubrus to signal a rebuild.

lol.. You don't say!

 

[Voight]

If we can draft a guy like Marner or Strome this year, plus a decent one in the 2nd round like Meier, Looke, or Musil and while it's not a major turn around, suddenly things look quite a bit brighter.

Yea and what re you going to do sign a bunch of 30 somethings again and hope for the playoffs? They need a quick 2-3 year rebuild. I believe they have solid D prospects and a good goalie in Schneids but the best idea is to suck and build up the prospect base. Its not happening with one draft, it'll take 2 or 3 depending on how high the picks are. Harris is OK with the 76ers sucking major balls so he should get the Devs to do the same.

Start by hiring a scouting guru like Futa. But I guess the job is Lou's until he gives up or is no longer able to run the team.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Yea and what re you going to do sign a bunch of 30 somethings again and hope for the playoffs? They need a quick 2-3 year rebuild. I believe they have solid D prospects and a good goalie in Schneids but the best idea is to suck and build up the prospect base. Its not happening with one draft, it'll take 2 or 3 depending on how high the picks are. Harris is OK with the 76ers sucking major balls so he should get the Devs to do the same.

Start by hiring a scouting guru like Futa. But I guess the job is Lou's until he gives up or is no longer able to run the team.

Hmm, can't say I said any of that in the post you quoted me on. I simply said that we can make our forward situation brighter in this upcoming draft, nothing about the playoffs. We don't need a complete rebuild or start over as you implied, but that doesn't mean we just need one draft to begin competing again.

 

[schoenfeld]

this is the post marty transition/rebuild anyone who has been following this team for years knew was coming. parise leaving and kovy being repossessed accelerated the need for a better forward core. the forward prospects basically started from scratch at the 2012 draft. there aren't any "top flight" prospects in the pipeline yet, there are a few players who look like they have futures. if they can add someone like marner or strome this summer things will look a hell of a lot brighter.

get back to me after this draft and the next one and i think we will have a better idea of what lou's "plan" is.

 

[cause]

New Jersey needs to blow up their forward group and accept that they are going to be on the bottom for awhile. If they play a heavy trap system while their d prospects develops draft some forwards for then next 3 4 years and be top in the league in 5 years. Boom

 

[AfroThunder396]

What's the status of Reid Boucher? Does the organization (and fans) still think he can become a solid top-6 winger?

He was another victim of DeBoer giving his young players 9 minutes a night and then getting pissed when they couldn't do anything. Boucher had a very rough start to the season in Albany but has been playing much better lately.

We have no reason to think he won't still be a top-6 scorer. He still has an elite shot. Don't be surprised to see him at the NHL level again before the end of the season.

If Jagr is open to be traded that gets you maybe a late 1st package that with your 2nd and move up is far as possible and hopefully draft another potential top six forward.

Just curious are Devils fans OK with Dylan strome

I would be thrilled with Strome.

 

[mrhockey193195]

He was another victim of DeBoer giving his young players 9 minutes a night and then getting pissed when they couldn't do anything. Boucher had a very rough start to the season in Albany but has been playing much better lately.

We have no reason to think he won't still be a top-6 scorer. He still has an elite shot. Don't be surprised to see him at the NHL level again before the end of the season.

Yea, I would be very surprised if Boucher doesn't fashion out some form of a solid NHL career. Even if the rest of his game doesn't develop as planned (granted, I think he will develop an all around game), his shot is NHL quality - and to have that one skill can keep finding you jobs in the big leagues.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

he probably won't even be around to see the devils become competitive again.

 

[La Bamba]

As a neutral fan looking at NJ, I just see a team full of washed up overpaid players acquired via UFA and Cory Schiender (no offense).

Parise + Kovalchuk ditching really ****ed them.

 

[Cheddabombs]

As a neutral fan looking at NJ, I just see a team full of washed up overpaid players acquired via UFA and Cory Schiender (no offense).

Parise + Kovalchuk ditching really ****ed them.

and a really promising group of young defenders

 

[Jacob]

I want to see what kind of player they draft this year, assuming we have a good pick.

Eventually they'll end up drafting someone that won't go along with the "no bonus" policy.

 

[Jacob]

and a really promising group of young defenders

None really seem like top pairing guys. They have like 4 players that project to be good 2nd pairing d-men.

 

[Cheddabombs]

None really seem like top pairing guys. They have like 4 players that project to be good 2nd pairing d-men.

Wow is that ever inaccurate. But okay...

 

[WarriorofTime]

None really seem like top pairing guys. They have like 4 players that project to be good 2nd pairing d-men.

Larsson is a future #1 imo.

 

[Lateralous]

As many have already said, the goaltending and defense has already been rebuilt. If Lou does what he should and moves Zidlicky and Jagr at the deadline for a couple of 2nds, that would give the Devils 5 picks in the top 70 or so of the upcoming draft. Add a Marner/Strome plus 3-4 other forwards with those other picks and you can certainly see the light at the end of the tunnel. They already have Henrique and probably stand to add another high pick next year so the offense could be turned over fairly quickly.

 

[Trottier]

Build from goalie up. The defense is already there, developing. Fill the forward group through the draft in the next two-three years. Hopefully trade for a top six forward if available.

Spot on.

Unfortuantely, that filling of the forward group, at least to the point in which NJD is a truly competitive team, will take more than 2-3 years. Look how long it took NYI to rebuild. That started in 2007. Not suggesting they are the standard, and NJD clearly is exponentially further ahead in net and defense than NYI was circa 2007. However, the rebuild of the forward corp will be nearly starting from scratch.

 

[boredmale]

Pray they win the draft lottery this year

 

[Voight]

Pray they win the draft lottery this year

If they didn't get in the NHLs black book wit the Kovy deal then hey maybe The Bettman would've done them a solid

 

[boredmale]

If they didn't get in the NHLs black book wit the Kovy deal then hey maybe The Bettman would've done them a solid

Even as an Islanders fan I hope they win(well I am pulling for Arizona first then Devils), they could use a little reward for ~20 years of putting in a solid effort

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Getting either McDavid or Eichel in the 2015 draft would provide a huge boost to the forward core with Zajac and Henrique in their top-6 already. Could see Lou hasten the rebuild of the offense with a free agent pickup or a trade of an established goal scoring winger if that happens. Phill Kessel anyone?

 

[SladeWilson23]

A lot of guys are coming off the books this year and even more are coming off next year. Not too long ago, the Devils didn't have ANY good prospects forwards or defensemen. But he's quietly in the past 4 years built one of the best young defensive cores in the league. He also got the great goalie. So the backend is set.

Regarding the forwards, the only thing we're missing is the true star potential forward prospect. We have a good number of 2nd/3rd line tweeners but no real stars. All it takes is one good draft or offseason, and we're set. More realistially, it'll take 2 offseasons. But it can be done in only one offseason if he makes all the right moves.

Regarding next year, nobody has a clue with how they'll look next year. A lot of cap space (I believe the 7th highest amount of cap space) and only 13 players (t-2nd fewest) signed means there is a lot of flexibility. It's very possible we can be a playoff team next year. It's unlikely since the free agent pool is weak, but it can be done if Lou makes all the right moves.

TL;DR: The Devils don't need a full rebuild. Lou has already started the rebuild about 4 years ago. He's still in the process, and ultimately knows what he's doing.

 

[StroShow]

They will likely get a pick in the 3-5 range and pick up one of Strome , Marner , or Crouse. They should move Ryder , Jagr , Havlat , Zubrus at the deadline for picks and prospects.
They have some great defensive prospects in Larrson , Gelinas , Severson , Santini . Who I believe all have top 4 d-man pottential. Forward prospect cupboard is empty a couple of decent players in Quenville , Matteau , Boucher , Coleman , Josefson. They are set in goal with Schneider and Kinkaid.

Dylan Strome is the player they need , a pottential first line center.

 

[Voight]

Even as an Islanders fan I hope they win(well I am pulling for Arizona first then Devils), they could use a little reward for ~20 years of putting in a solid effort

I hope Buffalo wins tbh but lets not get OT.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Lou plans to laugh at us after he fires us