Offseason Outlook: Offense

Unlike the defensive unit, the New Jersey Devils' offensive corps is in a major state of influx. After starting off the season red hot, as a whole they cooled considerably, averaging just over 2 goals a game and being shut out twice over the season's final 10 games. With the late season injury to Ilya Kovalchuk, no one on the Devils stepped up offensively. The Devils have 11 forwards on the current roster who will need new contracts, but it is highly unlikely all of the will remain in Newark by the time training camp opens. 

KEEP WITHOUT QUESTION 

 

Patrik Elias is a free agent for the first time since the Devils nearly lost their franchise's best forward to, reportedly, their cross river rivals the New York Rangers. Elias is coming off a $6 million annual deal, and while he continuously is near, if not at the top of, the Devils' scoring list, the Devils would certainly like to retain his services for less than his previous deal. If Elias decided to ask for an identical deal, as long as it is not for much longer than 3 years, it is hard to envision the Devils' not extending a deal to one of their core, heart and soul players. 

Adam Henrique leads the list of the Devils' numerous Restricted Free Agents. Coming off his entry level contract, the Devils & Henrique need to come to an agreement on a contract and not allow any bitterness to flow over. Henrique is a valuable asset to New Jersey's future and has already written himself into the Devils' history books by clinching two series victories with overtime game winning goals last year. As was the case with nearly the entire team, Henrique struggled in productivity this season. Normally, one would attribute his lack of success to a sophomore slump but with the rest of the team literally vanishing from the goal column, Henrique gets a pass. 

Andrei Loktionov was the Devils' best acquisition during the season and was an incredible steal of a deal. Acquired February 6th from the Los Angeles Kings for a 5th round pick, Loktinov scored 8 goals and added 4 assists over the 28 games he played following his call up from Albany of the AHL. One of his most impressive feats were his off balance goal against the Philadelphia Flyers and his ability to gel almost effortlessly with Ilya Kovalchuk. 

The reason the Devils were able to get such a value for Loktionov was that the Kings feared he would not resign with them in the offseason. With his role up in the air in Los Angeles, Loktionov floated the idea publicly that he would leave the NHL for the KHL in the offseason. With his increased responsibility and subsequent increase in playing time, it's hard to imagine that playing time will be the reason he bolts overseas. His current ELC is valued at $575k annually so he is due for a considerable raise, but the Devils should not hesitate to pay out, especially since he seems to be showing early indications of developing impressive chemistry with countryman Ilya Kovalchuk. That statistic alone could be invaluable for the Devils future. 

Jacob Josefson finally made it through a season without suffering a considerable injury! All kidding aside, after his recall from Albany late in the season, Josefson finally put on display the reason why the Devils hold him in such high regard. If he resigns with New Jersey, he should have the inside track for the starting 3rd line center position. JJ would do himself well if he could add a few pounds of muscle on as he is on the smaller size for someone his height. This would help him get into the dirty areas for better rebound opportunities thus potentially leading to higher point totals as he progresses through his career. 

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT... 

David Clarkson leads the list of players who would be an excellent fit to remain on the Devils but might no be wise. During the season, rumors began to circulate that Clarkson could seek $5 million annually, if not higher, when the free agency period begins this summer. Yes, he put up 30 goals last season and scored 10 in under 15 games this year, but he also had a goalless drought which lasted over 20 games. His inability to find the net during that stretch was only further magnified by the rest of the teams scoring woes, especially when Kovalchuk went down with his injury. Clarkson is a pure heart player, but his inconsistency scoring mixed with the bad penalties and he sudden onset of whining and begging for calls may have reduced his stock, especially if the rumored contract demands are accurate. The Devils would be wise in allowing Clarkson to chase larger dollar figures elsewhere if it comes down to $5 million per as he will most likely not be able to sustain his sudden scoring prowess. 

Dainius Zubrus is a major fan favorite. His current contract of $3.4 million annually over 4 years was not the greatest of deals but he did perform admirably when healthy. Some fan groups had unrealistic expectations of Zubrus being a major offensive threat when he signed for the contract but those who knew why he was signed understand he played well enough to make the contract worthwhile. Durability and age are the two factors which are working against Zubes. At 35 by the time free agency begins, Zubrus is another older veteran who the Devils will need to not only think about is health but also length of contract hen they approach him for a deal. 

Matt D'Agostini played well enough to remain a Devil. The problem is his qualifying offer is $1.8 million so the Devils would need to negotiate a longer contract if they want to keep Hamas it is highly unlikely they would be okay with committing to that type of money for one season. Adding to their reluctance should also the fact D'Ags tops out as a fill in on the 2nd line and is more of a bottom 6 player who also garners some time on special teams. He's still under restricted free agent status so it will be interesting to see how his summer will play out. 

COIN FLIP 

Mattias Tedenby is coming off his ELC. He has been less than impressive during his multiple stints at the NHL level, save from a brief hot streak three years ago, and for whatever reason he does not seem to be getting better while playing at the Albany level. While a severe facial nearly ended his career and his life this year, Tedenby's work ethic has always been suspect as he was called out by numerous coaches at the NHL level. 

Tom Kostopoulos was a good midseason pickup off the waiver wire from Pittsburgh. Always playing on the fourth line, the Greek winger registered a goal (on a penalty shot nonetheless) and 18 penalty minutes. Kostopoulos was quick to defend his teammates in scrums and posed a sizable problem for opposing defenses to worry about in front of their net during his 15 games with the club. It might not be easy to find a spot on the roster for him next season, especially with Krys Barch still under contract for another season, but GM Lou Lamoriello has done stranger moves in the past (last year signing both Cam Janssen and Barch). 

HAPPY TRAILS 

Alexi Ponikarovski played phenomenally in the playoffs for the Devils last year, even scoring the game winning goal in overtime of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers. Fans were heartbroken to learn he had signed with the Winnipeg Jets while he Devils' hands were tied waiting for a certain playoff-choke artist to decide he was too homesick to play in Jersey anymore and needed to go ack home and play with his friend in Minnesota, but I digress. 

When the Devils were on a roll to start the year, Dainius Zubrus went down with an injury. As soon as he was placed on injured reserve, Lou Lamoriello almost immediately reacquired Poni from the Jets for draft picks and a little known prospect. In his first game back, he scored against the Flyers, mirroring what he did last season upon his arrival in Newark. But the honeymoon phase quickly ended as Poni became extremely inconsistent. While his contract hit is not unbearable, the Devils could be more apt to spend the cap space elsewhere. 

Steve Sullivan was reacquired by the devils after nearly 17 years just at the trading deadline this year. It was one of those "well you knew Lou was going to do something" moves where he tried to catch lightning in a bottle and reattach a missing limb with some chewing gum and a bandaid. Playing the opposite point of Zidlicky on the power play, Sullivan used most of his chances to pass to Elias or another forward down low than shoot himself, yet both goals during his 2nd stint in Jersey were on the man-advantage. Sullivan has played over 1,000 games but it is not realistic to think he will still be in the Devils lineup entering 2013-14. 

Tom Kostopoulos

Devils Cap Off Perfect Week with OT Win

The long layoff for the NHL ended last Saturday night as 24 teams kicked off their respective seasons.

New Jersey, fresh off their run to the Stanley Cup Finals, began their quest to repeat their Eastern Conference Championship run by squaring off against Atlantic Divisional rival, New York Islanders.

Travis Zajac got the scoring going after burying a beautiful crossing feed from Ilya Kovalchuk and David Clarkson sucked the life out of the crowd at Nassau Coliseum with his goal moments after Travis Hamonic leveled the two teams at 1 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the 3^rd period. Martin Brodeur stopped 18 of 19 shots for his first win of the season.

Three days later, the Devils Squared off against the Philadelphia Flyers who were playing their third game in four days. Having lost to Pittsburgh at home and then falling to Buffalo on the road, the Flyers were desperate for a victory. Unfortunately for them, they got off on the absolute wrong foot as Travis Zajac again ignited the scoring, netting his second of the season just 67 seconds into the game. Clarkson, too, would get his second of the year on the power play with 25 seconds remaining in the opening stanza.

Kovalchuk would add a short handed, penalty shot goal in the third as the Devils continued their domination of Flyers’ goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov dating back to last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup where the Devils made the Russian keeper look amateurish.

Brodeur stopped all 24 Flyers shots he faced for his second win and 120^th shutout of his career, 10 of which coming against the Flyers.

The shutout streak would continue into Friday night where the Devils would play host to the Washington Capitals. Stephen Gionta would finish a Jacob Josefson attempt to net his first of the season and only his second career regular season goal. Patrik Elias would register his 897^th point of his career when he pushed home a rebound off a Marek Zidlicky shot and a Clarkson deflection on the power play late in the 2^nd period.

The Devils’ discipline came apart nearly entirely during the third period as they took 5 consecutive penalties including three within seconds of each other. Washington seized the opportunity by scoring once on the power play [Mike Ribeiro] and then again as their final advantage expired [Mike Green].

Their gifts from the Devils would cease there as New Jersey came out a different team in the overtime period, bombarding Michal Neuvirth with 7 shots before Kovalchuk wristed a tight angle attempt top shelf to win the game for the Devils with just 20 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

Their 3-0 start is the best the Devils have had since the 2002-2003 season in which they went on to win the Stanley Cup in 6 games against the Dallas Stars.

Fast Start Imperative in Shortened Season

Only 20 minutes into this young season, for two teams its quite obvious their mantra: Score early, score often.

Both the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins ran up multi-goal leads in their respective season openers.

While it is extremely early in their respective games and the season, its quite obvious how much emphasis has been placed on them to have solid starts to this abbreviated season.

Hopefully, the New Jersey Devils are taking note while they wait for their clash with the New York Islanders later tonight.

The Devils, who many predict to miss or just squeak into the post season, are relatively intact from last year’s team minus Alexi Ponikarovski and Zach Parise. Both played critical roles in their run to the Eastern Conference Championship and while neither will be easy to replace, the Devils seek to show the League they are more than just a one-man team.

Tonight, they need to jump on a weaker opponent in the Islanders, a team they have struggled with, especially at Nassau Coliseum, in recent years.

One thing that will certainly interesting to watch will be the Devils’ new power-play attack, introduced by Assistant Coach Matt Shaw. Said Head Coach Peter DeBoer of the new system, “We’re going to be shooting more and looking for that perfect look less.”

Last season, the Islanders were one of the least penalized teams in the league, being shorthanded only 236 times, only 11 ahead of San Jose’s league best 225. Their penalty kill percentage, however, was a botton-10 low 80.5%.

Hopefully, the Devils, who drew around the league average of 267 penalties last year,  will be able to convert on both even strength and the advance tonight to start their season off on the right foot.

Adam Larsson, Krys Barch and Peter Harrold will be tonight’s scratches while Mattias Tedenby will get another chance to prove he’s NHL ready and will start on the 2^nd line with Patrik Elias and David Clarkson.

Keeping Hope Alive

Photos are property of Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

After two nights ago, panic could have set in.

Two nights ago, the Devils could have said, “that’s it, we’re mortal again,” and packed in their season knowing they had let an opportunity to keep pace slip away, falling further behind the pack.

Two nights ago has now turned into nothing more than a minor speed bump, at least for tonight.

The Devils opened up tonight’s game as tense as they left Friday night’s contest against the Lightning. The Panthers controlled the flow of play for the first half of the first period as they mounted chance after chance on the Devils. Martin Brodeur, however, was equal to the task, showing little to no signs of a 9 game layoff while he recovered from a knee injury.

The tables turned as the Devils controlled the flow of play during the latter stages of the period and were able to nearly equalize the shot chances, trailing by 1 in that category heading into intermission.

The second period would prove to be the decisive one as the Devils came out red hot. Their determination was fueled by the efforts of their grinders who broke the scoreless draw. Rod Pelley’s shot from the left point was kicked out to the same-side faceoff circle, where David Clarkson made a diving rebound attempt that beat goaltender Tomas Vokun short side for his first goal in 18 games.

Just 3 minutes later, after the Devils were given a power play by the Panthers, Brian Rolston fired a faceoff win from Dainius Zubrus into the back of the net for 2-0 lead. The goal came just 3 seconds into the power play.

While the Devils again shut down their opponents during the 2nd period, the third period was not without drama. Both teams split chances equally until about 5 minutes remaining when Florida began to control the pace as the Devils went into a prevent mode.

Their defense and Brodeur’s shutout were finally broken when Marty Reasoner ripped home a behind the net feed from Michal Repik short side on Brodeur to pull them within 1. After a few icing calls and 3-plus tense minutes later, the Devils escaped South Florida, and their 4 game road-trip with a 2-1 victory, going 3-1 overall.

With the win, Brodeur moved to 9-1-1 over his last 11 starts, Ilya Kovalchuk had his 12-game point streak snapped, and Jason Arnott could have played the final game of his 2nd stint with the Devils.

Following the game, Arnott told Tom Gulitti of the Fire & Ice Blog that he’d prefer to be moved to a team already in the playoff hunt, and that if he had the choice between another team fighting for their post season lives or staying with the Devils, he’d prefer to stay.

If the Devils are to move Arnott, and recent trades around the league are any indication, they should receive a 2nd round pick and then some in return. One of the drawbacks for Arnott, however, is his age, but his leadership and experience alone should outweigh that minor fact. He does become an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the year so a team gearing up for a long playoff run could almost certainly benefit from a player like Arnott.

As for the rest of the team, a few weeks ago, I could have seen them making a move to improve the defensive corps. Following their recent hot streak, however, I do not foresee general manager Lou Lamoriello making any moves as he could see any changes drastically affecting the chemistry and current team spirit.

With only 9 points separating the Devils from the 8th and final playoff spot, the Devils need any and all help they can get, but one area which they do not need any real help is their own roster. What was once looked upon as a flimsy, suspect AHL defense has now become one of the premiere shut-down units in the league, allowing 2 goals or fewer over the course of the past 10 games, and only once since early January.

Hope comes in all forms lately. A win in regulation, a win in overtime, heck even a loss in overtime provides a glimmer of hope if all other games fall the Devils’ way.

But with 20 games to go, there is little to no room for any more moral victories and the Devils need to find ways to earn or steal points here on out.

Wednesday brings the Lightning back into the Prudential Center where another two critical points are on the line.

Who will be still on the roster and who, if anyone, will find a new home tomorrow by the 3 pm trading deadline? Only a few short hours separate us from finding out.

Game 11: Giving a Devil His Due

Last season, Dainius Zubrus’ contract looked like a major mistake and a $3.4 million eyesore on towards the Devils’ salary cap space.15 goals and 25 assists hardly made the salary seem worth it, let alone the length of the deal.

Tonight, Zubrus continued on his quest to silence his critics, this time doing it on his offensive side. With under 2 minutes to go, Zubrus crashed the net on an aggressive forecheck while Zach Parise took a slap shot from the high point. Bruins’ goaltender Tim Thomas got most of the initial shot, but not all of it as the puck squeaked through his pads and settled on the ice behind him, 3 feet from the goal.

Zubrus saw the loose puck and pounced on it without hesitation, as he pushed the puck into the net for the go ahead goal, falling as he began to celebrate.

The Devils never looked back from that point, and held on for the 2-1 victory.

Moments prior to Zubrus’ goal, Devils’ goaltender Yann Danis withstood an onslaught of Bruin shots as Boston pushed for the leading tally. Danis made some fine saves during the rush, but also received a bit of luck as a Bruin shot went over his left shoulder, but bounced harmlessly off the crossbar.

David Clarkson put the Devils ahead early on with his third goal of the season. Clarkson joined a 2 on 1 rush with Niclas Bergfors as the Devils again caught Boston in the attacking zone. Bergfors’ shot was aimed at Thomas’ 5-hole, and as was the case with the game winning goal, Thomas only got a piece of the shot as Clarkson cleaned up the rebound on his way to a jumping celebration against the glass behind the net.

The major black eye to come from this game was the injury sustained by defenseman Johnny Oduya who left the game in the 2nd period with a lower body injury and did not return. While Oduya’s play early on this season has been marred by inconsistency, his loss would be detrimental to an already injury plagued defensive corps.

With Paul Martin our for 4 to 6 weeks, the Devils cannot stand to lose Oduya. If they do for an extended period of time, there is almost no question they will need to go out and find a defenseman who can help lead the team in Martin and Oduya’s absence.

While some will argue they will be able use the current players to fill the void, the shortcomings of the remaining defenseman are abundant.

Colin White, regardless of his current alternate title, has been ineffective for almost the entire season, save for about 5 minutes of solid playing, including two diving poke checks to preserve wins and eliminate scoring chances for the opposition.

Bryce Salvador cannot keep himself out of the penalty box, and besides Oduya, I do not think that anyone else on the team has taken as many lazy penalties as number 24.
Mike Mottau, a former Hoby Baker Award winner, just doesn’t strike me as the type of player who can pick up the defense on his back.

Andy Greene has played phenomenally thus far, but I think the added pressure of being the go to guy on defense will hurt his psyche and possibly kill his current hot streak.

Lastly, Mark Fraser is a rookie, and has only 3 games this season under his belt. To think he alone could pick up the slack is just ridiculous.

Sure, you can say that if the Devils loose Oduya, everyone else can step up and pick up a little piece of the slack, but I think there is far too much slack left to be shouldered by the remaining 6 defenders.

If the Devils loose Oduya, and another proven veteran is not brought in for assistance, the Devils could be in for a long couple of weeks.



7-4-0, 14 points

Next up: Saturday vs. Tampa Bay, 3pm

Devils Off-Season Part 1

As of today, there are two weeks until the free agent frenzy begins. The Devils have 4 Restricted Free Agents and 6 remaining Unrestricted Free agents. Here’s a look into the class:

UPDATED 7/1: contract results are listed below player summary

RFA’s

David Clarkson – RW – ‘07-‘08 salary: $555,000 – This one’s a no-brainer. Clarkson is a solid defensive forward. He worked very well with John Madden and Jay Pandolfo during the season and the group was one of the high points in a dismal playoffs for the Devils. Lately, he has gained comparisons to the likes of John MacLean or even line mate John Madden.
Prediction: Re-sign @ $725,000/yr
Result: re-signed @ $837,500/yr

Olli Malmivaara – D – ’07-’08 salary: n/a – Malmivaara is a decent defenseman who spent all but 2 games in ‘07-‘08 campaign in Lowell. The 26 year old at 6’7” is a large presence at the blue line. The former Chicago Blackhawks draft pick was signed by the Devils to add depth in their minor league system.
Prediction: Re-signed to 2-way contract.

Rod Pelley – C – ’07-’08 salary: n/a – Pelley played four years at Ohio State University, graduating in 2006. The 24 year old spent most of last season [58 games] with the big club, registering 2 goals and 4 assists. Pelly is on the fast track of success with the Devils, as he has significant experience with the team in his first two season of professional hockey, the points just need to follow.
Prediction: Re-signed @ $475,000

Barry Tallackson – RW – ’07-’08 salary: n/a – The University of Minnesota product is still trying find a break in the Devils roster. He does not have significant time in the NHL, 16 games over three seasons, and his AHL numbers are mediocre, an average of just over 23 points a season. At 25, it is not unreasonable to think that if he is re-signed, it could be his last contract with the Devils.
Prediction: Re-signed to a 2 year, 2-way deal

UFA’s

Arron Asham – RW – ’07-’08 salary: $700,000 – For a quick fix, Asham made good of his chance with the Devils, playing in 77 games tallying 10 points and 82 penalty minutes. An inexpensive winger, but no better than 3rd line material, Asham fit well into the Devils’ system for this year but will most likely not return as there are viable candidates for his position in Lowell.
Prediction: not re-signed.
Result: No contract tendered

Noah Clarke – LW – ’07-’08 salary: n/a - The southern California native, and Los Angeles Kings outcast, Clarke scored a goal in his only game with the Devils last season against the Florida Panthers. He played 20 games over three seasons with the Kings, but did put up solid numbers , 14 goals 17 assists, in 47 games with Lowell.
Prediction: At age 29, if he’ll take a minor league deal, I’d give it to him, but I don’t see him being an asset with the NHL team.

Richard Matvichuk – D – ’07-’08 salary: $1,368,000 – When a back injury ended Matvichuk’s 06-07 campaign, few thought it would be the last game he would play with the Devils. But with a new coach, a new system, a conflict with GM Lou Lamoriello, and the Devils salary cap issues, Matvichuk found himself relegated to the minors. In a situation very similar to Dan McGillis, Matvichuk was looked upon to be a leader for the minor league relegation.
Prediction: This one is another no-brainer. Matvichuk will not be back on the Devils next year. The question is, at 35, will he find another team?

Jay Pandolfo – RW - ’07-’08 salary: $836,00 – Lifelong Devil who has been a reliable winger on both the checking line as well as the penalty kill, Pandolofo was limited to only 54 games in ‘07-‘08 due to a groin injury, but had not missed a single game in the previous 3 seasons. He has never been a scoring threat, tallying his first hat-trick last season versus Tampa Bay, but has the ability to stifle even the most prolific scorers that the opposition can throw at the Devils. His character is something the Devils are in desperate need of and his intangibles cannot be lost.
Prediction: Re-signed @ $1,250,000/year. In my opinion, Pando is a must keep player.
Result: Re-signed @ $2,500,000 for 3 years.

Karel Rachunek – D - ’07-’08 salary: $1,400,000 – Last season, the thinking on Rachunek was right price right time. Still feeling the sting of losing Brian Rafalski to the Detroit Red Wings, the Devils picked up Rachunek along with Vitali Vishnevski to help add veteran leadership to a seemingly inexperienced defensive core. Injuries and an over abundance of defensemen limited Rachnek’s playing time during the ‘07-‘08 campaign.
Prediction: Departing. Another victim of the new offensive system, Rachunek is guaranteed to be playing elsewhere in ‘08-’09.

Bryce Salvador – D - ’07-’08 salary: $1,500,000 – Acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis for bruiser Cam Janssen. This move was made early in the day, and left Devils fans thinking that the team had more in the works. 3 pm rolled around and nothing, 4 pm and still nothing, after 5:30 they knew there was nothing else. Salvador was another veteran added to an already jam-packed blue line corps. I didn’t understand the move in March but didn’t mind it for the low asking price. Many people loved cam, but he had no real role in Sutter’s system.
Prediction: My head’s telling me he’s gone, but my heart has a strong feeling that Lou is sold on him and he’ll come back above his value. I’m seeing a $2,000,000/per deal on this one.
Result: Re-signed for over his value, as predicted, $2,900,000 for a ridiculous 4 year deal.