With the dismal performance of the Devils’ blue-line down the stretch and throughout their brief stay in the playoffs, it is no secret that upgrades, if not a complete overhaul, is needed on defense.
Players Under Contract:
Colin White - $3 million/2 yrs remaining – 81 GP, 2 G, 10 A, +8
The story of Colin White this season was eerily similar to that of Jekyll and Hyde. One night, he would show flashes of brilliance similar to that when he had two fully functional eyes and played his position above and beyond his current ability. Other times, however, he looked lost and was embarrassed on several occasions by opposing forwards. In White’s defense, he had little to no support from his staple partner Mike Mottau, who on most occasions rather than compensate for White’s aggressiveness, would play himself out of position, creating chances for the opposition. If the Devils will mercifully give him a new defensive partner, White could build on a good 2009-10 campaign, but that is a big if.
Bryce Salvador - $2.9 million/2 yrs remaining – 79 GP, 4 G, 10 A, +8
Salvador performed above and beyond expectations this season. When Paul Martin went down with a broken arm, Salvador stepped up his game tremendously and even contributed on the offensive side of play. His plus-8 was second on the team behind only Andy Greene and tied with Colin White. For a player who’s primarily defensive minded, this is quite an accomplishment as are his 4 goals. Salvador continues to bring to the team his physical edge and mean streak which is in desperately short supply, especially with White’s eye taking away from his willingness to drop the gloves [no slight to Colin]. The question mark will be whether the Devils re-sign frequent partner Paul Martin as he hits free agency July 1st, but the versatile Salvador showed ability to work well with whomever he was paired with.
Andy Greene - $750k/1 yr remaining – 78 GP, 6 G, 31 A, +9
Greene showed dramatic improvements in his all around game throughout the season. Taking on an everyday role helped allow Greene to showcase his offensive prowess by nearly quadrupling his point total from the previous season. Having 29 more games to play in, Greene regained the scoring touch he gave fans a glimpse of during the 2007 postseason against Tampa Bay. His awareness continues to be a valuable asset to the defensive corps and will only increase his contract value if he should hit the free agent market in 2011. One would hope the Devils make a serious pitch to retain his services beyond the end of his current deal.
Anssi Salmela - $625k/1 yr remaining – 9 GP, 1 G, 2 A, -5
His return to New Jersey as part of the Ilya Kovalchuk trade started off promising as he amassed his points in the first 5 games. However, as the team maintained its mediocre play, Salmela’s play dropped off, and he found himself a healthy scratch for most of the remainder of the season, and the entirety of the playoffs. With the retirement of Jacques Lemaire, Salmela may have a better shot to regain a playing positon but his competition will be stiff as Tyler Eckford and Matt Corrente seek to gain a spot with the big club and Mark Fraser seeks to become a regular.
Matt Corrente - $600k/ 1 yr remaining – 12 GP, 0 pts, E [2 GP, 0 pts, E in playoffs]
With the injury to Paul Martin, the Devils needed to find help for the blue-line throughout the organization. Corrente got the first shot, but the most amount of time filing in as the 6th defenseman went to Mark Fraser. Corrente played in 7 straight games before sitting. Corrente was looked upon to add some size and youth during the playoffs and he played well for as bad as the team played as a whole. Look for the 2006 1st round draft pick to be in strong competition to gain one of the 6 starting defense spots. Alexander Urbom, who almost made the team out of his first NHL training camp, could provide to be a formidable competitor.
Rob Davidson - $500k/1 yr remaining – 1 GP, 0 pts, E
Injuries were the only reason that Davidson made it to the Devils this season. It is highly unlikely that the former Sharks draft pick will be in consideration to make the team out of camp next season and will need to rely on injuries or inconsistency to allow him to crack the roster.
Restricted Free Agents
Mark Fraser – 2009-10 salary: $500k, 61 GP, 3 G, 3 A, +3
A pleasant surprise to the defensive corps with so many disappointments, Fraser logged the 5th most games by Devils’ defenseman this season. His size and aggressiveness gave the Devils an edge which they had lost when David Clarkson went down with an injury. With an increased role, and the status of Paul Martin as a Devil being uncertain, expect the Devils to at least offer Fraser a new contract this offseason. He has the talent and ability to make it in the NHL as a regular and will help the team greatly.
Tyler Eckford – 2009-10 salary: $685k, 3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, E
Eckford earned himself playing time at the NHL level in only his second season as a professional. He spent three years playing for University of Alaska-Fairbanks amassing 16 goals and 71 points, while his first season in Lowell, he tallied 2 goals and 27 points. Expect the 7th round pick to be given an offer from the Devils to remain part of the organization. While he should compete for a roster spot during camp, expect his contract to have a 2-way clause so that the soon to be 25 year old will have a chance to further hone his skills.
Unrestricted Free Agents
Paul Martin – 2009-10 salary: $4.5 million – 22 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 pts, +10
The decision on whether or not to retain Paul Martin will probably be the second most challenging one facing the Devils this offseason, right behind trying to keep explosive winger Ilya Kovalchuk. Martin has become one of the best American-born defensemen in the game and will probably be paid as such should he hit the free agent market. He could easily command over $5 million per season, and with how many needs the Devils need to address, retaining the 2nd round pick from 2000 could prove to be too difficult. His play since returning from injury was subpar and he never seemed to fully reach his pre-injury form. Expect the Devils to make an offer, but don’t be surprised if he tests the waters and earns a bigger paycheck from another club.
Mike Mottau – 2009-10 salary: $775k – 79 GP, 2 G, 16 A, +4
One of the biggest disappointments in the eyes of the fans, Mottau struggled to play consistent all season long and throughout the playoffs. His liability on defense and absentmindedness failed to compensate and cover his partners mistakes or aggressiveness. Failure to make reads, failure to play the body and not chase the puck around like a pee-wee player explained why he was a career minor leaguer until arriving on the Devils in 2007. How he continued to log not only top minutes, but play over 200 games during the past 3 seasons is a miracle in its own right, that or pure stupidity and lack of better options by an organization struggling to build a solid defensive core. Unfortunately, I see the Devils continuing to compound their mistake and give Mottau not only a contract, but a multi-year deal worth well above his value. I see a 3 year, $1.5 million for a massive liability, and why not throw a no trade clause to boot for this 32 year old.
Matrin Skoula – 2009-10 salary: $575k [acquired from TOR via PIT] – 19 GP, 0 G, 3 A, +7
Skoula didn’t put up jawdropping numbers, but for the first time in a few years, the Devils deadline deal for a defenseman did not leave the fans palm-slapping their faces and begging for a do-over. He sure was no Nick Havelid. Could Skoula remain a Devil? Yes it is a possibility, but look for the Devils to try and go with a younger look and for defenders who can fill a leadership role on a team dieing for some identity, backbone and heart.
Where to go from here?
The Devils could make a run at retaining Martin should they fail to sign Kovalchuk. Even with re-signing Martin, they would need to add at least one more veteran defender.
Mottau and Skoula should be allowed to walk, Mottau especially should be escorted out so that he may not plague our backline ever again.
Fraser and Eckford should be tendered offers to ensure youth is maintained.
Who’s out there that could fit?
Wishing on a shooting star:
Scott Neidermayer – 09/10 salary: $6.75 million, 80 GP, 10 G, 38 A, -9
With 48 points, Neids would have outscored almost the entire Devils roster, save from Elias, Langenbrunner, Zajac, and Parise. The bad news is he will turn 37 this summer so one has to wonder, should he not retire, how much will he have left in the tank. The really bad news is how large of a price tag he will garnish should he choose to leave Anaheim. The Devils should highly consider making him an offer if not just for his offensive prowess which the defensive unit is sorely missing, but for his leadership which the Devils are in desperately short supply. The Devils need a new leader, Neidermayer knows the system and could teach the inexperienced defense a thing or two about winning and being a team.
Who we should get:
Dan Hamhuis, NSH – 09/10 salary: $2.5 million, 78 GP, 5G, 19A, +4
At 27, Hamhuis looks to be entering his first free agency of his career. The Predators blue-liner has played in nearly every regular season game since 2003-04, missing a grand total of 9 games. He finished 3rd on the Predators defense in scoring but only registered one assist on the power play so his contributions in that category could be lacking. What he can bring to the team is an immense amount of experience from international competitions, so he knows how to adapt to various styles of playing. Hamhuis is also very disciplined when it comes to penalties, as he only amassed 49 minutes on the year, including one fighting major.
Who we probably will get:
Willie Mitchell, VAN – 09/10 salary: $3.5 million, 48 GP, 4 G, 8 A, +13
This former Devils’ season came to an abrupt halt thanks to a concussion suffered on January 16th against the Penguins. He has played in at least 60 games in every season since leaving the Devils except for the past one, and he has been a plus player his entire career except for a minus-12 in 2001-2002 while playing for Minnesota. Should Vancouver decide not to re-up their 4 year veteran, I could easily see Lou Lamoriello extending an offer to bring back Mitchell after a 9 year absence from the organization. He would bring consistency as well as leadership should the effects of his concussion not linger.
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Showing posts with label Mike Mottau. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Mottau. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, December 21, 2008
20 Games A.B. [After Brodeur]
The Good
Scott Clemmensen – Hands down playing lights-out hockey right now. He could be considered the MVP of the Devils, or at least sharing that title with their leading scorer Zach Parise. Once Marty went down hurt, and Kevin Weekes could not achieve a level of consistency, Clemmensen rose to the occasion. Amidst the rumors of Khabibulin and Roloson, Clemmer took it upon himself to establish an air of consistency in net for the Devils. Making save after save, Clemmensen allowed the devils to focus their efforts on attacking the other team’s next, which then allowed them to get hot. 6 wins in seven games and nine of 10 helped thrust the Devils right in the middle of the playoff hunt. This type of streak is uncommon for goalies not named Brodeur on the Devils. Also, with today’s victory, his 11th, Clemmensen has the most wins of a Devils goalie not named Brodeur since Chris Terreri in 1993-1994. [Special thanks to Steve Cangailosi for that statistic.]
The Devils Offense – Yes, you did read that correctly, the Devils offense is Hotter than Jessica Biel in her bikini scene in Summer Catch [see here]. They have accounted for 33 goals in 9 games in the month of December alone, which translates to just below 4 goals a game at 3.67. Since the loss of Brodeur 20 games ago, the Devils have tallied 5 or more goals in a game 6 times, that’s right, 6 times, including back to back 5 goal performances against Buffalo and Ottawa. The top two lines are gelling well, and are firing on all cylinders. If a team plans on going far into the playoffs, they need at least two solid lines who can provide a scoring threat. The Stanley Cup finalists from last year, Pittsburg and Detroit, proved that last season, and it continues on back down the line.
Zach Praise continues to wow the crowds with his ability to single handedly carry this team as well as put points on the board. Travis Zajac has rediscovered his scoring touch which he seemed to lose last season in a sophomore slump. Patrik Elias is also on fire right now, with a 10 game, 17 point streak going and has tallied points in 15 of his last 16 games where he has added 28 points to his season total. Prior to that, he had only 8 points in 15 games. His current point pace would put him on the cusp of 100 at 95, which would be his highest since he added 96 in 2000-2001. Both he and Parise are in the top 10 in the NHL, and the last time 2 Devils players finished in the top 10 in scoring, assistant coach John MacLean was donning an A on his jersey.
Brian Rolston – Back after missing 14 games with an ankle injury, Rolston has began to find his scoring touch as well. While he only has 4 points on the season, he has goals in two of his last three games, all the while playing on the third line with a rotating cast of characters, today he was with David Clarkson and Jay Pandolfo. As Rolston works his way back to 100% health, look for him to continue to add firepower to the offense.
Mike Mottau and Jay Leach – Many people, myself included, were confused and maybe even a little upset that Mike Mottau was retained in the offseason. I, for one, thought he was too much of a liability and his inconsistent play would doom the team considering he would have to play a good amount of minutes this season. This season, however, Mottau has played 28 out of 31 games, logging an average of 18 minutes of ice time. His plus minus sits at a comfortable plus 9 while he has contributed 6 assists to the team. He has become very smart with the puck as the season has progressed, and his awareness on both sides of the puck is something desperately needed on this defense.
Leach has also been a pleasant surprise. While Andy Greene had been injured and Sheldon Brookbank continues to be as useful as wet toilet paper, Leach has stepped up to earn playing time with the Devils. He received two games in early November, then was sent back to Lowell, only to be recalled again on the 23rd. Since that recall, Leach has not missed a game, playing in all 10 of the Devils’ contests. Typically Leach is paired with Mottau, and has contributed just as effectively. He adds both size and a take-no-crap attitude on the defense, and is not afraid to throw down the gloves. In today’s game, for example and as Ken Daneyko pointed out in the post-game, Leach and Rupp were quick to stand up for their teammates who were being harassed by the Flyers players. While both Leach and Mottau are not major offensive threats from the blue line, by bringing consistency and solid defense to whichever line they pair up allows that forward set to take more chances and be a much larger threat down ice.
The Bad
Surrendering Leads – Yes, the offense is potent, and yes, they have managed to hang on or come back for the eventual victory, but far too many times already the Devils have gotten leads, and given them up. Today, they had a two goal lead on the Flyers before surrendering a goal in the 2nd and another in the 3rd to allow Philly to still gain a point by forcing overtime. Since the beginning of the current hot streak, the Devils have surrendered leads on six different occasions, including a four goal lead against the Rangers, a game the Devils eventually would win by three goals. Only one of these instances, however, have the Devils failed to emerge with a point in the game and that was at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres, a game where the final was 4-2. The other instance where the Devils lost was a 3-2 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs.
Kevin Weekes – Enough has been said about the poor performance of Weekes in the previous article about the goaltending. My biggest gripe: rebound control. Rebounds mean second chances which unfortunately have turned into goals in most cases for the struggling and the now back up to the 2nd backup.
John Madden – While he hasn’t been performing poorly, Madden hasn’t played in back to back games with a supposed flu bug, but with the team firing on all cylinders and the defense rising to the occasion, many have been speculating that Madden might be on the chopping block, especially after his absence from the active roster Friday night against the Senators, which was the last game before the holiday roster freeze. Madden and his sub-$3 million price tag have recently been subject to movement as he as a valuable asset for a team needed a solid defensive forward. It will also free up some cap space going into free agency next summer as Travis Zajac will need his contract renewed along with a handful of other Devils, Madden included. Don’t get me wrong, I love Madden, he’s a gritty player and always plays hard, game in and game out, I am just speculating what I have read on nj.com.
The Ugly
Colin White – Please, for a moment, forget the points and the plus minus total, they are VERY deceiving. Yes, he has 10 points, one of which is a goal, but how many of those assists are of the secondary nature? His shot against the Leafs was saved and the rebound was buried by Mike Rupp in one heck of an offensive effort by the 4th line and Whitey, but early in the 2nd, he looked lost as the Leafs netted the equalizer. Today, on the Flyers’ first goal, he didn’t even lay a finger on Jeff Carter as he scored on the power play as they pulled the score within one. He has been way too large of a liability on defense, I would rather see Sheldon Brookbank starting in his spot, and that says a lot because I despise Brookbank.
Whitey was a force to be reckoned with in the past, but ever since nearly losing an eye in an accident in practice during the summer of 2007, he has not been even remotely the shell of the player he used to be. I don’t know if it is because of his injury or what, but he just does not seem to know what is going on. His awareness has plummeted and his physicality is almost non-existent during play. Sure, he will act tough after the whistle once in a while and go face to face with an opposing player, but he never fights anymore, and takes stupid, lazy penalties. Sadly, he is under contract at $3 million a season until 2013, that’s right, four more full seasons of this contract blunder. If he would do more with his size, I would be more opt to let him get away with his defensive blunders, but he wont even be tough with his size. He’s like a telephone booth, big but freakin’ useless nowadays. Maybe a team will come calling that will have a need for White and the Devils could luck out with unloading the remainder of his $12 million contract. Only time will tell.
Scott Clemmensen – Hands down playing lights-out hockey right now. He could be considered the MVP of the Devils, or at least sharing that title with their leading scorer Zach Parise. Once Marty went down hurt, and Kevin Weekes could not achieve a level of consistency, Clemmensen rose to the occasion. Amidst the rumors of Khabibulin and Roloson, Clemmer took it upon himself to establish an air of consistency in net for the Devils. Making save after save, Clemmensen allowed the devils to focus their efforts on attacking the other team’s next, which then allowed them to get hot. 6 wins in seven games and nine of 10 helped thrust the Devils right in the middle of the playoff hunt. This type of streak is uncommon for goalies not named Brodeur on the Devils. Also, with today’s victory, his 11th, Clemmensen has the most wins of a Devils goalie not named Brodeur since Chris Terreri in 1993-1994. [Special thanks to Steve Cangailosi for that statistic.]
The Devils Offense – Yes, you did read that correctly, the Devils offense is Hotter than Jessica Biel in her bikini scene in Summer Catch [see here]. They have accounted for 33 goals in 9 games in the month of December alone, which translates to just below 4 goals a game at 3.67. Since the loss of Brodeur 20 games ago, the Devils have tallied 5 or more goals in a game 6 times, that’s right, 6 times, including back to back 5 goal performances against Buffalo and Ottawa. The top two lines are gelling well, and are firing on all cylinders. If a team plans on going far into the playoffs, they need at least two solid lines who can provide a scoring threat. The Stanley Cup finalists from last year, Pittsburg and Detroit, proved that last season, and it continues on back down the line.
Zach Praise continues to wow the crowds with his ability to single handedly carry this team as well as put points on the board. Travis Zajac has rediscovered his scoring touch which he seemed to lose last season in a sophomore slump. Patrik Elias is also on fire right now, with a 10 game, 17 point streak going and has tallied points in 15 of his last 16 games where he has added 28 points to his season total. Prior to that, he had only 8 points in 15 games. His current point pace would put him on the cusp of 100 at 95, which would be his highest since he added 96 in 2000-2001. Both he and Parise are in the top 10 in the NHL, and the last time 2 Devils players finished in the top 10 in scoring, assistant coach John MacLean was donning an A on his jersey.
Brian Rolston – Back after missing 14 games with an ankle injury, Rolston has began to find his scoring touch as well. While he only has 4 points on the season, he has goals in two of his last three games, all the while playing on the third line with a rotating cast of characters, today he was with David Clarkson and Jay Pandolfo. As Rolston works his way back to 100% health, look for him to continue to add firepower to the offense.
Mike Mottau and Jay Leach – Many people, myself included, were confused and maybe even a little upset that Mike Mottau was retained in the offseason. I, for one, thought he was too much of a liability and his inconsistent play would doom the team considering he would have to play a good amount of minutes this season. This season, however, Mottau has played 28 out of 31 games, logging an average of 18 minutes of ice time. His plus minus sits at a comfortable plus 9 while he has contributed 6 assists to the team. He has become very smart with the puck as the season has progressed, and his awareness on both sides of the puck is something desperately needed on this defense.
Leach has also been a pleasant surprise. While Andy Greene had been injured and Sheldon Brookbank continues to be as useful as wet toilet paper, Leach has stepped up to earn playing time with the Devils. He received two games in early November, then was sent back to Lowell, only to be recalled again on the 23rd. Since that recall, Leach has not missed a game, playing in all 10 of the Devils’ contests. Typically Leach is paired with Mottau, and has contributed just as effectively. He adds both size and a take-no-crap attitude on the defense, and is not afraid to throw down the gloves. In today’s game, for example and as Ken Daneyko pointed out in the post-game, Leach and Rupp were quick to stand up for their teammates who were being harassed by the Flyers players. While both Leach and Mottau are not major offensive threats from the blue line, by bringing consistency and solid defense to whichever line they pair up allows that forward set to take more chances and be a much larger threat down ice.
The Bad
Surrendering Leads – Yes, the offense is potent, and yes, they have managed to hang on or come back for the eventual victory, but far too many times already the Devils have gotten leads, and given them up. Today, they had a two goal lead on the Flyers before surrendering a goal in the 2nd and another in the 3rd to allow Philly to still gain a point by forcing overtime. Since the beginning of the current hot streak, the Devils have surrendered leads on six different occasions, including a four goal lead against the Rangers, a game the Devils eventually would win by three goals. Only one of these instances, however, have the Devils failed to emerge with a point in the game and that was at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres, a game where the final was 4-2. The other instance where the Devils lost was a 3-2 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs.
Kevin Weekes – Enough has been said about the poor performance of Weekes in the previous article about the goaltending. My biggest gripe: rebound control. Rebounds mean second chances which unfortunately have turned into goals in most cases for the struggling and the now back up to the 2nd backup.
John Madden – While he hasn’t been performing poorly, Madden hasn’t played in back to back games with a supposed flu bug, but with the team firing on all cylinders and the defense rising to the occasion, many have been speculating that Madden might be on the chopping block, especially after his absence from the active roster Friday night against the Senators, which was the last game before the holiday roster freeze. Madden and his sub-$3 million price tag have recently been subject to movement as he as a valuable asset for a team needed a solid defensive forward. It will also free up some cap space going into free agency next summer as Travis Zajac will need his contract renewed along with a handful of other Devils, Madden included. Don’t get me wrong, I love Madden, he’s a gritty player and always plays hard, game in and game out, I am just speculating what I have read on nj.com.
The Ugly
Colin White – Please, for a moment, forget the points and the plus minus total, they are VERY deceiving. Yes, he has 10 points, one of which is a goal, but how many of those assists are of the secondary nature? His shot against the Leafs was saved and the rebound was buried by Mike Rupp in one heck of an offensive effort by the 4th line and Whitey, but early in the 2nd, he looked lost as the Leafs netted the equalizer. Today, on the Flyers’ first goal, he didn’t even lay a finger on Jeff Carter as he scored on the power play as they pulled the score within one. He has been way too large of a liability on defense, I would rather see Sheldon Brookbank starting in his spot, and that says a lot because I despise Brookbank.
Whitey was a force to be reckoned with in the past, but ever since nearly losing an eye in an accident in practice during the summer of 2007, he has not been even remotely the shell of the player he used to be. I don’t know if it is because of his injury or what, but he just does not seem to know what is going on. His awareness has plummeted and his physicality is almost non-existent during play. Sure, he will act tough after the whistle once in a while and go face to face with an opposing player, but he never fights anymore, and takes stupid, lazy penalties. Sadly, he is under contract at $3 million a season until 2013, that’s right, four more full seasons of this contract blunder. If he would do more with his size, I would be more opt to let him get away with his defensive blunders, but he wont even be tough with his size. He’s like a telephone booth, big but freakin’ useless nowadays. Maybe a team will come calling that will have a need for White and the Devils could luck out with unloading the remainder of his $12 million contract. Only time will tell.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Lamoriello Asleep at the Wheel?
This was a thread posted on ESPN.com's New Jersey Devils message board last Friday. The contents of the thread are not as important as the title, but a few points within there make sense.
On Friday, the Devils made two trade and not one player was involved. First, the Devils traded their 1st round, 21st overall draft pick to the Washington Capitals for their 1st round pick, 23rd overall, and a 2nd round pick, 54th overall. Lou Lamoriello then took his new spot in the first round and shipped it to the Wild for their pick, 24th overall and a 3rd round selection in next year's draft. Two moves made and the Devils managed to get an extra two draft picks out of making it.
To some, this may seem like a great decision. I see this, however, as being an early indication of our team's complete lack of a true game plan. Now I do not know when the trades were mead in relation to the actual time in the draft, but it feels like Lamoriello was just trying to buy himself more time because he did not know who to go after in the Draft.
Their first selection, Mattias Tedenby, is a Swedish born player who was ranked third among European born players, according to newjerseydevils.com. The 5'10" 176 pound Tedenby has drawn comparisons to Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu because of his ability to take a hit and keep on going. The Devils needed a goaltending prospect badly to begin grooming to take over Martin Brodeur's role when he hangs up his skates in the [hopefully not too near] future. They made two trades, not one of which addressed this need, nor put them in a position to address the need.
Also, a few decent players were available through trades, and neither avenue were pursued. Olli Jokinen, for example, was acquired for a 2nd line player, a 3rd-4th defenseman and a draft pick. Are you trying to tell me that Lamoriello, who has dangled Brian Gionta's name like a pinata at a birthday party, could not come up with a viable trade? I find this concerning because five years ago, he was able to pull off a deal with the Anahiem Ducks that by acquiring Jeff Freisen and Oleg Tverdovsky, helped deliver the Devils their third cup.
Thefourthperiod.com is reporting the the Devils are STILL undecided about what to do with veteran winger Sergei Brylin. The Devils' season ended almost two months ago, and Brylin is not the only veteran who should be returning who has not been re-signed. Jay Pandolfo is also without a contract as are many of the Devils' free agents except for little-used defensemen Mike Mottau and Sheldon Brookbank. Its not Brookbank that bothers me as much as Mottau. The former Rangers castoff had a mediocre season with the Devils last year. In the few games I was able to see him play in, he looked lost and opposing teams took advantage of it.
The Devils traditionally run a tight ship, so to hear few rumors about their potential moves is not something new. But to have them stall and delay because of a lack of a clean cut game plan is completely new. I hope that these blips on the radar are simply being over analyzed and that they are not a clear indicator of the off season to come. July 1st is rapidly approaching, offers have not been made to key veterans who need to be retained. They messed up at the trading deadling by not addressing the Devils' glaring need for a scorer, they in my opinion, messed up the Draft by not acquiring a goaltending prospect or an NHL ready scorer. If nothing significant is done this off season, that would be strike three in my book and I truly will have lost faith in our once great leader.
On Friday, the Devils made two trade and not one player was involved. First, the Devils traded their 1st round, 21st overall draft pick to the Washington Capitals for their 1st round pick, 23rd overall, and a 2nd round pick, 54th overall. Lou Lamoriello then took his new spot in the first round and shipped it to the Wild for their pick, 24th overall and a 3rd round selection in next year's draft. Two moves made and the Devils managed to get an extra two draft picks out of making it.
To some, this may seem like a great decision. I see this, however, as being an early indication of our team's complete lack of a true game plan. Now I do not know when the trades were mead in relation to the actual time in the draft, but it feels like Lamoriello was just trying to buy himself more time because he did not know who to go after in the Draft.
Their first selection, Mattias Tedenby, is a Swedish born player who was ranked third among European born players, according to newjerseydevils.com. The 5'10" 176 pound Tedenby has drawn comparisons to Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu because of his ability to take a hit and keep on going. The Devils needed a goaltending prospect badly to begin grooming to take over Martin Brodeur's role when he hangs up his skates in the [hopefully not too near] future. They made two trades, not one of which addressed this need, nor put them in a position to address the need.
Also, a few decent players were available through trades, and neither avenue were pursued. Olli Jokinen, for example, was acquired for a 2nd line player, a 3rd-4th defenseman and a draft pick. Are you trying to tell me that Lamoriello, who has dangled Brian Gionta's name like a pinata at a birthday party, could not come up with a viable trade? I find this concerning because five years ago, he was able to pull off a deal with the Anahiem Ducks that by acquiring Jeff Freisen and Oleg Tverdovsky, helped deliver the Devils their third cup.
Thefourthperiod.com is reporting the the Devils are STILL undecided about what to do with veteran winger Sergei Brylin. The Devils' season ended almost two months ago, and Brylin is not the only veteran who should be returning who has not been re-signed. Jay Pandolfo is also without a contract as are many of the Devils' free agents except for little-used defensemen Mike Mottau and Sheldon Brookbank. Its not Brookbank that bothers me as much as Mottau. The former Rangers castoff had a mediocre season with the Devils last year. In the few games I was able to see him play in, he looked lost and opposing teams took advantage of it.
The Devils traditionally run a tight ship, so to hear few rumors about their potential moves is not something new. But to have them stall and delay because of a lack of a clean cut game plan is completely new. I hope that these blips on the radar are simply being over analyzed and that they are not a clear indicator of the off season to come. July 1st is rapidly approaching, offers have not been made to key veterans who need to be retained. They messed up at the trading deadling by not addressing the Devils' glaring need for a scorer, they in my opinion, messed up the Draft by not acquiring a goaltending prospect or an NHL ready scorer. If nothing significant is done this off season, that would be strike three in my book and I truly will have lost faith in our once great leader.
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