OffThePost.org

Dammit where's Tommy when you need him!

Despite an embarrassing first-round exit (see, that pesky division title really doesn't do you much good), the Devils should be relatively happy about their overall season. After all, they proved they can actually still win even without Martin Brodeur. Start the trade rumors!

Anyway...

UFAs:
Brendan Shanahan
Brian Gionta
John Madden
Bobby Holik
My Krupp
Barry Tallackson
Niclas Havelid
Johnny Oduya
Kevin Weekes
Scott Clemmensen

I think it's a safe bet to say we've seen the last of Brendan Shanahan. Holik might yet have some left in the tank, but not much. He'll likely find work elsewhere. I believe Lamoriello will make a concerted effort to retain Madden while he lets Gionta walk for what will likely be too much money. He can't score at even strength anyway, right? In any event, it's a loss the Devils should be able to offset, especially if Nicklas Bergfors and Petr Vrana are ready to make the jump.

The cap might get a bit tricky for Lou after next season. He has a few hefty long-term contracts already in Zubrus, Rolston, Brodeur, and Elias. Both Martin and Parise will be due for major raises after '09-10, and both are indispensible. On the other side, the Devils seemingly have decent scoring depth up front, but on the back end they have Martin and...nothing. Oduya should be retained given his modest cap hit, but I doubt Havelid sticks around. Might a guy like Mathieu Schneider fit in? Again, tricky considering the long-term cap hit possibilities. Is there anyone in the system ready to help? I read up a bit but didn't really see anyone.

Clemmensen might get wooed away by a better offer, but it's in NJ's best interests to keep him around, especially considering how well he played in Brodeur's absence.

Last but not least, Sutter most certainly shouldn't be fired, but during his tenure the Devils have flamed out in the first round twice. On top of that, does he even want to stick around?

Sutter has suggested he might high-tail it back to Red Deer, because his junior team has crapped out since he left.

What happened to Gionta? He was precisely the kind of player that should have flourished in the new NHL, but he had one big season and hasn't done much since.

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Oduya will get money on the open market. It won't be a modest cap hit for him going forward... he's a guy I wouldn't mind Montreal targeting. Heck, look at what Lou gave Bryce Salvador... Oduya's a lot better than him.

Good thing about Parise's contract... he has shown loyalty to the Devils already. Back in '07, he was a RFA and was approached by the Oilers with an offer sheet after the Vanek one was matched. He turned them down. Edmonton then had to go to Plan C, which was Penner.

After trading Salmela in the Havelid deal, you're right Av, the Devils don't have much to replace Havelid and Oduya. The raise Zajac is due this year will offset some of the salary lost by Gionta and Holik leaving, although Madden will probably be re-signed for less than what he was making before.

Clemmensen will likely go elsewhere. He'll find a regular gig where he'll get to play a lot more games than the 15 he'd get as Marty's backup. Marty will be 37 and it's imperative they develop Frazee at the AHL level by giving him more games... but I suppose they could go UFA when he does retire.

So next year, it looks like this:

Parise - Zajac - Langenbrunner
Elias - Zubrus - Rolston
Pandolfo - Madden? - Clarkson
Letourneau-Leblond - Vrana - Rupp?
Bergfors, Halischuk as callups

Martin - Greene
Salvador - Mottau
White - Leach

Looks like Corentte and Eckford could be the rookies that get the call on D

Brodeur
Weekes/Sanford/whoever

Judging by that... a depth centre, since Vrana apparently is projected as a winger (which would likely bump him up to Line 3, Pandolfo back to line 4 and Leblond to spare), and again that possibility of a mercenary D type if they don't think those rookies are ready. Schneider is the type that could fill that role. Rupp probably stays because he fills a role, is still fairly young, and there's no reason to ditch him.

Sutter's job is in his hands. Lou didn't fire him down the stretch, so I think he's safe for the summer.

Not a lot needs to be done, but I think that signing Salvador might have cost them Oduya, which was a mistake they'll regret. Maybe not, though. Lou can find a way.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

If Sutter should bolt, Tom Renney would be an ideal choice IMO. And I think the Devils coaching spot has become a lot safer now that coach-killer supreme Gomez is gone. Renney knows first hand what that's like.

Is Lemaire a possibility here?

Lemaire is in retirement (at least from coaching). I know we've seen other guys come back, but dear God, he's been retired for two weeks! If he wants back in, it won't be until the season kicks in.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

Holik won't be back, he's retiring.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=279691

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

As expected, Madden, Gionta, and Clemmensen are gone. Hell, even Mike Rupp bolted for greener pastures in Pittsburgh.

The Devils, like the Avs, are proving themselves to be as incompetent in the free agent field as they were masters of the big trade.

Most of the losses on the ice can be absorbed...of course there's the issue of getting a new coach.

Miroslav Satan is available. Make it happen Lou!

Yann Danis will backup Marty. Good on Yann for finding a NHL gig, particularly since Marty has to be slowing down soon.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

Danis was good in his time with the Isles. If he'd had defense in front of him... Or offense further in front........

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Every year the Devs lose a few more key players and we're all ready to dance on Lou's sanctimonious ashes. Remember when they lost Niedermayer, Stevens and Rafalski, and somehow managed to turn Oduya, Greene and Mike Freakin' Mottau into top notch defenders? Somehow this dumb team shall persevere, even though they're probably destined for another first round knock out.

Losing Gionta and Madden isn't a big deal, since Parise, Zajac and Martin have now become the team's true nucleus. They do need help up the middle though, since they don't have an obvious replacement for Madden. Fuck, watch Patrice Cormier make the team out of camp and develop into the second-coming of Dirk Graham. Corms is an amazing player, no surprise the Devs snagged him while everyone else was sleeping

Elias-Parise-Langenbrunner
Rolston-Zajac-Bergfors
Pandolfo-Zubrus-Clarkson
Letorneau-Cormier-Halischuk

Martin-Oduya
White-Salvador
Mottau-Greene

Brodeur-Dan Yanis

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I guess he was just waiting for that NJ jerb to open up...