Big move at deadline

[njdevil26]

I don't give a crap either way about the dancers. But can they stop doing the same dance routines over and over and over and over and over again for every song?

[El Diablo]

um.... girls dancing over and over .... all good.....

[sundstrom]

stajan is the better pick up than koivu and I'd think that lou's connection to burke, along with the fact that Toronto needs picks and NHL players to better that roster would provide a good fit.

halischuk or zharkov + 2nd for stajan i think gets it done.

[msweet]

stajan is the better pick up than koivu and I'd think that lou's connection to burke, along with the fact that Toronto needs picks and NHL players to better that roster would provide a good fit.

halischuk or zharkov + 2nd for stajan i think gets it done.

ok... fair enough... I just want someone other than Zubrus between Elias and Rolston/Bergfors

[Scoopscj]

um.... girls dancing over and over .... all good.....

Ya, where is the downside to the shaking and shimmying?

[Prucenterrules]

halischuk or zharkov + 2nd for stajan i think gets it done.

I'd rather keep Zharkov and trade Halischuk. Zharkov has shown some promise and could be a solid player a few years from now. I think he would benefit from more ice team in Lowell as well. Halischuk and a 2nd is a done deal for me.

[insanity_gallops]

I like the idea of bringing in Stajan, though he's in quite a slump right now. Also, don't forget Lemaire's love for Eric Belanger - can't find the article now, but when he first arrived in Minnesota Lemaire believed he could easily fulfill the first-line center role and possibly score 30 goals.

As for defenders, Niedermayer would be a nice pickup if the asking price isn't too high. I'd hoped the Devils could try and pry Adrian Aucoin from the Coyotes towards the deadline, but that ain't happening if the Coyotes stay in the playoff hunt.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

stajan is the better pick up than koivu and I'd think that lou's connection to burke, along with the fact that Toronto needs picks and NHL players to better that roster would provide a good fit.

halischuk or zharkov + 2nd for stajan i think gets it done.

Stajan is only 26...he's not a great player by any stretch, but why would the Leafs be so quick to give up a younger player? Koivu makes sense, in that he's not fitting in with the Ducks' plans long-term.

[Triumph]

It's the role you're looking to fill, Tri.

We'd be asking Koivu to come in and help Elias and Rolston score goals. Tall order. I agree he'd be better than Zubrus, but at what cost to us?

We'd be asking Scotty to come in and solidify a pretty solid D and help out on the PK and zone breakouts. You're talking about replacing a Fraser or Mottau here.

fair enough. my issue is that i don't trust lemaire to give niedermayer the around 22 ish minutes he should be getting - i think jacques gives him 27 minutes, plays him in every situation, etc. i also think there will be a lot of suitors for niedermayer if he does get put on the block, and that both chicago and washington can give up more than we can. my goal is also to get special nieds squeezed down to the 4th line by playoff time, and acquiring a center manages that quite well. i'd rather try for joe corvo of carolina (if possible - he is injured right now).

stajan is the better pick up than koivu and I'd think that lou's connection to burke, along with the fact that Toronto needs picks and NHL players to better that roster would provide a good fit.

halischuk or zharkov + 2nd for stajan i think gets it done.

make the 2nd a 3rd or a 4th and you have a deal. heck, probably just one of the two gets it done - either a 2nd, zharkov, or halischuk. i do not think that stajan is better than koivu, but it's certainly close enough.

Stajan is only 26...he's not a great player by any stretch, but why would the Leafs be so quick to give up a younger player? Koivu makes sense, in that he's not fitting in with the Ducks' plans long-term.

he's a UFA at the end of the year, so if he doesn't want to stay in toronto, burke may as well get something for him.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Triumph

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

he's a UFA at the end of the year, so if he doesn't want to stay in toronto, burke may as well get something for him.

Didn't know that he was an UFA at the end of the year...makes more sense.

[MantaRay]

One year, $3.25 mil. He's UFA after this year.

That is pretty attractive rental for a cup run. Didn't realize he came so (relatively cheap) and it was a 1-year deal. But its not like he is doing much in Anaheim.

[DaneykoIsGod]

That is pretty attractive rental for a cup run. Didn't realize he came so (relatively cheap) and it was a 1-year deal. But its not like he is doing much in Anaheim.

As has been said by others, Ahaheim stinks. So it isn't clear how much of his season thus far is a reflection of the bad team, his performance or both. But you're right in that his contract makes him an attractive rental. Which makes me wonder if, given he stays healthy and everything, how many suitors may be lining up and how that may affect the Ducks' asking price.

But, yeah, this is still months away. Always fun to speculate though.

[DevilinLA]

Here's my take.

There's a lot better of a chance of prying Koivu from ANA then Neids.

CHI, VAN, WASH and a host of others have more depth to offer in a trade - and ANA knows that his name will bring a deal.

ANA is an enigma, they shouldn't be a bad team, they have some good horses. I think that its a joke that they haven't fired Carlisle yet, who's still trying to run this team like its the 07 cup team.

Goaltending is an issue. That and that Burke royally screwed this team with what he did to it while he was here. The dominoes will fall with what they do in goal FIRST.

Can they resign Hiller? Will they find a parter for Giggy?

No one is going to take Peters = (draft pick x) in a trade. They have Parros, Peters is a shadow of what George is.

IMO, if Mcammond is on the second line at playoffs, its a huge problem. These guys are going to slow down, as older players, by season's end. Thats what was part of the problem last year.

Koivu gets a lot done, and is probably the best option w/Stajan out there. He needs consistent linemates to do well - that could be a problem.

Without Selanne he's having some trouble (he's played w/ Ryan, Lupul, and a host of others).

He's not going to score you great goals - but isn't that what we are asking Elias/Rolston to do by finding a center?

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

jason, i mostly disagree, and here's why.

1: A lot of those guys on that list are totally fungible - Peters, Pelley/Sesisto, Leblond, Perkovich, Swift, and Snetsinger are all guys who have little to no worth at the NHL level. The Devils can therefore get rid of some of the names on this list to make room for others.

They can get rid of those players if some prospects are ready to play in the NHL, which they clearly are not. Perkovich, Snetsinger and Swift are projects I doubt NJ is willing to dump considering they signed them recently for a reason. Out of that list Peters is the only one with no prospects of a future with NJ.

2: It's not a guarantee that all those guys sign and are in the AHL - henrique and cormier are the only sure things to be in the Devils' organization. The Devils may let someone like David McIntyre walk - McIntyre is already 23 and his NHL prospects are slim. They may let JS Berube walk for the same reason.

Not a chance they let a possible two time Hobey Baker finalist go, this kid has as much potential as someone like Henrique. He is in a poor system dominating. With the season JS Berube is having, and the type of player he is, there is no chance they don't sign him. He is 6`3 a good fighter, a great skater and has some hands.

3: The Devils' prospects are misfit toys - while many of them are having great seasons now, few of them are the kind of players that other organizations salivate over. They're either too small, too slow, or have a giant hole in their game. Most of them project to be bottom 6 forwards.

Every prospect has holes in their game, many of them have tremendous potential as well.

I do think it's likely that if we make a trade at the deadline that one of Vasuynov/Palmieri/Halischuk/Eckford will be in it. I also think casting such a deal as an 'Alexander Mogilny' deal is incorrect - the Devils don't have a prospect with even close to Brendan Morrison's NHL readiness and talent, nor does the NHL have a player like that available. They may get a Joe Corvo or Eric Belanger or even possibly Scott Niedermayer, but the pickings league-wide are rather slim.

Wrong again Triumph, a player like Zharkov is putting up nearly half a PPG as a 21 year old in the NHL and a PPG in the AHL. His value may not rival Morrison but it is there, especially how strong we are in the system on the right side.

[Triumph]

They can get rid of those players if some prospects are ready to play in the NHL, which they clearly are not. Perkovich, Snetsinger and Swift are projects I doubt NJ is willing to dump considering they signed them recently for a reason. Out of that list Peters is the only one with no prospects of a future with NJ.

come on now. snetsinger is like 8th on the depth chart at LW, and there's 2 more guys coming next year to play LW. swift has not had a good second season. perkovich is old for an AHL rookie and seems to have a vegetable lasagna sort of game. i guess i'll see tomorrow live what sort of games these guys have, but these guys both have to vastly improve and jump over other devils prospects. all three are very unlikely to be anything more than filler at the NHL level, and the devils system is at the point where it doesn't need jason ryznars and barry tallacksons.

Not a chance they let a possible two time Hobey Baker finalist go, this kid has as much potential as someone like Henrique. He is in a poor system dominating. With the season JS Berube is having, and the type of player he is, there is no chance they don't sign him. He is 6`3 a good fighter, a great skater and has some hands.

for some reason hockeydb doesn't have rouyn-nouranda's stats this year, so i couldn't see how berube was doing. nonetheless, mcintyre holds some bargaining power here - iirc, if he and new jersey can't come to a deal, any team can sign him.

Every prospect has holes in their game, many of them have tremendous potential as well.

this is dishonest. none of these guys besides tedenby and josefson are excellent prospects, and you know it. some of them may turn out to be stars, i'm not saying they can't or won't be, but it takes a lot of distorted vision to look at them from another organization and see real talent.

Wrong again Triumph, a player like Zharkov is putting up nearly half a PPG as a 21 year old in the NHL and a PPG in the AHL. His value may not rival Morrison but it is there, especially how strong we are in the system on the right side.

it's there, but it's not as the crux of a deal for a kovalchuk or niedermayer level player. zharkov hasn't shown goal scoring ability at any level, which vastly limits his appeal to others; he only has 6 pro goals this year. assists are nice, but they're not as valuable as goals.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Triumph

[sundstrom]

i do not think that stajan is better than koivu, but it's certainly close enough.

it's gotten closer but stajan was blowing him away in faceoffs and still has more points.

koivu has experience (read age - not winning) but i would rather have stajan.

[justdo3043]

We need a guy who plays like Claude come playoffs. Someone built like Arnott only tougher. A guy who scores the big goals, makes big checks, and can ignite the team. A guy who can be a play making center who enjoys getting his nose dirty in the corners.

Oh and most importantly available at a reasonable price without causing us to sacrifice the our borderline 1st mostly bottom 6 forwards coming up.

For a year if he doesn't break his glass foot I can think of the perfect guy Hey I can dream....

[Devils731]

I don't believe Forsberg is allowed to play in the NHL this season since he played past a certain date in the SEL.

[justdo3043]

I don't believe Forsberg is allowed to play in the NHL this season since he played past a certain date in the SEL.

the dream has died.... ......let's go Bergfors!!!

[DevilinLA]

We need a guy who plays like Claude come playoffs. Someone built like Arnott only tougher. A guy who scores the big goals, makes big checks, and can ignite the team. A guy who can be a play making center who enjoys getting his nose dirty in the corners.

Oh and most importantly available at a reasonable price without causing us to sacrifice the our borderline 1st mostly bottom 6 forwards coming up.

For a year if he doesn't break his glass foot I can think of the perfect guy Hey I can dream....

This scenario doesn't exist in the NHL anymore. Not in the post CBA world.

Thats like saying you want a flashy new sportscar, thats great on gas, never needs an oil change, for less than $10,000.

[Triumph]

i totally forgot why zharkov is worthless in trade: he's russian. you never know if he's going to stay in north america and he can always use the threat of going to russia as a bargaining chip.