When Josefson Returns

[cgosha21]

What happens when Josefson comes back?

Centers:

Zajac

Elias

Henrique

Josefson

Carter

I know the simple answer is scratch Carter or move Elias back to wing, but you figure Zajac at some point becomes a 1st or 2nd center again, Henrique is proving he also belongs there, Josefson was playing well enough with Kovy before he got hurt to stay there & Elias is having another solid year in the position.

Do we package one of them with a “D” man & maybe a prospect for 1st rounder & faster “D” man? Or we take a whole other approach? Another big question is how much money will Zajac want in 2 years when he becomes a UFA & can/could we afford him with the hopefulness of us resigning Parise?

With the emergence of Henrique & the continued improvement of Josefson we could probably sign each of them for at least 3-4 years at 3 Million each.

I closing I would hate to lose Zajac & if Lou can make it work with the cap then let’s keep him, but if we can’t let’s move him at the end of the year for a true future franchise goalie or an elite “D” man.

What’s your opinion?

Edited December 22, 2011 by cgosha21

[HellOnICE]

Let's just win tomorrow, and worry about it when it happens

[Marshall]

I've been thinking about this too, but it's so far in the future that for all we know someone will be injured.

[Quinn01]

Pull Elias and put him back on the left.

[EdgeControl]

when is he expected to return? Feb?

[MadDog2020]

Can we change the thread title? I actually thought he was back when I saw this lol.

[Marshall]

when is he expected to return? Feb?

Something like that, yes.

[Quinn01]

Can we change the thread title? I actually thought he was back when I saw this lol.

Same here.

[insanity_gallops]

I'd like to see 'em try to keep all four current centers in place - Henrique, Elias, Zajac, Carter - and add Josefson on the wing. Ease him back in to start, give him a place on the fourth line with Carter to get up to game speed. If he outperforms the 3rd line LW (Tedenby?) then bump Josefson up to that line. That means the potential for:

Parise-Henrique-Kovalchuk

Sykora-Elias-Zubrus

Tedenby/Josefson-Zajac-Clarkson

Josefson/Boulton-Carter-Janssen/Boulton (has he ever played his off-wing?)

Frankly, as long as the "PHuK U" line is clicking, keep them together even if Zajac is healthy. Henrique's offensive game seems to complement Kovalchuk's better than Zajac's does naturally.

...that being said, the Devils have two players on the top two lines that could easily be burned out or hit a wall as the season progresses: Henrique and Sykora. Ideally, when Josefson returns, he and Zajac would be able to help readjust the offense. I'm more worried about Sykora getting gassed and being useless on a line without Elias than I am about Josefson finding a place in the lineup when he's healthy.

[thelastonealive]

as long as the "PHuK U" line is clicking, keep them together even if Zajac is healthy.

Is that what we're calling them now? I dig the creativity...

[Zubie#8]

Parise Henrique Clarkson

Kovalchuk Zajac Zubrus

Josefson Elias Sykora

Palmieri Carter Tedenby

Edited December 23, 2011 by Zubie#8

[Exit56]

I don't see Kovy and Parise playing together all season.

Kovy - Elias - Zubes

Parise - Zajac - Henrique

Tedenby - Josefson - Clarkson

Sykora - Carter - Boulton/Janssen

Sykie will get PP minutes but less at even strength as the season goes on.

I'd imagine someone will get traded for a defenseman before the season is over. I'm hoping it's not Henrique. I have a feeling it will be Josefson.

[ScoreMoreThan3]

Parise Henrique Clarkson

Kovalchuk Zajac Zubrus

Josefson Elias Sykora

Palmieri Carter Tedenby

Hmm. At first I was like na Kovalchuck should stay on that line with Parise then I realized that Clarkson is actually having just as good, if not a better season than Kovalchick.

[Exit56]

Do you guys think Nashville would trade Weber for some kind of package like a 2nd Rd pick, Josefson, Tedenby, and Fayne/Taormina? I can dream, right?

[mouse]

I'd like to see Elias move back to wing. I think somebody's getting traded, and I'd rather it be Tedenby than Henrique or JJ, and that's not gonna happen unless Patty's a winger.

[SatansDevils]

When I was talking with Josefson at the Josefson/Hedberg signing he said he had at least another 12-weeks to go so he maybe out for the rest of the season. The earliest he was saying is April if everything turns out ok. He is doing better and the night of the signing with Hedberg he was in good spirits thinking he could be back by April or even the playoffs if the Devils make it that far (which they will).

[Marshall]

Is that what we're calling them now? I dig the creativity...

No! It's the PAK Line, dammit!

[Guadana]

we have much big potential d-prospects - like merril(next year in ahl, larssinator, gelinas, taormina, urbom - one or two takes the train spot. we have green, tally, anton in a long term, and fayne looks pretty good for future

whats for we must to in-trade muchsalary-defensman?

i think we can trade green or another long_term-not_young defensman and some prospect for big_potential-goalie. like rask or other

[NJDevil1530]

I don't see Kovy and Parise playing together all season.

Kovy - Elias - Zubes

Parise - Zajac - Henrique

Tedenby - Josefson - Clarkson

Sykora - Carter - Boulton/Janssen

Sykie will get PP minutes but less at even strength as the season goes on.

I'd imagine someone will get traded for a defenseman before the season is over. I'm hoping it's not Henrique. I have a feeling it will be Josefson.

I just don't see Sykora on the 4th line doesn't make much sense to me

[Onddeck]

this really is an interesting topic because of the way our lines have been playing each other. the Parise-Henrique-Kovy line and Sykora-Elias-Zubrus lines are playing so well its so difficult to imagine wanting to split them up. I am pretty much 100% in that I want Henrique to Center the 1st line with Parise. IF we take Kovy off that line(which is debatable) then give him Zajac. Do we move Elias from C?

It's a lot to think about but yes, all of a sudden we might have an overload on Centers. I dont want anyone to touch Henrique in a trade. but the idea of JJ or Zajac and a pick or w/e is interesting because we could get a scoring D or even a goalie for our future because eventually the goalie position is going to be a huge priority

[ATLL765]

this really is an interesting topic because of the way our lines have been playing each other. the Parise-Henrique-Kovy line and Sykora-Elias-Zubrus lines are playing so well its so difficult to imagine wanting to split them up. I am pretty much 100% in that I want Henrique to Center the 1st line with Parise. IF we take Kovy off that line(which is debatable) then give him Zajac. Do we move Elias from C?

It's a lot to think about but yes, all of a sudden we might have an overload on Centers. I dont want anyone to touch Henrique in a trade. but the idea of JJ or Zajac and a pick or w/e is interesting because we could get a scoring D or even a goalie for our future because eventually the goalie position is going to be a huge priority

There's no way we trade Zajac, Parise's bff when Parise is a UFA this year. Plus, if we trade Zajac and JJ doesn't pan out or Henrique is a one hit wonder, we're fvcked down the middle. Patty isn't all that young, so we can't rely on him to be a #1 center if sh!t goes bad with young guys. I would like to keep JJ and see if we can move Zubrus or Tedenby and a pick and/or prospect for a d-man, but I really don't know what will happen once everyone is healthy, I just can't imagine that someone won't be traded since it doesn't make sense to keep Teddy or JJ on the 4th line when that would do nothing but stunt their growth.

[Onddeck]

There's no way we trade Zajac, Parise's bff when Parise is a UFA this year. Plus, if we trade Zajac and JJ doesn't pan out or Henrique is a one hit wonder, we're fvcked down the middle. Patty isn't all that young, so we can't rely on him to be a #1 center if sh!t goes bad with young guys. I would like to keep JJ and see if we can move Zubrus or Tedenby and a pick and/or prospect for a d-man, but I really don't know what will happen once everyone is healthy, I just can't imagine that someone won't be traded since it doesn't make sense to keep Teddy or JJ on the 4th line when that would do nothing but stunt their growth.

at this point though, you have to realize that Henrique has at least proved himself in the same way that Josefson has. He has just one more year on Henrique and obviously that year doesn't even measure up to Henrique's year this year in terms of points. You gotta realize that Henrique is actually having a monster breakout year

[Marshall]

at this point though, you have to realize that Henrique has at least proved himself in the same way that Josefson has. He has just one more year on Henrique and obviously that year doesn't even measure up to Henrique's year this year in terms of points. You gotta realize that Henrique is actually having a monster breakout year

Henrique has shown far more than Josefson has - that's not a knock on Jake. It's hard to prove yourself when you're injured. I doubt JJ will be traded, I think the Devils are far too high on him and he appears to fit in with their longterm plans. If anyone is going to be traded, it'll be one or more of a pick, Tedenby and a D prospect.

[Onddeck]

Henrique has shown far more than Josefson has - that's not a knock on Jake. It's hard to prove yourself when you're injured. I doubt JJ will be traded, I think the Devils are far too high on him and he appears to fit in with their longterm plans. If anyone is going to be traded, it'll be one or more of a pick, Tedenby and a D prospect.

Ok yea, I'd be fine with that. I would just want to make sure that the package we put together can bring in a nice caliber D man or goalie because its not depth of average players that we want, its a vauable player we need

[ATLL765]

at this point though, you have to realize that Henrique has at least proved himself in the same way that Josefson has. He has just one more year on Henrique and obviously that year doesn't even measure up to Henrique's year this year in terms of points. You gotta realize that Henrique is actually having a monster breakout year

I absolutely believe that Henrique is the real deal, but that being said, nothing is assured in the NHL. The last thing we need to do is trade our best natural center and then have Henrique to end up like Gionta where he has one monster year and then his consistent production becomes far less than what was put up that one year. And again, Zajac and Parise are really close, so if the goal is to make Parise happy in order to resign him, then trading Zajac is a misguided move.

I agree with the poster before me that said it'll probably be, if anyone, Tedenby, a pick and/or prospect. Maybe we move Zubrus since he most likely would be the guy to drop to the 3rd line center position when Zajac is moved back up into the top 6, which is inevitable.

Then when JJ comes back, I really don't think we want him toiling on the 4th line for more than a couple games to get his legs and timing back, so where does Zubrus fit in after that? Imo, he doesn't really fit in since we pay him decent money, it doesn't make sense to leave him on the 3rd line and bump Clarkson or Teddy to the 4th, so either Teddy or Zubrus would be the most likely pieces to be traded, along with a pick and/or prospect in order to bring back a top 4 d-man who can play well offensively.