‏Zach Parise has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Wild

[Devil Dan 56]

I expect both Zach and suter to sign pretty much immediately on the 1st, within the first few hours of free agency. There won't be much negotiating, the offers will come in and they will make decisions. I would hope Zach gives lou a chance to match offers though.

[iamtheprodigy]

Yea and Patrick Elias and Martin Broduer.

Don't forget Travis "Zajack", which I can't believe I still see all the time on Devils forums. I'm not usually a grammar/spelling nazi on the internet, but when other fans can't even spell our own players' names correctly, especially players who have been here for YEARS, I don't hesitate to correct them. "I'm a bad speller" isn't a good enough excuse. Their names are on the jerseys and included all over the TV broadcasts that we watch all season long, how have you not read the names enough times to learn how to spell them yet?

/rant

[ghdi]

He's earned the right to test the market and I can't get angry at him or about the situation at all yet. In all likelihood, this will be his one time to get superstar offers because whoever signs him will lock him up for 6-10 years. Its tantalizing to any guy. The crux of the situation for me is how long he keeps us waiting, but considering he and Lou are due to begin negotiating much sooner than Sunday, Im on the better end of positive about the situation right now. I believe if we don't have him locked up by July 1st at 12:15pm, he's probably not going to be in NJ. Im fearful of a Niedermayer situation developing. The one positive is that its clear Zach is the best offensive FA out there and he'll likely set the market so some guys will be waiting to see what he does.

That prediction above from someone else about 7/2 at whatever o'clock doesn't float for me. That sort of situation will be aggravating. If its not done by the open/within first few hours of UFA day, I dont think hes coming back.

I predict it gets done Saturday night/Sunday morning. Similar to Langenbrunner a few years ago when it happened basically right at the start of UFA signings.

[SterioDesign]

maybe he's gonna do what Green did ?

[ghdi]

TG with some "new" info

"Lou Lamoriello said, he'd never say never, but he doesn't believe in trading player rights and no one approached him to do so with Parise."

"For those who will ask, Lamoriello said things are "status quo" with Parise contract-wise."

[sundstrom]

i'm not exactly sure what plan b is if parise leaves in that i don't know that lou is offering someone like semin a contract on 7/1. there's no top 6 that's really a good fit from UFA. semin? boyes? kostitsyn? stepniak? parenteau? these are the only guys i could consider a possible top 6 upgrade over what would be left if parise left.

[Daniel]

i'm not exactly sure what plan b is if parise leaves in that i don't know that lou is offering someone like semin a contract on 7/1. there's no top 6 that's really a good fit from UFA. semin? boyes? kostitsyn? stepniak? parenteau? these are the only guys i could consider a possible top 6 upgrade over what would be left if parise left.

Is it totally insane to think Nash might be the back up plan? Obviously a large amount of money owing, but less than what would have to be shelled out to keep Parise.

[Triumph]

Is it totally insane to think Nash might be the back up plan? Obviously a large amount of money owing, but less than what would have to be shelled out to keep Parise.

Yes, that's insane. That would be horrendous. The Devils don't have the bodies to make such a move - they can either go to free agency or, given the kind of movement we've seen in the last few days, I think a trade might work quite nicely - a deal with Edmonton, say.

[SterioDesign]

the Devils just can't replace Parise through trades... first you lose parise... then you have to ship other players (which would be actual NHL player and not picks and prospects) to get maybe another guy that may produce like zach..?

we need to keep him, what zach was bringing to this team is more than production... he was the "heartbeat" of the team... and pretty much anything losing its heartbeat is in trouble

[DevilinLA]

People are so worried about Parise.

Was Parise the reason we let in 3 goals during a 5 min major in Game 6?

Goaltending is still an issue going forward for this team - and the patch fix tenders are coming off the market day-by-day through trades and re-signs. So what's the immediate 3-year plan for that? Does management really believe that someone is ready in the pipe? OR do we push foolish forward with two 40 year old tenders again hoping that neither gets injured?

Clearly, how important was offense from the back line in the playoffs this year? How lucky were we with Salvador with that?

IMHO, we should be going after Suter or trading for Yandle (with anything not named Henrique, Larsson, Kovy) at all costs. I know we don't have the assets but we need to address this. We can't hold a lead to save a life unless MB is in the zone - how long is that going to last?

I think some people are honestly fooled by this smoke-and-mirrors defense (bring out the stats). If the Goaltending is going to stay on the older side - the defense needs to significantly pick up the slack.

Simply fielding the same team - or close to it - is not going to do it.

I love him - but - Parise is not the lynchpin. He won't determine whether the ship sinks or floats.

[devilsfan26]

Simply fielding the same team - or close to it - is not going to do it.

You don't find this sentence a little odd considering they were a shanked open net shot by Fayne and a Kovalchuk shot off the crossbar away from winning the Cup? I guess you can say they overachieved in the playoffs, but no matter what roster you assemble you kind of need them to perform to their fullest potential to go all the way regardless.

[DevilinLA]

You don't find this sentence a little odd considering they were a shanked open net shot by Fayne and a Kovalchuk shot off the crossbar away from winning the Cup? I guess you can say they overachieved in the playoffs, but no matter what roster you assemble you kind of need them to perform to their fullest potential to go all the way regardless.

You have to be able to kill penalties at key moments. We need defensive depth.

I think the NYR and LAK series alone proves how important offense from the back line is going to be against strong defensive teams.

Its always been our weakness. Zids helps but is not enough.

[devilsrule33]

People are so worried about Parise.

Was Parise the reason we let in 3 goals during a 5 min major in Game 6?

Goaltending is still an issue going forward for this team - and the patch fix tenders are coming off the market day-by-day through trades and re-signs. So what's the immediate 3-year plan for that? Does management really believe that someone is ready in the pipe? OR do we push foolish forward with two 40 year old tenders again hoping that neither gets injured?

Clearly, how important was offense from the back line in the playoffs this year? How lucky were we with Salvador with that?

IMHO, we should be going after Suter or trading for Yandle (with anything not named Henrique, Larsson, Kovy) at all costs. I know we don't have the assets but we need to address this. We can't hold a lead to save a life unless MB is in the zone - how long is that going to last?

I think some people are honestly fooled by this smoke-and-mirrors defense (bring out the stats). If the Goaltending is going to stay on the older side - the defense needs to significantly pick up the slack.

Simply fielding the same team - or close to it - is not going to do it.

I love him - but - Parise is not the lynchpin. He won't determine whether the ship sinks or floats.

Ryan Suter is not signing with NJ. There is a good chance Zach Parise will. What are we giving up to get Yandle anyway? Keep in mind Phoenix isn't blowing their team up.

And bringing up one 5-min penalty in game 6 of the finals to make any point is absolutely laughable. Calling this defense smoke-and-mirrors is also laughable. I'm surprised you didn't mention Greene by name here.

Edited June 23, 2012 by devilsrule33

[devilsfan26]

You have to be able to kill penalties at key moments. We need defensive depth.

I think the NYR and LAK series alone proves how important offense from the back line is going to be against strong defensive teams.

Its always been our weakness. Zids helps but is not enough.

This team set the record for best penalty killing percentage in the history of the statistic. For whatever reason, they weren't as good in the playoffs, but if the best PK% ever isn't good enough, then I don't know what is.

[NJDevs4978]

Saying they weren't as good is an understatement...they went from record-setting to awful once teams started studying the PK day in and day out.

And yeah maybe some guys like Salvador and Carter/Gionta overachieved, but Elias massively underachieved and Kovy was carrying an elephant on his back the whole playoffs. Zidlicky also didn't look the same after getting clocked in the last game against the Flyers. It's not fair to say they fluked their way through the playoffs. They got production from guys you wouldn't expect to compensate from not getting it from the guys you would.

Edited June 23, 2012 by NJDevs4978

[ghdi]

Its always been our weakness. Zids helps but is not enough.

Larsson should be better next season as well.

Our defense is not a problem. That stretch in game 6 was the fault of the entire team. It was a bad breakdown at the worst possible time when up to that point our PK had fared fairly well against the Kings. You seem to forget how we manhandled the Flyers who were tied for second in the league in scoring during the regular season and were expected to destroy us.

I agree that it would be nice to have more offense coming from the back end, but Larsson will have a year under his belt and mature a bit hopefully + Tallinder will hopefully play the entire year. Zidlicky also played very well in the playoffs until he obviously was playing hurt after the Simmonds hit.

If we lose Zach, we're losing a major contributor to our offense. Its not the end of the world if he does leave, but neither is staying status quo defensively. If Zach leaves, we have a bigger hole to fill there.

Goaltender is obviously a part of the team that needs to be addressed for the future, but Marty has shown he's capable even if he's not the SuperMarty of the past.

[DevilinLA]

Ryan Suter is not signing with NJ. There is a good chance Zach Parise will. What are we giving up to get Yandle anyway? Keep in mind Phoenix isn't blowing their team up.

And bringing up one 5-min penalty in game 6 of the finals to make any point is absolutely laughable. Calling this defense smoke-and-mirrors is also laughable. I'm surprised you didn't mention Greene by name here.

Why is it laughable? What's the explanation?

I've yet to hear one other than the validity of the call or non-call?

Just tell me where the offense from the back end is coming from other than Zidlicky?

As for Greene, I haven't typed his name in over a year - but why argue logic when you can simply - roll out the NJDEVs bias history right?

I don't think we have anything we need to get Yandle done - but I also wouldn't have believe the Michalek or JVR trade returns the past few days either.

I'd start the conversation with Zubrus/Tedenby/Josefson... (which won't get it done).

[DevilinLA]

IF the goaltending situation does not change - the defense will be expected to pick up the slack.

I worry about putting expectations on Larsson. Getting someone like Yandle would let him develop more naturally and on pace.

Our offensive output ratio of help from the defense is extremely out of balance. It worries me.

Edited June 23, 2012 by DevilinLA

[Triumph]

People are so worried about Parise.

Was Parise the reason we let in 3 goals during a 5 min major in Game 6?

Goaltending is still an issue going forward for this team - and the patch fix tenders are coming off the market day-by-day through trades and re-signs. So what's the immediate 3-year plan for that? Does management really believe that someone is ready in the pipe? OR do we push foolish forward with two 40 year old tenders again hoping that neither gets injured?

Clearly, how important was offense from the back line in the playoffs this year? How lucky were we with Salvador with that?

IMHO, we should be going after Suter or trading for Yandle (with anything not named Henrique, Larsson, Kovy) at all costs. I know we don't have the assets but we need to address this. We can't hold a lead to save a life unless MB is in the zone - how long is that going to last?

I think some people are honestly fooled by this smoke-and-mirrors defense (bring out the stats). If the Goaltending is going to stay on the older side - the defense needs to significantly pick up the slack.

Simply fielding the same team - or close to it - is not going to do it.

I love him - but - Parise is not the lynchpin. He won't determine whether the ship sinks or floats.

Parise is a lynchpin. He's a superb play driver.

Offense from the backend is a red herring. Keith Yandle is not very good, and was awful for Phoenix in the playoffs. Why is there so much talk about him moving? Because Phoenix is one of the smartest organizations in the NHL and they know they've got a player who's overpaid relative to what he brings AND overvalued by NHL teams at large. He's a perfect candidate to move.

It would be nice if the Devils could get a top defender, but they can't. They have to wait for Adam Larsson to grow into being one. Until then, they have to keep their forward depth strong. No, the Devils aren't likely going back to the Cup Finals with or without Parise, but that isn't because the Devils have a flawed team, it's because it's really, really hard to go to the Cup Finals, no matter how good of a team you build.

[Daniel]

IF the goaltending situation does not change - the defense will be expected to pick up the slack.

I worry about putting expectations on Larsson. Getting someone like Yandle would let him develop more naturally and on pace.

Our offensive output ratio of help from the defense is extremely out of balance. It worries me.

Merrill should help out there in two years.

[ghdi]

IF the goaltending situation does not change - the defense will be expected to pick up the slack.

I worry about putting expectations on Larsson. Getting someone like Yandle would let him develop more naturally and on pace.

I dont disagree that Yandle would be a great pickup. We just don't have the assets to get him. Phoenix is not shopping him or blowing the team up. They're listening to offers. We'd have to give up something of value to get him. They were trying to get Staal for him, and we don't have anything of that magnitude we can offer. I agree that if we were going to shop anyone, Josefson/Zubrus would be the prime candidates currently on the roster to do that, but that won't get it done. The other rumor was the Flyers offering JVR.

We'd have to offer Henrique to have a shot at Yandle and no one wants to do that, espc now with Zach's uncertainty. That is virtually the only guy we could put out there to even get Phoenix to sniff. Phoenix is dealing from a position of power with their defensive depth. They dont have to move Yandle.

Edited June 23, 2012 by ghdi

[DevilinLA]

Parise is a lynchpin. He's a superb play driver.

Offense from the backend is a red herring. Keith Yandle is not very good, and was awful for Phoenix in the playoffs. Why is there so much talk about him moving? Because Phoenix is one of the smartest organizations in the NHL and they know they've got a player who's overpaid relative to what he brings AND overvalued by NHL teams at large. He's a perfect candidate to move.

It would be nice if the Devils could get a top defender, but they can't. They have to wait for Adam Larsson to grow into being one. Until then, they have to keep their forward depth strong. No, the Devils aren't likely going back to the Cup Finals with or without Parise, but that isn't because the Devils have a flawed team, it's because it's really, really hard to go to the Cup Finals, no matter how good of a team you build.

OK - I can buy in to everything except the Yandle evaluation.

Yandle was a Norris defender last year and had a down year this playoffs. He's somewhere in between.

But this is also why he's probably not paid like Chara, Weber, or Karlson.

[devilsrule33]

Why is it laughable? What's the explanation?

I've yet to hear one other than the validity of the call or non-call?

Just tell me where the offense from the back end is coming from other than Zidlicky?

As for Greene, I haven't typed his name in over a year - but why argue logic when you can simply - roll out the NJDEVs bias history right?

I don't think we have anything we need to get Yandle done - but I also wouldn't have believe the Michalek or JVR trade returns the past few days either.

I'd start the conversation with Zubrus/Tedenby/Josefson... (which won't get it done).

That's the issue. You crap on him when he is down but never came back to say you might have been wrong. You crap on the board for being spoiled fans who complain too much and are negative, yet you were AWOL the entire playoff run and never pump any tires of anyone on the team.

As for your logic. You want them to pass on Parise to try and get Yandle by trading some other good forwards while we watch Elias decline, Clarkson obviously regress, etc. Doesn't make much sense at all. The Devils simply don't have what it takes to get Yandle anyway.

It was a bad penalty kill. sh!t happens. The Devils were out of gas, and there were a few mistakes. Big deal. That penalty kill is fvcking irrelevant when it comes to any personnel decisions for this team moving forward.

As for offense from the back end. Zidlicky is a gigantic upgrade over a full year. And others have said Larsson has some nice offensive instincts as well. No one is relying on some magic Salvador run, and that's why he is probably gone in just over a week. But those kind of magic runs happen to every team on a Cup run.

Edited June 24, 2012 by devilsrule33

[Triumph]

OK - I can buy in to everything except the Yandle evaluation.

Yandle was a Norris defender last year and had a down year this playoffs. He's somewhere in between.

But this is also why he's probably not paid like Chara, Weber, or Karlson.

Yandle was not a Norris defender last year, or anything close. He gets a lot of points. Tippett keeps him pretty sheltered - he tends to play against weak competition. He's a good player, but he's not worth his salary, much less a trade.

The Devils' D is very good - it lacks that top guy, but right now 1-6 it's very strong. The forwards are good enough that the D don't have to be superb for NJ to be a top team. It should get stronger when Salvador goes.

[sundstrom]

if parise leaves, i do agree with triumph that a trade rather than UFA is more likely to happen to get a forward in. the devils would deal from strength which would be a defenseman. if i had to guess, it would be andy greene - and this isn't a wish to dump him. i just think a team like edmonton that needs defense and has forwards to spare would make a move like that.

this team's defense is the last thing i'm concerned about. yandle is unnecessary.