134 replies to this topic

[ThreeCups]

dude you can't be serious. You blame me for having problem reading stuff and i told like 10 times directly to you that this thread doesnt have anything to do directly with Zach's case but simply Lou's way.

And its not baseless at all, reports and interviews from TG, Lou, Zach and Arnott ALL SAID that there was no talks at all between them, NONE and they all said that Lou was waiting after the season. If those reports or those people we're lying about it well there's nothing i can do about it, but at least its coming directly from them and its still better than "rumours". Plus we all KNOW that Lou doesnt want to negotiate during the season, it's a well known fact.

And i never said that Lou should have got on his knee during the season either, to at least approach your captain and star player 1 week before july 1st is not the best way to go, plain and simple. PLUS Zach was saying he wanted to negotiate and stay there, WHY WAIT THEN? just try to get it done. Nop instead Zach had to go through hell with the medias for like 6 months.

I'm with you Sterio, I feel the frustration

[Devil Dan 56]

dude you can't be serious. You blame me for having problem reading stuff and i told like 10 times directly to you that this thread doesnt have anything to do directly with Zach's case but simply Lou's way.

OK, that's fair. But if we are going to talk about Lou's way, then why is Lou's success ignored? Elias, Oduya, Langenbrunner, White, Rafalski (1st time), Greene, Clarkson, Salvador (twice), Pandolfo, Hedberg (twice) all signed last minute or after a little while on the market. I don't count Brodeur because I think we all know he was bluffing.

It's also been pointed out that everyone who left either wasn't worth to us what they got out there (Holik, Gomez, Gionta, Martin) or had family or geographical reasons for leaving (Rafalski, Nieds), or their time here had simply passed (Madden).

That's a very good success rate.

And its not baseless at all, reports and interviews from TG, Lou, Zach and Arnott ALL SAID that there was no talks at all between them, NONE and they all said that Lou was waiting after the season. If those reports or those people we're lying about it well there's nothing i can do about it, but at least its coming directly from them and its still better than "rumours". Plus we all KNOW that Lou doesnt want to negotiate during the season, it's a well known fact.

I agree that they all said there were no talks UNTIL February, when all of a sudden everyone clammed up and went into status quo mode. Lou has negotiated during the season with franchise players: Marty and Stevens. Why is it so far fetched that he also spoke to Zach during this media black out?

And i never said that Lou should have got on his knee during the season either, to at least approach your captain and star player 1 week before july 1st is not the best way to go, plain and simple. PLUS Zach was saying he wanted to negotiate and stay there, WHY WAIT THEN? just try to get it done. Nop instead Zach had to go through hell with the medias for like 6 months.

I think there was communication. I think Lou's comments after the signing show that he did what he could. But once you get into March and April, you can't be worrying about contracts with the playoffs looming. If a player truly wants to be here, and that's the key, then a deal can easily be hammered out after some back and forth. But when his heart is somewhere else (Nieds, Rafalski, Zach) or he's all about the cash (Gomez, Martin, etc), he's gonna leave.

[ghdi]

The only time I really quibble with Lou's decisions/style is when he signs guys like Boulton and Barch. I get that its good to have some muscle on a team, especially when the Rags are stocking up on the Asham's of the world, but I just dont fully understand some of the moves sometimes. The other thing I don't like about Lou is the "omerta" style that this franchise has. They tell nobody nothing. They don't have to and the success speaks for itself, but it'd be nicer to be more tuned into the franchise.

The only free agent move that I've really been angered by is Niedermayer. Yet Lou still offered more money than the Ducks and Nieds decided to go play with family. It was the kneejerk signings after that soured me on that situation more than anything else. He waited too long and put all his eggs in the Niedermayer basket. Zach is different because the year Niedermayer left, there was a lot more on the free agent market, but by the time Scotty made up his mind, it was picked bare. This year the market is just not that great and Im not going to lose sleep because we didnt get PA Parenteau or Jiri Hudler.

A case can be made for every free agent that we've ever lost that it was a good decision or one that most of us saw coming. Most of these guys would not get the deals they got from us and Lou has been proven right in negotiation more than he has been proven wrong. I also think Lou gets blamed too much sometimes for not getting a guy or bringing him back, when its up to the player more than it is Lou whether or not to stay here. Its also a fact that we're not a huge free agent lure to a lot of players. A lot of guys like the limelight and we don't offer that sort of atmosphere.

[SterioDesign]

Also if you're a player who likes media attention and have fun on twitter and be free... you just don't want to be a Devil... you can't even grow a beard if you want to.

It's like a boss, how many of you would like to have a boss like Lou? i surely wouldnt.

Stupid rules like that could potentially scare away really good players that could help us.

Edited by SterioDesign, 05 July 2012 - 04:31 PM.

[ThreeCups]

Also if you're a player who likes media attention and have fun on twitter and be free... you just don't want to be a Devil... you can't even grow a beard if you want to.

It's like a boss, how many of you would like to have a boss like Lou? i surely wouldnt.

Stupid rules like that could potentially scare away really good players that could help us.

I won't shed a tear when Lou finally goes away. He has done great things for the franchise, and I will eternally applaud him for that. However, in 2012...he is a grandpa and has NO idea what the hell is going on in so many aspects.


In the words of Jay-Z "...it's 2010(2), not 1864!"

[NJDevs4978]

Also if you're a player who likes media attention and have fun on twitter and be free... you just don't want to be a Devil... you can't even grow a beard if you want to.

It's like a boss, how many of you would like to have a boss like Lou? i surely wouldnt.

Stupid rules like that could potentially scare away really good players that could help us.

That's so overrated...how many of these players can't wait to stay, or come back when their careers are over?

[ghdi]

I won't shed a tear when Lou finally goes away. He has done great things for the franchise, and I will eternally applaud him for that. However, in 2012...he is a grandpa and has NO idea what the hell is going on in so many aspects.

Its more WE don't have any idea what's going on. We have no idea what our financial problems really are. We don't have any idea what kind of input JVB has on in terms of players he wants to pay salaries to. We have no idea on who's turning Lou down that he may be calling because they dont want to play in New Jersey.

Its really off base to say Lou has no idea. We're not privy to what goes on in the front office to come to that conclusion.

[CarpathianForest]

I'm sure being able to twitter or grow a beard is a big decision why players choose the Blue Jackets over the Devils.

[ThreeCups]

Its more WE don't have any idea what's going on. We have no idea what our financial problems really are. We don't have any idea what kind of input JVB has on in terms of players he wants to pay salaries to. We have no idea on who's turning Lou down that he may be calling because they dont want to play in New Jersey.

Its really off base to say Lou has no idea. We're not privy to what goes on in the front office to come to that conclusion.

That is the asterisk to my anti-Lou feelings. If we are legitimately handcuffed because of money issues, then this is all beyond LL's control. However, if that is not the case and he is just being his usual hardball self...then I have an issue....

[ghdi]

I'm sure being able to twitter or grow a beard is a big decision why players choose the Blue Jackets over the Devils.

What free agents have chosen the BJ's over us?

[ThreeCups]

What free agents have chosen the BJ's over us?

LOL

I think it was just a hypothetical example/joke

[Triumph]

Also if you're a player who likes media attention and have fun on twitter and be free... you just don't want to be a Devil... you can't even grow a beard if you want to.

It's like a boss, how many of you would like to have a boss like Lou? i surely wouldnt.

Stupid rules like that could potentially scare away really good players that could help us.

That's the point, though. If you like media attention, don't come to New Jersey. If you don't like media attention, DO come to New Jersey. It's a selling point as much as a sticking point.

[skullsmasher]

If you like media attention, don't play hockey.

[CarpathianForest]

Devils players are probably one of the most sought after assets during free agency and that's because other teams across the league know the type of discipline and play they get with Devils talent. It's gotta be very difficult for Lou to re-sign a UFA when you damn well know there are a ton of bigger market teams out there tossing money around.

[Neb00rs]

That's the point, though. If you like media attention, don't come to New Jersey. If you don't like media attention, DO come to New Jersey. It's a selling point as much as a sticking point.

QFT.

[ghdi]

Devils players are probably one of the most sought after assets during free agency and that's because other teams across the league know the type of discipline and play they get with Devils talent. It's gotta be very difficult for Lou to re-sign a UFA when you damn well know there are a ton of bigger market teams out there tossing money around.

Its why we didn't keep Gionta, Rafalski, Gomez, etc. Lou was smart in almost every case not re-signing guys and twice he's been turned down for other reasons (Zach and Nieds).

When Lou really wants to keep a guy and makes the effort, more often than not we get him. Sometimes we've let guys go because the price was over what we were willing to pay and very few of those situations has Lou missed on.

[Devil Dan 56]

Also if you're a player who likes media attention and have fun on twitter and be free... you just don't want to be a Devil... you can't even grow a beard if you want to.

It's like a boss, how many of you would like to have a boss like Lou? i surely wouldnt.

Stupid rules like that could potentially scare away really good players that could help us.

But how childish is it for a player to value things like that over a well run organization that's known for winning? I'd argue that any player who would make that choice probably doesn't belong on this team anyway.

[DaneykoIsGod]

I won't shed a tear when Lou finally goes away. He has done great things for the franchise, and I will eternally applaud him for that. However, in 2012...he is a grandpa and has NO idea what the hell is going on in so many aspects.

In 2012, he assembled a team that got us within two wins of seeing a Stanley Cup parade in Newark.

[Neb00rs]

In 2012, he assembled a team that got us within two wins of seeing a Stanley Cup parade in Newark.

This is pretty much why I keep my mouth shut when it comes to Lou.

[Marv4Life]

That is the asterisk to my anti-Lou feelings. If we are legitimately handcuffed because of money issues, then this is all beyond LL's control. However, if that is not the case and he is just being his usual hardball self...then I have an issue....

But this has been going on for almost a decade now. It comes to a point where you can't put the blame on ownership and money(which if that was the case, they wouldn't have overpaid for Bryce and Marty nor would be hosting a draft in which they will pick up a good chunk of the tab for).