81 replies to this topic

[DH26]

The wild are a .500 team, so far they have beat up on inferior competition (avalanche & Dallas) and lost to the teams that are considered playoff teams (st Louis, Nashville, Detroit.) they might make the playoffs in a bottom seed but they are a first round and out at best

And that's with Parise putting up unsustainable production. He'll fade (somewhat) and the WIld will go back to being horrid

[njd3b1ink]

What got me about Zach leaving was how he had said leading up to free agency that wherever he was ganna go he wanted to win. I prolly would have been even more annoyed if he went to pens but at least he has a good chance to win there. Detroit I probably would have been fine with. He goes out of conference and gets to compete for the cup every year. But Minnesota? Are you kidding me? There is no evidence that says the wild are on the verge of a cup, let alone a deep playoff run.

[Devils Pride 26]

I'm sick of people blaming Lou for not being more proactive trying to sign him. sundstrom broke that rumor last year that Zach had 7/49 on the table in season from Lou but his agents advised to to wait until free agency.

[thefiestygoat]

i hate him not as a player... as a person he betrayled us no matter what anyone says... if you want to leave fine... but dont tell crap and said jersey is your first choice before signing in minnessota...

Obviously as fans are loyalty is to the organization so it's natural to feel that way. I've always felt it's a bit ironic that if the team ditches a player, no one claims the player was betrayed but if a player exercises his right to free agency, then he is some sort of bad person for doing so.

I don't really understand why people get upset at Parise's comments about wanting to stay in NJ all of last year. Whether he wanted to or not, he would've been an idiot to give anything other than a cookie cutter answer about wanting to stay here.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Obviously as fans are loyalty is to the organization so it's natural to feel that way. I've always felt it's a bit ironic that if the team ditches a player, no one claims the player was betrayed but if a player exercises his right to free agency, then he is some sort of bad person for doing so.

I don't really understand why people get upset at Parise's comments about wanting to stay in NJ all of last year. Whether he wanted to or not, he would've been an idiot to give anything other than a cookie cutter answer about wanting to stay here.

That's why I don't get on these players...it was Zach's right to CHOOSE who he wanted to play for, to go out and see who might want to sign him, and to pick the team he felt was best for him. He doesn't owe anyone an explanation. He earned a right and - GASP! - chose to exercise it. He is not indebted to the Devils for life because they were the team that drafted him.

What fans also forget is that it's not like Zach grew up dreaming of wearing Devils' red and black, and playing in Newark. He never had a choice in the matter...the Devils drafted him, end of story. While he was here, he played hard and the Devils got terrific value out of him, in terms of on-ice production and the money spent on him.

And yeah, what was Zach supposed to say? Even when he said as little as possible every last quote got picked apart to death.

Basically, it's pretty simple...when it comes to UFA:

some guys leave
some guys stay
some guys leave their teams to come play for yours
and none of the above are 100% guarantees to work out.

And what's sad is some of our own fans insist on focusing on the guys who left, and not the guys who stayed, and forgetting that some of the guys that Lou didn't bring back really didn't do that much for their new teams once they left.

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976, 28 January 2013 - 04:15 PM.

[SMantzas]

Parise has one 40 goal season in his entire career, and that was on a good team. Now he is on a not-good team. He's also past a scoring forward's normal prime. So yeah, I'd bet against that.

Normally, I'd bet against that, but PPs seem to be up near 2005-2007 levels. He's obviously gonna slow down, but I think 40 is obtainable.

Honestly, watching the Devils this year have made me forget about him in a way. Am I gonna root against him and the Wild? You bet your ass but I'm not going actively worry about him. We all know he'll be a good player the next 4-5 years. But I'm pretty damn happy we won't have to deal with that in 5 years

[SterioDesign]

I'm sick of people blaming Lou for not being more proactive trying to sign him. sundstrom broke that rumor last year that Zach had 7/49 on the table in season from Lou but his agents advised to to wait until free agency.

you said it, a rumor.

Lou always did it that way ALWAYS, then Zach, Meehan and Lou insisted that there was not talk and no negotiation at all between the 2 sides until after the season.

Lou is extremely secretive but still they all said it, we're they lying? i dont know. But its damn more believable than a Sundstrom internet rumor. And you take it as if it's a fact for your arguments... lol cmon now

[NJDevs4978]

Either way, it's not always as easy as Lou being 'proactive'. Zajac wanted to stay, Parise didn't. Lou wasn't any more proactive with Zajac than he was with Zach, it only seems that way because the result's different.

[Devil Dan 56]

you said it, a rumor.

Lou always did it that way ALWAYS, then Zach, Meehan and Lou insisted that there was not talk and no negotiation at all between the 2 sides until after the season.

Lou is extremely secretive but still they all said it, we're they lying? i dont know. But its damn more believable than a Sundstrom internet rumor. And you take it as if it's a fact for your arguments... lol cmon now

Yet you find it believable that Lou, one of the best GMs in all of sports, just sat around and did nothing as if he didn't realize the situation. Everyone knew that Zach was waiting for the big money of free agency. Come on now.

[NJDevs4978]

And yeah I am rooting against him, if only because I don't want to see the NHL equivalent (for me, a Mets/Jets fan) to Yankees-Phillies/Braves in the World Series, or Giants-Patriots in the Super Bowl I'd have to root for the Wild against the Flyers/Rangers obviously but that would be the nightmare scenario at this point.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 28 January 2013 - 04:44 PM.

[DH26]

you said it, a rumor.

Lou always did it that way ALWAYS, then Zach, Meehan and Lou insisted that there was not talk and no negotiation at all between the 2 sides until after the season.

Lou is extremely secretive but still they all said it, we're they lying? i dont know. But its damn more believable than a Sundstrom internet rumor. And you take it as if it's a fact for your arguments... lol cmon now

Who else have they really lost at the because tehy didn't try to negotiate with them until the summer that could've possibly come back? . He got Elias to come back. Stevens never got to leave (even if he tried). Niedermayer was going no matter what to play with his brother and we know Lou tried to get him. Rafalski went home. Gomez wasn't coming back. Parise apparently just didn't wanna come back and wanted to go home for whatever dumb reason. It wasn't about the money with any of them and it wasn't for Parise either so it probably didn't matter if he negotiated w/ them or not.

We don't know what he was trying to do behind the scenes and you know he doesn't leak anything so for all you know he was talking to Zach 24 hours a day no matter what either side said. If you honestly think he didn't want to try to resign the guy he gave the captaincy to before the summer you're delusional

Edited by DH26, 28 January 2013 - 04:47 PM.

[squishyx]

When Zach donned the USA sweater during the last Olympics and scored against Canada late in the 3rd to send the Gold Medal contest to OT, it was pretty cool knowing our entire country's hockey fans, including Rangers fans, were rooting for a Devils player. I'll miss that.

A part of me hopes he is injured and misses Sochi to remove any conflict about cheering for Team USA. It's going to be tough, I really don't want him to succeed at any level... ever again.

[SterioDesign]

Yet you find it believable that Lou, one of the best GMs in all of sports, just sat around and did nothing as if he didn't realize the situation. Everyone knew that Zach was waiting for the big money of free agency. Come on now.

what can i say more?

1- Thats the way he as always done it. And he saying it himself and we all know it.

2- as proof from all report ever reported he never approached a player during the season and was waiting for after the season and right before the deadline. he does it every year so why are you even in denial of that? Zajac is the only player that i can remember who sign before the season before his UFA year.

that's all proof based on stuff. Why shouldnt i believe that ?

[NJDevs4978]

I mean Team USA is different because you're already conflicted with team affiliations from the hop anyway (Marty being on Canada usually, for starters). But Parise AND Suter on Team USA, yeah that won't be ideal. It's still better than the punks that went to Nagano and embarassed us on and off the ice though.

[NJDevs4978]

what can i say more?

1- Thats the way he as always done it. And he saying it himself and we all know it.

2- as proof from all report ever reported he never approached a player during the season and was waiting for after the season and right before the deadline. he does it every year so why are you even in denial of that? Zajac is the only player that i can remember who sign before the season before his UFA year.

that's all proof based on stuff. Why shouldnt i believe that ?

And you think it's not possible Lou approached Zach last summer BEFORE the season started? The way he did with Travis this offseason? They certainly had discussions before the one-year agreement pre-arb and Zach's now-ominous quote about how it was an 'ideal' solution.

The other difference between Zach and Travis is Travis isn't going to get appreciably more money in FA and might in fact, have gotten less (he certainly wouldn't have gotten more years in FA under the new system). While Zach was always going to get tens of millions more by going to FA.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 28 January 2013 - 04:54 PM.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Who else have they really lost at the because tehy didn't try to negotiate with them until the summer that could've possibly come back? . He got Elias to come back. Stevens never got to leave (even if he tried). Niedermayer was going no matter what to play with his brother and we know Lou tried to get him. Rafalski went home. Gomez wasn't coming back. Parise apparently just didn't wanna come back and wanted to go home for whatever dumb reason. It wasn't about the money with any of them and it wasn't for Parise either so it probably didn't matter if he negotiated w/ them or not.

We don't know what he was trying to do behind the scenes and you know he doesn't leak anything so for all you know he was talking to Zach 24 hours a day no matter what either side said. If you honestly think he didn't want to try to resign the guy he gave the captaincy to before the summer you're delusional

Langenbrunner was a UFA and was re-signed as well (same year as Elias), and put up cost-effective numbers for the first four years of his deal. It didn't end well in year 5 of his contract, but all things considered, that was a good signing.

[DH26]

the fact that anyone still takes anything Lou says at face value and believes him is amazing to me. What do you think he was doing? Just sitting back expecting Parise to come back? And Brodeur's signed a contract extension in the middle of a season btw

[SterioDesign]

And you think it's not possible Lou approached Zach last summer BEFORE the season started? The way he did with Travis this offseason? They certainly had discussions before the one-year agreement pre-arb and Zach's now-ominous quote about how it was an 'ideal' solution.

The other difference between Zach and Travis is Travis isn't going to get appreciably more money in FA and might in fact, have gotten less (he certainly wouldn't have gotten more years in FA under the new system). While Zach was always going to get tens of millions more by going to FA.

i think you guys are simply not reading or trying to understand what im saying i have to re-explain myself every time.

[Devil Dan 56]

what can i say more?

1- Thats the way he as always done it. And he saying it himself and we all know it.

2- as proof from all report ever reported he never approached a player during the season and was waiting for after the season and right before the deadline. he does it every year so why are you even in denial of that? Zajac is the only player that i can remember who sign before the season before his UFA year.

that's all proof based on stuff. Why shouldnt i believe that ?

Stevens and Brodeur signed mid season. Zajac wanted to be here. Zach didnt. How many stories did you hear about Lou talking to Zajac before it was announced? None?

What players did he lose from 'waiting', btw? None that weren't headed out the door anyway. Elias, Clarkson, Oduya, Langenbrunner, Salvador (twice), Moose, Marty, all resigned right before or right after the beginning of free agency.

Who left? Lou offered Nieds more money AND tried to get useless Rob Nieds. Rafalksi was gone. Gionta wanted too much. Gomez wanted too much.

Players leave. It happens. Lou and Zach both made business decisions.

[squishyx]

Stevens and Brodeur signed mid season. Zajac wanted to be here. Zach didnt. How many stories did you hear about Lou talking to Zajac before it was announced? None?

What players did he lose from 'waiting', btw? None that weren't headed out the door anyway. Elias, Clarkson, Oduya, Langenbrunner, Salvador (twice), Moose, Marty, all resigned right before or right after the beginning of free agency.

Who left? Lou offered Nieds more money AND tried to get useless Rob Nieds. Rafalksi was gone. Gionta wanted too much. Gomez wanted too much.

Players leave. It happens. Lou and Zach both made business decisions.

Not to nit pick but IIRC all reports said Rafi received no offers from Lou. Sure Rafi talked up playing for his home team after he signed with Detroit, but what else is to be expected if your original team doesn't even make you a baseline?