81 replies to this topic

[NJDevs4978]

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

I think you're constantly faulting Lou where there's no fault to be had. So you think he should have talked to Zach in-season and broken his 'norm', fine...would it really have made a difference? You generally don't hire Meehan and the Toronto agency he works for if you are going to settle for anything less than top dollar. They talked before last season, they talked after last season before FA. What more was Lou supposed to do other than win Mega Millions?

Edited by NJDevs4978, 28 January 2013 - 05:10 PM.

[Triumph]

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.

Not even close. It's early so hockey-reference's averages are off but the average is 4.4 PPs per game. In 2005-06 they were at nearly 6.

[jbgordon]

I would have been bummed had he just decided to leave to play in his home state, but the fact that he was rumored to be talking to Suter about their futures during the Stanley Cup Finals is despicable.  He can think to himself all he wants about possibilities for his future at that point, but it was very immature of him to be texting back and forth with his boyfriend about where they could both end up playing together.  That's what really gets my blood boiling, that he was planning something before the season was over when the Stanley Cup was at stake.

[thefiestygoat]

I never read any rumors of Parise talking to Suter about their upcoming free agency during the SCF. Even if those rumors exist, that's all they are - rumors. I wouldn't take any of it as fact.

Edited by thefiestygoat, 28 January 2013 - 06:31 PM.

[SMantzas]

Not even close. It's early so hockey-reference's averages are off but the average is 4.4 PPs per game. In 2005-06 they were at nearly 6.

Do you think Parise-Koivu-Heatley could end up being better than ZZPops?

[jbgordon]

I never read any rumors of Parise talking to Suter about their upcoming free agency during the SCF. Even if those rumors exist, that's all they are - rumors. I wouldn't take any of it as fact.

He had said something in an interview around the time of the signing saying that he and Suter had been in contact duding the SCF talking about how great it would be if they could play together.  So, not really a rumor.  He said it and he shouldn't have, which shows his immaturity.

[BlueSkirt]

They won't lose a game in the playoffs. Won't win one either.

let's hope so.
the best outcome was Holik - never winning another playoff game after leaving. The worst outcome was Needmybrother. I was ok with Rafalski hoisting the cup.

[thefiestygoat]

He had said something in an interview around the time of the signing saying that he and Suter had been in contact duding the SCF talking about how great it would be if they could play together. So, not really a rumor. He said it and he shouldn't have, which shows his immaturity.

Until I see a link I'm going to treat it as a rumor. For all we know it could've been harmless texting back and forth that took little time and perhaps it was Parise even trying to talk NJ up to Suter. Bottom line is no one on this forum knows what happened or what Parise truly thought. In the end the Devils got fantastic production from Parise at great value.

[Zubie#8]

Parise on camera talked about how he was texting and talking to Suter during the season and playoffs about playing together. I am not sure about if he did that during the SCF though, someone has to do some digging to find something on that but he definitely said on camera he was talking with him during the season at least.

http://sports.yahoo....12061--nhl.html

Edited by Zubie#8, 28 January 2013 - 07:48 PM.

[thefiestygoat]

Parise on camera talked about how he was texting and talking to Suter during the season and playoffs about playing together. I am not sure about if he did that during the SCF though, someone has to do some digging to find something on that but he definitely said on camera he was talking with him during the season at least.

http://sports.yahoo....12061--nhl.html

I still don't see it as a big deal. It's not like it affected his play at all. I think a lot of people just want to hate which is fine, it's just not for me in this situation. If I was ever good enough to play in the NHL, I'm sure I would've loved to have the chance to sign with NJ one day.

[CarpathianForest]

I still don't see it as a big deal. It's not like it affected his play at all. I think a lot of people just want to hate which is fine, it's just not for me in this situation. If I was ever good enough to play in the NHL, I'm sure I would've loved to have the chance to sign with NJ one day.

I think people are a bit more upset that Parise kind of strung them along with his "Don't worry" and all that junk. It's like he knew where he was going from the get-go and getting our hopes up was a ruse.

[thefiestygoat]

I think people are a bit more upset that Parise kind of strung them along with his "Don't worry" and all that junk. It's like he knew where he was going from the get-go and getting our hopes up was a ruse.

And if he said anything other than a typical answer like "don't worry" people would've been all over him. From a PR standpoint it was a lose-lose but I doubt he cares with the $ he got.

[oconnellrules]

i agree. it definitely is weird seeing him in another sweater and i still cant believe he left. We were 2 wins from a cup......if we had won, i would totally understand why he would leave to go home. but we were so close and ill never fully understand his logic. it just totally sucks.

he better NEVER come close to sniffing the cup ever again.

I will boo him whenever he plays at the Rock again.

[NJDevs4978]

i agree. it definitely is weird seeing him in another sweater and i still cant believe he left. We were 2 wins from a cup......if we had won, i would totally understand why he would leave to go home. but we were so close and ill never fully understand his logic. it just totally sucks.

I would have also understood it completely if we'd lost in the first round again. The fact that he left after we'd finally turned the corner and got so close (with it being 'his' team) is what makes everything doubly frustrating. This year's team would have been a major contender again with everything else still in place.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 28 January 2013 - 10:54 PM.

[CarpathianForest]

Parenteau would have been a decent consolation. Oh well.

[mouse]

Thoughts:

I have a problem with Zach the captain. The captain of a team in the midst of a finals run shouldn't be thinking about free agency, or talking to his buddy. Sure he played okay (not great) during the run, but the captain is held to a higher standard and should be. I don't know that it made a difference (I doubt it did; that team was locked in), but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and makes it tough for me to root for him.

That said, I have no problem with a free agent leaving. They've earned that right. I cheer Gio whenever he comes back. I boo Gomez not because he left, or even because he left to the Rags, but because he was a lazy sack of sh!t for much of his time in NJ, and when I didn't have to root for him, and in fact it was beneficial to my team for him to fail, I enjoyed hating him. Zach earning the right to play wherever the fvck he wants and choosing to play near his family is fine by me. Same thing for Nieds (though Carol's fvcking annoying).

Finally, I'm glad we didn't keep Zach. Not for any emotional reason, either. He's signed to a TERRIBLE contract. I would hate to lose a guy like Henrique because of Zach's cap hit, especially because Zach's size, age, and style of play suggest that he's going to decline hard in a couple years, and become a drag on Minny. Lou has always done a good job paying fair value (the exception being Kovy, but that appears to have come from above Lou), and it usually works out. When we lost Gomez, Lou signed Zubrus, and while Zubrus isn't as talented, or a natural center, and never replaced Gomez's production on the top line, he's still playing on the same contract, and he's a great value. Gomez fvcked the Rangers until Montreal was dumb enough to take him (and give up McDonough in the process), and then he fvcked them. Lou's gotten beat before, but not when he let FAs go. His biggest issue IMO in the cap era has been paying too much for guys who aren't that good (Rolson, Brian), and he didn't do it this time. It may hurt this year (though it hasn't yet), but the Devils are a strong organization because of the way Lou does things.

[DH26]

I would have also understood it completely if we'd lost in the first round again. The fact that he left after we'd finally turned the corner and got so close (with it being 'his' team) is what makes everything doubly frustrating. This year's team would have been a major contender again with everything else still in place.

If we would've lost in the first round, he could say he was going to play w/ young guys in Granlund and Brodin and a d-man we haven't had the caliber of since Stevens/Niedermayer in Suter and maybe he would (not stupidly) think that team could be better soon. But to think that team's getting anywhere near the finals anytime soon is asinine

Edited by DH26, 29 January 2013 - 12:15 AM.

[SterioDesign]

Parenteau would have been a decent consolation. Oh well.

I saw him all summer almost every week and during the lockout at the bar. Would have been awesome if he would have been a devils

Edited by SterioDesign, 29 January 2013 - 01:11 AM.

[grcenter47]

Until I see a link I'm going to treat it as a rumor. For all we know it could've been harmless texting back and forth that took little time and perhaps it was Parise even trying to talk NJ up to Suter. Bottom line is no one on this forum knows what happened or what Parise truly thought. In the end the Devils got fantastic production from Parise at great value.

I think what some of the board members are talking about is that during the press conference someone asked Suter and Parise how long of a bond did they have together. Suter responded by saying that they both played for team USA and played high school hockey against each other (Shattuck and the Capitals(sp?). Because of this, they have become good friends. He also said that they always talked about playing together and that it finally happened. It didnt really sound like that they concocted a plan to sign together on the same team. The video is below starting at 8:05 mark



I always loved Parise and overall he had a great work ethic. Personally I think he was just stuck in a bind where if he said nothing, he would of been criticized greatly. Plus an hour before the deal was reported, a lot of people on twitter were reporting that he didnt make the decision until that day. I can't blame him for wanting to play home to be with family and friends. With free agency and the big money contracts now given out, team loyalty is hard to come by in sports. Personally, I think we put too much emphasis that athletes are supposed to have good character and the way I look at it, they are only paid to perform and thats it.

[thefiestygoat]

It was always known that Parise and Suter were tight. I can't believe two friends wanted to play on the same team.

I have no problem if people want to boo and heckle him, that's our rights as fans. I just can't get upset at him taking a ton of $ to go home and play. I think most people would've made the same choice. If he had signed with a rival I'd be more upset about it.

Hey on the brightside, hopefully in the future NJ will produce some NHL'ers that 1) Spend all their pre-college/junior years in NJ and 2) Actually grow up Devils fans.