81 replies to this topic

[Jimmy Leeds]

I'm out in San Diego on business and tried to catch the Devs game but had to settle for the Wild Blues game. This may sound stupid, but I guess you never REALLY appreciate something till its gone and boy was Zachary something else to watch. Tonight was a night when I watched him play from the outside and man would I love to see him back. Of course I was cursing him out.........

[Mitico12]

Zach is a phenomenal player and was a good worker. He is and will be missed. But Lou's mantra is and will be - no player is more important than the sum of the parts of the team.

In this case, apparently, Lou made a fair enough pitch to keep Zach. He decided to go elsewhere and there is nothing we can do about it.

Don Waddell tried to do the same with Kovy in Atlanta, and he decided to go elsewhere too.

So, it happens.

We will have to find the next "Parise" somewhere down our lineup in the future. It's as simple as that.

I'll tell you this much though, when I see "Parise" on the scoresheet two, three times a night since the start of the season, it annoys the sh!t out of me!

[DH26]

by the time the Wild get good, he won't be this good anymore so that helps me laugh at him a little more

[DevilNurn]

I've watched a few games and of course most of his goals on highlight reels...and it really stings to see him succeed so much with another team. His talent and hard work is so clear, no matter the sweater. I'm really gonna miss him.

[thefiestygoat]

I'm probably in the minority here but I still enjoy watching him play. He's even had a few nice goals this year rather than his normal "work hard in front of the net and jam it home" type goals that we got used to. I'm not surprised he's off to a great start and I think the contract won't be an issue for the first few years. But when his body starts to break down, it's probably going to get ugly. I miss him but for what his contract is, I'm fine not having him here.

At least (some of us) can still cheer for him when he's playing for the USA.

[grcenter47]

one of my friends lives up in mankato, mn and he is saying that the media is criticizing that the Wild's first line is all they got. here is an example of one person ranting

http://www.startribu.../188624891.html

"But three forwards have 10 of the Wild’s 12 goals by forwards. That is absurd."

Defensively: The Wild’s just a mess in its own zone. The lost battles are alarming.

Edited by grcenter47, 28 January 2013 - 01:21 AM.

[SterioDesign]

by the time the Wild get good, he won't be this good anymore so that helps me laugh at him a little more

They are already pretty good

[DevilNurn]

I'm probably in the minority here but I still enjoy watching him play. He's even had a few nice goals this year rather than his normal "work hard in front of the net and jam it home" type goals that we got used to. I'm not surprised he's off to a great start and I think the contract won't be an issue for the first few years. But when his body starts to break down, it's probably going to get ugly. I miss him but for what his contract is, I'm fine not having him here.

At least (some of us) can still cheer for him when he's playing for the USA.

I would definitely count myself in this camp as well. Much as I wanted to dislike him for leaving I understand his decision, I don't think he was trying to spite anyone, and I think he just made a life choice. He's a great player and I want to see him succeed.

Just wish he was still succeeding for the Devils, I'd at least get to watch him more often.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

He has been successful everywhere he has been so far, so I was expecting him to do well. Someone who works that hard is always going to get opportunities and create chances for success.

Still sucks when you see his name on the scoresheet.

[BlueSkirt]

Meh, it's too early. I'll wait for the playoffs to see how they do.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I'm probably in the minority here but I still enjoy watching him play. He's even had a few nice goals this year rather than his normal "work hard in front of the net and jam it home" type goals that we got used to. I'm not surprised he's off to a great start and I think the contract won't be an issue for the first few years. But when his body starts to break down, it's probably going to get ugly. I miss him but for what his contract is, I'm fine not having him here.

At least (some of us) can still cheer for him when he's playing for the USA.

I can't say I enjoy watching him succeed with another team, especially when the Devils could clearly use him.

But agree with everything else...it's not what he does now, it's what he does 4 years down the road, 5 years, etc...I think we all knew he was going to be good early on in this deal. It's great that he's off to a terrific start in Year 1, but there's 12 years to go after that.

Not like the Devils aren't in the same boat with Kovy's deal, but at least he doesn't seem quite as likely to break down the same way Zach will, for whatever that's worth.

[SterioDesign]

personally i understand why he left and went there, what's pissing me off is the way he did it. Talking about it with Suter all year about the possibility of playing together somewhere and people can believe all they want... getting a new agent, all that negotiation, almost the arbitration and the one year deal. Also considering he considered apparently a bunch of offers after all. to me it means he had doubts about staying a Devils for life.

The way the process went and Lou's way of fvcking waiting last minute got us nothing for Zach. We could at least have gotten a sh!tty pick or wtv. But nop. I mean seriously how can you seriously risk losing your captain like that to free agency? i dont care about the honor thing or wtv how Lou handle that stuff...it's a business after all and he failed there. try to sign him way before and if you see that he doesnt want to sign well get something for him even if its a fvcking 7th round at least you got something.

On the other hand with the situation in NJ, the arena and the financial stuff and our future is really uncertain as much as we try to tell ourselves that it is. We're gonna lose Brodeur, Elias and Lou really soon and we simply don't have much coming our way to replace that.

Edited by SterioDesign, 28 January 2013 - 10:31 AM.

[Triumph]

Meh, it's too early. I'll wait for the playoffs to see how they do.

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

Edited by Triumph, 28 January 2013 - 10:35 AM.

[SterioDesign]

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

im pretty sure they'll make the playoffs this year

[Triumph]

personally i understand why he left and went there, what's pissing me off is the way he did it. Talking about it with Suter all year about the possibility of playing together somewhere and people can believe all they want... getting a new agent, all that negotiation, almost the arbitration and the one year deal. Also considering he considered apparently a bunch of offers after all. to me it means he had doubts about staying a Devils for life.

The way the process went and Lou's way of fvcking waiting last minute got us nothing for Zach. We could at least have gotten a sh!tty pick or wtv. But nop. I mean seriously how can you seriously risk losing your captain like that to free agency? i dont care about the honor thing or wtv how Lou handle that stuff...it's a business after all and he failed there. try to sign him way before and if you see that he doesnt want to sign well get something for him even if its a fvcking 7th round at least you got something.

On the other hand with the situation in NJ, the arena and the financial stuff and our future is really uncertain as much as we try to tell ourselves that it is. We're gonna lose Brodeur, Elias and Lou really soon and we simply don't have much coming our way to replace that.

Vanderbeek owns the entire team and the debt's been serviced - worst case scenario Vanderbeek sells the franchise. I don't think the NHL will let him put the team in bankruptcy, and since the arena comes along with the team,

You also didn't read Russo's article about the Parise negotiations where Parise asked Suter if he would come to NJ and he said no. It was a possibility, apparently.

Zach could've been talking with Suter every night about playing for the same team, the dude gave everything on the ice. Let it go.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

personally i understand why he left and went there, what's pissing me off is the way he did it. Talking about it with Suter all year about the possibility of playing together somewhere and people can believe all they want... getting a new agent, all that negotiation, almost the arbitration and the one year deal. Also considering he considered apparently a bunch of offers after all. to me it means he had doubts about staying a Devils for life.

The way the process went and Lou's way of fvcking waiting last minute got us nothing for Zach. We could at least have gotten a sh!tty pick or wtv. But nop. I mean seriously how can you seriously risk losing your captain like that to free agency? i dont care about the honor thing or wtv how Lou handle that stuff...it's a business after all and he failed there. try to sign him way before and if you see that he doesnt want to sign well get something for him even if its a fvcking 7th round at least you got something.

On the other hand with the situation in NJ, the arena and the financial stuff and our future is really uncertain as much as we try to tell ourselves that it is. We're gonna lose Brodeur, Elias and Lou really soon and we simply don't have much coming our way to replace that.

The Devils got to within two games of winning a Stanley Cup last season...granted, the playoffs are a crapshoot now more than ever, and it's not like the Devils would be lock to get to the Finals last season again if last year's playoffs were played again from the start, but the fact is they DID get there, and it would've been less likely that they would have had Zach been traded at some point last season.

Clearly Lou though it was worth the risk to keep him and hope that he would re-sign. Though it's clear that some of the Devils mainstays are getting older, the Devils couldn't have done much more to sell Zach on remaining a Devil...every season Zach was healthy, the Devils made the playoffs, and even reached a SC Final. Lou went for it, and it didn't work out. As much as you may have all the answers or think you do, due to massive oversimplication of these matters, no GM is going to be on the winning side of these things 100% of the time.

[Triumph]

im pretty sure they'll make the playoffs this year

It's early but they're already not a 50% territorial team. Their blueline sucks. It's going to take Backstrom and shooting luck.

[SterioDesign]

The Devils got to within two games of winning a Stanley Cup last season...granted, the playoffs are a crapshoot now more than ever, and it's not like the Devils would be lock to get to the Finals last season again if last year's playoffs were played again from the start, but the fact is they DID get there, and it would've been less likely that they would have had Zach been traded at some point last season.

Clearly Lou though it was worth the risk to keep him and hope that he would re-sign. Though it's clear that some of the Devils mainstays are getting older, the Devils couldn't have done much more to sell Zach on remaining a Devil...every season Zach was healthy, the Devils made the playoffs, and even reached a SC Final. Lou went for it, and it didn't work out. As much as you may have all the answers or think you do, due to massive oversimplication of these matters, no GM is going to be on the winning side of these things 100% of the time.

Especially not a GM using a very strict and repetitive path and not adapting to different situations. Signing Zajac right now is a perfect example that he finally understood that.

Lou is great and i wouldnt want any other GM but while im "oversimplificationing" everything, some here are "overdenying" stuff too refusing to admit that Lou can do stuff wrong.
Thats it

im done about that subject we've been through it for months and we'll obviously never gonna change our stance on it and for a reason or another im fvcking negative lately and its pissing me off.

anyone want ice cream?

[SterioDesign]

It's early but they're already not a 50% territorial team. Their blueline sucks. It's going to take Backstrom and shooting luck.

yeah the first line scored 75% of their goals, and its costing 22m... a pretty overpaid first line but they are putting numbers for now.

they were on a crazy roll last year though and half of their top 6 got injured and they crashed hard but with everyone healthy plus the new addition and if the goalies and a good system im sure they will make it. Their goalies saved their asses on multiple occasions during that good streak they had though.

[DJ Eco]

Zach wasn't going to stay in New Jersey, no matter what. I'm confident Lou offered him everything he could, plus the captaincy a year early.

I see a lot of Zach's play in Josefson recently, and potentially Henrique; our future is bright.