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Find A Home For A Defenseman


Triumph

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In each of the last 4 years, the Devils' fanbase has been trading a defenseman during the off-season.  In 2010, one of Salvador or White had to go.  In 2011, it was the same thing, but White got bought out.  In 2012, it was one of Tallinder, Volchenkov, or Fayne.  The trade never came.  Will it happen this year?

 

Well, let's take a peek around the league.  The Devils are close to the salary cap - so close that I don't think it justifies the trade of Mark Fayne.  In addition, the Devils' young D who might crack the roster are all lefties, which makes me think that Tallinder, Volchenkov, or (let me have this, please) Salvador would be the guy on the way out.  So who needs help at left D?

 

Buffalo:

 

LD - Ehrhoff, Mike Weber, ??

 

Comments:  Seems like a pretty good landing spot for Henrik Tallinder, who came from here and mentored Tyler Myers in Year 1.  I could see them having an interest in Bryce Salvador as well, as they lost Robyn Regehr and have yet to fill the 'immobile pylon' part of their D.

 

Florida:

 

LD - Campbell, Jovanovski, Kulikov, Strachan

 

Comments:  While Florida has plenty of left D, Ed Jovanovski is shockingly breaking down physically, so he can't be counted on for next year.  Rumors are that the Panthers have to be a floor team, which might lead to them cutting salary instead of adding it.

 

Ottawa:

 

LD - Methot, Phillips, Weiercoch, Cowen

 

Comments:  While they have 4 decent guys, they lost Gonchar this off-season and have yet to replace him.

 

Washington:

 

LD - Alzner, Erskine, Orlov

 

Comments:  This seems like the best fit for a trade - they had Hamrlik in this spot in 2012, but he played poorly going into 2013 and was shipped off to the Rangers.  John Erskine was categorically terrible in the playoffs.  There's still guys on the free agent market, but this is where the best fit seems to lie.

 

I don't really see any other fits around the league, and there's still some decent UFA defenders around, so I'm not sure how Lou gets this done - maybe he just lets Zidlicky walk and goes with the 7 guys he's got.  Wouldn't be the worst thing he's done, but the power play will suffer for sure.

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are you assuming one of the 3 LD will be dealt for draft picks if anything?

 

i think greene could be ok on the PP and hasn't ryder done it also/ devils may go back to 5 F PP:

 

clowe-zajac-elias

kovalchuk-ryder

 

henrique-loktionov-bernier

kovalchuk-greene

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are you assuming one of the 3 LD will be dealt for draft picks if anything?

 

i think greene could be ok on the PP and hasn't ryder done it also/ devils may go back to 5 F PP:

 

clowe-zajac-elias

kovalchuk-ryder

 

henrique-loktionov-bernier

kovalchuk-greene

 

Ryder has not played the point on a power play to my knowledge.  I could see them sticking Zajac or Elias there but I don't like 5 forward PPs for two reasons - one they're awful at defense and two they make it so that your 4th line has to play the first shift after the PP, which is when most teams send out their best offensive line.

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Andy Greene can't get a shot on net or a shot worth being tipped. Merrill as very good running the point from the right side as a left shot. I know it's a risk playing a rookie in that role but I really think we have to wait until camp to decide. Maybe Larsson improved his shot for all we knoww, as long as his shot is a slight threat he should work on the 1st PP unit.

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I would love to trade Tallinder for Gagner. As I noted earlier today, Horcoff was traded for a D-Man and a seventh rounder, so  I imagine Gagner could get done for the same, if not less. If we could get that done, we're looking like possibly the biggest winner in the entire off-season

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I would love to trade Tallinder for Gagner. As I noted earlier today, Horcoff was traded for a D-Man and a seventh rounder, so  I imagine Gagner could get done for the same, if not less. If we could get that done, we're looking like possibly the biggest winner in the entire off-season

 

No, Merrill, plus more woul dhave to go back for a PPG 25 year old center. Horcoff's 10 years older. There's literally no chance in hell they'd trade him for Tallinder straight up. You'd probably need to give up Merrill, Tallinder (if they want him), maybe Boucher and a future 1 for him 

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No, Merrill, plus more woul dhave to go back for a PPG 25 year old center. Horcoff's 10 years older. There's literally no chance in hell they'd trade him for Tallinder straight up. You'd probably need to give up Merrill, Tallinder (if they want him), maybe Boucher and a future 1 for him 

 

Gagner is UFA next year.  No way this is the package for him.

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Just bringing it up, Buffalo probably won't be able to keep Miller/Vanek since they are in a "rebuild". Is there ANY package NJ could send that way to grab a player like TV? I am mentioning it, but I don't see it happening...especially with no 1st round pick next year.

Edited by NJDevils1214
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Don't rule the Predators out.  Of the 6 D-men on their roster, only Weber and Klein have played more than 2 seasons.  They could definitely use a veteran.  If they can clear Kostitsyn's cap hit, they could take Tallinder pretty easily.

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Are there any teams that currently are under the minimum of the cap? I don't think I am wording it correctly but remember last year when the Islanders got Tim Thomas for that reason. Is there a team where we could unload Volchenkov or Tallinder to possibly get picks back?

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Are there any teams that currently are under the minimum of the cap? I don't think I am wording it correctly but remember last year when the Islanders got Tim Thomas for that reason. Is there a team where we could unload Volchenkov or Tallinder to possibly get picks back?

Islanders are currently 1.8m under it but thats it

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I wonder if anyone would give us a 7th round pick for Volchenkov?

I doubt Volch goes anywhere until he's in the last year of his deal. Tally has to be the guy on the move imo. He's not as bad as has been said, his contract is pretty damn reasonable and this is the last year of it. I think we can move him. Hopefully we can get ok value and get at least a 3rd for him.

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Don't rule the Predators out.  Of the 6 D-men on their roster, only Weber and Klein have played more than 2 seasons.  They could definitely use a veteran.  If they can clear Kostitsyn's cap hit, they could take Tallinder pretty easily.

 

They just ditched Hal GIll, supposedly because they wouldn't have room for him.  Was he that bad in Nashville that they are lying about that?

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Tallinder will be the one to go. He's got one year left and it is a year that is completely manageable cap-wise. His poor play towards the end of last season (coach-induced or not) was the kicker.

 

Tallinder did not play poorly last year.  Dumping him would kill me, he is still a really effective defenseman and the Devils will get nothing for him because the league is too dumb to see that.

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Tallinder will be the one to go. He's got one year left and it is a year that is completely manageable cap-wise. His poor play towards the end of last season (coach-induced or not) was the kicker.

Tallinder did not play poorly last year. Dumping him would kill me, he is still a really effective defenseman and the Devils will get nothing for him because the league is too dumb to see that.

He's a 33 year old defenseman with one year left who might be good, but he doesn't fit in a lot of places, especially for purposes of making a trade right now and if you want to get a significant return. Maybe his value goes up closer to the trade deadline, but that's a ways away.

A draft pick and salary dump is the best you could hope to do right now, however good you think he is.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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