38 replies to this topic

[HellOnICE]

Does anyone else Nieder leaving would be a blessing in disguise. I think the offer is locking up someone for too much money, and its not the Devils style of doing things. I wonder if Lou is getting caught up, kinda similar to the way Holik left in 2002. The Devils offered Holik the world, but it was a blessing in disguise that he left. I still think money could be better spent keep Stevens and/or Rafalski, and signing a forward. I still think there's some decent players and cheap projects the Devils love to take on.

[Triumph]

Not with the market the way it is. Rafalski is a good 3, but he doesn't offer anything close to what Niedermayer does defensively. If there were still a Gonchar, an Aucoin, even a Foote or Schneider to pull from the market, I'd agree. But we're going to be seeing Peter Forsberg 8 times next year (if he somehow stays healthy), and I'd like to see #27 up against him every shift.

[sundstrom]

neids and holik are totally different. we had a replacement for holik in madden and replacing madden was doable with other forwards. even if we stretch to say that martin can "replace" niedermayer, who replaces martin?

are we gonna sign jaroslav spacek and call that a "replacement"? our forward corps are pretty set. is adding even a kariya or modano even reasonable?

nope.

gotta keep nieds.

[Patrick Sundstrom Ghost]

Yeah I want my team to lose their best player, and that's what he is their best player.

Marty is an island to himself, so he does not count.


Scott leaving would put the team back years, he is a once in a lifetime talent, and if anyone does not realize that, where the heck have you been the last 12 years?


For all the people complaining about how long this is taking, tape a deep breath please, it has been two days, how would you feel about deciding where to live and if you should move your family in 48 hours?


Just because other free agents have signed means nothing, if tom, dick, or harry jumped off the bridge, does that mean you have to do so too?



Again, if he leaves, this team will take 20 steps back, not one or two, twenty, he is that important to them.

To mention Rafalski in the same breath as him is an insult to Scott, and I am not knocking Brian, but please, there is no comparison.


Lou, get it done



Whatever it takes, get it done!

Edited by Patrick Sundstrom Ghost, 03 August 2005 - 08:37 PM.

[L�ZZo]

I agree that it is a different scenario than Holik (although ostensibly it is similiar).



So I was just thinking what happens next season when the cap is lower?

How do you guys think this impacts Lou's rationale on the Nieds situation? 17% is an awful lot to invest in one player and in subsequent years (most assuredly next season) that figure could climb to around 19% depending on revenues. I know that Don is one of the few people to express that at 17% Nieds is too much, but I hadn't even thought about following years until five minutes ago. While everyone would love to have Nieds back, it could really hamstring the franchise when it comes to future dealings. Then again the hole that would be left by Nieds would have to be addressed and that would be tougher than filling the holes that a Nieds lead team would have.

Edited by L�ZZo, 03 August 2005 - 08:40 PM.

[HellOnICE]

Look a once in a lifetime talent. Absolutely. But other teams have won the cup since he came to the league. I'm saying there isn't anyhting as irreplaceable.

[DevilMinder]

I pinned the salary/NJ Roster thread because I thought a good comment came up. What are the Devils gonna do about the unsigned RFA's. If any of them go to arbitration it could get messy with higher awards.

[PeteyNice]

He has had a year to think about where he wants to go. If Forsberg, arguably a bigger talent, and Naslund can decide quickly he should be able to to.

If I were Lou, I would have have told Nieds on July 31 this is our offer, you have until Tuesday 9AM to take it or we will go somewhere else. I would have been much happier with Aucoin and someone else than even having Niedermayer eating almost $7M from our cap for the next 5 years.

[SC Devs Fan]

Nieds is important for not only the role he plays on the blueline but his ability to mentor someone like Martin. If he leaves is will leave a gaping hole that wouldn't have been filled by a Zubov, Foote or Rafalski.

I hope he stays.

[NJDevs4978]

Petey who knew what the market would be on Monday? One school of thought was that there wouldn't be a lot of signings in the first few days because nobody wanted to set the market too low. If Lou had done that and then come up empty on Aucoin, etc then he would have been foolish for closing the Nieds door prematurely.

HOI if anything I almost hope Raf leaves, maybe he'll be appreciated more somewhere else. It's funny Nieds was never appreciated until Raf came along and then all of a sudden Nieds became the golden child.

[PeteyNice]

Has, if it is true that we offered him $6.8 then there really should not be too much discussion. If he wants to stay in NJ that should be enough considering the max he could get is $7.8.

[NJDevs4978]

Well it seems the other two or three teams in the mix have offered around that much or even more, so it's not like the money was so much more (or less) here.

[1986Devil]

I hope he stays, aside from the salary issues he is one of the leaders of the team. When Scott Stevens was out he without a doubt was the captain of the squad. If the rumors are true that they are offering a 5 year deal then that is 5 years of a very very good hockey player. I hope he stays also because of sentimental reasons ever since I was a kid Nieds has been my favorite Devil, this may sound stupid to some but thats just the way I feel, seeing him in another uniform would be very depressing.

[LizDevil30]

There's a song for Nieds "Should I stay or should I go now. . ."

[msweet]

NO.... why would we want a guy who has been instrumental in us winning 3 cups and for good reason will be the highest paid d-man in the league to leave our team?

[thefiestygoat]

I will be happy if he stays and equally happy if he leaves. The Devs use money on him and band, there is the top D man in the league. They don't and use the money on 2-3 other D man and that also helps. I am an optomist so this is win win

[Devildude]

I will be happy if he stays and equally happy if he leaves. The Devs use money on him and band, there is the top D man in the league. They don't and use the money on 2-3 other D man and that also helps. I am an optomist so this is win win 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a lot out there.....

[thefiestygoat]

I will be happy if he stays and equally happy if he leaves. The Devs use money on him and band, there is the top D man in the league. They don't and use the money on 2-3 other D man and that also helps. I am an optomist so this is win win 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a lot out there.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At least Rafalski and Stevens and then another servicable guy. Lets be optomistic, banana dance time!

[ice dog]

Niedermayer should stay simply because he would be able to finish out his career with one team and plus he is in line to be the captain of the Devils. I could not see Nieds putting on a jersey with Donald Duck, and trading in his legacy with the Devils...

It's like trading in a Marty Brodeur for Jiggy...3 stanley cups and a Norris for the mickey mouse club. If he goes it may be San Jose, but that may also be a long shot...Especially with Larry Robinson coaching next year...and we all know Larry is the coolest coach ever.

wow, i can't believe i just typed in a hockey post...it has been a while.

[Don]

NO.... why would we want a guy who has been instrumental in us winning 3 cups and for good reason will be the highest paid d-man in the league to leave our team?

Because he's going to blow our cap for the forseeable future. The cap means that a GM is going to have to fit the best team he can in $39M. While other teams are going to be trying to find the best 23 guys they can get into $39M, we're going to be trying to find the best 22 guys to fit into $31M. We're purposefully picking up this financial albatross. I don't think you can build a team that way. We saw Anaheim try with Kariya. One huge contract and a bunch of fillers doesn't make a contender.

03-04 - Tampa - highest salary was 11% of payroll
02-03 - Devils - highest salary was 14% of payroll
01-02 - Detroit - highest salary was 13% of payroll

We're talking almost 17% minimum to 20% maximum of our payroll. In one player.

Here are some success stories with this philosophy:

00-01 - Ducks - highest salary was 38% of payroll
02-03 - Penguins - highest salary was 21% of payroll
02-03 - Capitals - highest salary was 22% of payroll

I believe the key to our success has been the depth of our fowards and our D. Niedermayer is asking us to forgo that depth so that he can be an ultra-ultra-rich man. I wouldn't have liked this salary under the old CBA. I HATE it under the current one.

Edited by Don, 04 August 2005 - 05:38 AM.