28 replies to this topic

[SueNJ97]

Isn't that twice now that someone on this board (or close enough) has almost hit Patty with their car??

Yes, I nearly ran him over in Montclair last October, I think it was. Wouldn't surprise me to find out he was just finishing firing the old agent and that's why he walked out into traffic in front of me (distracted). They are Montclair-based.

Edited by SueNJ97, 16 May 2006 - 10:13 PM.

[RolandNJD]

I am much more comfortable after this article.

Elias will stay if the Devils offer him the cash. Lou will not low-ball him. He didn't with Niedermayer, no reason to think he will with Elias, who is probably more important to this team than Nieds was.

I hope you are right. I'm just worried (in general) until Elias is signed. Lou offered Niedermayer everything. The only reason he didn't take it was because his brother Rob was with the Ducks. He didn't exactly say those words in the interview I caught (I think it was on Sportsnet), but you got the feeling. Brian Burke was also interviewed in the segment. He said something along the lines of "It was between us and New Jersey, but there was one thing I could offer Scott that they couldn't". Also if I'm not mistaken, Niedermayer took a little less money to play in Anaheim?

So I guess my point is Lou will offer Elias a lot of money as well. I just hope he remains a Devil. I was already crushed once... with Niedermayer.

Cheers,
- Roland

[UnderDogX]

I saw this over on the HFboards and I had to put it up....a little amateur but still brings an uneasy feeling in your stomach thinking we might lose this......

Elias Tribute


PLEASE DO THE SMART THING LOU!!!!

Edited by UnderDogX, 16 May 2006 - 11:48 PM.

[DevilsMJ]

My personal opinion is that Lou will match any other deal he gets and hopefully he doesn't pull a nieds on us an decides to stay. With the new NHL and the way these playoffs have gone so far, could Elias really think any other team will have a better chance than us to win the cup. Their are way too many free agents out there and I think the flooded market will actual decrease his value, though someone will pay him, it's just will he want to go there?

[LucifersDog]

""Elias doesn't have a brother in the NHL. But he wants money and a chance to win.

"You don't want to be with a team that is going to go through rough times in a season," Elias said. "You don't really enjoy your work. The main thing is you want to be happy in what you do."

Elias has no timetable for reaching a new agreement.

"As long as it takes for me to be happy with what the decision will be," he said.""


If he thought NOW that Lou would offer him the $7-8 M per year on a 4 or 5 year contract why would he bother to give away his money to agents and lawyers? Will Lou pay him more than Marty? I bet Elias wants more than Marty.

He is doing the right thing for Elias and putting big pressure on Lou.

Time will tell.

[Voros19]

So I guess my point is Lou will offer Elias a lot of money as well. I just hope he remains a Devil. I was already crushed once... with Niedermayer.

Right, but you can't really compare Niedermayer to Elias. Niedermayer wanted to bolt. It was obvious. He turned down a long term deal in 2004, I believe, and also played some games in the IHL while holding out in '00. Elias has made it clear that he wants to stay with the Devils. That was something Niedermayer never did.

[coldply123]

Elias is NOT worth 7-8 million.......

I dont care what anyone says.

Devils are a team and franchise that needs fiscal balance.

Supposedly, Lou's max offer was a last ditch attempt to keep Nieds here, and maybe to save face. He knew Nieds was heading west, and offered the keys to the bank to try and convince him.

[Pepperkorn]

Question. How much does Brodeur make? 5 or a little more?

I say Elias gets between 5.5-6 and he stays.

1) Since Elias is on record saying they started negotiations, and what the Devils had had to offer is not so close (I don’t care if Neverson passed it on with a negative spin – it is what was said). I think Lou will offer the max before 7/1 (this has to be inline with Derek's numbers above -- no higher if they want to stay competitive) and when Elias says “no,” Lou has no choice but to consider him gone then. This has to be something between Niedermayer and Mogilny/Nieuwendyke negotiations. Elias’s agent, whomever he may be, needs to understand Lou doesn't play games. What is offered before 7/1 is what's on the table - end of story.

**Is there anyone in the hockey business (player or agent) who can set us straight? What is the protocol for negotiations? I can speak from the entertainment industry’s stand point – there is no real code of honor amongst talent agents and cast directors/producers – it’s there but it’s pretty much ignored unless you stand to gain something from respecting it. No code amongst business recruiters because the pool is so huge- turnover so high it doesn’t much matter if you step on toes here or there. Hockey is a pretty small community so I’d imagine some things are just not gentlemanly – thus not done.

What I’m asking is can Lou have the offer out to Elias and once told “we’ll get back to you when we do” a la Epp, can he then extend another offer to someone like Chara effectively screwing one or the other based on who excepts first? It’s not quite cricket – but it’s the only way to protect yourself against what I will affectionately refer to as the “Neidermayer Screw”

2) If Elias needs to take all the time he needs to be happy ??? Honestly as I said in the other post I just hope he understands the Devils don’t have time to wait. How can you all be stoked about this?

It seems we are all sticking strictly to the Elias quotes (not so much writers interpretations of them) reading quotes and interpreting how we may. They are what they are. Like sundstrom, I can’t ignore the fact Patty said basically “I don’t want to struggle during the regular season because it’s no damned fun” Well – Rangers didn’t struggle. What hurts Patty more being swept in the first round or having a great 82 days? It’s a legitimate question and I wouldn’t blame him either way honestly.

Edited by Pepperkorn, 19 May 2006 - 11:09 AM.

[SueNJ97]

1) Since Elias is on record saying they started negotiations, and what the Devils had had to offer is not so close (I don’t care if Neverson passed it on with a negative spin – it is what was said). I think Lou will offer the max before 7/1 (this has to be inline with Derek's numbers above -- no higher if they want to stay competitive) and when Elias says “no,” Lou has no choice but to consider him gone then. This has to be something between Niedermayer and Mogilny/Nieuwendyke negotiations. Elias’s agent, whomever he may be, needs to understand Lou doesn't play games. What is offered before 7/1 is what's on the table - end of story.

**Is there anyone in the hockey business (player or agent) who can set us straight? What is the protocol for negotiations? I can speak from the entertainment industry’s stand point – there is no real code of honor amongst talent agents and cast directors/producers – it’s there but it’s pretty much ignored unless you stand to gain something from respecting it. No code amongst business recruiters because the pool is so huge- turnover so high it doesn’t much matter if you step on toes here or there. Hockey is a pretty small community so I’d imagine some things are just not gentlemanly – thus not done.

What I’m asking is can Lou have the offer out to Elias and once told “we’ll get back to you when we do” a la Epp, can he then extend another offer to someone like Chara effectively screwing one or the other based on who excepts first? It’s not quite cricket – but it’s the only way to protect yourself against what I will affectionately refer to as the “Neidermayer Screw”

2) If Elias needs to take all the time he needs to be happy ??? Honestly as I said in the other post I just hope he understands the Devils don’t have time to wait. How can you all be stoked about this?

It seems we are all sticking strictly to the Elias quotes (not so much writers interpretations of them) reading quotes and interpreting how we may. They are what they are. Like sundstrom, I can’t ignore the fact Patty said basically “I don’t want to struggle during the regular season because it’s no damned fun” Well – Rangers didn’t struggle. What hurts Patty more being swept in the first round or having a great 82 days? It’s a legitimate question and I wouldn’t blame him either way honestly.

As long as it is after July 1st Lou can do whatever he wants. He would have the offer on the table to Elias, if Elias wants to go shopping elsewhere, he can make another offer to whoever he wants to because until something is signed by both parties and then filed with the NHL (and accepted, btw), there are no $$$ committed. The simple act of making an offer to someone and having it sit out there on the table means nothing.

And, btw, considering what happened with Niedermayer last year, if he made a max contract offer to Elias before July 1st and Elias still wants to see what's out there, it means Patrik does not think NJ is in the best position to win. And therefore, he isn't going to stay, not matter what he says, unless the comparable offers he gets are from teams that he feels are no better positioned. So Lou should go out and try to execute Plan B, whatever it is, while Elias does whatever he damn well feels like doing. And if neither one of them finds anything better, they will still be there waiting for each other.

As for struggling through the season (which NJ did do), does it occur to Elias that at least part of that was due to the fact that he was gone for about 1/2 the season? Yes, the defense was an issue but at least part of the mess was the fact that Elias wasn't there and the offense simply stalled. Remember December right before he came back? The defense had actually gotten better, Marty was starting to play well and the team couldn't score a goal to save their collective lives.