36 replies to this topic

[sundstrom]

it's tough to play the loyalty card. we jump all over guys when they suck - take a look at how langenbrunner's been treated on this board. on one hand we love him when he scores the big goals, on the other we trash him for the stupid penalties and missed oportunities.

very few get a free ride from fans. as much as i hate it when players i like leave my team, i can never fault someone for going for more money. even if it's from a rival like the rangers. i hated holik for leaving and hated him for going to the rangers. but i don't blame him. frankly, patrik can have any reason he likes, should he chose to leave. none will soothe the wound should he go, but he's earned the right to go where he pleases for how ever much he can get. the devils won two cups and he played a major factor in both. he's been their best player not named brodeur, stevens, or neidermayer for the last five years.

i'll be bitterly disappointed if he leaves, but i'll hold no ill will.

[Risky]

He means guys like Guerin, Johnny Mac, Holik, etc.

And Niedermayer. You can talk to me again when he wins a cup with any other team but the Devils. The WCF may as well be 16th place by the time 2007 rolls around.

[LucifersDog]

sundstrom so right you are. It's like SC DEVS FAN posted money is money. It's easy for us to say what's a couple of Million when you are getting 5 M but most if not all of us would jump at the extra money to do the same. How many cars can one buy with a trophy.

[Triumph]

And Niedermayer. You can talk to me again when he wins a cup with any other team but the Devils. The WCF may as well be 16th place by the time 2007 rolls around.

I have no clue what you're talking about - the Ducks have the best young forward prospect corps in all of hockey possibly. Perry, Getzlaf, Lupul, and Ryan will all be excellent players for the next 10 years.

I'm glad Niedermayer walked because he wasn't worth a max contract, at least not on this team as it is currently - he's not a good enough PP QB to deserve one. The 'Canes are showing you can with with a solid top 6.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

I have no clue what you're talking about - the Ducks have the best young forward prospect corps in all of hockey possibly. Perry, Getzlaf, Lupul, and Ryan will all be excellent players for the next 10 years.

I'm glad Niedermayer walked because he wasn't worth a max contract, at least not on this team as it is currently - he's not a good enough PP QB to deserve one. The 'Canes are showing you can with with a solid top 6.

the way the ducks used him this year he was worth 6 million dollars. It was amazing he totally controled the transition game, and just kept on setting up beauchimen for one timers. He's on the ice for 30 minutes a night, and completly dominates play. I'd love to have him back.

[MantaRay]

Blah blah, how do you like the new NHL, etc.?, questions.

Said the arena in Newark is still going to go up. Talking now about last off-season and how he waited a bit too long with Niedermayer. A new coach is in the near future, and it appears Pat Burns is pretty much out of the question.

A little annoyed they didn't ask about Elias...

You were assuming that WFAN knows something about hockey, which they don't. The only reason Lou was on WFAN is that they have to promote the Devils as one of their properties, the two clown hosts must have hated the fact they had to talk about hockey.

The 'Canes are showing you can with with a solid top 6.

Which is what I have been preaching forever here. Quality top six is the most important factor in any SC run.

[Risky]

I have no clue what you're talking about - the Ducks have the best young forward prospect corps in all of hockey possibly. Perry, Getzlaf, Lupul, and Ryan will all be excellent players for the next 10 years.

I'm glad Niedermayer walked because he wasn't worth a max contract, at least not on this team as it is currently - he's not a good enough PP QB to deserve one. The 'Canes are showing you can with with a solid top 6.

What I mean is that the WCF means nothing if you don't win the championship. All I was saying is that supporters of Niedermayer's move can talk to me when he is holding up another cup. Until that happens, all the Ducks have is "potential," and we see how far that's gotten Ottawa.

And Niedermayer absolutely was worth what Lou offered him. It was the sum total of McGillis and Malakov. I don't necessarily care that he can't QB the PP when he is the most dominating defenseman in the game.

[redruM]

And Niedermayer absolutely was worth what Lou offered him. It was the sum total of McGillis and Malakov. I don't necessarily care that he can't QB the PP when he is the most dominating defenseman in the game.

I agree 1000%... Neids is a playmaker.. a difference maker.. the player the other team has to find on the ice at all times... and the DEVILS missed him a TON this year....

[Devils731]

How much of McGillis and Malakhov's contracts were counting against the cap when Elias' salary came back on the cap? Or would the Devils have waived Nieds then?

[peteyvegas]

I wont start to panic until I see that our defensemen are still playing at center ice while we are on offense. If the system stays the same, it doesn't matter who we have on the roster.

[Triumph]

How much of McGillis and Malakhov's contracts were counting against the cap when Elias' salary came back on the cap? Or would the Devils have waived Nieds then?

The Devils would've never signed Mogilny and would've traded/waived Viktor Kozlov - problem solved.

There's no question Niedermayer's contract would have been prohibitively large - anyway, it's not worth discussing since it didn't happen, and I don't think we would've been particularly better or worse with Niedermayer, since you can't just stick him on the roster without taking off 7.6 million in salary.

[Pepperkorn]

How many cars can one buy with a trophy.

now i would have gone for the laugh here and writ "How many hummers can you buy with a trophy"

wait a sec... I bet a photo with Lord Stanley can "buy" plenty actually....

and for the clean of thought I know Stevens has gotten at least two cars free and clear actually - one as payment for a signing and then whathisface's present...

[Devilsdude530]

I guess when he said soon, he wasn't kidding as far as a coach goes.

[coldply123]

Niedermayer played poorly versus the Oilers when his team needed him most. He led that team with Selanne to the postseason though.

[Pepperkorn]

Niedermayer will learn progressively and could lead his team to victory yet... but it honestly all pends on his team trusting him. Most teams aren't that solid. They aren�t built for trust and/or GMs just can�t toe the line and trust the team as a whole to succeed -- they bring in the �ringer� who at this level is kind of stupid� everyone is a pro, a ringer� you know? These ringers tend to sabotage trust more than foster it. Salanne has to stand behind Niedermayer for at least 4 seasons and WAIT for that Cup� most guys aren�t willing to do that � they have to stick their fat patties in a screw it all up. Nieds is capable � he just needs to maintain focus and trust himself and then his teammates. It�ll be a LOT more work in Anaheim than it was with the Devils � but I think he�ll be able to do it � unless he runs out of time.

The Devils have a cycle of trust. Lou had a LOT of trust to earn back after last years trouble. This is why he can't shilly shally and earn trust by stroking one guys ego. I think he was moved to do that so that individuals felt that they WERE appreciated for their individual value despite the team focus. I think they've all seen that the priority has to be on the team the majority of the time - you normally don�t have the luxury to stroke one guy --- Holik they had the room for it. Nieds they didn't but felt it was a decent gamble -- turns out Lou trust was misplaced.

I trust Elias. Whatever Lou offers is THE RIGHT OFFER for what is best for Elias as a Devil. If it�s not best for Elias as a person, yeah � he�s got to go where he�s got to go. I have no problem with that. But he can�t be hurt like so many other have been in the past � being �hurt� damaged Lou�s credibility with them obviously and Lou felt he had to go out on a limb for all to see� that one guy can be worth it even if he�s not willing to play ball like Stevens and Brodeur. He even brought Mogilny back -- just stroking guys just can�t be part of the equation at this juncture and I�m sure Elias knows it and I personally feel like he�ll be back with reasonable numbers� but I�ll know for sure after 2pm

I also trust Gomez�I trust him more than I do Elias and I�ll be crestfallen if that trust is misplaced

[StarDew]

Gomez's dad is his agent. Dad has said several times that he cannot wait until Gomez is an UFA. He really wants to see how much money he can negotiate for him. The only mention the Devs was that he will have Gomer sign a 1 yr contract only. Anyone recall this??? It has to be a post somewhere. Maybe I heard during a game or intermission however I do remember hearing this. Maybe it was during the lock out. I digress.

[Z-Man]

Speaking of which, here is Julien's interview on Mike & the Mad Dog today....

http://wfan.com/home..._164175440.html