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The following players are under contract for the upcoming year I believe.

The players returning on D:
Brooks Uchevatov Matteucci Redlihs Giroux Cole plus the new signees

The forwards:
Cameron Clouithier Darby Foster Goulla Johansson Berglund Hulbig Hartsburg Rupp
Bicek plus signees.

Crozier is/was not Devils property he was loaned to Albany from the Wild.
Dezainde will probably not be back as he left the team to play in Europe after learning he was being sent to Columbus(ECHL) last year.

The Pepsi Arena does sound bad. More people then not still refer to it as the Knickerbocker.

Actually, at this time the only thing that the Devils could do is not renew there working agreement with the Rats after the 03-04 season. I've heard that the management/ownership of the Rats has been looking to build it's own 4 to 5 thousand seat venue in the Albany area as I believe the lease with county for the Pepsi arena ends in 03-04 as well.
If the affiliation is not renewed there would be 4 possible options for the Riverrats:
1) Operate as an independent team in the AHL.
2) Sign a new agreement with a different NHL team.
3) Move down to the UHL or ECHL
4) Fold

As stated above with the rumors of them trying to build a smaller venue options 2 and 3 seem the most logical.

However, there could be a good chance at renewel of the working agreement with the Devils. Location and less pressure being in a smaller town could help the prospects, adjust to pro hockey.

Wouldn't you be a little upset if you were a season ticket holder and payed for 40 games, yet only received 39. The main selling point for season tickets is the same seat for every game. They are probably going to only offer a ticket voucher for a seat. How do you think the corperations who own the prime seats would feel if the Devils played a regular season game in Albany and they were not guarenteed the prime seats and had to take seats in the upper level? Besides even if I was able to have the same seats at the CAA as I do at the Pepsi. I would probably not be able to go anyway. Who can drive down there on a week night and make it to work the next day. Very poor planing by management.