NJayDevil

Devils-Senators Preview October 9, 2002 GAME: New Jersey Devils (41-28-9-4) at Ottawa Senators (39-27-9-7). TIME: Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT. The New Jersey Devils have long been a team associated with defense. This season, the offensive contributions of their defensemen could be critical to their success. The Devils take on the Ottawa Senators at the Corel Centre in the season opener for both teams. General manager Lou Lamoriello decided to address the needs on his blue line during the offseason, and acquired Oleg Tverdovsky as part of a five-player deal that sent top right wing Petr Sykora to Anaheim. The deal allows new Devils coach Pat Burns to form three versatile defense pairings that will feature one puck-moving defenseman on each unit in Tverdovsky, Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski. The trio combined for 24 goals and 88 assists in 2001-02. ``We have the talent,'' goaltender Martin Brodeur said. ``It's a matter of putting everything together. (Burns) expects different things than the other coaches we've had. It will be interesting to see how everybody understands what he wants us to do and how long it takes us to figure out the way we will be successful.'' The Devils will be trying to create a new offensive identity this season. Burns must figure out where the scoring will come from beyond the top line of Joe Nieuwendyk, Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner. Even that No. 1 forward unit looks considerably different from last season, when the ``A-Line'' of Elias, Sykora and Jason Arnott, traded to Dallas for Nieuwendyk, was the Devils' top line. The biggest void is at second-line center, the position occupied by 25-goal scorer Bobby Holik until he departed in the offseason to sign a five-year, $45 million contract with the archrival New York Rangers. In addition, the Devils must contend with the questions that followed last year's first-round playoff exit after winning the Eastern Conference title in 1999-00 and 2000-01. ``I think there is a 50-50 feeling about this team,'' center Scott Gomez said. ``Half the media and the fans are thinking we are going to be in deep trouble and rebuilding. The other half thinks we are one of the top four in the East. I think we'll be all right.'' The Senators did not make many personnel changes to a team that reached the Eastern Conference semifinals and lost a seven-game series to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The biggest news for Jacques Martin's team was who did not make the final roster -- 19-year-old center Jason Spezza. The second overall pick in the 2001 draft and Ottawa native was one of the final cuts, getting sent to Binghamton of the AHL on Tuesday. Ottawa does hope winger Petr Schatslivy will be able to fill the void left by departed veteran Shawn McEachern. Schatslivy had 35 points in 31 games for AHL affiliate Grand Rapids last season. 2001-02 STANDINGS: Devils - 95 points, 3rd place, 2 PB, Atlantic Division. Senators - 94 points, 3rd place, 7 PB, Northeast Division. 2001-02 TEAM LEADERS: Devils - Elias, 29 goals and 61 points; Rafalski, 40 assists; Colin White, 133 PIM. Senators - Daniel Alfredsson, 37 goals and 71 points; Radek Bonk, 45 assists; Chris Neil, 231 PIM. 2001-02 SPECIAL TEAMS: Devils - Power play: 16.9 percent (44 for 261), 9th in NHL. Penalty killing: 83.7 percent (221 for 264), 20th. Senators - Power play: 16.6 percent (55 for 331), 10th. Penalty killing: 84.4 percent (259 for 307), 17th. GOALTENDERS: Devils - Brodeur (38-26-9, 4 SO, 2.15 GAA); Corey Schwab (12-10-5, 1, 2.73 with Maple Leafs). Senators - Patrick Lalime (27-24-8, 7, 2.48); Martin Prusek (0-1-0, 2.90). SEASON SERIES: Devils, 3-1. Brodeur was the difference in New Jersey's three wins, turning aside 88 of 91 shots. He had 39 saves in a 2-0 victory at the Corel Centre on Dec. 15, then led the Devils to a home-and-home sweep with 49 saves in a three-day span. Elias had two goals and two assists in those two victories, 3-2 on Oct. 20 and 2-1 on Oct. 23. Lalime stopped 52 of 59 shots in the three losses for the Senators. LAST MEETING: Dec. 22; Senators, 1-0. At East Rutherford, N.J., Jani Hurme made 14 of his 23 saves in the second period, and Mike Fisher scored in the second as the Senators avoided a season sweep. ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Devils - 19-15-5-2 on the road; Senators - 21-13-3-4 at home. http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news/ap/200210...orspreview.html

Elias-Fed-Little G OHHHHH BABY!!! lmao If Lou signs Federov then hell has frozen over.

heh, I'm done with predictions now bring on the games!!! I never listen to the ESPN idiots and their predicts and never will.

im going to watch the Rag$ tonight and ever other game that is on that I can watch cauz its HOCKEY BABY!!!! WOOHOO!!!! The wait for the Devs is ALMOST over, im very excited.

OMFG!!! GREATEST NEWS OF THE OFFSEASON!!! GOOOOOOOOOODBYE TOMMY YOU PIECE OF SH1T!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/5784003 Devils aren't mentioned as East or Cup Champs but 2 people say Atlantic Division Champs.....

http://www.faceoff.com/nhl/rankings/1008_2002.html Rank LW TEAM Record Bottom Line 1 _ Detroit Red Wings _ Who's better at finding good, young talent? 2 _ Colorado Avalanche _ Fill hole left by Bourque with Morris trade. 3 _ Dallas Stars _ Could have three dangerous scoring lines. 4 _ New Jersey Devils _ Transition game better with Tverdovsky. 5 _ Vancouver Canucks _ Defence is better if Salo can stay off IR. 6 _ San Jose Sharks _ Kiprusoff no Nabokov, but not chicken feed. 7 _ Carolina Hurricanes _ Could be slowed by Kapanen ankle injury. 8 _ Toronto Maple Leafs _ Defence remains biggest question mark. 9 _ Los Angeles Kings _ Smolinski needs to return to 2000-01 form. 10 _ Montreal Canadiens _ Three forward lines clicking in pre-season. 11 _ Ottawa Senators _ Talent is there

Would never want Hatcher on this team because he is terrible. I dont think he is a good D at all, and what he did to Arnie and Sykie during the Finals was cheap and that guy can rot in hell for all I care.

Well I wanted Theo and now I can say that I was DEAD wrong for ever wanting him back. I do very much stand corrected.

i cant join another one, Ive been told that Yahoo only allows you to join 4 hockey leagues are a time and im in 4 of them. Same goes for every sport, the max is 4 teams you can have. That is what Ive been told.

yeah me too...Oh well, he will still produce mega points there and will be on the PP with Mario and that just equals points.

yeah Turg is definitely a toss up. He was pretty terrible last year but this year he is back with his points buddy Scott Young and they were really great together in St. Louis so one would think that they will continue that great performance but sometimes you never know I guess. I think Turg will have a nice rebound year but he isn't going to single handedly bring the Stars to the finals, he's going to need alittle help from Modano and Billme and Turco has to come through like maybe believe/hope he can/will.

Eddie in Tor is a big toss up. I think he might lead the Leafs decently in the regular season but will not have what it takes to bring them a cup, no way.

im going with 3-1 Devs. 1-0 Devs after first period. 2-1 after 2nd, and then empty netter.

Yeah me and probably others have come to the conclusion that he isn't a Devs fan and just likes to say the same thing over and over again. We say something about the Devils, it's always the same answer back "Oh man, looks like the Devs are in for a long year...or...Prepare for the 2002-03 season". He's like an answer machine, same thing over and over again.

Thanx for your input KD, I really wanted to know it.

I would pick Elias over: Satan, Deadmarsh, Lucky Luc, Shanahan and it's a close call between him and Naslund, but I would choose Naslund over Elias. Only LW in this game I would choose Elias over, other than that the rest can kiss my ass.

blah blah blah. All im reading in this thread. Yuck.

Elias over Satan, no fvcking doubt about that.

Im all for meeting up at the home opener.

I would want Vinny L but not at any high price. And I agree with sundtstrom there about if the Blues stink up the joint this year that Weight or Pavel could be on the block and they would mostly definitely take in a Raf or Nieder type player since Pronger is injury-prone and MacInnis is reaching the end of his career. So if the Devs get a #1 type center, i say look for it to come from the Blues.

Let's not jump to conclusions.

I dont know. Raf gets his fair share of points for Fantasy and I think Raf is a better fantasy player because of this reason: +/-. Leetch's +/- hasn't nearly been as good as Raf's the past couple of years.

Elias is Elite. Those #'s explain it all. Tied with ex-Devil Shanahan for 2nd in pts among LW's and only 1 little point behind 1st. That is an accomplishment. I think Elias is getting that other "A" with the way Burns has been talking.

Langenbrunner is a first liner because he meshes well with Neuwy. Langy is a Arnott type player, now I'm not saying he IS Arnott but he can be compare to Arnie but how he is the physical part of the line, the type of guy who can go into the corners with force and dish the puck out to Elias and Neuwy. He doesn't have the same offensive power like Arnie but can still score goals, there is no doubt about that.