Nature's Minister Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 But that's not such a terrible thing. I think with the Hrdina and Kozlov trades, Lou was looking ahead to next year. I'm pretty certain Suglobov will make the big club. Maybe Parise, too, although he'll probably spend a little time in Albany. Along with Elias, Gionta, Gomez, Langenbrunner, Friesen? Hrdina and Kozlov, that isn't a half bad offense. If Madden stays, we're in great shape. In a couple years, we might have the scariest offense in the league again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekes Head Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I want everyone to repeat the following statement: "It is not impossible to win the Cup, but it is improbable. This team is capable of anything, and I am just happy we did not sacrafice the future for the present. I will support this team and I will cheer them on, no matter how far they go." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deviledeggs Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I am with ya... But I will not count them out of anything till its over.... GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DEVILS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 (edited) We need NJay back from vacation. I need more blind enthusiasm, unparallelled optimism with no basis in reality, more unbridled energy.... "It is not impossible to win the Cup, but it is improbable. This team is capable of anything, and I am just happy we did not sacrafice the future for the present. I will support this team and I will cheer them on, no matter how far they go." Edited March 11, 2004 by Don Whiting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizDevil30 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 You just gotta believe. They weren't supposed to win last year either. But 'supposed to' really doesn't matter, that's why you play the games. As for this season being lost, not for me, I got to see my favorite team, play my favorite sport. A lost season will be if there is no hockey next year, actually that will be a tragic season. LETS GO DEVILS! WE BELIEVE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Dog Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 As I said in another post, I always liked the Devils chances when we were considered the underdog. If Stevens is back for the playoffs the emotional lift it would give the team could take it past the first round. Depending on upsets and then matchups anything is possible. I still am anxious to see what Koslov can do. I'm hopeful that he can play this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 If we're talking future, the Devils can't afford to keep guys like Langenbrunner and Friesen. They will command 4 million plus on the open market, too rich for our blood. If we're talking present, the Devils have as good a shot to make it through the East as any other team. With Scott Stevens back, the Devils are still the toughest matchup in the league in a 7 game series. You have to play the Devils game better than they do to beat them, and I'm not convinced anyone in the East is capable of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOTCB Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Ill say this much, wasnt it in 2000 when the Devils slumped bad at the end of the year and they looked dead to rights? And like Lazarus, they rose from the dead and won the Cup? From this vantage point as a non-Devils fan: Until someone beats them, they are the favorites and a MAJOR threat to every other team in the playoffs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissionHockey Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 If we're talking future, the Devils can't afford to keep guys like Langenbrunner and Friesen. They will command 4 million plus on the open market, too rich for our blood. What has Friesen done to warrent a raise? He brought his value up last season during the playoffs but (IMO at least) took two steps back with this horrid season of his. I'm not sure how much Langenbrunner costs now, but I don't think he deserves that kind of money either. Elias makes 4.7, so for him to earn 4 million I think he should come close to his production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 (edited) If we're talking future, the Devils can't afford to keep guys like Langenbrunner and Friesen. They will command 4 million plus on the open market, too rich for our blood. That presumes an open market. Edited March 11, 2004 by Don Whiting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Before we suffer too much angst, just sit back and watch what will happen. Let's not concern ourselves with what may happen. I offered the same advice last year. To take a line from the lotto comercials: "Hey, you never know." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 It's a good presumption, Don. The league isn't going to get a salary cap, odds are they get a luxury tax kind of system. Teams like the Wings and Rangers won't care about the luxury tax, and that gives more money for everyone around the league to spend. This means higher player salaries through the redistribution of revenue. I'm not saying after this season, I'm saying when Jamie and Jeff turn 31. One won't be a Devil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djstubbs Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 More times than not, the underdog wins the conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteyNice Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Didn't Langenbrunner sign a long term contract before last season? As for Friesen, I cannot see any team giving him $4 mil a year in the current system let alone one with a salary cap/luxury tax in it. The only guy on the current team I worry about keeping in Nieds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekes Head Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I'm not saying after this season, I'm saying when Jamie and Jeff turn 31. One won't be a Devil. If that's the case, I'd take Jamie anyday over Freeze... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nieuwy25 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I think Jamie signed a 3 year contract last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daneyko_booster Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Wow, people are eager to write them off. The only significant changes I see are swapping Nieuwendyk for Kozlov (downgrade), Rheaume for Hrdina (upgrade), and the bottom 4 defence (upgrade). How that makes this year's team that much different from last year's team I'm not sure. Obviously in terms of leadership and intangibles Nieuwy brings more to the table, but I just can't see this team as being all that much worse than last years, and actually, I think Martin is playing better than any of the bottom 4 D from last year (including (GASP) Dano). That said, Martin's not playoff tested. It's not going to be some kind of cakewalk to the Cup given how strong Ottawa, Philly, and Toronto are, but I'm not going to be doom and gloom before the puck even drops in the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundstrom Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 i actually don't know that kozlov is such a downgrade over nieuwendyk. assuming kozlov plays, then it won't take much to match joe n's output from last year's run. he didn't play in the finals, he missed games vs. ottawa, and was well below average in the opening two rounds. he centered freisen and langenbrunner at times who both played well. but i don't remember nieuwendyk being all that impressive last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteyNice Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I made a post about this in another thread, but I will repeat it here. Nieuwendyke played a vital role of #1/#2 center on this team. Can Kozlov do it? Who knows, he hasn't played yet. If he can great, if he can't then we are in trouble. As for the D, Martin is better than any of our bottom 4 last year but last year's group was deeper and stronger overall. There was noone as bad Brown and all the guys had playoff experience (and Albelein was a year younger). I am not trying to be all doom and gloom but I just don't buy that this team top to bottom is as talented or more so than last year's Championship edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekes Head Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 It's all speculation, we don't know what Kozlov can really bring to the table until he ACTUALLY brings something to the table. So basically, we cannot compare him to ANYONE until we see him out there skating in the black and red. We need to see him in a couple games before we can make any sort of judgement on him. I think that's what's so difficult about it, when you acquire a player you want to know RIGHT away who you've gotten. Sure, we know who we've received, his name is Viktor Kozlov...but we do not know what he's made of yet, we can only pass judgement on his days with OTHER teams, not us. So I will refrain from making any form of judgement on him until he plays for us. Hopefully that'll be soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I'm tired of people analyzing our team. I really don't think that's what makes a difference. Plus we're coming off a Cup win, so analyses like that don't make a whole lot of difference in my opinion. You've got to be a better team to win the Cup the year after you win it. Boston has upgraded everywhere. They have added Gonchar and Nylander, Bergeron and Raycroft, without losing any key players. Tampa Bay has upgraded. Sydor is an improvement. Frederik Modin is playing up to his talent. St. Louis is even better, if that can be believed. Ottawa has upgraded. DeVries is a huge improvement over the Devils best forward last year, Karel Rachunek. Bondra is an improvement. Not to mention Toronto and Philadelphia. The East was weak last year, this year it is stronger. We'll have to beat better teams. That's why we have better forwards. The season isn't lost, though. Lou did what he could do make the team better, without sacrificing the future. He got two productive forwards for two healthy scratches. With our defense and goalie, we've got as good a shot as anyone. That's as good as we're going to do at a trade deadline that became a seller's market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohbear Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 How's this for blind enthusiasm, Don.... Igor with the game winning goal!! Seriously, we can do eet!!!! We will do eet!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nature's Minister Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 I think it's more like Rasmussen for Rheaume and Hrdina and Kozlov for Nieuwendyk and Rupp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteyNice Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Rupp only played after Nieuwendyke got hurt last year so you can't really throw him into the mix like that. It gets kind of complicated. If you assume Kozlov and Hrdina both play center, then I would say Kozlov replaces Nieuwendyke, Hrdina replaces Rheume and Rassmussen replaces McKenzie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nature's Minister Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 How about Larionov, then? best player ever, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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