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Devils sign Eric Boulton


iamtheprodigy

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Regardless of the fact that I now agree on the idiocy of this deal (two fvcking years?), how is a 'break-even player' on a team like Atlanta going to get 'eaten alive' on a team like New Jersey?

A: he wasn't a break even player - atlanta was outshot by an average of 2 shots per 60 minutes when he was on the ice (although adjusting for zone start it's probably around even). somehow he's managed to have an average shooting percentage on ice which is weird for a 4th liner.

B: he's 35

C: if he takes any shifts with cam janssen, who is already moving stuff backwards, even with steckel that line would be very not good.

Edited by Triumph
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Regardless of the fact that I now agree on the idiocy of this deal (two fvcking years?), how is a 'break-even player' on a team like Atlanta going to get 'eaten alive' on a team like New Jersey?

See Peters, Andrew.

I'm sorry, but that's all this deal looks like to me. You have to assume everyone's offensive numbers drop some when they come to the Devils, and Boulton just doesn't provide enough offense to make his other attributes (re: being a goon) worth it.

Two years is ridiculous, even at league minimum. I honestly have no clue as to the reasoning here...and I can usually reason just about any ridiculous move the Devils make...

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A: he wasn't a break even player - atlanta was outshot by an average of 2 shots per 60 minutes when he was on the ice (although adjusting for zone start it's probably around even). somehow he's managed to have an average shooting percentage on ice which is weird for a 4th liner.

B: he's 35

C: if he takes any shifts with cam janssen, who is already moving stuff backwards, even with steckel that line would be very not good.

hmm...

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See Peters, Andrew.

I'm sorry, but that's all this deal looks like to me. You have to assume everyone's offensive numbers drop some when they come to the Devils, and Boulton just doesn't provide enough offense to make his other attributes (re: being a goon) worth it.

Two years is ridiculous, even at league minimum. I honestly have no clue as to the reasoning here...and I can usually reason just about any ridiculous move the Devils make...

As amazing as this sounds, Boulton is a way better player than Peters. But still, I don't see this deal being for less than 750k per season.

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Just posted on the Devils Youtube channel. Not sure who was in the background but they were very close to flashing all of us.

Interviewer: "A lot of Devils fans remember the hattrick last season. Is that what Eric Boulton is agoing to be about or something else?"

Boulton: "Something else"

Translation: You guys were so sh*tty last year even I could score three goals on you. That was half the goals I got all last season.

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I remember this guy. Lit us up for a hat trick last year. As a matter of fact, I remember proclaiming we had hit rock bottom after that game, seeing as how Eric Boulton lit us up for a hat trick and all. I mean, he's a LW and he pretty much blows, so I don't get this one at all.

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right now NJ has 5 guys for 4 spots, assuming palmieri makes the team: pelley, zharkov, clarkson, janssen, boulton. even if palmieri doesn't make the team it makes it something like this:

parise-zajac-zubrus

kovalchuk-elias-tedenby

rolston-josefson-clarkson

boulton-steckel-zharkov

ex: pelley, janssen

i don't see how they could get rid of clarkson given that he's the only right handed shot on the RW who we know is an NHL grade player, and it's not like the organization has anyone other than palmieri who is even close to being an NHL player at right wing.

Edited by Triumph
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Clarkson is a RW though, Boulton is a LW. Besides Clarkson is a much better offensive player than Boulton. Replacing Clarkson with Boulton especially when it really wasn't necessary in terms of the cap makes no sense to me.

I just think it's an old school "we need enforcers" signing when really they are completely useless in today's NHL. If forced to Clarkson can handle that job perfectly fine, and he contributes elsewhere.

EDIT:

The best case I can make for this Boulton signing is that Clarkson doesn't have to worry about fighting next year, which means he can concentrate on the other aspects of his game.

Edited by halfsharkalligatorhalfman
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I don't know. IMO the Devils have been kind of pusehd around a lot in the past few seasons. There have been a lot of players that like to take liberties with Marty or Kovy and there's not much retaliation. In addition the other teams in our division typically have more than one goon on their squad. Might as well keep up with the Joneses.

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it's not that boulton directly takes clarkson's job - clarkson fights middleweights and lightweights only, he's not an 'enforcer' - but it's that boulton and janssen contribute to 'team toughness' as does clarkson. pelley doesn't have any value so i can't see this deal directly giving the heave-ho to pelley. same with zharkov. i can't see a scenario where zubrus is moved.

Edited by Triumph
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