Our Most Important Acquisition?

[coldply123]

In order:

1. Sutter (If you cant understand this, you dont understand hockey and clearly arent or have been a Devils Fan)

2. Weekes (He can have some sh!tty games from time to time, but he has a tendency to come in for one game and shut the other team down, which is what we need, to give Marty a breather and still win some games. No offense to Clemmy, but it seemed like we had to have half the team and all the concession vendors backchecking to help him out. The only reason he was on the team was salary pinch and thats it. Weekes is a sizable upgrade.

3. Vishnevski (Some people may go, WHAT? But I think this could be very big if Vishnevski smoothes the edges to his defensive game, but keeps the nastiness and physicality he has used. Too often we see Marty get bumrushed by idiot forwards like Avery, Carter, etc. Well, hopefully VV will end that.)

4. Zubrus (He'd be higher if he didnt have a reputation of sometimes being enigmatic in his starts with new teams. Otherwise hes actually a very capable fill in for Gomez and the numbers Gomez had. Nonetheless, the Devils will have to adapt a new offensive style with Zubrus than the speed rush they had with Gomez, but I think thats manageable, especially with a coach like Sutter.

[Candydog]

BRENT SUTTER! NUFF SAID!

DEVILS FAN FOR LIFE, DEATH TO LEAF NATION!

[Derek21]

I'd say Zubrus because the Devils committed a lot of years to him. He has to prove that his last two seasons with Ovechkin weren't a fluke. Because before that, he was a classic tease.

On paper, he seems like a solid addition and good fit for the Devil system. Time will tell how it pans out.

[metallidevils]

Sutter, then Zubrus. Vishnevski, Weekes, and Rachunek are more or less a dime a dozen. They add depth, but if we didn't obtain these players it certainly wouldn't have been a big deal.

[djskellington]

So far - Sutter.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't know all that much about him until a few days ago. But the more I've been reading about him the more he sounds perfect. And it's pretty damn cool seeing the Devils logo on http://www.reddeerrebels.com/

(and while this is somewhat sacrilegious... their logo is pretty cool too)

[MantaRay]

anyone keeping track of these Manta predictions?

So far we've got 'Our power play will be better than last year' and 'Zubrus will be on the 4th line'

Neither of these things will be true - you think Lou is going to lock up a guy for 6 years if he doubts his commitment to winning?

[Devils731]

Martin already worked the PP last season so I don't see him playing it this season adding all that much. I think the Rachunek over mostly White is a good upgrade and Zubrus will probably be a better fit than Gomez on the PP. I tend to think the team will be about league average again on the PP.

I don't see how you can think the PP gets better if you think Zubrus is crap though.

[harpua19]

As much as I say Zubrus I gotta say Sutter. He won't bring the goals and assist were gonna get from zubrus, but hes gonna give us balls again

[Nature's Minister]

Watch Rachunek surprise everyone and have an awesome season.

Only to revert back to form or be signed away next year.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Nature's Minister

[Triumph]

Yes, you really should be keeping track with my predictions as I am not one to boast and keep telling you "I told you so".

I am sure Lou thought Kozlov, McGillis, Malakhov and Mogliny along with Tverdovsky and Zuzyin were great acquisitions too. Lou was desperate and forced to sign Zubrus. Much like we were desperate to sign McGillis and Malakhov when lost Nieds and Mogilny when Elias contracted Hep B.

Last year with Gomer and Rafi we were ranked 16th on the PP, yes I believe we will be better next year.

We now have more than 1 player (Rafi) who can run the PP. The acquisition of VV and a healthy Matvichuk will allow Martin to work the PP along with Greene and Rachenuk.

[njskaguy33]

Most important acquisition, by a nose, would have to be Sutter. The one thing that the Devs have been missing over the last few years is an identity. We haven't seen true Devils discipline since Pat burns was running the show and Sutter should provide that kick in the a$$. Our younger payers, (Zajac, Parise) will also be even better under his leadership. Everyone will be held accountable for their play from now on and it's about time!

Number two would have to be Zubrus. I spent a month in DC last year and got a chance to go to a few Caps games, so I was able to see Zubrus in action. He's seems to be the kind of player that opens up oppurtunities for others and is always "in the play". I remember being pretty impressed by him...amazing since your attention is constantly on Ovechkin when you watch the Caps! I can see him as a Brylin style player who will fit well in the Devils system. All we need is one more scorer....

[MantaRay]

Hmm.. Malakhov, McGillis, and Mogilny were signed for.. 2 years each. Zubrus? 6 years.

Zubrus on the 4th line is pure lol - he'll take some nights off but if he's a bust like you think he will be, our PP will be between 25-30th and we'll miss the playoffs.

Martin was already working the PP - none of these guys are close to Rafalski when it comes to passing or even shooting ability.

[Triumph]

Re: Zubrus - this isn't a desperation move. A lot of people around here were saying Zubrus was our best option before July 1. He is. He can play any situation, any position - and grinds the puck down low. If Lou wanted a desperation move, he would've signed Robert Lang or Michael Nylander. Zubrus was the Devils' best option from day 1 and I'm pumped we got him.

I definitely don't see someone being picked up between now and camp to play between Elias and Gionta. How in the world is that going to happen? Jason Allison? Alexei Yashin? Eric Lindros? No one's available who's any good - Zubrus is the guy.

You realize in your wondrous defensive scheme that you dressed 7 defensemen, right? Martin's not a good PP QB - he takes too long with his decisions and has a worse shot than Rafalski. This isn't like we're freeing up Paul Coffey here - Martin is probably below league average when you consider all PP QBs (not all defensemen). Does he get more points than Rafalski? Of course not. He won't even come close. And he'll still have to PK, because Greene and Rachunek aren't going to.

[Devils731]

I really disagree Manta. Martin was a fixture on the 2nd PP unit. He QBed the second PP unit with White most games and a little bit of Ouyda and Luko throw in.

[Triumph]

I really disagree Manta. Martin was a fixture on the 2nd PP unit. He QBed the second PP unit with White most games and a little bit of Ouyda and Luko throw in.

[MantaRay]

Re: Zubrus - this isn't a desperation move. A lot of people around here were saying Zubrus was our best option before July 1. He is. He can play any situation, any position - and grinds the puck down low. If Lou wanted a desperation move, he would've signed Robert Lang or Michael Nylander. Zubrus was the Devils' best option from day 1 and I'm pumped we got him.

I definitely don't see someone being picked up between now and camp to play between Elias and Gionta. How in the world is that going to happen? Jason Allison? Alexei Yashin? Eric Lindros? No one's available who's any good - Zubrus is the guy.

You realize in your wondrous defensive scheme that you dressed 7 defensemen, right? Martin's not a good PP QB - he takes too long with his decisions and has a worse shot than Rafalski. This isn't like we're freeing up Paul Coffey here - Martin is probably below league average when you consider all PP QBs (not all defensemen). Does he get more points than Rafalski? Of course not. He won't even come close. And he'll still have to PK, because Greene and Rachunek aren't going to.

[Triumph]

Alot of people were here were saying we should have signed Sykora, Drury, Briere, Lindros, Ohlund, Morrison, and countless others as well.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Triumph

[Devils731]

Martin should get more secondary or easy assists than Rafalski did this season. The 2nd PP unit really only had 1 scorer on it in Parise and the first PP unit had 3 decent options in Langs, Elias, and Gionta. The 1st PP unit will have 4 decent options this season, I think, so that will lead to more primary and secondary assists for Martin just by default. I think part of when Martin looked so horrible is that he couldn't trust his other point man most of the time. So I think Martin is probably better at running the PP than he looked last season because the other pieces of the 2nd unit were so unhelpful, IMO.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Devils731

[MantaRay]

Drury signed for twice the money Zubrus did - Briere too. By reading Lou's quotes before the signing period began, it was obvious that these players were never coming to New Jersey - once the word 'sanity' appears, you know they're not getting the 'top' guys.

You claimed because people on this site were talking about Zubrus we would get him. I just pointed out people here talked about everyone coming here.

Not to mention you, who claimed the Devils top six was 'the best in hockey' at the time. This isn't an argument. And Lou had plenty of leverage - or are you honestly saying that Lou didn't know that Gomez was gone? I'd hope he was negotiating with several players.

Edited July 16, 2007 by MantaRay

[Triumph]

Yes, I am blaming the Flyers - like Josef Vasicek, Zubrus's career was stalled because he was not given enough (any) time in the minors. He came straight from the OHL into the NHL - it's a rare player who can do this. You see a lot of players come into the league well, then plateau for several seasons between 20-24 - some guys work out of it, some don't. This is especially true of bigger players.

He was not picked off the scrap heap - he was traded in a big deal between Washington and Montreal. These are both teams who haven't had any success, so they had no idea how to use a guy like Zubrus.

'His talent' isn't that exciting - I'm not pencilng the guy in for 70 points or 25 goals. 'His talent' will create goals for Elias and Gionta that Gomez couldn't last year. That's all. He's a better fit for NJ than Gomez.

731, while the second unit didn't have a 'scorer', Sergei Brylin got 8 power play goals last year, which is pretty damned good. I really don't see Martin outscoring Rafalski - outscoring himself, yes, Rafalski, no.

[msweet]

'His talent' isn't that exciting - I'm not pencilng the guy in for 70 points or 25 goals. 'His talent' will create goals for Elias and Gionta that Gomez couldn't last year. That's all. He's a better fit for NJ than Gomez.

731, while the second unit didn't have a 'scorer', Sergei Brylin got 8 power play goals last year, which is pretty damned good. I really don't see Martin outscoring Rafalski - outscoring himself, yes, Rafalski, no.

I'm not sure why this point is so confusing to so many posters.

Gomez = Small + can't win puck on boards (and doesn't backcheck)

Zubrus = Big + win pucks and create room for G & E

For NJ, Zubrus > Gomez

And Brylin was very good on the 2nd PP unit, considering how little time they would get on the pp. Look for him to get some more minutes off his 4th line perch there this year.

[SatansDevils]

1-Zubris

2-Sutter

3-Vishnevski

4-Weeks

[Derek21]

I'm not sure why this point is so confusing to so many posters.

Gomez = Small + can't win puck on boards (and doesn't backcheck)

Zubrus = Big + win pucks and create room for G & E

For NJ, Zubrus > Gomez

And Brylin was very good on the 2nd PP unit, considering how little time they would get on the pp. Look for him to get some more minutes off his 4th line perch there this year.