maxpower Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 (edited) I hit send once, I swear. Edited June 30, 2008 by maxpower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilNurn Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 *fingers crossed* We really need a star forward, for the team and for the fanbase...please please please... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 So you stand pat for half the season and risk having to play catchup after the deadline, and then hope to find the needle in the haystack? That's dooming your team especially if you have a chance to make that team better with a free agent that went to a division rival that is helping them beat you. Relegating yourself to picking up the bones of another team has the potential of being as risky as a FA pickup. It's one thing if we're talking about middling FA, but potentially HOF caliber guys?? Hossa is one of the few guys that are worth overpaying this year. The guy is good for at least 60 points and hasnt played less than 78 regular season games since 98 (he played 60). Free agents are a necessary evil, especially in the cap world. You cannot stand pat while the other teams around you get better. Hoping that a draft pick pans out is even worse unless its a sure thing, which is never a guarantee. While I do agree that Hossa will probably get "too much" money theres plenty of ways to make it work. Hossa, on the offensive side, is like the Ducks picking up a Niedermayer on the defensive side. Its paying a guy that is a proven threat every night on the ice to put the puck in the net and immediately helps this team out in scoring. Of course Detroit has the home grown thing down pat, but they're an exception to the rest of the league and they hardly stand pat come the offseason. Where to start? Stand pat for half the season?????? Don't understand this. Hossa is good for 60 points if he has someone to pass him the puck, which we don't. He isn't playing with Ottawa or Marc Savard or Crosby to set him up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95Crash Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 What is the best deal ($$$/years/upfront/deferred/etc) Lou should offer Hossa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Not really on topic but when do people think we'll start seeing the big deals go down this offseason? Right away or taking a bit more time? I think right away, if Campbell signs with Ottawa tomorrow then there will be a bidding war for Redden. I don't think people have traded for rights of various UFA's if they didn't think they would sign them immediately (e.g Malone). Zubrus has potential.. but then again.. anyone does when you play with Ovechkin...He is a solid 3rd/4th liner making 1st line cash. Zubrus has been living of his "potential" for the past decade. He is a forth liner nothing more, nothing less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Zubrus has been living of his "potential" for the past decade. He is a forth liner nothing more, nothing less. How many players that put up a point every other game and do a lot of the non-score sheet items very well are 4th liners in the league? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxpower Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Where to start?Stand pat for half the season?????? Don't understand this. Hossa is good for 60 points if he has someone to pass him the puck, which we don't. He isn't playing with Ottawa or Marc Savard or Crosby to set him up here. He's PPG since 2002. Give me a break. Good for 60 points if he has someone to pass him the puck. It's one thing to say you don't like going outside the organization, which is fine, I can respect that position, but when you start putting insane handicaps on players: Zubrus the fourth liner, Hossa the guy who can't crack 60 points on the Devils, it makes me wonder how strong your position is, that you have to come up with such whackyness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaneykoIsGod Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 How many players that put up a point every other game and do a lot of the non-score sheet items very well are 4th liners in the league? I agree. Zubrus was, along with Parise, the Devils' most consistently hard working forward all season. It continues to blow my mind how so many fans can be so hostile toward the guy. It's not his fault that he spent most of the season playing with the likes of Mike Rupp, David Clarkson, Sergei Brylin, etc. FWIW, I agree with Tri when he says that Zubes would be a great fit on a line with Elias and Hossa. Let him create room with his size and do the work down low while the skills of Elias and Hossa take over in front of the net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Devs Fan Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 The problem was created when we thought we signed him to replace Gomez and his numbers. Two different talents here, he got the brunt of the venom left over from Lou letting Gomez walk (I know, Lou made him an offer, yada yada yada). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaneykoIsGod Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 The problem was created when we thought we signed him to replace Gomez and his numbers. Two different talents here, he got the brunt of the venom left over from Lou letting Gomez walk (I know, Lou made him an offer, yada yada yada). That's definitely true. It didn't help that Zubrus and Gomez put up similar numbers the previous season, thus furthering those expectations. But any fan who based his opinion of Zubes solely on watching him play should have come away impressed with his work ethic and ability to control the puck down low. If he spent any significant amount of time playing with any players who could compliment his talents, we wouldn't be having this discussion. That said, Hossa would definitely help Zubrus's game IMO. Whether or not Pappa Lou can make Hossa an offer can't refuse is quite a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwidevil08 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 if we sign hossa i belive we need to give the young guys a shot too. so heres what id do. bergfors-elias-hossa parise-zajac-zubrus pando-madden-langenbruner clarkson-rupp-vrana if zubrus is struggling then try vrana up for a young (hopefully energetic)second line and langenbrunner is always there anyway. think this gives us 3 lines with some offense and still doesnt hurt our checking/defensive 3rd line gio traded for whatever, another d-man? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Devs Fan Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Putting Bergfors on the top line is asking to be dissappointed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdub Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 There is no way Bergfors can be on the top line... He is good.. but I dont know what the obsession with him is.. He has had declining numbers since being in the AHL... Grant thats due to playing with bad teams.. He is still young.. i think he is 21 now.. give him another year to develope. Vrana is 23 i believe and had a monster season on a horrible team. Be excited about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elias2600 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 They're both decent prospects. Neither are going to step in an be a Stamkos, but both are ready for testing themselves in the NHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I agree. Zubrus was, along with Parise, the Devils' most consistently hard working forward all season. It continues to blow my mind how so many fans can be so hostile toward the guy. It's not his fault that he spent most of the season playing with the likes of Mike Rupp, David Clarkson, Sergei Brylin, etc.FWIW, I agree with Tri when he says that Zubes would be a great fit on a line with Elias and Hossa. Let him create room with his size and do the work down low while the skills of Elias and Hossa take over in front of the net. I remember one game in particular, a 2-1 OT win against Tampa Bay, where Zubrus was truly a monster and really used his size and other assets. Hopefully we'll see a lot more of that. I think Lou did expect a drop-off in production from Zubrus' previous year, but I don't think Lou or Dainius were happy with his 38 points. Some of that was due to hard luck, but I think Lou signed Zubrus thinking that he would be a bargain who could put up 50-60 points with the right linemates, and could even be a first-liner (they tried him in that spot early on). Unfortunately everywhere they tried him he just couldn't find the right chemistry, and at times looked lost. I think the hostility comes from the length of his deal...a lot of fans look at it and see "SIX YEARS?!" (I'll be the first to admit I felt this way on occasion.) I was frustrated with him at times last season too, but there was a lot going on last year, with a new coach, a lot of new faces, and a team trying to recover from having lost two mainstays. Anyway now he has a year under his belt...and if the Devils do go out and sign a guy like Hossa, we won't be focusing on Dainius and his contract as much, so maybe he'll relax a little. A long off-season helps breed a lot of optimism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaneykoIsGod Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 CR1976: I agree totally. I kinda wish Sutter did everything the other way around with Zubrus, like start him on the lower lines and by the end of the season have him worked up to the top lines. But just as he was finding his comfort zone with the roster he was stuck with Rupp and Clarkson (for arguably our best line late in the season and playoffs). I don't know enough about Bergfors or Vrana to make any assumptions, but this team should always give youngsters a shot. But expecting top line production from them is expecting a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodeurrocks Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hossa will have teams lining up to pay him north of $7 million/season and he will have his choice of options. How much of his decision will be based on wanting to go to a proven winner? Will NJ be a team he looks at as being close to another Cup? In my opinon, the Devils need to stick out as a team he wants to go to. As someone stated earlier, maybe Lou has Marty calling Hossa up to chat. It couldn't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatansDevils Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hossa will have teams lining up to pay him north of $7 million/season and he will have his choice of options. How much of his decision will be based on wanting to go to a proven winner? Will NJ be a team he looks at as being close to another Cup? In my opinon, the Devils need to stick out as a team he wants to go to. As someone stated earlier, maybe Lou has Marty calling Hossa up to chat. It couldn't hurt. Good points. Hossa knows the Devils are in the playoffs every year and have a chance to win the SC every year as long as they have Brodeur between the pipes. Hossa has to have the Devils on his list since they are always making the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Devs Fan Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Good points.Hossa knows the Devils are in the playoffs every year and have a chance to win the SC every year as long as they have Brodeur between the pipes. Hossa has to have the Devils on his list since they are always making the playoffs. That is true, but there are other intangibles too such as the way Lou has treated FAs, not players who were raised on this system. Have to wonder if some guys think its not worth the headache of Sutter yelling at them all the time too. We sure have the winning pedigree here but with so many teams making the playoffs every year there are alot of teams from him to choose from if he wants to play for a winning franchise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I remember one game in particular, a 2-1 OT win against Tampa Bay, where Zubrus was truly a monster and really used his size and other assets. Hopefully we'll see a lot more of that.I think Lou did expect a drop-off in production from Zubrus' previous year, but I don't think Lou or Dainius were happy with his 38 points. Some of that was due to hard luck, but I think Lou signed Zubrus thinking that he would be a bargain who could put up 50-60 points with the right linemates, and could even be a first-liner (they tried him in that spot early on). Unfortunately everywhere they tried him he just couldn't find the right chemistry, and at times looked lost. I think the hostility comes from the length of his deal...a lot of fans look at it and see "SIX YEARS?!" (I'll be the first to admit I felt this way on occasion.) I was frustrated with him at times last season too, but there was a lot going on last year, with a new coach, a lot of new faces, and a team trying to recover from having lost two mainstays. Anyway now he has a year under his belt...and if the Devils do go out and sign a guy like Hossa, we won't be focusing on Dainius and his contract as much, so maybe he'll relax a little. A long off-season helps breed a lot of optimism. I don't think Dainius can be looked at in terms of his points. He was given little opportunity with either Parise or Elias, who were New Jersey's only solid point producers from December 1 on. He's not good enough to get guys like Langenbrunner and Gionta going - especially with how terrible Gionta played last season. The real key is the forechecking ability. With Clarkson, Rupp, and the other dross Zubrus was continually kept with blowing his setups, of course he didn't get points. He was the best player on that wretched 2nd power play unit - that's a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devs4LIFE Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 if we sign hossa i belive we need to give the young guys a shot too. so heres what id do.bergfors-elias-hossa parise-zajac-zubrus pando-madden-langenbruner clarkson-rupp-vrana if zubrus is struggling then try vrana up for a young (hopefully energetic)second line and langenbrunner is always there anyway. think this gives us 3 lines with some offense and still doesnt hurt our checking/defensive 3rd line gio traded for whatever, another d-man? Those lines won't work, Bergfors isn't NHL ready, isn't a left wing and shouldn't be on the top line. Also Vrana on 4th line is stupid. Put Vrana up in Elias' spot and then move Elias to the left wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Those lines won't work, Bergfors isn't NHL ready, isn't a left wing and shouldn't be on the top line. Also Vrana on 4th line is stupid. Put Vrana up in Elias' spot and then move Elias to the left wing. So the guy who made the Devils roster last year out of camp is not NHL ready but the guy who didn't make the team out of camp is ready to center the 1st line? Bergfors may or may not be NHL ready, the same with Vrana, but Bergfors has some abilities that could put him on the first line in the NHL while Vrana does not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95Crash Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Hossa will have teams lining up to pay him north of $7 million/season and he will have his choice of options. How much of his decision will be based on wanting to go to a proven winner? Will NJ be a team he looks at as being close to another Cup? In my opinon, the Devils need to stick out as a team he wants to go to. As someone stated earlier, maybe Lou has Marty calling Hossa up to chat. It couldn't hurt. OK, so I think it's safe to say that $7M/yr. or $7.5M/yr. for Hossa would fly with most Devils fans. But what would be too much? $8M, $8.5M, $9M/yr.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinnie Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 As long as there is enough left over to sign a quality defenceman I would give Hossa whatever it takes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmigliore Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 OK, so I think it's safe to say that $7M/yr. or $7.5M/yr. for Hossa would fly with most Devils fans. But what would be too much? $8M, $8.5M, $9M/yr.? Thats how much hes making right now, no? Hes gonna demand 8M/yr to start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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