Lamoriello: Devils won't be able to re-sign all of their UFA.

[hattrick]

It's going to be another off season of patch work and plug in's. Lou needs to go get this team WHAT WE NEED.

Good is not good enough when better is expected right?

So how many first round exits with the same dead weight is enough before it's made BETTER?

[friezenmy@#%off]

clemmer, gio, oduya - all the rest, buh bye (thanks for the memories, madden). Holik and shanny just do not have it anymore. Havelid was a stupid trade - the Thrashers definitely got the better of the deal - showed me nothing from day one. Rupp is physical which we can always use - maybe if he doesn't ask for that much...

[Marv4Life]

Face it team needs some new blood and the same ol same ol hasn't worked. What happened Tuesday put the regular season out of the window.

Peace out Havelid, Madden, Mottau, Zubrus, Pando, Oduya(unless he comes cheap), Rupp, Holik.

Edited May 1, 2009 by Marv4Life

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

IMO, Oduya and Zajac (RFA) are the only ones that we need to re-sign. Everyone else is expendable. In fact, the fewer people we re-sign, the better. This locker room needs new blood in a bad way. On top of that, pull some Malakhov magic and find a way to make Pandolfo's contract disappear. Free up as much money as possible to get Elias some talent to work with on that second line. Put Zubrus on the third line with Rolston.

We need three scoring lines. No more of this Madden-Pandolfo checking line bullsh!t. That ship has sailed. Three scoring lines and one line that can put people on their @sses. The Devils relied too heavily on Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner this season and Elias-Zubrus-Gionta was far too inconsistent to provide relief.

Three. Scoring. Lines. Make it happen, Lou.

I agree that this team needs new blood. The current group has gotten enough chances to go deep and they haven't done it. I appreciate what guys like Madden and Gio have done, but this team can't live off what they did in 2003 forever. It's time for change, new voices.

Having said that, three scoring lines are hard to come by, so I'd settle for two that can get it done more often than not. The Devils are halfway there in that regard...now Lou just has to put together a second scoring line. I can't say that I want Gio back, because even though he did some good things at times and had a nice playoff series, I've seen enough to know that I can't count on him enough. No more Zubrus on the second line either. I'm really curious (hopeful) to see what Rolston can do fully healthy.

[CRASHER]

I love the brilliance in this thread

"hey this guy sucks and we over paid for him... get rid of him so we can bring someone else in that I will want dead by the end of the season"

hockey fun fact #1, learn and accept this

ANY FREE AGENT ANY TEAM ACQUIRES WILL BE OVER PAID FOR AND NOT WORTH THE MONEY

If you offered them a "fair price" some other team will match it and YOU WILL NOT SIGN THEM!!

Get used to it... deal with it... it will not change... and if Lou doesn't make a signing you idiots are all like "well the season is over July 1"... I know... I SAW IT HAPPEN HERE

the one thing I am grateful for each and every season is that NO ONE here is behind the thought process or has any input on free agency and trade decisions... and you SAME GUYS would be the people making up 50 "why did we let this guy go" threads the INSTANT one of these guys made a highlight play that you'd post on from youtube to show it!!!!

Not to mention the 150 threads there were on here to bring Rolston back 18 times over BEFORE last year

I know I ask for a LOT here... but maybe... PLEASE... a tiny bit of intelligence here???

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Dude you are just FLAT OUT WRONG!!!!! I cannot beleive that you honestly think Carolina is the "better team" I am sick and tired of hearing that. they were not the better team. I already explained that in another thread. This Devils team for whatever reason did not bring the A game playoff intensity and drive that it needed to win this series. This team was the better team, but did not show it this series. Again I will sasay as I did in other threads, if this Devils team played Carolina a month and a half ago, they win this series EASILY IN 5 GAMES!!! Caolina was not better we just did not play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and take your gestapo crap somewhere else, it doesnt work with me.

What happened in Games 4 and 6 (especially 6) was inexcusable. The Devils had to know that Carolina was going to come out desperate, and didn't come close matching them either time.

As for the month-and-a-half ago thing: that's a hypothetical that has no bearing in reality. Part of the NHL regular season and playoffs is getting hot at the right time, having the hot goalie, etc. Carolina played terrific hockey down the stretch and clearly were at the top of their game at the right time. The Devils weren't and had weaknesses that were exposed...if this postseason made anything clear, it's that this no-name defense is going to have problems when they go up against hot playoff teams game after game. I hated this matchup from the moment this series was set, and although it didn't go as badly as I thought it would (I had the 'Canes in 5...the Devils' PK far exceeded my expectations), enough '06 moments occurred that the 'Canes found themselves on the winning end. To say the "Devils just didn't play" is a bit unfair...they did fight back on the road in Game 4, played a terrific Game 1, had a lead with 80 seconds left in Game 7, etc.

[HellOnICE]

What kind of arrogance do we (padevsfan) to keep suggesting Carolina wasn't the better team? We get it, so wasn't the Rangers in '08, the Sens in '07...and on and on.

They just weren't better than the Canes when push comes to shove, it has zero to do with heart and effort. It's pathetic thats even in question. Some people just don't get it.

Were they better in a lot of areas? Sure. But not the better OVERALL team. That's who wins. Carolina did.

[PaDevsFan]

What happened in Games 4 and 6 (especially 6) was inexcusable. The Devils had to know that Carolina was going to come out desperate, and didn't come close matching them either time.

As for the month-and-a-half ago thing: that's a hypothetical that has no bearing in reality. Part of the NHL regular season and playoffs is getting hot at the right time, having the hot goalie, etc. Carolina played terrific hockey down the stretch and clearly were at the top of their game at the right time. The Devils weren't and had weaknesses that were exposed...if this postseason made anything clear, it's that this no-name defense is going to have problems when they go up against hot playoff teams game after game. I hated this matchup from the moment this series was set, and although it didn't go as badly as I thought it would (I had the 'Canes in 5...the Devils' PK far exceeded my expectations), enough '06 moments occurred that the 'Canes found themselves on the winning end. To say the "Devils just didn't play" is a bit unfair...they did fight back on the road in Game 4, played a terrific Game 1, had a lead with 80 seconds left in Game 7, etc.

Correct games 4 and 6... The Devils showed that when they were at the top of their game they controlled the play and the series. And even in game 4 when the Canes were so effective early when the Devils turned it up a notch they scored 3 in basically a period (and 30 seconds) So in reality, I dont know if "heart" is the right term, but this team was lacking killer instinct! And even beyond that, their level of play over the last 2 weeks of the season and during parts of the Canes seires leaves alot of questions. Some with talent and some deeper than that. I truly beleive that something went horribly wrong in the locker room, and the team divided and did not play as a unit at some point. For whatever reaon, and we may never know, they werent able to get it back for the playoff run.

[PaDevsFan]

What kind of arrogance do we (padevsfan) to keep suggesting Carolina wasn't the better team? We get it, so wasn't the Rangers in '08, the Sens in '07...and on and on.

They just weren't better than the Canes when push comes to shove, it has zero to do with heart and effort. It's pathetic thats even in question. Some people just don't get it.

Were they better in a lot of areas? Sure. But not the better OVERALL team. That's who wins. Carolina did.

It isnt arrogance it is fact. I will say it again, how do the Devils go from a team 1 point behind Boston with a game in hand to a team that gets knocked out by the 6th seed just a few short weeks later?? NOt because Carolina "was the better team" but because the Devils did not bring their PLayoff game to the table. (for whatever reason) This team somehow divided, and did not play as a unit (I still think becuase of something behind the scenes) for the last few weeks, and it showed in their play. It wasnt skill level, but they certainly did not show intensity and drive for the 6 game losing streak and in portions of the series.

[JRZYRIPPER]

After looking on NHLnumbers.com theres a few guys at a decent price i wouldnt mind throwing an offer at...... would anyone be interested in

1. Andrew Alberts from Philly as a D-man....his cap hit was 1.25 last year.....and we all know Philly's cap problem right now......

2. Hall Gill of Pitt.......2.075 cap hit last year...UFA

3. Mike Kamisarek of MTL....UFA 1.7 cap hit last year

4. For the missing center .....Brendan Morrison of Dal......cap hit of 2.7 last year

[Jerrydevil]

Dude you are just FLAT OUT WRONG!!!!! I cannot beleive that you honestly think Carolina is the "better team" I am sick and tired of hearing that. they were not the better team. I already explained that in another thread. This Devils team for whatever reason did not bring the A game playoff intensity and drive that it needed to win this series. This team was the better team, but did not show it this series. Again I will sasay as I did in other threads, if this Devils team played Carolina a month and a half ago, they win this series EASILY IN 5 GAMES!!! Caolina was not better we just did not play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and take your gestapo crap somewhere else, it doesnt work with me.

I think that when the Devils had their big winning streak, all the teams we beat did not bring their A game.

Edited May 1, 2009 by Jerrydevil

[Voros19]

As awesome as Gionta was in the playoffs, he is the most expendable. Maybe Rolston picks up some goal scoring slack next year or Bergfors chips in. Holik should not be brought back. Madden only at a discount on a one-year contract.

Oduya should be signed long-term and Shanahan to a one-year deal. Zajac should obviously be re-signed.

[RowdyFan42]

Dude you are just FLAT OUT WRONG!!!!! I cannot beleive that you honestly think Carolina is the "better team" I am sick and tired of hearing that. they were not the better team. I already explained that in another thread. This Devils team for whatever reason did not bring the A game playoff intensity and drive that it needed to win this series. This team was the better team, but did not show it this series. Again I will sasay as I did in other threads, if this Devils team played Carolina a month and a half ago, they win this series EASILY IN 5 GAMES!!! Caolina was not better we just did not play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and take your gestapo crap somewhere else, it doesnt work with me.

I was roundly derided for saying the exact same thing about losing to the Canes in '06. "No, man, it wasn't a 'we beat the Rags' hangover, Carolina was just the better team." BS, we didn't show up for that series. Maybe if we had come to play we'd have been able to determine who the better team was, but beating the Rangers was our Stanley Cup that year, whether Devils fans like to admit it or not.

However, this year... I don't know. Obviously we threw away the chances we had to put them away, but I don't know if the Devils were leaps and bounds better than the Canes or even vice versa. We were clearly good enough to win three games and almost win two others, but you have to give the Canes their due as well. It doesn't really matter if we were the better team most of the time because they were the better team WHEN IT COUNTED.

[stevestevens]

I think its forgotten that the players we have now arent going to be simply sitting on their paychecks. In two years, Parise will be getting a new deal at top end money and Martin will certainly be making more as well. The team cannot afford long contracts and with how money locks up, it looks like younger players will be filling in. Not free agents.

[DaneykoIsGod]

Having said that, three scoring lines are hard to come by, so I'd settle for two that can get it done more often than not. The Devils are halfway there in that regard...now Lou just has to put together a second scoring line.

Re-sign Rupp for peanuts and bring back Shanny for another half-season gig. I don't really know what this offseason's free agent market is gonna look like so I'll wait to fill in the blanks, but I'd like to see something along these lines.

Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner

Elias-?????-Bergfors

Rolston-Zubrus-Clarkson/Shanahan

Rupp-?????-?????/Clarkson

I would count those top three units as scoring lines, and let's keep that bruising fourth line mojo going.

[msweet]

What happened in Games 4 and 6 (especially 6) was inexcusable. The Devils had to know that Carolina was going to come out desperate, and didn't come close matching them either time.

As for the month-and-a-half ago thing: that's a hypothetical that has no bearing in reality. Part of the NHL regular season and playoffs is getting hot at the right time, having the hot goalie, etc. Carolina played terrific hockey down the stretch and clearly were at the top of their game at the right time. The Devils weren't and had weaknesses that were exposed...if this postseason made anything clear, it's that this no-name defense is going to have problems when they go up against hot playoff teams game after game. I hated this matchup from the moment this series was set, and although it didn't go as badly as I thought it would (I had the 'Canes in 5...the Devils' PK far exceeded my expectations), enough '06 moments occurred that the 'Canes found themselves on the winning end. To say the "Devils just didn't play" is a bit unfair...they did fight back on the road in Game 4, played a terrific Game 1, had a lead with 80 seconds left in Game 7, etc.

POD

[SatansDevils]

What happened in Games 4 and 6 (especially 6) was inexcusable. The Devils had to know that Carolina was going to come out desperate, and didn't come close matching them either time.

As for the month-and-a-half ago thing: that's a hypothetical that has no bearing in reality. Part of the NHL regular season and playoffs is getting hot at the right time, having the hot goalie, etc. Carolina played terrific hockey down the stretch and clearly were at the top of their game at the right time. The Devils weren't and had weaknesses that were exposed...if this postseason made anything clear, it's that this no-name defense is going to have problems when they go up against hot playoff teams game after game. I hated this matchup from the moment this series was set, and although it didn't go as badly as I thought it would (I had the 'Canes in 5...the Devils' PK far exceeded my expectations), enough '06 moments occurred that the 'Canes found themselves on the winning end. To say the "Devils just didn't play" is a bit unfair...they did fight back on the road in Game 4, played a terrific Game 1, had a lead with 80 seconds left in Game 7, etc.

CR, I agree.

I still believe something went wrong behind the scenes or in the locker room after Brodeur got the all-times wins record. If you watched or listened to Billy Jaffe on NHL Live the other day he was mentioning this and it sounded so right. The Devils were one of the best teams during the season all the way up to Brodeur breaking Roy's record and many had the Devils coming out of the EC. All of a sudden it was like a light switch went off after the Minnesota game, where the Devils went on that losing streak and did not look like the team that it was all season long. Now it could have been fatigue on some of the players, injuries, lack of emotions etc for the downward spiral. Something I really believe happened in that locker room with the players and maybe even Sutter, but we will never know.

To play the way the Devils played down the stretch and then the way they lost 3 of their 4-games in the first round to Carolina still puzzles me. This Devils team I believe was better than Carolina but like you said the hotter team down the stretch won and they were lucky to win Game 7 the way they did over the Devils. No way in this lifetime will we ever see another Game 7 the way it ended for the Devils. I am still in some shock when I see highlights and think about it. This memory of Game 7 for me will last a longtime.