Devils Sign Center Rob Niedermayer

[Candydog]

This just screams of another move coming. all these guys on 1 way contracts,waiver clears and 5 d-men for 2 spots, all of which have to clear waivers according to TG!

Something, however minor is coming i can feel it.

DEVILS FAN FOR LIFE, DEATH TO LEAF NATION!

Edited September 25, 2009 by Devil in Leaf Nation

[arena2004]

I'll say the lines should like this:

Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner

Rolston-Elias-Clarkson

Shanny-Zubrus-Bergfors

Pandolfo-Niedermayer-Zharkov/Peters

Edited September 25, 2009 by arena2004

[metallidevils]

Lou is probably going to force him to wear #27. He must have extra jerseys lying around.

[MadDog2020]

Lou is probably going to force him to wear #27. He must have extra jerseys lying around.

Hey, bad economy... everyone is cutting back a little.

[Pepperkorn]

Lou is probably going to force him to wear #27. He must have extra jerseys lying around.

OK -- THAT was funny...

[Colin226]

OK -- THAT was funny...

I agree.. although the jersey fanatics would take it seriously and point out that Scott never wore a Devils RBK Edge 2.0 jersey

[Devil Fan]

NJ VS ANA in the Final would be interesting.

[maxpower]

There is a reason no one is paying Dominic Moore. It's called... a fluke, and he proved it was a fluke after the deadline when he reverted to normal form.

Anybody that brings up Malhotra has a case, a pretty solid one, actually, but anyone that thinks Moore was an option resides on planet Zutar. Just what we need, a forward to make Pandolfo look less offensively challenged in comparison.

Edited September 26, 2009 by maxpower

[Devil Dan 56]

Rob's not a center, period (Maholtra and Moore are). He's a wing that lines up down the middle - and I'd be even less in love with the signing if he took away icetime from Bergfors or even Zharkov if he makes the team.

According to Rob's interview with TG, he was a center for 15 years

[Triumph]

There is a reason no one is paying Dominic Moore. It's called... a fluke, and he proved it was a fluke after the deadline when he reverted to normal form.

Anybody that brings up Malhotra has a case, a pretty solid one, actually, but anyone that thinks Moore was an option resides on planet Zutar. Just what we need, a forward to make Pandolfo look less offensively challenged in comparison.

to me malhotra has an oral agreement with SJ that after this whole mess blows over they have an implicit contract for more years and more dollars.

[maxpower]

to me malhotra has an oral agreement with SJ that after this whole mess blows over they have an implicit contract for more years and more dollars.

the league wouldn't look into that as cap circumvension?

[Triumph]

the league wouldn't look into that as cap circumvension?

if it's an oral agreement how would they know? this is pure speculation by me, but don't be surprised if malhotra signs for something like 6mm/3 years with SJ before july 1, 2010.

[theamazingtiny]

Parise - Zajac - Lang

Rolston - Elias - Bergfors

Shan - Neds - Clarkson

Pando - Zub - PL3

My money is on this one.

[Satans Hockey]

fvck him. This signing blows.

[NJDevs4978]

According to Rob's interview with TG, he was a center for 15 years

Like I said, now he's a wing that lines up down the middle. You're not a center when you go 38% on faceoffs.

Anybody that brings up Malhotra has a case, a pretty solid one, actually, but anyone that thinks Moore was an option resides on planet Zutar. Just what we need, a forward to make Pandolfo look less offensively challenged in comparison.

And Robbie isn't offensively challenged? 21 points in 79 games last year (and the two years before that Robbie had 16 points) - that's every bit as bad as Moore is in a normal season but Moore's a bit better on faceoffs and can penalty kill at least. Plus it's kinda hard to find someone else on a playoff team who was a -17, checking center or not.

Edited September 26, 2009 by Hasan4978

[insanity_gallops]

Pardon me if this has been mentioned already (can't read through 5 pages right now), but Robbie Nieds hasn't really played center since 2005-2006 it seems. According to his stats, that's the last time he took a significant amount of draws (around 400), and he won about 40% of them. Back in 2001-2002 he was clearly a full-time center with Calgary and won 48% of his draws. Seems he's very Elias-like in the circle.

[Devil Dan 56]

Like I said, now he's a wing that lines up down the middle. You're not a center when you go 38% on faceoffs.

And Robbie isn't offensively challenged? 21 points in 79 games last year (and the two years before that Robbie had 16 points) - that's every bit as bad as Moore is in a normal season but Moore's a bit better on faceoffs and can penalty kill at least. Plus it's kinda hard to find someone else on a playoff team who was a -17, checking center or not.

But being a center isn't only about faceoffs. Granted, it's a big part of it, but the Devils may be more interested in how he gets up and down the ice covering guys like Crosby. They probably trust him more in that situation than Walter, Sestito, Pelley, etc, even if they win the faceoff.

[Prucenterrules]

But being a center isn't only about faceoffs. Granted, it's a big part of it, but the Devils may be more interested in how he gets up and down the ice covering guys like Crosby. They probably trust him more in that situation than Walter, Sestito, Pelley, etc, even if they win the faceoff.

I trust him more than them too.

[devlman]

we woulda been better off asking holik for one more year

[theamazingtiny]

we woulda been better off asking holik for one more year

I think your being a bit dramatic.

[Triumph]

But being a center isn't only about faceoffs. Granted, it's a big part of it, but the Devils may be more interested in how he gets up and down the ice covering guys like Crosby. They probably trust him more in that situation than Walter, Sestito, Pelley, etc, even if they win the faceoff.

you can't be out on the ice when you lose 60% of faceoffs to those guys consistently - that's like a -3 before you start the season, at least. niedermayer may begin in that role but once elias returns, zubrus will take it imo

[devilsrule33]

My problem with this is that we could have got someone better all off-season. I don't know what Lou was expecting at camp, but it was clear no young player was really going to step up here. With this team, they were always one injury away up front, especially at center, from a major problem.

I just don't expect much from a guy who clearly can't play center well and like Has said...was a -17 player on a playoff team...granted they barely made it. If for whatever reason Rob Niedermayer is out there against the opponents' top lines, I'm going to lose it. It's clear at this point Lou is just going after familiarity over talent. Sorry Lou, don't mention knowing what Rob can do because the Devils played against him in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. That was 6 damn years ago.

[HellOnICE]

you can't be out on the ice when you lose 60% of faceoffs to those guys consistently - that's like a -3 before you start the season, at least. niedermayer may begin in that role but once elias returns, zubrus will take it imo

Have to agree there.

Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner

Rolston-Elias-Bergfors

Shanny-Zubrus-Clarkson

Niedermayer-Pelley-xxxx

I am also not 100% sure the Devils don't go out and get a guy like Doug Weight at the deadline anyway.

Or maybe a big trade for Scott and Saku if somehow the Ducks pull an epic fail.

[Triumph]

My problem with this is that we could have got someone better all off-season. I don't know what Lou was expecting at camp, but it was clear no young player was really going to step up here. With this team, they were always one injury away up front, especially at center, from a major problem.

I just don't expect much from a guy who clearly can't play center well and like Has said...was a -17 player on a playoff team...granted they barely made it. If for whatever reason Rob Niedermayer is out there against the opponents' top lines, I'm going to lose it. It's clear at this point Lou is just going after familiarity over talent. Sorry Lou, don't mention knowing what Rob can do because the Devils played against him in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. That was 6 damn years ago.

familiarity? that's the whole nature of free agency. the devils aren't looking for someone better because they have nowhere to put him. i doubt very much that r. niedermayer is going up against top lines - you wonder why he signed this late, well it works both ways - there's a reason he was available in late september.

it was either this or mike peca.

[HellOnICE]

My problem with this is that we could have got someone better all off-season. I don't know what Lou was expecting at camp, but it was clear no young player was really going to step up here. With this team, they were always one injury away up front, especially at center, from a major problem.

I just don't expect much from a guy who clearly can't play center well and like Has said...was a -17 player on a playoff team...granted they barely made it. If for whatever reason Rob Niedermayer is out there against the opponents' top lines, I'm going to lose it. It's clear at this point Lou is just going after familiarity over talent. Sorry Lou, don't mention knowing what Rob can do because the Devils played against him in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. That was 6 damn years ago.

We talked about this all off season, if he could've gotten someone better. One, I'm not sure that's the case. Two, we don't know if he tried and couldn't work a deal or convince a guy to come here.

Familiarity over talent is absurd. I just don't see it. Would I have preferred Malhotra or Moore. Possibly, but it's also possible neither of them wanted to come here for whatever reason. Moore is still unemployed for a reason.