Elias Sports Bureau Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=53...364&hubName=nhl Nieuwendyk joins Leafs TSN.ca Staff 9/9/2003 Joe Nieuwendyk is a Toronto Maple Leaf, TSN has learned. The unrestricted free agent centre agreed to terms today on a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs. The New Jersey Devils and Nieuwendyk's agent had been talking recently, but were not able to get a deal done. Nieuwendyk is expected to earn significantly less than the $5-million he made last season. It's believed he was looking for a one year deal worth $3.5-million. Nieuwendyk scored 14 goals and dished out 28 assists in 80 games with the New Jersey Devils last year. In 1,113 career games with the Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils, he has tallied 511 goals and 501 assists. Nieuwendyk has won Stanley Cups with all three teams he has played for (Calgary - 1989, Dallas - 1999, New Jersey - 2003). In 149 career playoff games he has scored 60 goals and assisted on 50 others. Details to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 The Devils team going into this season worries me. We have to sign someone. Another huge blow at Center. I think Nieuwendyk though wont be affective and 3.5 million for him would be too much anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratsgirl Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 I guess this answers the question why he wasn't on the training camp roster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Devs Fan Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 You know, for 3.5 million I think we can get someone better than Joe. True, his locker room leadership is worth more than production, but after this Cup run if this locker room isn't full of leaders then we are in sorry shape. His numbers don't bear out that kind of cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted September 10, 2003 Author Share Posted September 10, 2003 Well thanks for what you gave us Joe. But I'm disappointed. Maybe we should deal for Comrie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilMinder Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Sorry to lose Joe. But it wasn't Lou's MO to sign a high ticket UFA. His presence in the locker room last year was valued as we all know the now famous Burns speech in game 7 vs Ott. Good Luck Joe, you retire a Leaf, but the Leafs aren't going anywhere this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Two months ago this wouldn't have surprised me, but geez, talk about pulling the rug out from under you. First, the Leafs seemed to be out of the picture a while back, and second cause of all the recent speculation that he was about to re-sign. The first call Lou needs to make is to Rheaume, it would be nice to have him back for starters. Then we'd still need one more center to replace Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesterDevil Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Ouch! Cya in the playoffs Joe. Don't forget to get some pointers from AlMo on how to deal with the Toronto Media. JesterDevil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Well, I would've liked to see Nieuwendyk back, but if the Devils weren't confident he could hack it in another playoff, I can see why they let him go. Right now it's the wrong move. Now it's time for Lou to start talking to Adam Oates, or to some team about a 2nd line center. Rheaume is still unneeded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilMinder Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Oates is a good bet, hell we have always said Gomez was a younger version of him. Maybe bring him in to guide Gomez and Rupp for a year would be a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJayDevil Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 fvcking dickhead! Argh. Just like Tri said, bring in Oates. He knows how to win faceoffs. I wonder how Langy is going to feel about all of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 If Langenbrunner sulks, we can deal him too. But Langenbrunner isn't the kind of player to sulk. So we won't have to do that. I imagine Toronto's looking to dispel the bad press generated by the Gilmour situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 I'm kinda happy. Saves up some good cap room for this year. Lou has some good options. Joe is overrated now for his abilities. We could get some cheaper guys who are younger and better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted September 10, 2003 Author Share Posted September 10, 2003 I don't think it'll be Oates. Lou NEVER makes the obvious move. Re: Joe, well this is tough in a couple ways -- Toronto gets another of my all-time favorite players. He was a great stand-up Devil. But in the cold light of day, there were injuries to be concerned about with him. And now we don't have to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSkirt Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 I guess 3 Cups is enough for Joe. I can't expect Belfour to perform again as strongly as he did last year. It's also true I'm disappointed, but to go to that organization from the Devs/Stars orgs. will be quite a change, and I don't expect for the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJayDevil Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 This weakens the middle VERY bad now. Who's that go to guy to win faceoffs now?! Certainly not Gomez or Rupp. Madden is good at it, but he loses his share of faceoffs as well. Plus with Madden, how much more pressure will we need to put on him. He's already our #1 defensive specialist, our #1 PKer, and then to put him out on every big faceoff, that's overload. Either Oates or some faceoff specialist comes in or we will get a huge surprise from someone in Camp, like Foster or someone. Anyone know if Foster is good at faceoffs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Oates is hardly obvious.. if he doesn't want Oates, he'll have to make a trade, and I just see that as unlikely, unless he can take on more salary and get rid of Christian Berglund. There can't be many teams out there looking to move centers, and the ones that are are looking to move soft centers like Robert Lang and Pierre Turgeon. If Lou goes into the season without a second line center, expect .500 or worse coming out of the gate. He will need to remedy this right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilMinder Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Second source just confirmed. ESPN Reporting in.. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1612703 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Well, I would've liked to see Nieuwendyk back, but if the Devils weren't confident he could hack it in another playoff, I can see why they let him go. Right now it's the wrong move. Now it's time for Lou to start talking to Adam Oates, or to some team about a 2nd line center. Rheaume is still unneeded. Well Rupp can be a body in the middle on the fourth line I suppose. Rheaume was the perfect fit there but fourth line would be a lot better for Rupp than second line. If you can guarantee me that Rupp plays 82 games on the fourth line I'll say we only need one center...but I'm not sure management has that kind of confidence in him. It felt like (to me anyway) that management had the atitude last year of 'well we'll put Rupp in because there's nobody else left' in the Finals, rather than it being any great show of confidence. They traded for Rheaume in part because they didn't think Rupp is ready. Hopefully he is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJayDevil Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Do I dare say I wouldn't mind Arnott back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Well, Rupp I think was used as a "hey, he's fresh" kind of way.. I was surprised he stuck on the 2nd line but it paid off. He was clearly much more able to handle the physical play than any other player out on the ice at that time. But there's no way he's a 2nd line center. Not at all. Oates would be as near to perfect as we could get, I'm trying to think of other options around the league and coming up short... unless the Rangers wanted to deal us Nedved. Heh. Mike Comrie is an option but we'd have to deal Berglund and Hale at least, plus he's not the kind of center I'd want for the Devils.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Lou can sign some okay players for pretty cheap. Tony Hrkac and Denis Pederson are not bad Centres for under a million and Greg Johnson is a bit more expensive but good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted September 10, 2003 Author Share Posted September 10, 2003 Oates is hardly obvious.. if he doesn't want Oates, he'll have to make a trade, and I just see that as unlikely, unless he can take on more salary and get rid of Christian Berglund. There can't be many teams out there looking to move centers, and the ones that are are looking to move soft centers like Robert Lang and Pierre Turgeon. It is the obvious move. Everyone's talking about center and faceoffs and the first name mentioned is Nieuwy and the second one Oates. Well I'd MUCH rather give up Berglund and Gionta or Bicek and get someone younger. We know Comrie's out there, would you not LOVE to see him skate with Friesen and Brunner? I don't think Lang's a bad option -- he needs a Burns. Maybe he could be matched with Elias and Marsh and Gomer could get another go with Friesen and Jamie. The older ones are nowhere near the only options. But since they're the ones getting the press they are the obvious ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Do I dare say I wouldn't mind Arnott back? Well you know that's not happening. If you looked at things in a vaccum and forgot about Arnott's last year and a half here, he's still getting paid about $1 million more than Niewy (assuming he's getting around $3-3.5 million). So not only is there no desire to get him back, there's no money to do it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 All this Devils team has done after winning a Cup is lose four defenseman and two Centers in Nieuwendyk and Rheaume. Lou has to do something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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