Mark Fraser gets 1 year deal

[Elias26]

Per TG

http://twitter.com/TGfireandice

Edited July 28, 2010 by Elias26

[Devilsfan118]

Apparently the big holdup was that he wanted a 1-way deal. At least, that's what I'm getting from TG's blog. I guess it makes sense...he probably doesn't belong in the AHL anymore...but I hope he's prepared to be a regular healthy scratch if one of the young(er) kids knocks him out of the lineup.

[thegame346]

NHL just rejected the deal... more to follow

[njdevil26]

I don't see where he fits unless he's replacing a traded Salvador/White

[BlueSkirt]

good, let's see how he develops this year

[CMONPETEYD]

I think this means 2 things....

# 1 -- Either Colin White or Bryce Salavador will be traded or buried in the minors. My preference is White.

# 2 -- Mike Mottau won't be resigned

I would like to personally see this

Volchenkov -- Greene

Tallinder -- Urbom

Salvador -- Fraser

Ex: Salmela

Bury White in Minors

EDIT: If Corrente/Eckford show they belong, i wouldnt be opposed to having them rotate with fraser and then getting rid of Salmela

Edited July 28, 2010 by CMONJacques

[BlueSkirt]

I still think this whole thing was done by Lou to get the second-buyout option...

[Triumph]

i don't like it. there goes any hope we had buying anyone out, and half our possible rolston trades are now down the toilet. (or is it? paragraph 13.c.ii of the standard player contract governs this. it's not clear what 'settlement' means in that paragraph.)

fraser's a fine 7th d man, if we carry one, but my suspicion is he'll be elsewhere by the end of next season.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Triumph

[CMONPETEYD]

i don't like it. there goes any hope we had buying anyone out, and half our possible rolston trades are now down the toilet.

fraser's a fine 7th d man, if we carry one, but my suspicion is he'll be elsewhere by the end of next season.

Explain what you mean by any hope we had buying anyone else. how does this affect other things. explain

[Triumph]

Explain what you mean by any hope we had buying anyone else. how does this affect other things. explain

sure. like blueskirt alluded to, arbitration actually allows us to buy out players outside the normal time which it's allowed (which is in june). according to this clause:

For Clubs who have Club or Player elected Salary Arbitration filings pursuant to Article 12, within the forty-eight (48) hour period beginning on the third day following the later of: (i) the Club's receipt of its last salary arbitration award; or (ii) settlement of its last case (provided such award was received or such settlement occurred after 7:00 p.m. New York time; awards or settlements that occurred or were received after 7:00 p.m. New York time will be deemed to have occurred or received the following business day for purposes of this provision).

so translating, it depends on the word settlement - have lou and fraser 'settled'? if so, the devils now would have saturday and sunday to buy out a player. if not, if this doesn't count as settling, then this was foolish.

ah okay TG's article already says that yes, the devils still have this option.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Triumph

[DevsMan84]

Just curious, what is everyone's love fest with Urbom? He has played exactly 0 games in the NHL and is already on a lot of people's depth chart as a top 6 or even top 4 defenseman. I saw him last year in the pre-season, but I was not particularly impressed by him. I think Eckford would be a better fit, but I would not even put him in the top 4.

BTW, White should either be traded, waived, or sent down. He is utterly useless and a huge waste of cap space. Rolston's contract is bad, but White's worse because of his disability. He should have retired 3 years ago.

[Pepperkorn]

foolish? What are you - LOU?

Tri responds: without question

(sorry to answer for you Tri but you can't be trusted with humor - too many missed cues)

[sundstrom]

I don't think Lou was thinking buyout anyway.

It's not like Fraser still can't get sent down and off the cap. It just means he's guaranteed $500k no matter where he is.

I don't see this affecting anything Lou planned to do.

Salvador was always getting moved. I think Rolston is the same thing.

[DevsMan84]

I don't think Lou was thinking buyout anyway.

It's not like Fraser still can't get sent down and off the cap. It just means he's guaranteed $500k no matter where he is.

I don't see this affecting anything Lou planned to do.

Salvador was always getting moved. I think Rolston is the same thing.

I'd take Salvador over White any day of the week. He at least tries and can be physical when he is going for the puck. He also doesn't cost an arm and a leg like White.

[Random Poster]

Just curious, what is everyone's love fest with Urbom?

The same sort of lovefest people have with Tedenby and Josefson. Both are skilled, but it seems some fans forget they will be 1st year pros, but have them penciled in as 2nd line players on the Devils.

[Triumph]

lou has to be thinking buyout. it's just a buyout of other people's players. rolston for jason blake, rolston for jeff finger, and so forth, these deals should involve buying out undesirables.

[Daniel]

Just curious, what is everyone's love fest with Urbom? He has played exactly 0 games in the NHL and is already on a lot of people's depth chart as a top 6 or even top 4 defenseman. I saw him last year in the pre-season, but I was not particularly impressed by him. I think Eckford would be a better fit, but I would not even put him in the top 4.

BTW, White should either be traded, waived, or sent down. He is utterly useless and a huge waste of cap space. Rolston's contract is bad, but White's worse because of his disability. He should have retired 3 years ago.

Based on Lou's comments, Urbom appears to have the inside track as the next rookie defenseman to make the team. To the extent there's any love-fest, I think it's a result of Lou's comments that he's the number 1 prospect, apparently ahead of even Tedenby and Josefson. Before that, at least for me, he was kind of an afterthought.

But I agree that people ought to hold off on their enthusiasm. If he makes the team, I would think the most you can hope for in his rookie season is that he's as good as Fraser was last year, minus the conspicous f-ups. But don't fool yourself into thinking he'll be Tyler Myers.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Daniel

[CMONPETEYD]

i still dont understand the buyout thing. what if a team doesnt have any aribitration hearings, does that mean they dont have any buy out window? seems weird to me. What happens if Lou wants to buy out White in 3 weeks.

The same sort of lovefest people have with Tedenby and Josefson. Both are skilled, but it seems some fans forget they will be 1st year pros, but have them penciled in as 2nd line players on the Devils.

I'd like to see him with Tallinder. Much like Tyler Myers of course. I dont think he';d get much PP/SH time so i think his icetime could be paired down to about 14 minutes a game. whats wrong with that for someone Lou called our best prospect in the system.

[DevsMan84]

The same sort of lovefest people have with Tedenby and Josefson. Both are skilled, but it seems some fans forget they will be 1st year pros, but have them penciled in as 2nd line players on the Devils.

Exactly, while there is potential, to figure they will make an immediate impact on the team and that Tedenby will score 25+ goals this season is being pretty hopeful. I really do hope they do well, but this is sorta getting a little ahead of ourselves.

The Flyers a few years back were high on Jiri Dopita because he was figured to be the best player not in the NHL at the time. He did well the first 2 weeks of the season and then fell off the face of the Earth. Last I heard he was traded to Edmonton and did nothing there either before heading back to Europe.

[Triumph]

i still dont understand the buyout thing. what if a team doesnt have any aribitration hearings, does that mean they dont have any buy out window? seems weird to me. What happens if Lou wants to buy out White in 3 weeks.

no, their buyout window is from like june 15-june 30th. if lou wants to buy out white, he should've done it in june. this protects the players - being a free agent right now is kind of terrifying, as many teams are done shopping, and those that aren't tend to be undesirable.

urbom would be better than fraser almost certainly, but this thread is about to devolve into some nice trolling.

[DevsMan84]

Based on Lou's comments, Urbom appears to have the inside track as the next rookie defenseman to make the team. To the extent there's any love-fest, I think it's a result of Lou's comments that he's the number 1 prospect, apparently ahead of even Tedenby and Josefson. Before that, at least for me, he was kind of an afterthought.

But I agree that people ought to hold off on their enthusiasm. If he makes the team, I would think the most you can hope for in his rookie season is that he's as good as Fraser was last year, minus the conspicous f-ups. But don't fool yourself into thinking he'll be Tyler Myers.

Yeah but Lou and others have said Tedenby was our best prospect as well. I have also heard others saying Palmieri is on the inside track to make the team and could be a 3rd or 4th liner. Same said about Corrente and Eckford on defense.

Truth is, no one knows for sure how things will turn out. The only thing that is pretty certain is that whichever rookie forward comes through, the best shot he has is 3rd line since the top 6 is there and in the current lineup, there is really only about 1 spot open on the 3rd line. Ditto for the defense as there is most likely only going to be 1 spot open for a rookie. This youth movement has again been derailed even before it began.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

The same sort of lovefest people have with Tedenby and Josefson. Both are skilled, but it seems some fans forget they will be 1st year pros, but have them penciled in as 2nd line players on the Devils.

All three of them have been playing against men, for a good two seasons, in one of the elite leagues in Europe (except Urbom who went to juniors last year).

I’m not saying i disagree with the point about the second line expectation, but IMO they are not kids coming straight out of college. They have all played on top teams, in the playoffs, against guys twice there age, many of whom have NHL experience.

IMO its basically 2 years AHL experience at the age of 19 and 20, which already puts them well ahead of other prospects within our organisation.

[DevsMan84]

All three of them have been playing against men, for a good two seasons, in one of the elite leagues in Europe (except Urbom who went to juniors last year).

I’m not saying i disagree with the point about the second line expectation, but IMO they are not kids coming straight out of college. They have all played on top teams, in the playoffs, against guys twice there age, many of whom have NHL experience.

IMO its basically 2 years AHL experience at the age of 19 and 20, which already puts them well ahead of other prospects within our organisation.

While I agree that the Elite Leagues in Europe are better than the juniors over here, they are by no means at the NHL level. The players in the NHL are the cream of the crop and many who thrived in Europe failed in the NHL (see my earlier post using Jiri Dopita as an example). You also have to factor in the rink size difference which has thrown off many European players in the past. Yeah Rafalski is an example of a player in Europe doing well in the NHL, but he seems more like the exception than the rule a lot of the times.

I really hope that Tedenby and Josefson do well, but right now we just have to wait and see before we award them an Art Ross trophy.

[Random Poster]

All three of them have been playing against men, for a good two seasons, in one of the elite leagues in Europe (except Urbom who went to juniors last year).

I’m not saying i disagree with the point about the second line expectation, but IMO they are not kids coming straight out of college. They have all played on top teams, in the playoffs, against guys twice there age, many of whom have NHL experience.

IMO its basically 2 years AHL experience at the age of 19 and 20, which already puts them well ahead of other prospects within our organisation.

It's still about them adjusting to NHL level hockey without any North American pro experience. I'd rather these players spend a season in the AHL first and get used to the North American game then take whatever they learned or developed in Europe and think they can step right in. One year, mimimum, in the AHL will do alot for them. If they are ready, you'll see it there. I'm not caring what they do in terms of stats in Albany, just seeing that they can take the next step. These two players have to show they are the best players on the ice in Albany before graduating to the Devils.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

While I agree that the Elite Leagues in Europe are better than the juniors over here, they are by no means at the NHL level. The players in the NHL are the cream of the crop and many who thrived in Europe failed in the NHL (see my earlier post using Jiri Dopita as an example). You also have to factor in the rink size difference which has thrown off many European players in the past. Yeah Rafalski is an example of a player in Europe doing well in the NHL, but he seems more like the exception than the rule a lot of the times.

I really hope that Tedenby and Josefson do well, but right now we just have to wait and see before we award them an Art Ross trophy.

I didn't say they were at NHL level, i said AHL level.

They have been playing against guys like Nic Havelid who have had very good NHl carers, hence why i said it was like playing a couple of years in the AHL, you have a mix of veterans from the NHL, Career AHLers and youth thrown in.

obviously there are adjustments, but i was pointing out that many people will be excited because they are ahead of all our other prospects in terms of experience at the same age, and they have better skill sets. Generally that leads to increased excitment.

I haven't seen anyone get to art ross trophy level of hommerism so far on the board since they were metnioned, everyone seems to have reasonable expectations.

It's still about them adjusting to NHL level hockey without any North American pro experience. I'd rather these players spend a season in the AHL first and get used to the North American game then take whatever they learned or developed in Europe and think they can step right in. One year, mimimum, in the AHL will do alot for them. If they are ready, you'll see it there. I'm not caring what they do in terms of stats in Albany, just seeing that they can take the next step. These two players have to show they are the best players on the ice in Albany before graduating to the Devils.

I totally agree, Tedenby should go to the AHL, i pray that he does. Physically i still dont think he is up to the job, and his game in his own end is still lacking.

I was just explaining why i thought people might be more excited than usual over those guys.

Anyway back on topic.

I think Fraser deserved getting a one way deal, he certainly showed enough at times this year to warrant getting a one way deal. The fact Lou was trying to sign him to a two way deal probably indicates that Lou knows if he has to send him down and he has to clear waviers at some point, he is going to lose him to another team. so i think him asking for a one way deal is pretty fair.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Chimaira_Devil_#9