Lets play GM

[Neb00rs]

If he has 30 points quarterbacking this PP then we are in trouble. Who knows, maybe Taormina will get 30-35....doubtful.

If this PP is successful he should be in the 40 point range minimum if the PP line stays the way it is with all forwards and then him as the only D-man.

If Taormina makes the team I would say no way he makes it past 20 points his first year. He won't be getting enough PP time and he'll be a bottom pairing. I would feel a lot better about the 2nd unit if Arnott wasn't on the point with him. I'd rather him have Andy Greene or another defensmen across from him on the point because he is inexperienced and I don't know how well he can hold the blue line.

Edited September 30, 2010 by ben00rs

[CarpathianForest]

Greene getting near 40 points in just assists alone is definitely feasible especially since Martin is gone.

[Derlique]

Greene getting near 40 points in just assists alone is definitely feasible especially since Martin is gone.

Martin had nothing to do with it. He barely played last year and Greene took his pp time

[ATLL765]

Greene while he had a outstanding season last year, is still a fairly inexperienced and unproven Dman. I'd love to think he'll be a Paul Martin replacement, but honestly that's really wishful thinking. I think he'll be a good dman, but nothing more than a 2nd pairing guy and he'll get some PP time. I think he's too small of a guy to be on the top pairing. He's just not going to be capable of shutting down big time players because they won't be worried to cut to middle on him because they know they don't have to worry about him putting them on their ass. I've noticed in his play very often that when pressured, especially along the boards, he'll become impatient, make a pass too soon or cough up the puck. He's got a great offensive upside, but he still needs to improve his defensive game to impress me this year.

Trading Clarkson in my opinion is a terrible idea. He really started to show his upside offensively the past two years and he plays a role that no one else does on our roster. He's really rounding out his game and I think trading him would be a big mistake when this year if he continues to improve could be a guy who puts up 35-45 points and sticks up for his teammates when necessary and all for 2.7million. That sounds like a fair price for what he does for this team.

As far as the rookie defenseman, there's no way we have more than 1 in the starting lineup come opening night. Lou has always been slow to give youngsters responsibility with the big club and I don't see him allowing our defense have a couple rookies on it along with an untested guy like Greene on the top pairing. It would be too big a risk to do this.

What I would do is waive Zubrus, sign Mair to a league minimum contract, maybe a little more, but no more than 750k and have him play as the 3rd or 4th line center and have him alternate that position with a youngster like Josefson or what seems more likely is to alternate it with Pelley.

I'd like a lineup to look like this:

LW

Parise

Elias

Rolston

Leblond

C

Zajac

Arnott

Mair/Josefson

Mair/Pelley/Josefson/Sestito

RW

Kovy/Langs

Langs/Kovy

Clarkson

Zharkov/Palmieri

D

Volchenkov-White

Tallinder-Greene

Corrente-Fraser- I think this pairing gets little ice time or one of the top pairing guys will play shifts with either of these players to creat a 3rd pairing and will alternate as to not wear anyone out too much during a game. Salmela will be play consistently in the 5-6 spot when he returns from LTIR

Tedenby-Like to see him in the big club, but lacks the size and strength to an NHLer at the moment. Needs time in the AHL to adjust to the smaller ice surface. Hopefully he'll get a couple call ups though.

I think the 3rd and 4th line Centers I listed are all pretty much interchangeable and Josefson's place in all of this is very much dependent on what we see of him when and if he gets playing time. He could end up in Albany along with Tedenby and end up only getting a few call ups this year.

Edited October 2, 2010 by ATLL765

[insanity_gallops]

Jason, thanks for throwing that together. If I had any semblance of real free time, I'd nit-pick or offer counter-suggestions... but that ain't happening tonight. Maybe tomorrow morning if I wake up early enough. B)

Really would prefer that Clarkson deal to Colorado if, as Sundstrom suggested, Brandon Yip came back. I really don't think he'll put up the kinds of points he did last season with Colorado on a consistent basis (came in towards the end of the year, shot at around 17%), but he's a solid third line winger with some scoring potential. However while he throws some hits, he's not a fighter... so the Devils would lose some toughness in their forwards ranks. I guess a guy like PL3 would just have to be willing to drop the gloves more often and get more ice time, otherwise who's it going to fall to? Corrente if he's on the team?

I just can't see Colorado wanting Clarkson. They've already got Cody McLeod who seems to fill that same role, and he gave them close to 10 goals last year. Zubrus, they could use. Even potentially Salvador to solidify their defense corps if Sacco and Liles really can't see eye to eye, but I just don't see where Clarkson fits into their lineup with Chris Stewart, Brandon Yip, David Jones, Cody McLeod, Ryan Stoa as big boys who can play the wing.

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

Clarkson's offensive surge the last three years has correlated with his spike, UGH, in PP ice time. Really, he hasn't improved all that much in the last 3 years leading me to think he has peaked. If he is indeed a 15 goal 20 assist guy he is way overpaid.

[SterioDesign]

what i think will be the lineup for opening night...

Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Ilya Kovalchuk

Patrik Elias-Jason Arnott-Jamie Langenbrunner

Brian Rolston-Dainius Zubrus-David Clarkson

PLL Leblond-Adam Mair-Rod Pelley

Andy Greene, Colin White

Henrik Tallinder, Anton Volchenkov

Alex Urbom. Matt Taormina

Matt Corrente, Mark Fraser

sucks that there's just no room for Tedenby and Josefson eventho they did great in the preseason...

but again thats if Salvador is put on LTIR... and there's no room for short term injuries... if were losing any veterans... same lineup except if lang or rolston goes... swap tedenby in their spot... if zubs is going swap Josefson in his spot... other than that i cant see them getting 4th line minutes theres no point... a year in the AHL would help them a lot more

i really like what i saw from Zubs lately but to me between him and Langenbrunner... langs is a way better deal if you consider what he can bring compare to his salary... THEN you have to think... do i think Tedenby and Josefson WILL BE better than zubrus? well yeah... so nows the time to make room

im on the edge with Clarkson... i like him but again... i think he's overpaid and i'd like to give a shot to the younsters... i know were shooting for the cup this year but i dont think it would hurt THAT much to have Clarkson out... i'd miss him in front of the net but thats about it

not sure its possible but i'd like to see Zubs + Clarkson to Toronto for Kaberle and a pick... not 100% it would work with the cap and i dont have time to check lol but i'd certainly like to see this happen

[njdevil26]

MikeMcKenna56

Albanybound and Down

I'm guessing he got waived.