The Devils Advocate

First Month Analysis

2005-11-08T00:12:00.000-05:00

Now that the first month of the “new” NHL is under our belt, it’s a perfect time for some evaluation. Here’s what I’m thinking about the new rules:

Goalie Trap Zone: Most insanely stupid concept in all of professional sports. I’ve vented my frustration towards this rule before, but it continues to blow my mind every time I watch a game. Only allowing goalies to handle the puck in a trapezoid is like telling NFL quarterbacks they can only scramble as long as they stay between the hash-marks. Since about 50% of what makes Martin Brodeur the best goalie in the game is his stick-handling ability, the NHL should refund the Devils half of his pay and only count the other half towards the team’s salary cap.

Obstruction: Scoring is inflated beyond Gary Bettman’s wildest dreams. If the NHL wanted to increase scoring, then mission accomplished. But if they were trying to make the game more exciting, they failed. No one wants to see players skate around untouched… a part of what makes hockey so appealing is the physical aspect of the game. Hockey fans like seeing their players fight though checks and work hard to score. That’s what makes hockey such a blue-collar game. Unfortunately, right now we have basketball on ice. Not only do we have thrilling dump-and-chase hockey on our hands (hint sarcasm), but fighting has been reduced almost to nonexistence. Again, if the league wants to increase excitement, fights are the LAST thing they should be trying to deter. Ask anyone who has ever attended a game what happens when two players drop the gloves.

Elimination of the Two Line Pass: Now here’s something that has actually helped the game. Being able to pass from goal line to blue line has made the game much more wide open and has created creativity from offensive players. If only us Devils fans had the luxury of watching Brodeur spring one of those passes from his corner…

Offsides Tag-Up: Finally, it’s back and it’s helping the flow of the game. It won’t increase goals, but it creates less faceoffs and more excitement.

Icing: Penalizing the team guilty of icing by not allowing them to change lines is brilliant. Now if the league will get rid of the icing touch up, the rule will be perfect.

Rules aren’t the only thing different in the NHL this year. The Devils are drastically different from the team we’ve grown used to over the past decade. So far, the season has been a tale of two teams… one that plays hard and one that barely shows up. With that in mind, here are some first-month awards:

Team MVP: Brian Gionta. He leads the team in goals and is the only guy who seems like he’s going all-out from start to finish of every game. Our record would be comparable to Pittsburgh’s if it wasn’t for Gio.

Team Underachiever: tie between Dan McGillis and Vladimir Malakhov. McGillis has finally started to throw his weight around the way he was expected to from the start, but no one takes more stupid penalties at inopportune times than McGillis. Malakhov, on the other hand, might be completely worthless. He turns the puck over in his own end, has absolutely no physical presence at all, and has been so disappointing lately that he’s spent some time on the team’s third defensive pairing (paired with none other than Mr. McGillis).

Most Pleasant Surprise: Sean Brown. When Colin White went down with a groin injury for several weeks, Brown not only filled his skates, but worked his way to the team’s top defensive pairing. He absolutely kills skaters entering the zone, plays responsibly down low, and every now and then blasts his way into the offensive zone with a scoring chance. His point shot is like a cannon and that has earned him some power play time. When Colin White came back for the last game against the Rangers, Brown stayed in the lineup and McGillis was a healthy scratch.

Waiting to Break Out: Scott Gomez. He skates like the wind through the neutral zone, makes opposing defensemen miss him along the boards, and makes nice plays out of nothing. But without Patrik Elias, Gomez has seemed like a puppy with no one to play with. As soon as someone steps up as a so-to scorer (and at times Gionta has), expect Gomez’s numbers to blow up.

Changing His Game: Alexander Mogilny. This isn’t the Almo we came to know in 2000-01. He’s no longer the fast-as-the-wind sniper with a laser beam shot, waiting to tear goalies a new one. More than anything, he’s playing almost Mario-like hockey. He uses his presence to shift defenses and sends accurate passes to his linemates. He does still have a great shot (which he doesn’t use enough) but his playmaking ability has definitely improved. With his increasing age and bad hip, maybe he had to make a change. So far it’s working because he leads the team in points.

Best Worst Player: Viktor Kozlov. Most nights this guy is brilliant. No one else in a Devils sweater can fight off defenders along the boards better than Kozzy. His passes are perfect and his shot is heavy. Unfortunately, this Kozlov doesn’t show up every night. On those nights, he’s lethargic and seems like he’d rather be somewhere else. If he can get his head and heart into every game, he’ll be unstoppable.

Next Team Captain: Your guess is as good as mine. Rafalski seems like he’s doing the job now. He plays hard every night and definitely leads by example. He’s even the one who does the most jawing with the refs. But there’s something in Madden’s game that makes me think it could be him. He’s not in the box nearly as much as he was at the start of the season, which is a definite plus given his incomparable skill as a penalty killer. Both Madden and Rafalski were undrafted, but New Jersey’s scouting staff found them and gave them jobs, so they both have loyalty to this team beyond comprehension. But, then again, maybe the team is just waiting for Elias to come back. Time will tell.

BRODEUR HURT!

2005-10-27T13:43:00.000-04:00

It's not as bad as it looked last night. Team doctors are saying that it isn't a serious injury. Today he will undergo an MRI on his knee to see just how serious it really is.

That said, the Devils looked like crap again last night. They played for only one period and coasted for the rest of the game. My theory that Stevens' absense would force someone to step up has been proven wrong thus far. Let's see if Brodeur's absense will force the team to start playing defense and stop turning the puck over 50 times per period.

Scott Clemmensen was scheduled to get a start this week before the injury every happened to give Marty some time off. It looks like he might have to start more than one now.

Update

2005-10-25T16:06:00.000-04:00

Well, the Devils stink again. Another tough loss highlighted by bang! bang! goals and suspect defense has this team looking less like the Devils and more like a minor league team.

Darren Elliot from SI.com has a great story on how the NHL has basically turned its back on the Devils. By eliminating Martin Brodeur from his third-defenseman role, the NHL has forced the Devils -- one of the most dominant teams over the past decade -- to trash the team concept that has made it successful and learn a brand new game. Personally, I couldn't agree more. I find it hard to believe that if, for example, Brodeur was drafted by Montreal and his stickhandling prowess put the Habs back on the map as a dynasty, that the NHL would have made the same rules punishing goaltenders for developing new skills. Watching the Monday Night Football game last night, I wondered if the NFL would ever ban quarterbacks from running the ball like Michael Vick does. The answer is no, because the NFL isn't as stupid as the NHL is. Why are Brodeur and his teammates forced to learn a new game that doesn't play to their skills? I'm still waiting for a good answer to that one.

On another note, the salary trimming has begun. Krzysztof Oliwa has been waived. This means that he's been sent to Albany, and if he is recalled at any time, another team can pick him up and the Devs would be stuck with half of his $836k salary. In other words, Oliwa isn't likely to play another game in the NHL this season barring a miracle move pulled off by Lou. Darren Langdon ($450k) will be taking his place in the lineup since he's healthy now.

Elias has been skating, but not with the team yet. It could be a while before we see him play.

The Devils finally play like... well... the Devils!

2005-10-18T22:07:00.000-04:00

Talk about night-and-day differences! Tonight's Devils (who won 4-3 over Florida) looked nothing like the team that got smoked two games in a row. They passed well. They got good shots off. They were responsible in their own end. They only went to the box ONCE! But most importantly, they played for a full 60 minutes.

Tonight I found myself saying "Damn he's good!" on more than one occasion. I said it whenever Marty reminded me why he's the best... by not just stopping shots, but kicking them to teammates or directing them to the corner (a far cry from Roberto Luongo's butterfly). I said it when Paul Martin (who was sorely missed in the team's last two games) jumped into the play on offense and created something out of nothing -- his development makes the loss of Niedermayer survivable. I said it Zach Parise made a play or when Alex Mogilny singlehandedly controlled the offensive zone. I said it when Scott Gomez skated through four players, end to end, en route to making a play. I said it when Richard Matvichuk absolutely killed people in the defensive end. I said it when Vik Kozlov handled the puck with seeming ease when two or three Panthers tried to stick/bodycheck him.

In short, they all looked really good tonight.

Larry Robinson changed the lines up. Gomez had Gionta and Brylin on his wings, and Parise played with Kozlov and Mogilny. Gomez had an assist and Mogilny threw in two assists and the game-winning goal. White was a scratch and Sean Brown filled in admirably. I still think he's better than McGillis, altough Dan had a less crappy performance tonight. Rasmussen, who has looked really good this season, also sat out. Without him, the checkers still played well... Marshall had a great interception just inside the blue line that created a well thought out play for Rheaume. Even Oliwa had moments where he looked like more than just a goon.

Marty still didn't look as brilliant as we're used to. Twice he had trouble getting back to his skates after going down, and one goal was scored on such a play. Another Florida goal was scored from behind the net... it was banked off Marty's left pad and into the cage. The first one was the result of a Mogilny turnover inside the defensive end. All of the goals could be considered "flukes."

This was the first game I've been able to see on Center Ice with the Devils home commentators calling the action. It's great to hear Doc and Chico again. Something that Chico pointed out that I didn't know was a loophole in the goalie trap-zone rule. It turns out that a goalie IS allowed to poke at a puck in the no-no-zone (as I like to call it) as long as he has one skate in the crease. It's not much, but it is a rule that not many people know about... but Marty does! Keep an eye out for that.

The next game is Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Pens have yet to win a game, yet they still have four points because they've gone to OT so often. Look for a team with as much to prove as the Devils had tonight. It should be a great game.

On another note... I was able to catch most of the ceremony the Oilers put together retiring Paul Coffey's #7. The video introduction was exceptionally done... it dragged on a bit too much (showing his number of 90 point seasons, then 70 point seasons, then 50 point seasons, then 30 point seasons), but it was very well done nonetheless. The nicest touch was that, after the video, Coffey came out in his full 80s Oilers uniform, skates, pads, and all, and skated a lap around the ice while the crowd went nuts. I switched back to the Devils game at that point, and 20 minutes later the ceremony was still going on. Again, it seems like it dragged a bit, but overkill in this situation would be better than not giving a player his rightful due.

This got me thinking about what the Devils should do when Stevens finally has his night. Will the Devils finally start raising numbers to the rafters? Will Stevens get a better ceremony than Daneyko did? Will we possibly see him charge out of the locker room one last time in full gear (just thinking about it gives me chills)?

All Oilers players wore an orange #7 on the right side of their chests. That also got me thinking about what should happen for Stevens. As of now, the Devils are a team of multiple alternates and no single captain. How cool would it be if, instead of anyone wearing an A or a C, the whole team wore a #4 where such letters would normally be? I doubt it would ever happen, but a fan can dream, can't he?

Batting .500

2005-10-15T15:33:00.000-04:00

Well, the Devils are 2-2. They lost their last one to the Rangers in the Garden. This was the first time since Jacques Lemaire was coaching the Devs that they didn't get at least one point out of a visit to the "world's most famous arena." Needless to say, at this early point in the season, the Devils have been disappointing.

There are a number of reasons attributing to their subpar start. For starters, they cannot stay out of the box. Checking forwards like John Madden and Jamie Langenbrunner have prided themselves on being stellar defensive forwards as well as being disciplined players. So far this season, they don't seem like they've gotten a grasp on what they can and can't do. Madden and Brunner aren't the only guilty parties... it seems like the entire Devils team can't stay out of the box. They're averaging almost eight penalty kills per game this season... a far cry from the team they've been for the past decade.

Another problem has been the unusually inconsistent play of Martin Brodeur. To be fair, Marty has been absolutely incredible in the two games the Devils won. Without him in net, they'd be 0-4 right now. Also in his defense, he's had to endure endless penalty kills. But he wasn't himself in Philly and he had a terrible start to the last game in New York.

The scoring has also been inconsistent. With Elias out, no one has yet stepped up as the go-to guy. Alexander Mogilny has been great when he shoots, but he hasn't gotten as many scoring opportunities as he should. Gomez hasn't been his brilliant playmaking self yet. Aside from those two guys, no one else on the roster has ever been relied upon as a consistent goal scorer in the NHL before. Scorers need to step up.

By their own admission, Jersey has yet to put together a full 60-minute effort. I get the feeling that this can be attributed to a lack of leadership. In short, this team misses Scott Stevens sorely. No one has stepped up and led by example the way #4 did. That's not to say the whole team has been slacking. I've said it before and I'll say it again... Brian Rafalski is the best player on the team right now. This team needs to have a leader, someone that they can look to when they're down, someone who will always bring his A-game and play hard no matter what the score or what period it is. The C belongs on Rafalski's chest, in my opinion.

As far as these problems go, I confident they will get sorted out. Guys like Madden and Langenbrunner are among the hardest workers in the game... if anyone can dedicate themselves to studying film and mastering the new rules, it's these guys. And the same can be said of the rest of the team too.

As for Marty... well, he's Marty. He's the best in the business and he'll play like it.

Goals will come with time. This team's second scoring line can only get better... Kozlov has been playing like Jason Arnott did in his NJ days, Gionta plays with the heart of a man twice his size, and Parise is only going to improve.

The biggest concern of mine is the identity of the team. Stevens is gone and won't come back... these guys need get over that. The physical aspect of the game is still there and still dominant. Eric Rasmussen has been awesome so far, and Richard Matvichuk is finally getting his legs back. If McGillis can become the hitter he was brought here to be and Oliwa cracks the lineup, this can be a downright nasty team to face. More than anything, the Devils need to get their killer instinct back. When that happens, they will return to the top.

Tonight the Devs take on the Hurricanes. Let's see which Devils show up for this one.

Devils vs. Rangers

2005-10-09T14:55:00.000-04:00

After a rough loss to the Flyers, the Devils bounced back with a big overtime win against the Rangers.

Jersey managed only one shot in the entire first period, but it found its way into the back of the net. Despite being embarassingly outshot, they were able to go to the first intermission tied. The second period didn't start out a whole lot better. In fact, it seemed like the Devs didn't even show up until midway through the game.

Once again, it was Matrin Brodeur keeping New Jersey in a game they should have lost. His performance throughout the entire game was nothing less than stellar.

Something that was bothersome for the Devils and their fans were the penalties. It seemed like the Devs were going to the box every couple minutes. According to the Star-Ledger, I wasn't the only one in the arena who thought so. Jamie Langenbrunner got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second. While fans in my section, Devils and Rangers fans alike, wondered what possibly could be considered "unsportsmanlike" in a rivalry such as this, it turns out Brunner was boxed for asking the refs why the penalties were 15-0 at that point. Maybe the point got across because the Rangers actually started to go to the box in the third period.

More shaky officiating took place when the Devils second goal was disallowed. Mogilny had his rebound goal taken away because Sergei Brylin was in the crease and interfered with goalie Henrik Lundqvust. First of all, when did that stupid crease rule come back? Second of all, if Brylin was guilty of goaltender interference, why wasn't he sent to the box? I'm not one to say the refs were paid off, but the only way I could see that call making sense is if the ref saw it from the Rangers' pocket.

Nonetheless, the Devils found a way to get back into the game. After being thoroughly outplayed in the first two periods, the Devils came back in the third flying and hitting. Rasmussen had one huge shift, landing two crunching hits that rattled throughout the arena. Richard Matvichuk followed up by nailing Rangers forwards in the Devils defensive zone. The offense seemed to react by throwing the puck at the net more, and it worked. They mustered enough offense to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Before the puck was even dropped for the extra period, the whole Meadowlands was buzzing with the thought of a shootout. Even friends of mine who were totally against the shootout concept found themselves swept up in the emotion of the possibility of seeing breakaway afer breakaway... Jagr against Brodeur... Mogilny against an unproven rookie. Alas, we wouldn't get to see a shootout because Brian Rafalski scored the only pretty goal of the game on a one-timer from Viktor Kozlov. The Devils played only about a period and a half of real, hard hockey and came away with two points.

The Devils are 25-3-13 against the Rangers since 1997.

Some thoughts on the players:

Viktor Kozlov is impressing me so far. He's got a couple points already this season and has been playing pretty clutch hockey. The Devils sorely need his size on offense. Any line he's on is completely different from their other scoring lines... he's actually able to hold off two defenders at a time while controlling the puck and making plays.

Dan McGillis, on the other hand, has been very unimpressive. He's taken a lot of penalties, hasn't really been landing any of the hits that he was signed to make, and handles the puck with hands of stone. David Hale or Sean Brown could do the job McGillis is doing for a heck of a lot less money.

The Devils still need to clear cap space before Elias can come back. I don't see Brylin moving, and no longer see Kozlov as being the same incompetent player he was last time he played. McGillis looks, so far, like a leading candidate to be moved. But, that's just my opinion.

Brian Rafalski has been playing like he wants the C on his chest. He takes the body in his own end more often than he did earlier, and has been an invaluable asset to the offense. He has developed into a tremendous two-way player. He'll never hit like Stevens or skate like Niedermayer, but I like with Raf is doing. I've read that the Devils might be waiting to give the C to someone until Elias comes back, but right now it looks like it would fit real nice on the front of Rafalski's sweater.

Devils open season with big win

2005-10-06T01:16:00.000-04:00

The Devils started their season impressively with a 5-1 win over the Penguins. Thanks to the Center Ice digital cable package, I was able to watch the game here in the Dirty Dirty South Jersey. Here are some impressions I got from the game.

First of all, almost half of the first period was spent killing penalties. To be honest, it looked like the Penguins were getting away with a lot of diving. I think Eddie Olczyk was employing the Gordon Bombay theory of hockey: Take the fall... Act hurt... Get indignant!! But the Devils were guilty of putting themselves in bad positions and taking bad penalties. If it wasn't for Marty absolutely standing on his head, the Devils would have been down 3-0 after the first 10 minutes. Surviving that early onslaught was a momentum builder for New Jersey and a killer for Pittsburgh.

Brylin and Gionta both scored two goals and Zach Parise added one of his own. Gio's second goal was beautiful... for a short guy, he had incredible reach. He got his own rebound on a great one-man rush and roofed it over Jocelyn Thibault.

My top players for the game would be, in this order, Martin Brodeur, Brian Gionta, Zach Parise, Sergei Brylin, Brian Rafalski, and John Madden.

Rafalski seemed to thrive as the #1 defenseman. He not only created offensive opportunities (including a great scoring chance from the slot on an odd-man rush), but was solid in his own end. He was taking the body well for a player of his size, and stick checked like a fiend.

Madden's speed was explosive in this new era of hockey where skating is almost impossible to impede. There were a few occasions where he just flat out burned everyone around him and created opportunities. Him and Pandolfo almost hooked up a few times on the early PKs. Pando had an impressive game as well.

Mogilny DID play, although his ice time was limited and so was his output. He skated gingerly and rarely made physical challenges for the puck. Hopefully his hip will feel better as time goes on.

Dan McGillis was absolutely awful on the point during powerplays. In a span of about 30 seconds, be managed to fail at retrieving passes, holding clearing attempts, and completing passes of his own at least a half dozen times. Malakhov was impressive with the puck, as was Paul Martin. But for the love of puck, I hope Robinson keeps McGillis away from the PP.

The game was much more wide open than I anticipated. The Devils did not sit on their lead as they have in the past. I'm not sure if that is because of the new rules or if it is more of a Larry Robinson thing, but either way it was refreshing to see. Both teams exploited the lack of a 2-line pass rule several times often. Marty seemed especially prone to making very impressive tape-to-tape passes. He also had a very good grasp on the new "Marty Rule."

When all is said and done, Brodeur won this game for New Jersey. He is, without a singular doubt, the greatest goaltender in the game today. Here's hoping he can keep up this pace.

As far as Sid the Kid goes, he played very well. He had at least 3 or 4 really good scoring chances, but Marty slammed the door on him every time. He did manage to set up the Penguins only goal, scored by Mark Recchi. This kid is the real deal. But on the night, Zach Parise was the more impressive rookie. I stick by my prediction that he will be a legitimate threat for the Calder this year.

Wearing the As for the Devils were Rafalski, Madden, and Mogilny.

The game was a sellout for New Jersey. I know because I tried to get tickets but couldn't get any. It was good to hear "MAR-TIN" and at least three "RANGERS SUCK" chants throughout the game (they even threw in an "OVER-RATED" chant towards the end whenever Sid touched the puck)... some things never change. The fans are back and in full voice!

In other news, the Flyers fell flat on their faces tonight. They blew a 3-2 lead to fall to the Rags 5-3. I'll be at the Devils vs. Rangers game on Saturday and cannot wait to see a game in person.

Update

2005-10-05T00:24:00.000-04:00

The Devils lost their final preseason game to the Rangers 3-2, which ironically was also their preseason record. Rafalski, Madden, and Pandolfo wore the As.

Players who didn't make the team were waived yesterday, although there has been no official word on who those guys are. David Hale was sent to Albany so he could continue skating instead of sitting in the stands as the team's 7th defenseman (a position now held by Sean Brown).

Some bad news before the season gets started is the Alexander Mogilny will miss the opener against the Pens tomorrow night. He's suffering from a hip flexor and only played 2 games in the preseason. Apparently his hip is a bigger cause for concern than I previously believed.

There is good news though. Yesterday ground was officially broken for the Newark Arena. The Bergen Record has a great article on some of the features that are planned for the venue. I have to say, I am mightily impressed by Jeff Vanderbeek's plans for this team. If this arena lives up to these plans, it will become the premier arena in the nation. Some highlights are smaller seating capacity for more intimacy and better views, more club boxes and luxury boxes, a restaurant with a view of the ice, five concourses that are bigger than the one at the Meadowlands, and of course, MASS TRANSIT!!!!!

The season begins tomorrow night. Faceoff is at 7:30. It will be on Fox Sports New York and 660 WFAN. Put your hockey hats on because this is going to be one hell of a season. It's been an absolute pleasure writing about the offseason... I cannot wait till the action begins!! Say it with me now:

LET'S GO DEVILS!!!!!

Devils season preview

2005-10-04T15:29:00.000-04:00

(also posted at HockeyAnalysis.com)

Offense
Subtractions: So far, the only forwards to leave the swamp are Jan Hrdina and Jeff Friesen. Hrdina never seemed to fit in too well in New Jersey, and Friesen suffered from chronic underachieving. Friesen was a terrific playoff performer, however, and in that regard he will be sorely missed. Expect more forwards to leave in the next month to clear space in the cap-cramped Meadowlands. Patrik Elias signed a 1-year deal with the team, but will miss at least one month due to hepatitis recovery.
Additions: Alexander Mogilny is back in a Devils sweater. Last time he put one on, Larry Robinson was coach and he paired up with Scott Gomez… the end result was a 43 goal season for Almo. Well guess what... Robinson is behind the bench again and he’s back on a line with Gomez. His hip is an issue of concern, but everyone around him in confident that he will hold up. The only other forwards the Devils inked are tough-guys Darren Langdon and Krzysztof Oliwa.
Overall: This squad is very similar to the one that played last season. Madden, Brylin, Pandolfo, Gionta, and Gomez are still there. Langenbrunner continues to play like a grinder stuck in a scorer’s body, which fits perfectly in Jersey. Kozlov adds size up front to an otherwise small offense. Rasmussen and Marshall the other big forwards who are guaranteed regular ice time. One player to watch out for is Zach Parise, who may finally be ready to make his NHL debut. Veteran Pascal Rheaume and rookies Aleksander Suglobov and Adrian Foster will be ready to go from Albany if the Devs ever call upon them. This is among the deepest offensive units the Devils have had in recent years.

Defense
Subtractions: Almost too monsterous to mention. Scott Niedermayer packed his bags and took a pay cut to play with his brother in Anaheim. Scott Stevens, the team’s leader in every sense of the word, has hung up his skates after a masterful career. Both of these guys played on all three Stanley Cup teams in New Jersey, and with them a ton of skill, heart, and experience has left.
Additions: Lou wasted no time filling in the holes, er, craters on D. Before the lockout started, Richard Matvichuk was signed. Within hours of Niedermayer’s departure, Brian Rafalski was re-signed and Vladimir Malakhov and Dan McGillis were brought in.
Overall: This ain’t your daddy’s Devils defense. But that’s not to say they aren’t good. This crew is still among the most solid in the East. The top six guys have a nice balance of size and puck-moving ability. Colin White, Dan McGillis, and Richard Matvichuk will provide the muscle, while Rafalski, Malakhov, and Martin will bring the skill. Martin’s game advanced very quickly in his rookie year, and he is expected to be even better this season. David Hale and Sean Brown are two solid D-men waiting in the wings if their services are needed.

Goaltending:
Martin Brodeur is still a Devil. ‘Nuff said.

The Big Picture:
The Devils not only lost their captain when Stevens retired, but a large piece of their identity. If this team can resolve its identity crisis quickly, they’ll be very good. The ’95 Cup team rallied around the team’s lifers… guys like John MacLean, Bruce Driver, and Ken Daneyko. The ’05 version has it’s own ensemble of lifers… guys like Colin White, Brian Rafalski, Scott Gomez, Patrik Elias, Sergei Brylin, John Madden, Jay Pandolfo, Brian Gionta, and of course Marty Brodeur. Lamoriello has done a fine job of assembling a solid core of guys who know no way other than the Devil way, and this group is as solid as any. Even the guys he brought in – Vladimir Malakhov and Alex Mogilny – have won a Stanley Cup in New Jersey before. Unfamiliarity shouldn’t be an issue here.

Back behind the bench is Hall of Fame defenseman Larry Robinson. Last time he was here, he had a two year stint that featured two trips to the Cup Finals, and in his second season his team led the league in scoring. Vladimir Malakhov has said that he wouldn’t have returned to the NHL unless he could play for Robinson. The players love this guy, and a better man couldn’t have been picked to step up in the wake of Pat Burns’ battle with cancer.

On paper, the Devils have the makings of a top team. Their first line alone (as soon as Elias gets healthy) has the potential to put up monster numbers. Zach Parise has been dominant in the World Juniors, AHL, and pre-season… look for this kid to make a bid for the Calder in this, the year of Sid. Jamie Langenbrunner would be a second line scoring threat for a lot of teams, and even a first liner for some, but he will likely be a third liner for New Jersey… a testament to their depth at forward. Brian Gionta had a strong finish last season on the Deviled EGG line, look for him to pick up where he left off. Madden, Brylin, and Pandolfo are all best-known for their defensive abilities, but all of them have a scoring touch as well. Madden’s breakaway speed could help him have an offensive breakout year.

Finally, let’s not forget who’s in net here. Brodeur is arguably the best goaltender in the world right now. Any team with him in net has a chance to go the distance. There are only four goaltenders in the NHL right now whose names appear on the Cup. Unless you have a world-class netminder, consider your season done. The Devils will never have that problem with #30 between the pipes.

That said, the Devils will finish second in the Atlantic. Their blend of size, speed, youth, and veteran presence on D will be a nice fit in the new NHL. Their offense will surprise a lot of people this year, as it is loaded with speed and talent. When playoff time comes around, we’ll see if they can overcome their two big losses, but as far as the regular season goes, they should be fine.

Flyers again... New goalie jerseys

2005-10-01T01:38:00.000-04:00

Tonight the Devils avenged last night's preseason loss to the Flyers by beating them 5-3. Four of their goals came on the power play, and the last was scored on an empty net.

I couldn't see the game down here in the dirty dirty South Jersey because the Phillies are in the middle of a playoff chase, so I couldn't see who wore the As or really make any judgements on how guys were playing.

Marty played the whole game and Ahonen was on the bench. Maybe this means he beat Clemmensen out for the backup job.

Most of the Devils regulars played. The only notable additions were Hale, Brown, and Cam Janssen, and the notable subtractions were Rafalski, Matvichuk, and Mogilny. Defensive pairings were McGillis-Martin, White-Malakhov, Hale-Brown.

Malakhov scored the first two goals for New Jersey, then Gio, Madden, and Brunner put the last puck between the un-manned pipes.

In other news, it looks the goalies in the NHL will never look the same. New jerseys have been delivered to every NHL team by the league, and it looks like they will be worn by every netminder starting with opening day, Oct. 5.

The only picture I can find is in the TSN story. They are more form-fitting, not allowing people to cry about excess jersey material helping goalies and hurting scorers. The jerseys will also be a different color from their teammate's jerseys, fueling rumors that soon we will see soccer-like jerseys for goalies with their own unique designs, much like goalie helmets. TSN is also the only news outlet where I could find any news on this topic, but Eklund has backed it up by saying it's likely to be a go for this season.

I do like the fact that the league is finally doing something to stop the whining about goalie jerseys. These new ones, from the single online picture, look like they don't have any material hanging down under the arms, which was the prime area of complaint. These new jerseys also open up a whole new marketing possibility for the league. What I'm not sure I like is the idea of personalized jerseys, or even having them be a different shade than teammates' sweaters. Hockey is about as team-oriented a sport as you're likely to find and I don't like segregating the goalies from the team. A lot of hockey purists will hate these jerseys.

Preseason vs. Flyers

2005-09-29T23:01:00.000-04:00

Tonight the Devils lost to the Flyers 3-2. I had a night class tonight so I only got to see the last 10 minutes. It looked like a lot of regulars got the night off. No Almo, Madden, Gio, Kozlov, Parise, McGillis, or Martin. Like I said, I didn't get to see a whole lot, but here's what I noticed.

David Hale looks really solid. He didn't get a whole lot of playing time, but this kid looks like the real deal. He's solid in his own end, has gotten better as a hitter since last season, and is competent with the puck. I'd say this guy is already ahead of Colin White in his game. He also had a goal and an assist on the night.

A lot of young guys got to play tonight. Adrian Foster looked impressive. Right now he looks like he could be a third line center, but not much more than that. Another year in Albany could do him well. The rest of the guys, Tallackson, Janssen, and Murphy, didn't really make an impression.

Grant Marshall was playing on the first line with Gomez and Brylin. This looks like Robinson has a lot of confidence in Marshall. If my idea that the Devs will drop two of their three goons comes true, don't count on him being one of them.

The top defensive pair was Malakhov and White, second was Rafalski and Matvichuk, then Hale and Brown.

Wearing the As tonight were Rafalski, White, and Pandolfo. So far, Rafalski, White, Pando, Mogilny, and Madden have been the alternates.

Clemmensen and Ahonen split time in net. Clemmensen started and allowed 2 goals on 20 shots, Ahonen let one past him on 11 shots. Ahonen didn't impress me very much, but history will tell you that New Jersey's backup has to be anything spectacular. Robinson has said that from here on out, Marty will start and finish games.

Deferred payments... McMullen to be honored

2005-09-29T17:36:00.000-04:00

The NY Post has a great article all about the cap situation in New Jersey. Apparently some of what made Lou such a great pre-cap GM is coming back to haunt him.

In order to save money and stay within a budget, Lou used to have deferred payments as a part of some of his contracts. Players like Brodeur, Madden, and Stevens had portions of their salaries deferred to later years. Unfortunately for the Devils, under the new cap system those deferred payments have to be counted all at once.

Over the next few years, some $1.88M in deferred salary will be paid to Brodeur and Madden. Even though those portions are not being paid this season, they do count against this season's cap. Considering how close the Devils are to being over the cap, that $1.88M is making a big difference.

The Post also reports that once the Devils add Parise and a backup goalie, their payroll will be $38.95M. That would be for only 22 players when the NHL allows the rosters to hold 23. Needless to say, there will be more moves on the horizon for New Jersey.

Finally, the team has announced what will be done to honor the memory of former owner, the late John McMullen. The team will wear a patch with the initials "JM" on the front right shoulder of their jerseys.

No announcement has been made yet on how the team will remember Scott Stevens' career. I assume they will do something similar to what was done for Kenny Daneyko. I attended Daneyko Night (which was ironically the first game Stevens missed with post-concussion syndrome). A video montage highlighted his career and they gave away Daneyko bobbleheads (which unfortunately had all of their teeth... I have mine right next to my Brodeur celebriduck). All in all, the night was kinda disappointing. I'd personally like to see the Devils start raising some numbers to the rafters, and it would hard to argue that #4 shouldn't be the first one to go up.

Tonight the Devils will play in Philly for their thrid preseason game.

Preseason Game vs. Rangers

2005-09-28T17:32:00.000-04:00

Last night the Devs beat the Rangers 3-1. Parise scored yet again, along with Malakhov and Mogilny. Parise's score came on the powerplay, assisted by Martin and Kozlov. Almo's was assisted by Brylin and Brown. Malakhov's was assisted by White and Gionta.

Marty played half the game again, and didn't allow a goal (15 saves). Ahonen finished the game and gave up a third period score to Jed Ortmeyer (Lampman, Tyutin).

I know it's only the preseason, but two goals and a shootout score in two games has me thinking big things about Parise. To be fair, the Rangers sat most of their stars last night (Jarg, Rucinsky, Rucchin, Kasparitis). But still, I'm allowed to be optimistic about this young star. I'm telling you.... he's Calder material. I'm just hoping the Devils don't sit on his talent ala Brendan Morrison, but with Larry Robinson at the helm, I'm not worried at all.

It's also good to see Marty stop 15 of 15. A lot of "experts" think Brodeur will turn into Swiss cheese now that he no longer has Stevens and Niedermayer in front of him. Maybe after Marty puts up incredible numbers once again, people will finally give him the respect he deserves.

The bad news from this game is that the penalty total shot up from the last game. They were boxed 10 times (not counting Oliwa's fighting major). I couldn't see the game, but from looking at the box score, it looks like they got the bulk of their penalties while defending their lead in the third period. Hopefully these guys get a grip on what they can and can't do defensively before the season opener.

Aleksander Suglobov was recalled from Albany for the game. He must be the replacement for Friesen. He played on the team's first line with Gomez and Mogilny.

So far in two preseason games, no player has worn the captain's "C." In the first game, Rafalski, Mogilny, and Madden wore As. Last night, it was White, Mogilny, and Madden. Robinson said during training camp that he wouldn't be opposed to just having thee alternates during the season instead of asking some to fill Stevens' enormous skates. So far, I like what he's doing.

Pittsburgh Penguins

2005-09-27T16:52:00.000-04:00

(also posted at HockeyAnalysis.com)

What they lost: The stigma of being a losing team. The only players they lost are Kris Beech, Matt Bradley, Michal Roszival, and J.G. Aubin. Hardly the kind of players who would be considered monumental losses.

What they gained: Hope… and a ton of it. The most notable addition to this team is Sidney Crosby. While it remains to be seen just how much of an impact he will have on the ice, it is hard to imagine this kid being a flop. The future of the NHL is a Penguin. Aside from him, Pittsburgh has completely re-tooled their team. Adding firepower are Mark Recchi, John LeClair, and Ziggy Palffy. Recchi is a leader and a terrific playoff performer. LeClair’s physical brand of hockey has taken a toll on his body, but he will be influential nonetheless. Ziggy Palffy has always been among my favorite players, right from his days with the Islanders. On defense, Pitt has added the offensive-minded Sergei Gonchar and the defensive stalwart Lyle Odelein. Providing a veteran presence in net will be Jocelyn Thibault.

Staying at home: This is Mario’s team, and he’s lacing up the skates for one more run at the Cup. Most of the other players returning are top draft picks from years past. Ryan Malone and Marc-Andre Fleury headline this group. These guys have had to wait an additional year to make a bang in the NHL… look for them to explode.

Bottom line: The Penguins will win the Atlantic. They’ll be the Cinderella story of the year. With new rules that will only make Mario’s curtain call an easier one, he will be among the league leaders in all offensive categories. This season, Crosby may not be the dominant scorer that he will one day become, but he will be very good. I can’t think of a team in the entire NHL that has done as much to improve their roster as the Pens. If Fleury isn’t spectacular in net, Thibault is right behind him and more than capable of carrying the starting load. Their mix of stunningly promising young talent and grizzly seasoned vets make this team dangerous. A dynasty could be born, or at least conceived, this season.

Last but not least, I will have my preview for the Devils ready shortly. I've been putting it off as long as possible because of the cap situation they were in. But, since Friesen has been dealt, their season-starting roster should be all but set. Stay tuned.

Friesen dealt... preseason starts... rosters trimmed

2005-09-26T23:34:00.000-04:00

Jeff Friesen was sent to the Washington Capitals for a conditional pick in the next draft.

This move clears enough cap space for the Devils to start the season. Friesen has been inconsistent in his tenure in New Jersey, but that's not to say he didn't contribute. He came up huge for the Devils in the 2003 playoffs, scoring 10 goals in 24 games... among them were the clinchers in the East Finals and Cup Finals, both in Game 7s.

In other news, the Devils played their first preseason game and won in grand fashion. All preseason games have had shootouts, but this game had a meaningful one. After finishing regulation and overtime deadlocked, Zach Parise and Alexander Mogilny scored in the shootout. The Isles could only muster one goal on their three shots, so no third Devil ever shot.

Parise also scored a goal during regulation.

This young man looks more and more promising by the day. Look for him to challenge for the Calder trophy this year.

More good news coming from this game. Most teams have really struggled with the new rules, usually resulting in as many as 26 penalties being called in a game. The Devils committed only 6 penalties. Hopefully this is a reflection of their grasp of the new rules and will allow them to continue being among the least penalized teams in the NHL.

Marty played half the game, allowing one goal. Clemmensen went the rest of the way.

The Devils also trimmed their roster. Among the notables getting sent to Albany are Frank Doyle, Ahren Nittel, Mike Pandolfo, Jason Ryznar, Aleksander Suglobov, Aaron Voros, and Petr Vrana. Alexander Sundstrom returned to his junior team.

Tommy Albelin is still with the team, battling for a roster spot. Guys like Niklas Bergfors, Adrian Foster, Tuomas Pihlman, Ilkka Pikkarainen, and Barry Tallackson are getting longer looks from the coaching staff and remain in camp.

Finally, Lou has hinted that there will be something done in the future to honor John McMullen and Scott Stevens. Nothing has been finalized, but expect an announcement in the near future.

OLN's big three finalized

2005-09-23T16:19:00.000-04:00

As we already know, Doc Emrick will do the lead play-by-play for OLN. Finally, John Davidson has been announced as the lead analyst. Bill Clement will also host the NHL studio show.

Emrick and JD have already proven themselves to be an elite broadcasting duo. Having these two work together is a great start for the network hoping to forge an identity as one who will take hockey seriously.

Clement is an interesting choice for a studio host. Primarily known for his work alongside Gary Thorne calling hockey games for ESPN, Clement should do just fine in the studio.

So far, so good for OLN. Well, except for totally nixing the Devils from their schedule.

Update

2005-09-21T12:45:00.000-04:00

Lou has 10 days left before his Oct. 1 deadline to get under the cap. So far he hasn't made any moves, but that doesn't mean the rumor mill hasn't been spinning.

The latest has Jeff Friesen going to San Jose (as has been rumored by Eklund). Not much else has been said about this one. Moving Jeff would free up his $2.28M in cap space, assuming Lou gets picks or prospects in return.

Numerous reports have the real magic numbers for the Devils. They need to dump $1.77M before Oct. 1, and an additional $3.73M before Elias can come back from his hepatitis recovery. The first number is easier than many may think to reach. Lou could simply send some guys to the minors to meet his first deadline, and use the month that Elias will be sidelined to find interested partners for trades.

One way or another, a big trade will eventually happen. Here's the latest list of names I've heard mentioned in trade talks:
Jeff Friesen - $2.28M
Viktor Kozlov - $1.746M
Colin White - $1.71M
Jamie Langenbrunner - $1.655M
Sergei Brylin - $1.52M
Krzysztof Oliwa - $836k
Grant Marshall - $760k
Eric Rasmussen - $532k
Darren Langdon - $450k

That's a pretty big list. Four of the last five guys on that list (Oliwa, Marshall, Langdon) essentially play the same style of game. The thinking is that the Devils don't need three tough-guys, so one or two of them may be shipped out.

Ideally, the underachieving Friesen, the injury-prone Kozlov, and two of the goons would be traded. That would leave NJ with the best core of talent and come closest to the total of $5.5M they need to lose. We'll see what Lou does.

As the season wears on, I expect to see a little more salary dumping on NJ's part. Lou likes to have flexibility going into the trade deadline, and if he just dumps the bare minimum at the start of the season, he'd be handcuffing himself for later on.

Enough with this number-crunching. There is good news on the Devils front.

Elias skated for the first time since getting hepatitis. He didn't do much, but the simple act of skating is a huge milestone in his recovery. Likely timetables for his return have him coming back in early November.

Reports on Devils practices have had nothing but good news on Mogilny. Supposedly he's looking like his old self out there, showing no signs that the hip surgery he had a year ago is slowing him down. This is great news for Devils fans. Look for him and Gomez to recapture the chemistry that helped the Devils lead the league in goals scored in 2001.

Philadelphia Flyers

2005-09-21T00:37:00.000-04:00

(also posted on HockeyAnalysis.com)

What they lost: The heart of their offense. Gone are LeClair, Recchi, Amonte, Roenick, and Zhamnov. That’s four future-Hall of Famers gone in one extended offseason. Four of their top five scorers, and five of their top ten are gone. No team in the division was harder hit on offense than the Flyers.

What they gained: Peter Forsberg, one of the all-time great talents in the game, has come back to Philly. Unfortunately for the Flyers, he isn’t the same player he was when they originally gave him up for Eric Lindros. Forsberg still has the talent to win the Hart trophy, but he averages less games played than the Big E over the past five years. Mike Knuble will be a great fit in Philly with size and a scoring touch, and Turner Stevenson will toughen up the offense. Philly also picked up a huge trio on defense… Chris Therien, Mike Rathje, and Derian Hatcher. This is a gamble on GM Bobby Clarke’s part. With added emphasis on speed and puck-movement in this new NHL, big guys like these could get left behind and prove to be a weakness. We’ll have to wait and see if size-over-skill pays off on D for Philly. One way or another, Hatcher is a great pickup for the team. He was captain for coach Ken Hitchcock when they won the Cup together in Dallas in ’99, and you can’t underestimate player/coach chemistry like that.

Staying at home: Captain Keith Primeau is still there, and that is great news for Philly. With Mark Messier and Scott Stevens retiring, that leaves Primeau as the most tenacious captain in the division. Simon Gagne will be expected to step up his offensive game this season big time. Robert Esche and Antero Nittymaki will probably end up in the middle of a goalie controversy at some point this season, and I believe Nittymaki is the better of the two. Jeff Carter and Mike Richards are stepping up from the AHL champ Phantoms and right into important roles in the Flyers offense. Michael Handzus is the only remaining player from the Flyers top five scorers from last season.

Bottom line: The Flyers lost 99 of the 229 goals they scored last season by letting their big four forwards go, and are replacing them with two rookies and three forwards who combined for 53 goals last season. Philadelphia’s hockey team has been cursed in two areas for the past decade: injuries and goaltending, and those fortunes don’t seem to be changing just yet. They go into training camp without Forsberg, Hatcher, and Kapanen because of injuries. Esche won’t last the whole season as starter and Nittymaki will take over around the Olympic break. Lack of consistency up front, speed on the blue line, and steadiness in net will leave them in 3rd in the division. If they are healthy come playoff time, they will be a legitimate threat for the Cup.

Weekly Rant

2005-09-19T00:17:00.000-04:00

Captaincy and the Captain's "C"... Changing of the Guard in the Atlantic

When a team had to play someone from the Atlantic, they used to know what they were getting. If they went to the Big Apple, they had to deal with one of the all-time greats in Mark Messier… a fiery competitor who wasn’t afraid of anyone, and certainly not hesitant to light your goalie up. If you went to the swamps of North Jersey, you had to face Scott Stevens’ team. If you took liberties with one of Jersey’s skilled players, don’t plan on taking a single stride with your head down… Stevens would kill you.

But now all of that has changed. The Rangers and the Devils, warriors of the Lincoln Tunnel rivalry, have lost their mojo. The Islanders are in a bit of a quandary as well. With Mike Peca in Edmonton and Kenny Jonsson (the last captain before Peca) staying in Sweden, the Isles have lost their identity as well.

In a division with five teams, there are only two clear-cut captains. Mario Lemieux will wear the “C” in Pittsburgh for as long as he plays. But Mario is a skill player… the kind of player who I always felt didn’t necessarily make the best captain. I don’t doubt Mario’s integrity as a leader. After all he is the man who made the Penguins a respectable franchise, and when the team started to falter, he came back to save it. If anyone cares about his team, it’s Mario.

But there’s just always been something about skilled captains that didn’t sit right with me. I would imagine that a team would be less likely to push the cheap-shot envelope against a team with a captain like Messier or Stevens. If you harassed Mike Richter too much, Messier would hop on the ice and punch you in the face. You know that if you got your stick up on Scott Gomez, Stevens would turn into a shark that smells blood. But take the same liberty on a team captained by Mario or Gretzky, who knows what may happen? One of the team’s goons might catch what’s happening and settle the score. But a captain knows everything that’s happening with his team, good and bad, and does everything in his power to keep his team on top. I can’t see Super Mario leveling Derian Hatcher to defend Ziggy Palffy.

That leaves Keith Primeau of the Flyers as the best captain in the division. He wasn’t always this selfless and dedicated, at least not to the degree he showed in the last postseason. But I’ll be damned if he didn’t play like a possessed man last postseason. I have no doubt that the Flyers wouldn’t have gotten to the East Finals without him leading the way. He scored timely goals, played a physically dominant game, and most importantly, kept his teammates feeling like they would win.

This year will see a new crop of leaders emerge in the Atlantic. Jaromir Jagr recently turned down the captain’s “C” when the Rangers offered it to him. Who will take it remains a bit of a mystery. I would put it on Darius Kasparaitus… a fearless intimidator who, given the responsibility of captaincy, would bring his game to the next level.

New Jersey is a whole different story. Where the Rangers don’t have a whole lot of potential captains, Jersey is teeming with them. Elias, Madden, Rafalski, Pandolfo, and White are all players who leave everything on the ice, and consequently they have all been rumored as following in Stevens’ footsteps. Larry Robinson has said he’d be open to the possibility of having a rotating captain or maybe just have three alternates.

The Islanders are now in a tough spot too. Maybe Alexei Yashin will finally step up to be a selfless leader… but a safer bet is on him to spontaneously combust and turn into a rooster. Janne Niinimaa may be the best candidate they have for the position, or maybe even second-year man Trent Hunter. It should be interesting to see what they do.

As we bid farewell to a generation of leaders and heroes, a new crop will be crowned to take their place. Finding the right captain for a team can take years, so the next few seasons will be seasons of change in the Atlantic. Brace yourself.

R.I.P. Dr. John J. McMullen

2005-09-17T14:38:00.000-04:00

Dr. John McMullen passed away Friday. He was 87 years old.

McMullen bought the Colorado Rockies and brought them home to New Jersey in 1982. The Devils were referred to as a "Mickey Mouse organization" during the early years, but under his continued ownership they became a powerhouse.

I remember the 1995 Stanley Cup run, tainted by rumors of the team moving to Nashville. The Devils won that year in underdog fashion, and at the parking lot celebration McMullen took notice of the overwhelming number of young fans in attendance. He never moved the team. He couldn't bring himself to alienate such a young fanbase, who in time would bring their own children to games, who then would bring their children to games, and so on and so forth.

I also remember when the Devils won the Cup in 2000 on the eve of McMullen selling the team to YankeesNets. In a postgame interview, a tearful Ken Daneyko thanked him. McMullen took a young Daneyko into his home when he was just a young player with no place to live, and Kenny would go on to give his entire career to the Devils.

Such will be the legacy of Dr. McMullen.

His name appears twice on the Stanley Cup, so in that sense he is forever immortalized. Next time you watch the Devils on TV, hear them on the radio, go to a game, or even just hear someone mention the team... remember the man who brought them here.

Training Camp Line Combos

2005-09-15T21:51:00.000-04:00

The Star-Ledger has the line combinations the Devils are starting camp with. This is not how the team will look when the season starts. The Devs still need to dump about $1M before the puck drops, and about $4M more before Elias can come off the DL. But, for the time being, here's the lines:

1 - Brylin - Gomez - Mogilny
2 - Friesen - Kozlov - Gionta
3 - Pandolfo - Madden - Langenbrunner
4 - Oliwa - Rasmussen - Marshall

Friesen and Kozlov are the players I hear the most in trade rumors. Either one of them alone would clear enough cap space to start the season. Both, along with either Brylin or two of their three tough guys (Oliwa, Marshall, Langdon) would subtract enough salary to allow Elias to come back.

Given Lou's history, I think he's more likely to trade his depth at forward than defense, so Sean Brown and David Hale (probably the 7th and 8th team defensemen) should be safe. Guys like Friesen, Kozlov, Brylin, Langenbrunner, Oliwa, Marshall, and Langdon are at camp proving they deserve to stay with the team. With young guys like Parise, Suglobov, Vrana, and maybe even Bergfors ready to step into the NHL, Lou has some flexibility here. This next month should be very interesting.

And don't forget, individual game tickets go on sale tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.!

New York Islanders

2005-09-14T18:10:00.000-04:00

Before I get to my opinions on the Isles, I want to let you know how this blog will be written in the future. Instead of having random rants thrown in from time to time, I'm going to hold myself to one weekly rant. Every Saturday I will publish my it, and aside from that, pretty much everything else put on this blog will just be news or features such as this Atlantic Division preview. I'm hoping this will make the blog less jumbled and easier to read.

Now on to the Isles!

(also posted on HockeyAnalysis.com)

What they lost: Experience and leadership. Mike Peca, Adrian Aucoin, Dave Scatchard, and Marius Czerkawski are all gone. Peca was their captain last season, and before him it was Kenny Jonsson who will play in Sweden this year. Peca has also won the Selke trophy twice in his career as the best defensive forward… making him a player who is not easily replaced.

What they gained: Stepping into the Nassau Coliseum this year are Miroslav Satan, Alexei Zhitnik, Mike York, Brad Lukowich, and Joel Bouchard. Satan, aside from having a name that would look great on the back of a Devils jersey, is a skilled forward who can be relied upon to score consistently. Zhitnik is a good defensive acquisition in the “new NHL,” with puck-moving and skating as valuable skills on the blueline. I’ve also always been a big Mike York fan. The Rangers were stupid to let him go, and it would be poetic justice if he thrives on Long Island.

Staying at home: The players remaining on the Island are somewhat mysteries. Alexei Yashin is still among the highest paid players in the NHL, but his performance on the ice hardly ever merits it. He needs to step up this year, just as he has needed to for the past several years. Rick DiPietro could finally live up to his potential this season… I expect him to be a bright spot for the Isles this year. Janne Niinimaa is still there and Mark Parrish just re-signed. But perhaps the best thing the Islanders have going for them is 2nd year forward Trent Hunter. He was a finalist for the Calder last season and led the team in goals and points. If the Isles want to succeed this season, a lot falls on the shoulders of this promising young man.

Bottom line: This year could be the start of something good for the Islanders. They won’t be a playoff team, but they also won’t be as bad as they were when they had the Gorton’s Fisherman as their logo. On paper, they’re just as good as they were last season. Their young talent will make or break this team. I think Hunter and DiPietro will be very good this year, but the lack of veteran intangibles and leadership on this team will leave them in fourth place in the division.

Training Camp Begins!

2005-09-13T12:38:00.000-04:00

The official training camp roster has been released. Here are some noteworthy players:

Zach Parise - He will be wearing #51, a sign that he isn't an automatic Devil just yet. Lou may make him wait another year in Albany. However, if Zach impresses in camp, it will make it easier for Lou to trade some talent, dump some salary, and give this kid a shot in the NHL.

Niklas Bergfors - The Devils first overall pick this year was also the most sought-after Swedish player in the draft. He's most likely to play in Albany this year, but it will be interesting to see what he can do nonetheless.

Aleksander Suglobov, Petr Vrana, Aaron Voros, Ahren Nittel - All of these guys may one day be Devils. They'll most likely have to play another year or two in Albany, but again, it will be nice to see what they're capable of.

Ari Ahonen and Scott Clemmensen - One of these lucky guys will get to watch Marty start 75 games from the comfort of the Devils bench this year.

Alexander Sundstrom - The son of former Devil and NHL great Patrik Sundstrom will get his shot.

Mike Pandolfo - This one is hard to track down. Mike is Jay's younger brother and spent the last few years in the Blue Jackets system. He wasn't qualified this offseason thus making him an unrestricted free agent. So Lou may have signed him, or he may have just been invited to camp to show what he's got. Should be interesting.

Someone who will not be in camp but is another highly touted prospect for Jersey is Travis Zajac, the Devils first round pick in 2004. He's in his sophomore season with the Fighting Sioux at UND. Keep an eye out for him next year.

Hockey's Future was a primary source for this article

Chasing history... and chasing St. Patrick

2005-09-13T02:45:00.000-04:00

As every Devils fan knows, Martin Brodeur is the best goalie in the game right now. But, as far as his place in history goes, he still has some work to do to solidify his place in history. If his career was to end right now, he'd be a surefire Hall of Famer, but he wouldn't neccessarily be regarded as the best of all time. Here's a look at some records he's chasing:

Shutouts:
Terry Sawchuk holds this record with 103 goose eggs during his career. Marty is currently tied with Eddie Belfour in the #8 spot with 75 shutouts each.

Wins:
Arguably the most sought-after goaltender record, Patrick Roy holds this one with a remarkable 551 games won. Marty is currently 7th all-time with 403.

Playoff Shutouts:
Marty holds the record for most shutouts in a single playoff season with 7 during the 2003 Stanley Cup run (yet, some other goalie with huge pads skated away with the Conn Smythe). As far as career numbers go, Roy holds this record with 22 in his career, but Marty is a close 2nd with 20.

Playoff Wins:
This one is firmly in Roy's hands. He won 151 playoff games in his career. Marty is 5th with 84. The closest anyone is to Roy's record is Grant Fuhr with 92.

Awards:
He's won the Jennings (least goals allowed) four times, the Vezina (best goalie) twice, and the Calder (rookie of the year). In my opinion, he was robbed of the Vezina in '95-'96 when Jim Carey won it, and there were a few years where Hasek won it (and Brodeur lost it) on reputation alone. The league didn't start giving him the Vezina until he won Olympic Gold, but I digress.

So Marty's got some work to do, and now we all have a few more things to watch for this year.

The Hockey Hall of Fame's website was my source for these numbers

The Anti-Marty Rule

2005-09-12T01:29:00.000-04:00

This year, the NHL is implementing several new rules. The intended result of these changes is to increase excitement and bring new fans to the game. However, I believe they totally missed the target with one rule in particular.

I’m talking about the Marty Rule.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, check this out. The NHL has made it illegal for goalies to handle the puck in their corners. In fact, they’ve painted trapezoids behind the nets and told the netminders that if they want to handle the puck behind the net, it had better be within these parameters. Failure to do so will result in a delay-of-game penalty (which is ironic because they aren't delaying the game at all... if anything, they should get an enhancing-the-game penalty). They even call this area the "trap zone," a fitting name since it essentially traps and kills talent.

Now in all fairness, let’s look at this rule positively.

What good does it bring to the game? There are probably five or so goalies in the league that actually venture to the corner to play the puck. If you are playing against one of these five (out of 30) teams, you can dump and chase more effectively.

This ends the list of positive effects this rule will have.

Now let’s look at it realistically.

If the league wants to increase excitement, the last thing they would want to do is promote dump-and-chase hockey. Why don’t they make a rule saying that the only goals allowed are from a group of guys in front of the net poking at rebounds?

Not only does it fail to make the game more exciting, but it punishes goalies for developing new talent. Did the NBA tell Wilt Chamberlain to only get rebounds OR score points, and punish him if he excelled at both? Did Major League Baseball punish Mickey Mantle for excelling in the field, at the plate, AND on the basepads? Will the NFL penalize Michael Vick for throwing AND running well? NO! So why is the NHL telling goalies that it’s bad for them to stop the puck AND handle it behind the net?

If you’ve ever been to a Devils game when the opposition pulls the goalie, you know what kind of excitement can ensue. 19,040 people are hoping for the opposing team to dump it in and let Marty play it. Whenever that does happen, the crowd rises to its’ feet at the possibility of watching a goalie score a goal… something more rare than a perfect game, a 500 yard passing performance, or a 50 point game… in other words, it is possibly the most exciting thing in professional sports.

Apparently, the NHL doesn’t want Devils fans to collectively rush to their feet late in games anymore.

And the Devils aren’t the only team affected. Marty Turco, Ed Belfour, and Rick DiPietro are excellent puck-handling goaltenders as well. The league is robbing their fans of that excitement as well.

Don't get me wrong... a goalie shooting at an empty net is not the only positive of allowing them to play the puck behind the nets. Ask any defenseman if he’d rather his goalie handle a dump-in, or if he’d like to turn his back on the forecheck to play the puck only to be slammed into the boards from behind. Ask fans what’s more exciting… dump-and-chase hockey or a goalie sending a homerun pass to a forward waiting at the opposition's blue line (now that the 2-line pass is gone) for a breakaway?

The Marty Rule is the worst thing in the new NHL and I hope it has a quicker death than that stupid crease rule. Hopefully the league will come to realize that skill is something that should be promoted, not punished.

New York Rangers

2005-09-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

(also posted on HockeyAnalysis.com)

Kicking off my Atlantic division predictions and analysis, I present to you the New York Rangers.

What they lost: A ton of stars and payroll. Bobby Holik, Eric Lindros, and Mike Dunham have been lost since the Broadway Blueshirts last took the ice, and even more were shipped out before the last trading deadline. The biggest blow to the Rags could be the loss of captain Mark Messier. Reports say that he won’t report to camp and could possibly announce his retirement soon, thus becoming the latest future-Hall of Fame casualty from the long layoff (Scott Stevens and Al MacInnis being the others). They also lost their chance to bring back Brian Leetch, who signed in Boston. The Rangers have been somewhat of a running joke around the NHL for their high payroll and low output, so they’re switching to a youth movement in hopes to rebuild and change their fortunes.

What they gained: Finishing several seasons in a row low in the standings does have its benefits. The Rangers now have a stockpile of young talent led by Fedor Tyutin. Their future in net looks bright with Henrik Lundqvist and Al Montoya battling for the #2 spot behind Kevin Weekes. As far as veteran additions, the Rangers picked up Steve Rucchin, Ville Nieminen, Martin Rucinsky, Jason Ward, Marek Malik, and Devil-killer Martin Straka. None of these guys are mega-superstars, but that’s exactly what the Rangers need. These could be the character players they’ve needed for the past eight years.

Staying at home: The Rangers did not do to Darius Kasparaitis what they did to Bobby Holik, and now he is the backbone of their defense. Jaromir Jagr will be expected to provide the offensive spark for this team, and justifiably so. He is arguably the most talented played in the NHL (I’d argue on his behalf), and if his heart is in the game, no one can stop him. Other notable returnees are Tom Poti and Michael "Born to Play for the Islanders" Nylander.

Bottom line: This is not the year the Rangers make a triumphant return to the playoffs. Make no mistake about it, this is a rebuilding season, and their final standings will be a reflection of it. Four or five years down the road, the Rags may be contenders once again, but not this year… not with this team. They’ll finish dead last in the Atlantic.

Assessing the competition

2005-09-10T18:20:00.000-04:00

In the next few weeks or so, I will be evaluating all of the teams in the Atlantic division. Stay tuned.

Bad news for Flyers fans. Forsberg and Hatcher are already hurt. They'll be back in time for the season, but will miss most of training camp. I stick by my opinion that Forsberg won't play more than half of the season this year.

Moving forward

2005-09-09T03:28:00.000-04:00

Now it is time for the Devils to face the reality of going into a season without Stevens or Niedermayer for the first time since 1990. One of the first steps in that process is to name a new captain. Some sources have named Patrik Elias as the frontrunner to accept the "C." The NY Post includes Colin White and Jay Pandolfo as possibilities. My personal opinion is that John Madden is perfect for the position.

Larry Robinson, however, has a different idea. In a story from the Star-Ledger, Robinson said that he might be open to the idea of a rotating captain or just having three alternates. He isn't worried about a lack of leadership in the New Jersey locker room. In fact, he says there is an abundance of it.

This could finally be the year Colin White steps up and becomes the player he's had the potential to be. He has reminded me a lot of Jason Smith when he was with the Devils. When Smith was a young gun on the Devils D, he was prone to making mistakes with the puck... in fact, I remember him putting the puck in his own net more often than he did in the oppositions'. But when he went to Edmonton, he was forced to grow up. He is now their captain, and an extremely solid defender as well as a good leader.

I think this year White will be forced to grow up much in the same way. He could grow into a Stevens-like player... Stevens himself said that White reminds him a lot of himself early in his career. This, of course, is assuming that he isn't part of a trade to clear salary cap space.

Great Stevens video

2005-09-08T14:33:00.000-04:00

Right now on TNA.ca, you can watch a video of Stevens' ten best hits. Ironically, the countdown starts with Scotty up-ending Ken Daneyko back in his Washington days.

Scroll down to Audio/Video and you'll see the link there. You have to register to watch the clip, but it's free and takes a minute to do. Well worth it, IMO.

The Hockey World Responds to Stevens' retirement

2005-09-07T18:19:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of great things out there right now remembering the career of Scott Stevens. Here's some of what I've found.

Here's what Stan "The Maven" Fischler has to say.

Scott Burnside's article for ESPN.com. Jim Kelley's article for ESPN.com.

The Star-Ledger ran some great stories. Here's a big one (6 pages), here's another, and here's a column from Steve Politi. They also have a couple photo galleries. Here's one celebrating his career, and here's the other celebrating his greatest hits.

In other news, Pat Burns had successful surgery on his unspecified cancer.

Training camp also opens up soon. September 13 is the day. I have a feeling that, about a week into camp, we'll see some trades to make cap room. If Elias sits out at least 10 games to start the season (which wouldn't be unlikely), his $4.18M salary won't count towards the team salary... that is, until he finally laces up the skates. That means the Devs will only have to make one or two small moves to get under the cap and buy time before they have to clear some serious cap space.

Farewell Scott Stevens

2005-09-07T03:02:00.000-04:00

The Scott Stevens era has come to an end.

Never again will one single man intimidate an entire team like he did. Never again will we see one man change the tide of an entire playoff series with a single hit. Never again will we see #4 on the back of a Devils sweater.

Or at least that’s how it should be.

But this isn’t the time to start a rant for the retirement of Stevens’ jersey. This is a time to reflect on the incredible memories he gave us.

I’ll never forget the ’95 conference finals against Philly. Eric Lindros hit Stevens against the boards and got the butt of his stick into Scott’s face, leaving him with a gash over his eye that sent blood streaming down his face. Stevens looked over to see the ref was calling Lindros for high-sticking, and got back to his skates laughing so hard that he had to hold his helmet on.

Sure, it’s not something that’s going to get played on a highlight reel for his career, but I’ll never forget it. It said to Philly that “you can knock me down, but it will take a cheap shot to do it, and you’ll get caught, and we’ll still win.”

That’s the kind of player Scott Stevens was. That’s the kind of heart he had. That’s how he lead by example.

Of course he had his big hits. Slava Kozlov, Ron Francis, Paul Kariya, Eric Lindros… the list goes on. If I had a dollar for every player who had the fear of God hit into him by Stevens, I’d be able to pay for grad school.

Former teammate Bobby Holik once said of him, “I've never seen a player so physically dominating. Teams were like, 'Oh, hey, let's not go this way, there's Scott Stevens.'"

Not only was Stevens an enforcer, but he was a clean player. He had so few elbowing penalties in his career that you could count them on one hand.

He wore the captain’s “C” for over a decade in New Jersey. He’s been mentioned as one of the greatest captains in the game, up there with the likes of Steve Yzerman and Mark Messier.

A true tragedy of his career was that he never won a Norris Trophy as the leagues best defenseman. Personally, I think the award should be re-worded to be given to the best offensive defenseman, as has been the case lately. A new award, perhaps named after Scott himself, should be given annually to the man who is the best at the first two syllables of his position. It would only be fitting since, honestly, I’ve never seen a defenseman as good at defense as Stevens.

No one could ever deny the impact Stevens had on the Devils lineup. During their ’03 Stanley Cup run, the Devils suffered only one loss at the hand of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stevens took a slapshot to the head in the first period of that game, and he didn’t finish the contest. He was back the very next game, and the Devils forged ahead.

How much Scott Stevens has meant to the Devils cannot be summed up in words. He can be compared to Brett Favre to the Packers, or Derek Jeter to the Yankees, but it can be argued that no single player has meant as much to a franchise as Scott Stevens has to the New Jersey Devils.

The Devils are a franchise built around defense. Sure, they drafted a world-class goaltender in Martin Brodeur. It’s hard to argue that Marty isn’t the heart and soul of the team. But without Stevens clearing the front of the net, instilling fear in anyone who came within 10 feet of Marty’s crease, snarling and cussing at the opposition, it’s impossible to say the Devils would be half as successful as they’ve been without their captain at the helm.

Originally awarded to New Jersey as compensation for St. Louis signing Brendan Shanahan, Scott Stevens has become the face of the franchise. On a team short on superstars, Stevens carried the Devils on his shoulders to four Stanley Cup Finals appearances and three championships in ten years. In 2000, he finally earned a piece of hardware that showed that he excelled as an individual in a team sport… the Conn Smythe trophy.

That’s not to say that Stevens doesn’t have his share of accolades. He has the highest number of games played as a defenseman of all time. He finishes his career as a plus 377, an incredible number. Perhaps most impressive of all is that his teams have the highest winning percentage in NHL history.

Intimidator, leader, champion… no matter how you spell it, his name is Scott Stevens.

If you have any Stevens memories you'd like to share, email me at lymanw84@students.rowan.edu.

Scott Stevens announces his retirement

2005-09-06T18:45:00.000-04:00

Speculation on my part

2005-09-04T12:36:00.000-04:00

With all the talk of Stevens retiring, there have been murmors that the team would find a coaching job for him. Since Bobby Carpenter is going to miss part or all of this season, that opens up a spot. I could see Chris Terreri (spent the past two seasons asst. coaching in Albany) coming up to help Robinson and Stevens taking over as Robbie Ftorek's assistant with the farm club.

Just speculation on my part.

Also, as far as Bondra goes, the Caps offered him a one-year deal worth $1.5M. He countered with a two-year deal worth more money. If the Caps don't accept, I've heard that the Devils are frontrunners to pick him up along with Philly and Atlanta. I'll keep you posted.

Brodeur on Stevens

2005-09-02T11:21:00.000-04:00

He thinks the captain will retire.

Good News and Bad News

2005-09-01T22:03:00.000-04:00

The good news is that the Devils have finally announced when individual game tickets will go on sale. Friday, September 16 is the day, 9 a.m. is the time. They are also offering special "welcome back" prices on select areas of the arena. In other words, they aren't lowering ticket prices, but if you get your tix before Sep. 30 you'll get a discount (as long as you aren't already buying the cheap seats).

The bad news is that Bobby Carpenter won't be behind the bench at the start of the season. His father is recovering from a stroke and he wishes to be with his family at this time. Carpenter will not be replaced as an assistant coach... instead Larry Robinson will only have John MacLean, Jacques Laperierre, and Jacques Caron. I'd like to send my best wishes and prayers to Bobby and his family.

Trivia: Bob Carpenter was the first American-born NHLer to score 50 goals in a season.

OLN and NBC Shaft the Devils

2005-09-01T02:13:00.000-04:00

OLN and NBC, the new TV homes of the NHL, have released their TV schedules for the season. Between the two networks, they will broadcast a combined 64 games this season.

Two of which will feature the Devils.

Mark your calendars and make plans, because there will be plenty of time between Devils broadcasts. On November 29, Jersey hosts the Bruins... a team we have a playoff history with that doesn't go beyond the first round (at least not in the past ten years). Then, on January 17, the Devs go as far away from home as they will all season to St. Louis for another meaningless game. Both are OLN broadcasts. Apparently NBC forgot about the team that has appeared in four of the last ten Stanley Cup Finals.

The good news is that the Devils won't interfere with any broadcasts of Last Call with Carson Daly or Tommy Lee goes to college. Must See TV my pasty, hairy a... whoa... sorry... got a little carried away there.

Looks like the Center Ice package will be the only saving grace for those of us who aren't blessed with Fox Sports NY.

Congrats Doc! Plus some news and rumors

2005-08-30T18:36:00.000-04:00

Mike "Doc" Emrick will be OLN's #1 play-by-play guy this season. Doc has been calling Devils games since 1993.

OLN, who will be broadcasting games on Monday and Tuesday nights this season, will have Emrick calling their top games every week. There has been no official word on who will work color with Doc, but the safe bet is on John Davidson who usually covers Rangers games.

Doc and JD have covered games together in the past on Fox. Personally, I can't think of a better duo to put in a hockey booth than these two. OLN is continuing to show that they actually know something about hockey and are dedicated to bringing fans nothing but the best.

As far as Devils news goes, there isn't much to report. The NY Post has a story about how much Viktor Kozlov doesn't want to leave. Supposedly he's shown up early to camp and is trying to prove he deserves to stay on this team. While I like the heart he is showing, and the Devils do need size in the middle, he is still injury-prone. We'll see what Lou does.

Tommy Albelin has also been working out at South Mountain Arena. He's hoping to take Stevens' spot if the captain does indeed retire. The unsigned defenseman would like a roster spot and is keeping himself in game shape if the Devils need someone, but it looks more likely that the Devils will find a coaching or scouting job for Tommy.

Something important to remember is how much time Lou has left to make his roster moves. He's got an entire month left before he has to be under the $39M cap. Training camp opens this month and teams are going to get a better feel for what they need. Lou is smart, and when teams start to see their roster is in need of a big, talented center, the Devils will get better offers for Kozlov than they would be getting now. When a team realizes how much they could really use a young, bruising defenseman, White's value will start to rise. The same could be said for all of the players on the Devils trading block.

Meanwhile, Lou has been getting criticism for giving too many qualifying offers. The true genius of what he's done is that instead of only having Friesen and Langenbrunner as trade bait, he also has Kozlov, White, and the rest of his roster to work with. The guys he qualified are good enough to play every day and have workable salaries... but obviously not all will stay. He's put the team in a position to offer the most varied pool of talent to other teams, all but ensuring the best and cheapest returns, and meanwhile has left himself with plenty of talent to put on the ice.

Be patient. A lot of the rumors coming out right now have very shaky ground to stand on. But at least they're fun to read.

And speaking of rumors, Eklund says that the Bondra sweepstakes could be down to just Philly and New Jersey. Stay tuned!

More Rumors

2005-08-28T23:47:00.000-04:00

The newest rumor has Jersey sending Viktor Kozlov ($1.748M) and Colin White ($1.71M) to Edmonton for either Cory Cross ($874k) or Jani Rita ($450k) along with a draft pick. I'm hearing mixed opinions on the credibility of this deal, but there could be a press conference as soon as tomorrow.

If this is legit, I like it. Cory Cross is a solid defenseman, something the Devils always like to have, and Jani Rita looks like a pretty promising young forward. It also cuts between $3M and $2.5M from the team salary.

There are also whispers of Jeff Friesen ($2.28M) going to Calgary.

Other rumors have Peter Bondra coming to New Jersey. How his salary would fit, I have no idea. It's just a rumor, but the idea of an offense spearheaded by Gomez, Elias, Mogilny, and Bondra is enough to put a smile on my face.

Finally, maybe some good news on Stevens. The NY Post has a story saying he's likely to return this year, citing an unnamed source. It seems like one day news outlets are saying he'll retire, then the next day he's coming back, then he's retiring again. I won't believe anything until it comes out of the captain's mouth.

More names I've heard on the trading block:
Sergei Brylin ($1.52M)
Jamie Langenbrunner ($1.655M)

Brunner is a guy I would hate to see go because he fits so well in New Jersey, but if I had to choose between keeping only one of these two guys, it would be Brylin in a heart beat. If Stevens retires, that leaves Marty and Brylin as the only remaining players from the '95 Cup team. Sergei has left his heart on the ice for New Jersey since the team gave him a chance in '94. He's played penalty kills, power plays, and never complained when his playing time would get cut short by a new acquisition or when he'd get sent back to Albany. He's the kind of guy who shows up on a lot of highlight reels on the receiving end of big hits, but he always gets back up, straightens his helmet, and keeps on going.

I like Sergei Brylin and don't want to see him go. If he leaves, it will be a sad casualty of the new salary cap system. The team needs to get under the cap and has almost one month left to do it. Lou still has to sign a backup goalie and might have to make room for Stevens too.

Changes are coming. Brace yourself.

Rumors

2005-08-25T22:17:00.000-04:00

ESPN is rumoring that Scott Stevens will most likely retire, citing his desire to play at nothing less than 100% of what he is capable. They also mention the fact that Lou has been very active in acquiring veteran defensemen, as if he expects the best captain in team history to retire.

The Star-Ledger, meanwhile, is making it looks like Elias will want to test the market after his one-year deal is up.

And finally, Eklund is rumoring that there might be a big three-way deal in the works between NJ, Vancouver, and Florida. I'm not sure how the Canucks fit into all of this, but I wouldn't getting a Panther draft pick or two. Imaging David Conte and the rest of Jersey's scouting staff sinking their teeth into a top 10 pick... the possibilities are beautiful.

I'm going to start a rumor here too. Watch for Lou to deal with the Capitals. Washington is currently below the floor of the cap and in desperate need of adding salary. The Caps are also another team who will likely have a top pick in next year's draft.

Players I hear are on the trading block:
Viktor Kozlov ($1.748M)
Jeff Friesen ($2.28M)
Vladimir Malakhov ($3.6M)
Colin White ($1.71M)

Team Salary Update

2005-08-24T01:03:00.000-04:00

Colin White is signed for $1.71M and Paul Martin is signed for $502k. Adding these two guys to the team salary I calculated puts them at $40.074M with a roster of 13 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 1 goalie. This, of course, is still not counting Elias.

The Devils still don't have a backup goalie signed and still claim to have room for Stevens.

News on Stevens and Elias

2005-08-23T20:47:00.000-04:00

The Star-Ledger continues to be on top of the Scott Stevens news. They've reported that he is in New Jersey and he is healthy, he's just still waiting to make a final decision on whether he'll return or retire. Under NHL rules, he has until December 1 to decide whether or not he'll return. This means that we may not hear a definitive answer until well into the season.

He has hinted that he doesn't forsee himself playing in any uniform other than New Jersey's.

Elias, on the other hand, has signed the one-year qualifying offer for $4.18M. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term deal, but that does not neccessarily mean that it is an impossibility. Negotiations can re-open as soon as January 1.

His health, meanwhile, is still as uncertain as Stevens' future in hockey.

The Asbury Park Press is rumoring that guys like Jeff Friesen and Viktor Kozlov may be the kind of high-priced forwards Lou will have to move to make cap room. Right now there are 21 players signed for a total of $41.225M and that's without Stevens or a backup goalie.

The latest news on Stevens...

2005-08-19T15:22:00.000-04:00

...is that there is no news on Stevens.

The Star-Ledger just ran a story on how he's considering retirement. The good news is that he's been lifting weights and he's "as big as a house." The bad news is that with only three weeks left until training camp, there is still no word from Scott himself. The more time that passes without official word, the smaller the chances of his return become. Even his brother Geoff, who works with the team as a scout, doesn't know what the captain is doing.

More to come on this as it is released.

How the team is looking

2005-08-18T23:24:00.000-04:00

Here's what the Devils roster (and payroll) is looking like at this moment.

Centers:
Sergei Brylin ($1.52M)
Scott Gomez ($2.2M)
Viktor Kozlov ($1.748M)
John Madden ($3.862M)
Eric Rasmussen ($532k)

Wingers:
Jeff Friesen ($2.28M)
Brian Gionta ($627k)
Darren Langdon ($450k)
Jamie Langenbrunner ($1.655M)
Grant Marshall ($760k)
Alexander Mogilny ($3.5M)
Krzysztof Oliwa ($836k)
Jay Pandolfo ($836k)

Defense:
Sean Brown ($450k)
Vladimir Malakhov ($3.6M)
Richard Matvichuk ($1.368M)
Dan McGillis ($2.2M)
Brian Rafalski ($4.2M)

Goaltender:
Martin Brodeur ($5.237M - nhlpa.com, $5.391M - tsn.com)

Total:
13 forwards
5 defensemen
1 goalie
$37.924M

Supposedly, Elias is the only RFA not to sign his qualifying offer yet, so that means Colin White, Paul Martin, and David Hale are signed. I just can't seem to find their salaries anywhere. The 10% the league is allowing teams to be over by until October 1 would be $3.9M over the cap, or $42.9M. Assuming White, Martin, and Hale's combined contracts are worth between three and four million, that puts the Devils just under that limit. Plus, you also have to factor in whoever Brodeur's backup will be. From the looks of it, this could be the year we finally see what Ari Ahonen is made of (with Frank Doyle being his heir in Albany).

And there's still cap room for Stevens?

As for Elias, apparently qualifying offers count against a team's cap just as much as a signed contract (unless a team outbids it, in which case the player and his salary are history). So, if Elias was healthy, his $4.18 QO would count towards the team salary. But since he is still recovering from Hepatitis A, he is on the injured reserve and players on the IR don't count against the cap.

So, needless to say, some salary needs to be dumped. In my opinion, $3.6M is way too much for Malakhov. He's making more than Mogilny, and at least Almo has a 43 goal season in a Devils uniform to his credit.

Interesting fact: Rafalski and Malakhov, who both signed within hours of Niedermayer's departure, signed for a combined $7.8M. Nieds reportedly received an offer from Lou for the max salary a player can make this year... $7.8M.

TV Deal Reached... Comcast wins

2005-08-18T01:28:00.000-04:00

For those of you who were upset that NBC would only air seven games this season, worry no more. Comcast has bought the rights for up to 78 regular season games, and then some.

The deal, worth a reported $100 million, was made final late Wednesday night when ESPN declined to match Comcast's offer. ESPN had been carrying games since 1992.

The final terms of the deal are very attractive to hockey fans. Between 58 and 78 regular season games will be shown on OLN (Outdoor Life Network) which has become more of a sports oriented channel challenging the ESPN network. OLN carried live coverage of the Tour de France and America's Cup, and it is the new home of the NHL

NBC will still broadcast its seven regular season games, choice weekend playoff games, and the last two to five games of the Stanley Cup Finals. OLN will show conference quarterfinals, conference finals, and the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals.

This new deal is not limited to game coverage on OLN. Comcast will now make the NHL Network (formerly only available in Canada) available throughout the US. They will also make games available On Demand, and provide broadcasts of games via the internet.

What a great day for a Devils fan. First we get Mogilny back. Then we find out we'll be able to see almost two games per week and pretty much the entire playoffs as part of a normal cable package. Next thing you know, Elias will be healthy by the start of the season and Stevens will be back and playing like it's 2000 again.

Ah, ain't life grand?

Cap Update

2005-08-17T21:53:00.000-04:00

According to the article NHL.com ran on Mogilny's signing, there is still room to sign Stevens, even though they are over the limit. If you're confused by this, you're not alone. Here's exactly what they said:

The signing puts the Devils over the $39-million US salary cap, but less than the 10 per cent maximum. Lamoriello said the club will be back under the threshold before the Oct. 1 deadline.

New Jersey still has room to re-sign captain Scott Stevens should he decide to come back following concussion problems that cut short his last season.

The 10% thing they're talking about is a leeway teams are given. Teams are allowed to be over the $39 million cap by 10% as long as they get below the ceiling by Oct. 1. How the Devils can be over the $39 mil. limit, below the 10% grace area, still not have Elias signed, and still have room to sign Stevens is beyond me. More to come as I find it.

Mogilny's deal, by the way, is worth $7 million ($3.5 per year).

Alexander The Great is Back in Joisey!

2005-08-17T14:02:00.000-04:00

Arguably the most talented forward to ever wear the horned and tailed NJ on his chest, Alexander Mogilny is finally making his way back to the swamps of North Jersey. The contract is for two years, other terms were not disclosed.

Mogilny scored 43 goals during his only full season with the Devils, his highest goal output since scoring 55 with the Sabres in '95-'96. Devils fans will remember Alex had difficulty learning the Devils defensive system in the early goings as a late-season pickup in '99-'00. Mogilny showed the instincts and willingness to learn that made him an elite player quickly, and was an important piece of the 2000 Stanley Cup Championship team. During his lone full season with the Devs, Mogilny became a valuable player during 5-on-5, power plays, and even became an important penalty killer.

Last season, Alex only played 37 games with Toronto, as his year was cut short by surgery on an arthritic hip. He spent the offseason training in Russia and has worked hard enough to make a hard-nosed GM like Lou believe he is back to 100%. That's good enough to convince me he's back and in good shape.

Assuming Gomez will be playing at the start of the season, this gives the Devils one of the NHL's top lines right off the bat. Mogilny was an important spark for Gomez during his rookie season, arguably being the nail in the coffin that helped Scotty win the Calder as the league's rookie of the year. The chemistry between these two got New Jersey a Stanley Cup in '00, another shot at the cherished trophy the following season, and the league's team scoring title in '00-'01.

I have to take my hat off to Lou. This may be the move that puts the Devils right back at the top of the NHL as a contender for the Cup.

This does, however, raise one big concern: how much cap room is left? According to the Star-Ledger, this signing puts the Devils over the $39 million cap, and that is without even figuring Elias into the equation. Elias is the only remaining restricted free agent not to sign his qualifying offer yet, and the Devils have given him an extra week to make his decision. One way or another, he will be in a Devils uniform, it's just a matter of for how many years and how soon he'll be in game-shape.

So where does this leave Scott Stevens? The Star-Ledger was reporting that Lou was saving cap space for the catpain in case he decided to come back. This obviously is no longer the case. Has Lou already heard from Stevens that he will in fact retire? Is he planning on playing somewhere else (which I highly doubt)? Will Lou drop some dead weight from the roster to clear cap space and allow for the captain's return?

One way or another, New Jersey is over the cap. The team has until October 1 to get under the cap. Players on Injured Reserve don't count against the team's payroll, so Elias won't figure in until he hits the ice, but they are already over the limit and he isn't even signed yet.

Lou's got some work ahead of him. But for the time being, kudos to you, Lou. Good job!

Down to Business

2005-08-12T23:36:00.000-04:00

Lou hasn't been standing COMPLETELY still. He did sign three forwards and a goalie today. The forwards are Jason Ryznar, Barry Tallackson and David Clarkson. The goalie is Frank Doyle. From the looks of it, all four of these guys are really promising.

Ryznar, Tallackson, and Clarkson are all big, they all produce points, and they all spend a lot of time in the box. One thing the Devils have been lacking lately is size up front... looks like that won't be a problem in the future. Doyle, meanwhile, was one of the ECHL's best netminders last season. While the Devils aren't in need of a new goalie, and won't be for a while, this guy is young and promising, and there is never a shortage of teams looking for someone like that.

What does all of this mean for the Devils? It means they are still going to have a player development system that is the envy of the league, and it means the Devs are still in need of offensive help for this season.

A couple of tempting names remain on the free agent list. Guys like Jason Arnott, Ryan Smyth, Henrik Zetterberg, Saku Koivu, Stevie Sullivan, Mark Parrish, Marian Hossa, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Vinny Lecavalier are still unsigned restricted free agents. Meanwhile, guys like Martin Gelinas, Vinny Damphousse, Andrew Brunette, and Alexander Mogilny remain unrestricted free agents.

While I doubt Lou is going to make a big acquisition before the season starts, I would still like to see Mogilny on the back of a Devs jersey again. And guys like Gelinas and Brunette are gritty, consistent, and provide an offensive spark. Someone like Damphousse could be a critical veteran pivot much in the same way as Sergei Nemchinov or Joe Nieuwendyk were in the past.

Realistically though, this is the Devils. This is the team than develops rather than acquire it. We're more likely to see Lou wait for Gomez and Elias to return to the lineup rather than pick up a few hired guns. We do have good young talent like Zach Parise and Travis Zajac waiting in the wings, so we should be alright for the time being.

Getting Started

2005-08-12T23:26:00.000-04:00

Hockey is finally back, so I've decided to start a Devils blog. NJ.com had sparked this idea in me by opening up the job of their Devils blogger to the public. They required applicants to write a 3-day blog about the team and submit it. I still haven't heard back from them, but I think that what I wrote was pretty damn good. So, what better way to start off this site than by publishing what I sent to them. Enjoy.

8/5/05

The free agent signing period may have started over the weekend, but the Devils didn’t enter the game until yesterday.

The best defenseman on the free agent market, Scott Niedermayer, took less money than the Devils were offering to sign with his brother’s team, the Mighty Ducks. Watching Rob lose in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003 while he got to hoist the chalice himself must have left a mark on him.

So that leaves New Jersey with a plethora of question marks on defense. With free agents being signed by the handful every day, Lou Lamoriello started making moves within hours of Niedermayer’s signing. He re-signed Brian Rafalski, brought Vladimir Malakhov (a member of Jersey’s 2000 Stanley Cup team) back, and inked former Flyer tough-guy Dan McGillis.

The question we’re all waiting to have answered now is whether or not captain Scott Stevens will come back for another year. The Devils still have enough cap room to sign him, should he come back. If he doesn’t, the starting defense will have a very new look this year.

The starting six will likely be Rafalski, Malakhov, McGillis, Richard Matvichuk, Colin White, and Paul Martin. McGillis, Matvichuk, and White are all big, tough bruisers while Rafalski, Malakhov, and Martin are skilled puck-movers. It will be interesting to see how Larry Robinson pairs them up.

Paul Martin is still largely unproven in the NHL, though he was impressive late in the season in 2004. It also remains to be seen whether or not Robinson will give David Hale playing time this year. Hale has the potential to be as great as Stevens or as clumsy with the puck as White. Another year in Albany might do him well.

Jersey’s offense is also riddled with question marks. Patrik Elias, tied for 4th most goals last season, contracted hepatitis A while playing in Russia during the lockout. It is not known how soon he will be able to skate, let alone play at a competitive level. Scott Gomez, who led the league in assists last season, broke his hip while playing in the ECHL for his hometown Alaska Aces during the lockout. Not much has been released about his recovery status.

One shining beacon of hope is the American-born ace Zach Parise. Parise was the MVP of the World Juniors in 2004, scored in the AHL All-Star game last year, and is the best prospect to come out of Albany since Elias. If he can contribute right away, the Devils might be able to make up for some of the offense they’ll miss from Elias and Gomez.

How much cap room the Devils have left will decide whether or not Lou takes a shot at bringing in help for the offense. Alexander Mogilny, the most recent Devil to score more than 40 goals in a season, is a free agent, and I think I speak for most fans when I say I’d love to see him back in the red, white, and black.

If Lou decides not to bring in another forward, count on the beginning of the season being a rough start. With extra emphasis on division rivalries this season, the Devils will face the Rangers (who acquired Devil-killer Martin Straka), the Islanders (who picked up the man with a nameplate that belongs on a Devils jersey, Miroslav Satan), and the Flyers (Peter Forsberg, Derian Hatcher, need I say more) eight times each. Jersey’s new-look defense and unhealthy offense might struggle.

8/6/05

It is just now starting to sink in how different the Atlantic Division, let alone the LEAGUE, will be this year.

I went into this free agent frenzy thinking the Flyers would be non-contenders with all of their high-priced, high-aged talent. But no, they had to buy out LeClair and his bad back and the underachieving Amonte. Then they went and picked up a trio of 6’5” defensemen, including Derian Hatcher, who was Ken Hitchcock’s captain in Dallas when they won the Cup in ’99 (but who beat them the following year? Haha). And as if that wasn’t enough, they had to undo the worst trade in Flyers history and reacquire Peter Forsberg.

I hate the Flyers.

The Rangers and Islanders have been picking up some talent too. Straka to the Rags, Satan to the Isles. And let’s not forget about the Penguins either. This team went from being the joke of the Atlantic to picking up Ziggy Palffy (who was rumored to be interested in both NY teams before signing in Pitt), Sergei Gonchar, Mark Recchi, and that Sidney Crosby kid.

Where’s Lou in all of this?

Our defense, with or without Stevens, is pretty much set. The offense, on the other hand, is up in the air. In the middle we have Madden, Rasmussen, and the injury-plagued Kozlov. Gomez can also play center, but his hip may not be ready to go. Brylin is another guy who can play center or wing. Zach Parise, who may have to be the savior of the offense this year, can take draws as well.

On the left side we have Friesen, Pandolfo, Langdon, and Oliwa. Friesen is due to have a big year. Pandolfo will never be a big number producer, but he’s always a hard worker and rarely makes big mistakes. Then there’s Langdon, the guy who used to ritually get the life beaten out of him by every tough guy the Devils had while he was a Ranger. He won’t put up numbers, but he’ll fill a roster spot. Oliwa completes this offensively-challenged position with a lot of guts but not much skill. Krzys gets a break here though. He may be the most beloved Devil enforcer since Mike Peluso. Welcome back.

Oh yeah, Elias plays left wing too, but I’m not going to bank too much on him due to his health.

Then we have the right wingers. Officially, the Devils only have three guys listed at this position: Jiri Bicek, Jamie Langenbrunner, and Grant Marshall. Bicek still has a lot to prove at the NHL level, but has been impressive enough in the minors to be a part of the Devils roster in playoffs past. Langenbrunner is a clutch goal scorer, but will need to be more consistent this season. Marshall seems like he has the heart of a skill player trapped in a goon’s body. He can shoot, pass, and fight, and not do any of them with tremendous success. But he tries. Lord knows he tries.

So, assuming Gomez and Elias miss the start of the season, Jersey will be relying on Friesen, Langenbrunner, and Parise for their offense. With the new rule changes hurting no team more than they hurt the Devils, and with Lou doing nothing (so far) to improve the offense, I’m left to think the beginning of the season will be slow.

Have I mentioned that Mogilny would look great in a Devils uni again?

And, as always, there is some silver lining. Larry Robinson is back. For those of you who may not remember, Robinson’s Devils were the HIGHEST SCORING TEAM IN THE NHL in 2000-2001. Doubters that the Devils have ever been high-scoring can read that last sentence (and click that link) again.

And speaking of the rule changes, let’s go over some highlights.

Goaltenders are basically handcuffed to their goalposts now. A trapezoid, or “trap zone,” is now painted behind the nets and goalies can only handle the puck in said designated space. Call this the “Marty-Can’t-Hinder-The-Forecheck-Anymore” rule. Considering that only a small handful of other goalies in the league venture to the corners to play pucks, I can’t imagine this rule being put in place for any reason other than to punish the Devils for their success and Marty for developing a new skill. I would like to see a ceremony before the dropping of the first puck this season where Marty gets to stooge-slap the members of the so-called Competition Committee who came up with this abomination.

The upside to this, as if there is one, is that it only affects goaltenders behind the net. They can still play the puck as much as they want in front of the goal lines, which brings me to the next rule.

The two-line pass is history! This is good news/bad news for New Jersey. Bad news because it helps teams break the trap. When the Devs get a lead, it won’t be as easy for them to protect it anymore. It’s good news, though, because we have the best passing goaltender in the world. The Devils power play will improve now that Marty can intercept clearing attempts and send it right back to Rafalski/Malakhov/Martin at the attacking blue line.

The offsides touch-up is back, which means less faceoffs and more continuous play. This is a no-brainer as an improvement for the game.

Icing is a little different. Refs now have the discretion to wave it off if it was deemed a passing-attempt. Since most icings are failed passes, and since the two-line pass rule is gone, this means teams will not hesitate to try that home run pass for a breakaway. This is good news for every team’s speedy first line. Bad news for every team’s sluggish fourth line. And hopefully bad news for the Flyers and their Shaq-on-skates theory to rebuilding their defense.

Finally, the league has announced AGAIN that it will do a better job of enforcing obstruction penalties. We’ve heard this for years now. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Another part of this penalty crackdown is the new instigator rule. If a player starts a fight in the last five minutes of a game, he gets a game misconduct and a one-game suspension. I have no real beef with this rule. The only time you really see fights in the final minutes of a game is when one team is getting severely beaten. What this means to hockey fans is that, if your team is losing in a rout, you can see those last minute “you might have beaten us but we’ll still beat you up” fights, and also be able to leave five minutes early to beat the traffic (not that any real fan ever leaves early… I’m just sayin’).

And how could I forget… the shootout. No more ties. Good news for hockey, potentially bad news for Jersey. Good for hockey because this all but guarantees a few spots on Sportscenter’s Top Ten every day, brings in casual fans, increases TV ratings, gets more games on TV, and ultimately brings hockey back into the Major Four (football, baseball, basketball, and, for the moment, that God-awful NASCAR). Bad news for Jersey because the team is built more for defense, mucking, and grinding, and less for finesse and breakaways. The upside to this, of course, is that we still have Marty.

8/7/05

Another day passes and there’s still no big news coming out of East Rutherford.

I think that in the free agent craziness that happened last week, I lost sight of the fact that New Jersey has the best scouting, player development, and general manager in the NHL. SI’s Michael Farber agrees.

Lou doesn’t have to go out and get some big-name, high-priced player. He doesn’t acquire them, he develops them. Since I started following the team in ’94, I’ve seen Lou get Mogilny and Doug Gilmour. Neither of them stayed very long. Besides those two, the biggest names he’s picked up were Steve Thomas, Dave Andreychuk, Phil Housley, Jason Arnott, Joe Nieuwendyk, and John Vanbiesbrouck. Heck, I remember being excited to hear Peter Zezel was coming to take draws for us. And does anyone else remember the two days Esa Tikkanen (Robert Wuhl?) was a Devil?

Nobody drafts and develops talent like Lou’s Devils. This is the organization that brought up Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer, Patrik Elias, Scott Gomez, John Madden, Bill Guerin, Brian Rolston, Steve Sullivan, Brendan Shanahan, Petr Sykora, Brendan Morrison, Sheldon Souray, Brian Rafalski, and now Zach Parise.

The Devils will be fine. They always are. We’ve got Robbie Ftorek back in Albany developing the new guys they way they should be. Larry Robinson, who coached the Devs to two consecutive Cup Finals appearances, is back behind the bench. And last time I checked, we still have that guy with two Vezinas, five Jennings trophies, his name on the Cup three times, Olympic gold medalist, the guy who won 400 games in the fewest attempts and at the youngest age ever, the only goalie to win 30 games in nine straight seasons, etc.

I can’t wait for this season to begin. I can’t wait for Sidney Crosby’s NHL initiation coming in the form of a Brodeur glove save. I can’t wait for the Rangers to go on another 20-something game winless streak against Jersey. I can’t wait for the playoffs. DROP THE PUCK ALREADY!