Scouts Flocking to Devils Games, Is the Trade Buzz Getting Louder?
The NY Post's Mark Everson has an article in today's issue about the number of scouts attending Devils games and the possible moves it may mean coming.
Usually all this talk really amounts to nothing, but the fact is that the team does has a surplus of talent, and not enough roster spots once some of their injured players start returning to the line-up
With the rookies, veterans, role players and free-agent signings all bringing their A games to the quarter mark the team is in a great position to deal and plug certain holes that may really become problems come the Playoffs.
I'm curious who you all think on the current roster may be trade bait. Do you all still feel the team needs a center AND defensive help? I honestly think our D has been beyond solid all season and that's without Oduya and Martin. I do still think the team needs a real playmaking center somewhere in the line-up. Faceoffs have been an issue most of the season that the team thankfully has been able to overcome. Passing is also another issue for me, besides Elias the team has no real gifted passers and i see them night after night throw out way too many poor passes on the attack, particularly during scoring chances.
8 months ago
Zelepukin
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It's an interesting dilemma
I think the team is okay at Center. When Zubrus gets back, Elias can kick back to Wing and if Pelley struggles or there is an injury, Sestito has shown he’s capable on the fourth line.
I’d like, if someone is to be brought in, to see a big Defenseman. Someone who can stand guys up at the blue line and clear guys like Holmstrom from in front of the net.
As to who could be trade bait, I’m notoriously bad at that sort of stuff. I’m confident Lou won’t mortgage the future for a rental or two, or risk getting caught short-handed if there are more injuries, and I’m perfectly happy with that. The problem as I see it is that the guys we’d all like to see moved either have very little value or have difficult contracts to pawn off to other teams (some of whom are starting to get into some salary cap difficulty). On the flip side, Lou’s foresight in leaving the team with cap room could make the Devils a good destination for one of those teams to dump some salary off to.
Will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Zubrus is not a good playmaker, him coming back does not solve any problem outside of giving the team depth at the center position.
I’m no Zubrus apologist. If Lou could unload his contract I wouldn’t mind seeing him replaced by someone with more upside, or have his contract reworked to receive payment closer to his production level, but I think he’s serviceable enough.
The team could do better, sure (though I know not who), but I don’t even want to imagine what they’d have to give up.
I don’t think you can rework contracts under the current CBA, so he’s either going to be dealt under value (a.k.a. 75 cents for the dollar) or not dealt at all.
This is the big concern, rarely do you get an awesomely one-sided deal like Cam Janssen for Bryce Salvador; you must trade quality to get quality. This is one of the many decisions I would think Lou would say you just hope you get right and if not, you move on and try to make it work.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
by John Fischer on Dec 8, 2009 11:28 PM EST up reply actions
" I do still think the team needs a real playmaking center somewhere in the line-up. Faceoffs have been an issue most of the season that the team thankfully has been able to overcome."
I hope your kidding there right?
How am i kidding?
Is our team excelling at Face-offs? Is 25th in the league at a 48.1% success rate satisfactory for you? It isn’t for me.
This is a good area of discussion
As far as needs go, a center wouldn’t be such a bad idea. I think Dainius Zubrus being out hurts the faceoff percentage as he’s usually pretty good at them (50-51%), but outside of Zajac, the Devils don’t have any solid winners at the dot and that negatively affects puck possession. Losing a faceoff could lead to a missed opportunity on offense and a death blow on defense.
The big need could be a #1 defenseman. Yes, Andy Greene and Mike Mottau have stepped up well in Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya’s absences. Yes, Oduya and Martin are very capable defensemen. Yes, Martin is a de facto #1 on this team. But none of them are studs and if Scott Niedermayer is interested in waiving whatever clause he has to come here, then the Devils would be wise to listen. I’d be a bit frightened as to who Anaheim would want in return, though.
And ultimately, that’s why I’m skittish on trade proposals. Zharkov, Halischuk, Corrente, and Fraser have all shown some great potential as Devils and I’d like to see them become New Jersey Devils. But that makes them prime targets for other teams should the Devils want to go out and get a proper playmaking centerman who is good on faceoffs and/or a #1 stud defenseman.
Of course, if said trade takes the Devils to a Stanley Cup, then it is completely and utterly worth it.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
I still don’t know about trading any of the current crop of kids. I really hate to see us trade youngsters for veteran help and then go see the traded kids prosper elsewhere. If it were up to me and I had to absolutely make a trade, I would trade Halischuk and Fraser. I think Zharkov and Corrente have a bigger upside then both of them. That’s if I had too. I don’t want to trade any of them. Its nice to have all these options now though, a couple of years ago that wasn’t the case.
However, I think we are close now. At least that’s how we have been looking these days.
by thatguy011071 on Dec 8, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions
If Lamoriello is seriously thinking about dealing any players, the press will be the last people to know about it. Lou plays it pretty close to the vest.
Absolutely correct. Lou is every good at keeping us all guessing. Secondary scoring would be nice, but at what cost? We have depth now, I think that is a valuable asset. I would only trade that depth for a premier player.
by thatguy011071 on Dec 9, 2009 8:21 AM EST up reply actions
Interesting Topic
I’d like to comment on several different points.
Center Issue (Or is It an Issue?)
Obviously Zajac is an absolute stud as a centerman and the ultimate compliment to our best overall player, Zack Parise. We could use a qualified second line center. Zubrus has played better this year than any other year as a Devil. But who knows if he’ll remain worthwhile throughout the year? The fact is he gets paid to play his position so he’ll always have a worthwhile spot in the lineup. If the Devils were to trade for a center and use Zubrus as a chip, they would have to include another young talent because Zubrus by himself is just not worth much. I would say a legit center could eventually become a priority for this team down the stretch.
Letting Any Young Players go
Injuries for this team seemed to be the worst thing that could have possibly happened until we saw a wealth of young talent rise up to NHL roles. Bergfors is by far the best surprise of these youngsters. He’s going to be a tremendous talent in this league and will not be going anywhere other than New Jersey; Lou wouldn’t allow it. I like Zharkov, who has shown flashes of being a potentially great player. He’s still largely unproven so far this season, though. I’m not a big fan of Pelley so far this season. He was made out to be the next John Madden but I have yet to see that. Sestito looks like a true hustler and hard working player, which I immediately noticed and appreciated. Pikkarainen seems to be a pretty good player but again, still quite unproven. I would be willing to deal Peters and Fraser. Corrente has played well.
Defensemen
I agree with the general notion that we could use an elite defenseman on our team. I think Scotty Neidermayer would be the perfect fit. He does carry quite a price tag and we would have to deal young talent for him. But I think Scott would be willing to waive his no trade clause because he understands the Devils system, his brother is here (I think this was actually a reason why Lou picked up Rob; to lure Scott) and he’s still one of the best defensemen in the league. The rest of our defense is great but I think a bit undersized. We could always use an upgrade.
I….I don’t know. Unfortunately, you can’t edit comments so I guess someone left a tag open.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
by John Fischer on Dec 8, 2009 11:23 PM EST up reply actions
Two words: Niclas Havelid. Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make.
But if we’re going to do a deal, I think the need for a skilled center tops the need for a defenseman. Considering we’ve allowed the fewest goals in the league, I think our defense is doing good enough. Salvador has the capability to clear the net if only he would try. Plus we have a nice mix of styles going on the backline. I’m not saying an upgrade wouldn’t help, but they obviously have a great deal of chemistry, and we may not want to mess with that.
The need for secondary scoring is something we don’t have enough of. It’s great that we can win the 2-1 games, but sometimes it really seems like if we had another center who was great at setting up or finishing, we wouldn’t need to grind out so many games.
Players Currently in My Doghouse: Brian Rolston, Mike Mottau
The longer the season goes on, the greater the chance that teams are going to be get into cap trouble, which severely decreases their leverage when it comes to trades.
The Devils have played well through the injuries and are starting to get healthy again. I see no immediate need for any big splashes just yet, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Lou waited as long as he could to force another team’s hand. It might work out that a team on the outside of the playoff picture just needs to dump a player we can use, and it works out because we have the cap space.
PAUL MARTIN
Martin is the obvious candidate. Salvador is going nowhere, and the immovable contract is Whites.
Mottau is UFA after this year and is certainly a gonner. Room has to be made for Frazier or Corrente or Eckford. Maybe all three will be in our top six next year.
Martin is looking at a BIG contract next year, and frankly is not a number one defensemen and not worth more then he makes now. He will surely want a bigger deal, and if thats the case he is expendable.
Would you take Niedermayer for Martin right now? I would.
I would love to have a true #2 center, but it hasn’t really shaken out yet who may be available.
Martin’s an expiring contract, teams could just sign him in the summer and lose no additional assets. I don’t see why teams would want Martin back in a trade.
Also, let’s try a closing bold tag.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
by John Fischer on Dec 14, 2009 7:06 PM EST up reply actions
I wish I knew.
You know what? Just leave it at this point.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
by John Fischer on Dec 17, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
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