The Increased Number of Teams Over the Cap Will Make it Harder for the New Jersey Devils to Dump Salary

salvador out urbom in problem solved :D

I think we’re looking at this all wrong. We should be focused on the following when looking for a dumping ground for Zubrus, Salvador, or whomever you think you can be rid of:

• The receiving team has to have the cap room to fit in the player you want them to take, and the budget to pay them as well. Reasonably self-explanatory, but it will remove some teams from the equation because they might not be able to afford an extra three million or so. Colorado and Atlanta are in the best shape as dumping grounds, because they have to absorb salary to reach the cap floor. Some of the other teams that have eight figures of cap space, however, are not likely targets (Carolina and Phoenix spring to mind, the Islanders, too).

• The receiving team has to have a need for the player in question. A team that already has six or seven defensemen under contract probably won’t be interested in Bryce Salvador unless you sweeten the pot for him — St. Louis is a prime example here, because they have seven if you include Alex Pietrangelo’s entry-level deal.

• The receiving team has to have a sweetener they are interested in, that the Devils would be willing to give up if that is what it takes to get a deal done. Considering the Devils (among others) are in a bind, it becomes a buyer’s market — the receiving team has the possibility of exorting a price they find acceptable, because they’re doing the Devils a favor. If you’re looking to get a mid-round draft pick back for Salvador or Zubrus, what else will you have to give up? Draft picks of your own, especially the first-rounder left over? What if the receiving team wants a prospect like Zharkov or Corrente? (I’ll assume for the sake of discussion that Tedenby and Josefsen are off the table and not even dignify the asking with a comment) Beyond that, will giving up those extra chips handicap the team in making deals down the line? If you have to throw your first-round pick in with a trade to move salary, does that make it impossible to make a deadline acquisition if you need one?

I can’t say I have any easy answers, or even trades to propose. I’m just not familiar enough with the depth charts and farm systems of potential trade partners to know who might have a need for Salvador or Zubrus…. or what they might be willing to tender in return. It isn’t nearly as easy as everyone will make out, however.

I know Zubrus & Salvidore are the initial players talked about in trades, but I think that they should also consider trying to get Langenbruner to lift his no trade clause. Don’t get me wrong, I like him, I just think he would attract alot of attention. I think alot of teams would like to have a player like him. So you should be able to get something descent in return. They still should try to trade Salvidore & Zubrus as well. That would give them plenty of cap space. They either fill the spots with prospects &/or sign someone or maybe with those three trades you recieve someone you can use. You could put Clarkson on the first line.

wrt to the 5 teams over, all of them have an easy out, besides NJ.

chicago will demote huet to the AHL. boston will put marco sturm on IR. vancouver will put sami salo on IR. i’ve heard that calgary will put daymond langkow on IR. that’s not to take away from your original point that finding salvador a home will not be easy. the good news is that almost all of the top 4 defensemen are now off the market – only mottau, mitchell, and johnsson could plausibly be considered top 4 D, and the latter two have serious health problems that may keep them from playing in the NHL at all.

i think new jersey has to get creative here. they want to get rid of salvador? then how about taking back the contract of jason chimera or sergei samsonov from washington or carolina, respectively. the islanders may be interested in salvador if the devils take back radek martinek.

wrt the other player we get rid of, i think putting brian rolston on re-entry waivers is the best solution. the system we should be playing under maclean should be a hard forecheck system – zubrus is very good at that. rolston, with his aversion to corners or fighting for pucks, is not.

Could the Devils be counting on White failing his pre-camp physical due to deteriation of his vision? Force him into retirement and save the money.

I for one would not move Zubrus. I know that he doesn’t have a NTC or NMC, but he was one of the few Devils players who played like he wanted to win in the playoffs…where it matters. I also like Salvador, but I wouldn’t mind losing him.
In my dream world we would move White and Rolston, we would have over $5.2 million in cap space and trim some fat. However, as good as Lou is the chances he can move Rolston are slim to none. White on the other hand is great on the PK and is a veteran. He’d be a good mentor to a young d-corp such as Atlanta, Tampa, or LA. Also we have Tallinder and A-train to mentor our guys. I also think that Lou is good enough to get the players he wants to waive their NTCs to waive their NTCs. Nobody wants to be where they aren’t wanted.
I also agree with maliky. Langenbrunner is a good player and is respected. GMs love him and we’l be able to get something in return for him especially if we move White or someone else first. Also its the last year of his contract and I don’t see him coming back next year. The Devils have to resign some key pieces. We are entering a new era of Devils hockey, its time to let go of some of those pieces from the past. Also it will allow Lou to give Parise the C which will show him our commitment to him. Teams would take Langs first for his immediate benefit to the team and second because they’ll have a leg up on signing him next year. If we get rid of Langenbrunner and White we would have $2.94 million in cap space. If we add Corrente and Urbom and get rid of Salmela then we still have over $2.33million in cap space.
Also, on the subject of the third line center, we don’t need to sign anybody. We have two great centers who I think should be given the chance to prove themselves this year in Henrique and Josefson. The last piece to this puzzle is an offensive defenseman which we should definitely try to acquire.