More photos » Bill Kostroun - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paul Martin could be coming back later this month wherein he'll be able to congratulate Martin Brodeur further when the team wins. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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An update on Paul Martin's status appeared yesterday on NJ.com's Devils Beat Reporters Blog and in today's Star Ledger: Rich Chere reported that the New Jersey Devils may see Martin back for Christmas.  Martin was a very important player last season on defense and was well on his way to continuing his form prior to his left arm being fractured back on October 24.  I expected much from Martin prior to this season and outside of his offensive production, I felt he was doing well in his own end on those 9 games he did play.

However, the Devils have thrived in spite of losing Martin (and so many others) to injury. As Rich Chere noted the Devils have put together a 16-5-1 record without their de facto #1 defenseman.  While Martin was eventually going to return, who would have guessed that Andy Greene would step up in his spot and take on more minutes?  Who would have guessed Mike Mottau would follow behind Greene in minutes?  Sure, I said back after the injury that Colin White, Bryce Salvador, Mottau, and Greene would have to take more minutes; but I didn't think it would be to this degree.  And I certainly wouldn't have thought the Devils would hold teams to less than 28 shots per game on average (currently at 27.1, third best in the league) without the two-way defensive force that is Paul Martin.

Now that Martin could be coming back in December, some thoughtful questions come to my mind, both with respect to the short term and long term situation.  I'm not going to provide my personal opinion, instead I want to know what you think. Feel free to answer as many or as few of these in comments; but I honestly would like to get an idea on what you think about what the New Jersey Devils should do when Paul Martin returns.

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Free agency frenzy took place on July 1, a seemingly long time ago now that it's September 3rd.   The summer may be over and so the Devils head into training camp with many changes in their roster.    Going into training camp, the Devils have their defense, their goaltending, and their core still intact.  I think the biggest loss won't be Brian Gionta, but John Madden as the Devils are now quite thin at center and you may have to pencil in the relatively-inexperienced Rod Pelley to fill in a big, big hole on the third line.  

Now, the offseason isn't technically over yet, as the regular season starts in October.  The Devils can still sign and trade players at any point in 2009.  Moves can still be made.   The roster is definitely not set and with the number of players who are still free agents (e.g. Manny Malhotra) as well as teams who are near or over the salary cap (e.g. Vancouver), I can imagine that there will plenty of action should Lou want to get involved.  With a little over $5 million in cap space available to New Jersey, they have the room to sign another player or take on salary in a trade.

Overall, when looking back at the posts I made after a signing, I made a point of it to looking back at the polls asking for your reaction to the signing as well as comments.  While the Devils lost 8 players to free agency and 1 to retirement, followed by the lack of action on July 1, your comments and the poll results indicated a positive reaction to most of the deals.   I think this largely because the Devils were able to re-sign Johnny Oduya and Travis Zajac, two players that I think were important to retain.   In my opinion, the only signing that garnered the most negative reaction was Ilkka Pikkarainen and that may be more confusion than anything else as well as frustration at the lack of other activity on July 1 by New Jersey.

So that being said, I would like to know your opinion about how the Devils did this past summer.  Time has past and so the initial "gut reaction" won't be a factor.  The poll is looking for your overall feeling; hence, it is an arbitrary rating.  Given the reaction to the individual signings at the time, I expect it to be positive - but, as always, I'm willing to be proven wrong.   If you have a more specific comment - praise, complaints, criticism - please bring it up in the comments and let's discuss the matter. After the jump is a quick summary of the Devils' current cap situation, all the moves the Devils made as well as who's released.

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This will be the weekend's post; unless something big happens between now and Monday afternoon.  The topic is pretty straight forward: I want to know why are you a fan of the New Jersey Devils.

Is it because they are the local hockey team, not just playing in but also representing New Jersey?  Is it because you enjoyed going to games or seeing early Devils perform well, leading to your fandom?   Is it because they are the second most successful team in the NHL since 1994, and you are proud to witness their success over these years?  Is it because of a current player (e.g. Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise)?   Is it because competitive hockey at its highest level stirs the passion in your heart and the New Jersey Devils are the catalyst for the burning emotions within?  Some of these reasons?  All of these reasons? Something different and/or more sentimental?

Whatever it is, I want to know why you support the world-class New Jersey hockey club, the Devils.   I don't just find how players perform in various interesting; but I am geniuinely interested as to why others are interested in the Devils.  This can be about how you became a fan of the team, and/or why you still are a fan of the team.  Let me know in the comments, by e-mail, or even through Twitter via @JKFischer.

ALSO: I also would like to know how you would convince someone else - assume they would interested in hockey - to be a Devils fan.   This is a very important related question.   Fandom can be shared, so how would you go about it? Again, leave your suggestions in the comments below.

With the end of prospect development camp, the next team event to focus on is training camp which is dreadfully so far away in September.  A benefit (or something to fill the time, as it were) for this long gap between actual action is that it allows us to speculate about what the 2009-10 roster will look like.  There's already a few FanPosts discussing just that right here and here and here, to start.   Feel free to contribute your own. 

But today, I want to know who do you want as the 7th defenseman on the Devils.   Don't laugh, it's not a meaningless spot on the team.  In the past two seasons, the Devils utilized more than 6 defenseman on their active roster (infamously having 9 on the roster by the end of 2007-08).  While Brent Sutter is no longer the coach, a spare defender is useful should the Devils want to exploit a matchup, spell a player, or have someone ready to go should someone be injured. 

According to Rich Chere today, Jay Leach - a spare defenseman last season with New Jersey - was told that there will be competition for that #7 spot on the defenseman depth chart.   Gulitti summed up the current situation with the Devils blueline in this post today after asking Lou about Cory Murphy.  So this question is quite appropriate.   A quick blurb about each of them:

Jay Leach - Served as an extra defenseman last season and did a decent job of it, so he has the benefit of experience. More of a defensive-defenseman than anything else.

Cory Murphy - His big asset is his offensive capabilities (a right-handed shot!), and he was featured on the power play in Tampa Bay.  Size and health are issues.  Also, he signed a two-way deal, so he could just go to Lowell if he's not playing?

Matthew Corrente - 2006 first round draft pick was in competition for a spot on the Devils with Anssi Salmela last season.  Could he break through now with another season of pro hockey under his belt?

Tyler Eckford - Two-way defenseman put up 27 points in 72 games in his first season of pro hockey. The 2004 7th round pick has developed well so far, could he make a leap in September?

Andy Greene - Serviceable #6 defenseman but he was scratched more than a few times last season.  He did sign a one-way contract per Gulitti, so he's not going to Lowell.  Still, his spot may not be cemented in the lineup, so picking him here would mean you want someone else that #6 spot (make your suggestions in the comments).

Other - Maybe someone I missed will end up in that spare defenseman role? Maybe someone like Mark Fraser will defy the odds, have an amazing training camp, and make it? Leave you suggestions on who that could be in the comments.

More photos » Ann Heisenfelt - AP

Simple question: Do you want this man, Jacques Lemaire to coach the New Jersey Devils in 2009-10? (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt, File)

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The big rumor being pushed for the Devils head coaching position is Jacques Lemaire.   Here's a quick overview of Lemaire's coaching career. Lemaire coached the Devils from the 1993-94 season through 1997-98 season, finishing with a record of 199-122-57.  He (in)famously instituted the neutral zone trap and after an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 1994 and a Stanley Cup win in 1995, the rest of the NHL caught wind of the defensive tactic.   While Lemaire achieved regular season success with the Devils, two quick exits from the playoffs led to his replacement in 1998.  

Lemaire returned to the NHL coaching the expansion Minnesota Wild, still favoring defensive hockey throughout his tenure. He stepped down after this past season, where the Wild missed the playoffs after two consecutive seasons of making it in the postseason. Hockey Wilderness was all over this: Buddhafisch has details about when he actually stepped down in April with some interesting quotes.   Nathan Eide has a link to a retrospective and his last press conference.

According to Gulitti, Lemaire is interested in the New Jersey job; though he also rumored to be taking a consulting job with the Canadiens.   Given what Lemaire has done, he's definitely a defense-first coach and would probably undo a lot of what Sutter had done in the last two seasons.  On the other hand, Lemaire never coached a team where he had a ridiculous talent like Zach Parise, Travis Zajac working well with said ridiculous talent, and Patrik Elias putting up a point per game season.  Maybe he would do things differently.  I say for now, I leave the opinion to you. 

Remember, I'm not asking whether or not he would be good for New Jersey; but rather do you want him to coach the Devils in 2009-10.   If you would like to explain why you do or do not want him to coach the Devils, please state your reasons in the comments.

UPDATE: Good response so far and I would like to commend you all for not wanting to see Todd Richards.  Because according to Mike Russo at the Star Tribune, he will be coaching the Wild next season. (via Hockey Wilderness)  Also from Mike Russo, Lemaire is working on a basement closet.  Best of luck to him in his endeavor for more storage space.

Let's have a quick What Do You Think.  The Devils clinched the Atlantic Division with at least one point earned against Ottawa (they got 2!) and with Philadelphia's loss to the Rangers.  They needed one of those scenarios to come true and both did.  Since Washington beat Tampa Bay, the Devils will be in the #3 seed in the East.  Here's the potential situation for the potential first round opponents.

1. Philadelphia - 43-26-11 - 2 Games Remaining: At Islanders, Vs. Rangers

2. Carolina - 45-29-7 - 1 Game Remaining: At New Jersey

3. Pittsburgh - 44-28-9 - 1 Game Remaining: At Montreal

It's most likely that it will be either Pittsburgh or Carolina; but Philadelphia could still slide if they get 2 or less points out of their two remaining games (not likely, but they didn't get the job done tonight).  Also, it's interesting that New Jersey has a hand in all this.  We'd love to see them go into the post season with a win; but a loss to Carolina would help them up and away from New Jersey next week. But here is what I want to know:

Who would you want in the first round for New Jersey and why?

There's not an easy matchup among the bunch, but no one ever said the Stanley Cup Playoffs were ever easy.  Share your thoughts before the weekend is up.  The best ones will be posted up later - potentially for a playoff preview.

Tomorrow, the Devils have another opportunity to strengthen their hold on the Atlantic Division.  They get an opportunity to keep another Atlantic Division team down.

But most importantly, it's the last game at the Rock between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.

The New York Rangers who didn't figure out defensive systems until after the lockout.

The New York Rangers whose penchant for signing big names help contribute to that second lockout and their futile season.

The New York Rangers who still continue this practice with Scott Gomez ($8 million this year), Chris Drury ($7.1 million this year), and Wade Redden ($6.5 million this year) - all for less than expected results.

The New York Rangers who just retired the number of a player who has never scored more than 80 points and has only one major career achievement.  (Bonus career stat comparison!  And this guy isn't going to have his number retired!)

The New York Rangers who still keep living that same achievement, their one Stanley Cup in 1994, over and over and over again.  Presumably because they have no faith it'll ever happen again, perhaps.

The New York Rangers whose fanbase only makes any noise when their team does anything positive and absolutely silent when they are losing.

The New York Rangers who may believe that the return of a locker room cancer  will help them out.  A player who has never scored more than 20 goals in a season, and isn't going to boost the second least productive offense in the league (2.4 goals for per game!).

I believe all New Jersey fans, on one level or another, cannot stand the Rangers and love it when the Devils beat up on them.  So I ask you: What do you think of the Rangers?  Do you despise them? Hate them? Desire to see them lose in miserable fashion?

Please keep the language clean, but also, be brutal.

It's time for a second edition of What Do You Think.  Last time, it was about the Devils' attendance struggles.  And in both the initial question and a follow-up post, you have provided some excellent comments.  I certainly hope to see those kinds of well-thought out comments again for the more hockey-relevant issue of trades.

The NHL trade deadline for this season is March 4, 2009.  (TSN already has their site ready!) With the All Star break, you can bet general managers across the league are evaluating their team, their position, and putting out feelers to make some moves. And after the All Star Game, the unofficial mad rush for positioning for playoffs and/or rushing to get into a playoff position will begin. Teams who could contend drop out. Teams who weren't contending could catch hot and move up.  And some teams, well, their shot at the postseason is nearly dead within the first week of the month of February. So it's isn't readily apparent as to who will be willing to "trade for the future," so to speak. Mirtle has been keeping up a regular look at the playoff push for all the teams in the league and it gives a good idea of who could be sellers and who could be buyers in by March 4.  In fact, for some of the teams already out of it, Mirtle's even compiled a list of potential players that could be shipped off for a little in return.

What do the Devils do?  Let's look at the current situation:

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