problems

ok.... i was talkin to a buddy of mine (a devils fan also) and we agree that last nites blowout vs the sens could be a good thing for the devils. wat it did was it showed all the devils problems and they stood out. now who knows if lou looked at these problems and is tryin to fix them. heres wat we came up with:

1) we need new lines- our offense isnt clicking at all, but when it does and we find the chemistry, it can be deadly.....but right now we cant get any flow or creativity or anything

2) the defense is horrible- slow and stupid.....guys like luko we dont need and if whitey keeps playin how he is we dont need him either....we need young dmen that are fast (like oduya)...we need to shake thing up this year on the blueline like get rid of our slow and stupid dman aka white, lukowich. we will prolly have to do this inside the system b/c lou wont trade but we really should look into guys like zidlicky from nashville, meyer from philly, etc. we'd have to give up somethin good but id have no problem givin up guys like white or anyone else.

3) elias and gomez need to click- kinda goes along with new lines..... i think that since both of zajacs goals have been assisted by parise and one of these two goals was assisted by langs as well as parise we should try them together. now wat that will also do, is it will get the egg line back together which hopefully will get patty and gomer clicking and find their games which will ultimately give us more success. they are one of the best lines in hockey when together b/c of their speed, creativity, chemistry, and ability to know where each other are. unlike the last couple seasons, this season we have the scoring depth to do this and still have a very good and fast second line. so heres wat we agreed we'd like with the top 6:
elias-gomez-gionta
parise-zajac-langenbrunner

4) we need a fourth line that can play a regular shift and contribute- i think this is the big secret of the "new nhl" that most teams have yet to figure out. u gotta be able to run four lines so ur top 9 can rest. we should look into guys like dowd (said he still intends to and wants to play for us this year), marshall, clarkson, tallackson, or anyone else who could fit in from lowell. send cam, rass, lacouture, and rupp down and get some guys on the fourth line that can be trusted to get a regular shift and can contribute on offense and be defensively responsible (once again marshall, dowd, clarkson, tallackson, or anyone else who could fit in from lowell)

5) Special teams must get better- especially the PK in my opinion but the PP too

6) we need to play a full 60 mins of hockey- we have yet to show up in the second period since the first two games of the season and seem to be getting worse at this every game

we arent gonna beat anyone playin the way we are and im so pissed at the way we are playin. we r showing no signs of improvement either thats wat really scares me, seems like we keep gettin worse :cry:; we need to shake things up if we r gonna compete with the buffalos, the carolinas, the dallas's, the minnesotas, and all the other good teams out there especially buffalo more than anyone else........bottom line we've looked like crap since our first game vs the canes who :help: if we dont snap out of it or change somethin i got news for everyone, we r not gonna be cup contenders especially the way our offense hasnt had any flow or chemistry and our defense has looked as bad as when we had mcgillis and malakhov back their last year......our play has reminded me of the first half of last year when we flat our sucked and that scares me:banghead: im not givin up though despite the fact it may seem like it, im just sayin wat i see it scares me and tells me obviously somethin aint right. :confused: wat do u guys think about these points ive made? :dunno:

I agree with all of your points except for getting rid of White. He is a reliable dman who sometimes takes dumb penalties. I think he has a good attitude for the Devils team. I agree with the two lines you suggested and I hope that those are the lines for the rest of the year

EGG line just asks to be shut down. Every team knows that our best since its topheavy with our best.

EGG line just asks to be shut down. Every team knows that our best since its topheavy with our best.
I just want them together to get Patty back on track. Once he gets his confidence up and Zajac becomes better adjusted to the NHL we could switch back if EGG is getting shut down and PZL isn't producing.

As an outside observer, who follows the Devils quite a bit since Gionta is from where i grew up.

You guys need to get rid of that guy named Lukowich, he doesnt look very good at all. You also need to get rid of Fahey, he is a 6th/7th D men AT best.

Play Oduya more, call up a capable speedy D-men in the minors. Possibly Andy Greene? Id keep White just because he is a physical DMen and you need at least one of these, plus its not like he is slow, he is pretty fast for a big guy.

and that 4th line sucks, sorry to say, but what does that goon janseen bring? Use guys that are physical, with speed, BUT can also put the puck in the net maybe? Id call up maybe Marshall, Clarkson, and someone from the minors?

i also dont know the Devils cap so im not sure if this is even possible, but again JMO

GL on your season:yo:

Id keep White just because he is a physical DMen and you need at least one of these

Very good post, but I sorta have a problem with this. White is the Devils second best d-man, and is probably a #3 on a lot of teams and could be a #2 on a couple others. He does take occasional dumb penalties, but is very solid defensively, and like you said, physical and he can skate pretty well for his size. It's not like we would keep him just for the physical aspect. I think he's very comparable to guys like Mitchell and McKee.

Elias-Gomez-Gionta
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Pandolfo-Madden-Brylin
Rasmussen-Dowd-Clarkson

White-Martin
Rafalski-Matvichuk
Hale-Oduya

Brodeur
Clemmensen

What's the cap implications with this line up?

Elias-Gomez-Gionta
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Pandolfo-Madden-Brylin
Rasmussen-Dowd-Clarkson

White-Martin
Rafalski-Matvichuk
Hale-Oduya

Brodeur
Clemmensen

What's the cap implications with this line up?

Well, it will be over given their straight cap hits. When should we assume Matvichuk back, mid-season?

Well, it will be over given their straight cap hits. When should we assume Matvichuk back, mid-season?

He's skating now....I think probably November 17th.

Elias-Gomez-Gionta
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Pandolfo-Madden-Brylin
Rasmussen-Dowd-Clarkson

White-Martin
Rafalski-Matvichuk
Hale-Oduya

Brodeur
Clemmensen

What's the cap implications with this line up?
Pretty sure it would be over, Clarkson makes too much. Matvichuk would also be a bigger cap hit than Luko.

i know some people may get upset but maybe package langenbrunner and lukowich for some defensive help. i still think 2.8 per year for the next 5 years is way too much for jaime. is he worth almost twice as much as brylin, no. he is a valuable player though that i feel alot of teams could use, lukowich is more of a throw-in and i dont think this team would sink without either one of these guys.

White = the Ken Daneyko of today. Not flashy, not perfect, but reliable. And physical. I honestly have no worries about defense when he's on the ice.

I can't say the same about Martin, though. Martin is good offensively and average defensively, IMO.

And Rafalski, while he makes a few brilliant plays a game, often makes at least one brilliantly stupid screw up a game. But he usually makes it better some way, by getting back and making an equally brilliant play to stop the chance his mistake created.

I like Hale when he played, and hope he comes back soon. Him and Matvichuk.

Elias-Gomez-Gionta
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Pandolfo-Madden-Brylin
Rasmussen-Dowd-Clarkson

White-Martin
Rafalski-Matvichuk
Hale-Oduya

Brodeur
Clemmensen

What's the cap implications with this line up?
I hate to disagree with the group, but that lineup would be JUST under I think. It wouldn't allow us to carry any reserves though.

Right now we're carrying 950K in reserves (Fahey and one of the 4th liners). Matvichuk makes 380K more than Lukowich and Clarkson makes 350K more than any of the 4th liners. That would give us 220K to spare.

i didnt read any posts mentioning it, but is julien a factor to the sloppy play ? after all, its representing him. im not able to see the games since ive been here in finland but ive been listening and its not easy for me to gauge whats going right/wrong just by listening. either way, its still waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too early to worry or give up but if what u guys say is accurate then theres def room for improvement. and with the way buffalo is manhandling everyone, were gonna need to get much better if we wanna survive to the finals since lucky for us theyre in our conference.

Fahey and Brooks should only be allowed into Devils' games with a ticket. God, do they suck. When Matty and Hale come back, our D will be much better, except there will most likely be a cap casualty at forward.

Raffy
White
Martin
Matty
Hale
Oduya

Lukowich makes too much to be a 5-6 and sucks too much to be a 3-4, so he hops a ride on the Lowell express (or trade bait).

Lou may also need to trim the fat at forward anyway. Jamie?????

we still need to rid ourselves of the slow, stupid dmen.....i honestly dont think we should keep matvichuk; yes he is prolly our most solid stay at home dman, but hes wasnt fast for us before and who knows wat these back problems could do to him.

heres a lineup i got out that i think would put us just under the cap

elias-gomez-gionta
parise-zajac-langenbrunner
pandolfo-madden-brylin
clarkson-dowd-marshall
rasmussen

white-martin
oduya-rafalski
hale-fahey
lachance

brodeur
clemmensen


puts us at 43.633 and really none of our dmen are slow (whitey truely isnt that slow) and idk about lachance but hed be #7 so he really doesnt count and we'd have an extra forward and dman. also rassy could take dowds spot til hes ready to come back cuz rassy can be trusted with a regular shift. this would also give us that fourth line that can play a regular shift and keep our other 3 lines more fresh. also our defense would feature lots of speed martin, oduya, rafalski, fahey, hale (who i believe is just as fast as martin and can hit) and whitey who has good speed.

we still need to rid ourselves of the slow, stupid dmen.....i honestly dont think we should keep matvichuk; yes he is prolly our most solid stay at home dman, but hes wasnt fast for us before and who knows wat these back problems could do to him.

heres a lineup i got out that i think would put us just under the cap

elias-gomez-gionta
parise-zajac-langenbrunner
pandolfo-madden-brylin
clarkson-dowd-marshall
rasmussen

white-martin
oduya-rafalski
hale-fahey
lachance

brodeur
clemmensen


puts us at 43.633 and really none of our dmen are slow (whitey truely isnt that slow) and idk about lachance but hed be #7 so he really doesnt count and we'd have an extra forward and dman. also rassy could take dowds spot til hes ready to come back cuz rassy can be trusted with a regular shift. this would also give us that fourth line that can play a regular shift and keep our other 3 lines more fresh. also our defense would feature lots of speed martin, oduya, rafalski, fahey, hale (who i believe is just as fast as martin and can hit) and whitey who has good speed.

I like that line-up alot... Marshall is significantly more skilled and responsible than Rupp, Cam, LaC, etc., HOWEVER we are at risk bringing him up through waivers, as a team like Philly could use him and us having to eat half of his salary as a phantom cap hit would kill our last little bit of wiggle room. We can only play the Lowell up and down game with our young 2-way contract guys who are not subject to re-entry waivers.

I'd much rather see Greene up in Fahey's place, as I think he is going to be a really good player real soon -- whereas Fahey is a heart attack every night, looking fast and skilled one minute, out to lunch the next... Luko was much stronger last season, so I think he is significantly less than 100% physically. Either way, he has sucked pretty much throughout camp and in the little game action he has seen due to injury. I am worried everytime he is on the ice now, and he is playing 3-4 D man minutes. A REAL team weakness.

I am a BIG believer in Clarkson, who I think is a prototypical Devils player who wouldn't look out of place on our third or fourth line. There is some added cost to him over the other 4th liners, so this is a capologist issue as much as anything. But he should be on the big club over any of the current 4rth line options (including Rassmussen, IMO.)

I sure hope Jimmy Dowd isn't simply done as a veteran player -- too beat up and worn down to play at the NHL level any longer. Because I think him anywhere near 100% would be an immediate "flip the switch" type of change to the number of minutes our 4rth line could responsibly handle, and maybe they contribute some nice, albeit ugly, gritty goals. He soooooo much wants to retire a Devil, and him at league minimum, if he can still play like he used to, would be a complete steal.

But Rupp, LaC and Janssen have not impressed, and Rassmussen is on the fence for me. I liked him in pre-season, as the younger prospects tending to skate the other way from him as a natural self-preservation reaction. But he has had less impact in the real games, IMO.

I can't say the same about Martin, though. Martin is good offensively and average defensively, IMO.


???

If anything, Martin is good defensively and average offensively.

we still need to rid ourselves of the slow, stupid dmen.....i honestly dont think we should keep matvichuk; yes he is prolly our most solid stay at home dman, but hes wasnt fast for us before and who knows wat these back problems could do to him.
Are you kidding me? Matvichuk was rock solid for the Devs down the stretch run last year. And while he's not fast, he's certainly not a pylon either. IMO, when he gets healthy and returns to the lineup that will be a big addition to our defense.

Jeez, people sure turned on Janssen in a hurry. The 4th line could be better, and when Dowd comes back it will be, but it is not the problem. As long as Matvichuk and Hale our out the defence will be spotty at best. To overcome that Marty will have to be at the top of his game and the team will need to score more. I would put the EGG line back together for starters. Sure they will face the top defensive pairing, but so what? Let them try to stop that line, it's not an easy task. Parise and Zajac seem to work together better than Elias and Zajac anyways. And it's beating a dead horse but the power play needs to get better, even if they just stop allowing short handed goals it would be an improvement. Finally, the defence has contributed zero goals thus far. It would be nice if that improved, but I really don't see anyone on the roster that will step up and score more goals. Rafalski only had 6 last year, Martin had 5.

Jeez, people sure turned on Janssen in a hurry. The 4th line could be better, and when Dowd comes back it will be, but it is not the problem. As long as Matvichuk and Hale our out the defence will be spotty at best. To overcome that Marty will have to be at the top of his game and the team will need to score more. I would put the EGG line back together for starters. Sure they will face the top defensive pairing, but so what? Let them try to stop that line, it's not an easy task. Parise and Zajac seem to work together better than Elias and Zajac anyways. And it's beating a dead horse but the power play needs to get better, even if they just stop allowing short handed goals it would be an improvement. Finally, the defence has contributed zero goals thus far. It would be nice if that improved, but I really don't see anyone on the roster that will step up and score more goals. Rafalski only had 6 last year, Martin had 5.I'm with you. I fully support Janssen. As long as their is still fighting in hockey, there is a need for a like Janssen. He took on a much bigger opponent in Brian McGrattan, giving 5 inches and 21 lbs., and Cam more than held his own. If Cam is gone from the team, look for the opposition to bully and cheap shot the likes of Brian Gionta, Patrik Elais and Scott Gomez.

I'm with you. I fully support Janssen. As long as their is still fighting in hockey, there is a need for a like Janssen. He took on a much bigger opponent in Brian McGrattan, giving 5 inches and 21 lbs., and Cam more than held his own. If Cam is gone from the team, look for the opposition to bully and cheap shot the likes of Brian Gionta, Patrik Elais and Scott Gomez.
There was fighting in 2000 and 2003 and we didn't need Cam Janssen. In 2003 we had Turner Stevenson who was actually a competent player with his gloves on.

Fighting is an overrated aspect of the game, entertaining, but not necessary by any stretch of the imagination.

There was fighting in 2000 and 2003 and we didn't need Cam Janssen. In 2003 we had Turner Stevenson who was actually a competent player with his gloves on.

Fighting is an overrated aspect of the game, entertaining, but not necessary by any stretch of the imagination.


but in 2000 and 2003 we had stevens. So no team wanted 2 push are stars around

There was fighting in 2000 and 2003 and we didn't need Cam Janssen. In 2003 we had Turner Stevenson who was actually a competent player with his gloves on.

Fighting is an overrated aspect of the game, entertaining, but not necessary by any stretch of the imagination.We had Scott Stevens in both 2000 and 2003. In 2004 with Turner Stevenson and no Scott Stevens, teams bullied the Devils. Grant Marshall broke his hand fighting Eric Cairns in the season finally. The Devils got man-hanled by Philadelphia in the playoffs. The Flyers had absolutely no fear of the Devils.

When did Stevens fight in the playoffs?

Jeez, people sure turned on Janssen in a hurry. The 4th line could be better, and when Dowd comes back it will be, but it is not the problem. As long as Matvichuk and Hale our out the defence will be spotty at best. To overcome that Marty will have to be at the top of his game and the team will need to score more. I would put the EGG line back together for starters. Sure they will face the top defensive pairing, but so what? Let them try to stop that line, it's not an easy task. Parise and Zajac seem to work together better than Elias and Zajac anyways. And it's beating a dead horse but the power play needs to get better, even if they just stop allowing short handed goals it would be an improvement. Finally, the defence has contributed zero goals thus far. It would be nice if that improved, but I really don't see anyone on the roster that will step up and score more goals. Rafalski only had 6 last year, Martin had 5.
Seriously, our PP has been bad before, but I don't ever remember seeing it give up shorthanded goals and chances galore :banghead:

When did Stevens fight in the playoffs?
Off the top of my head, I don't remember a single fight. He didn't need to. Huge hits and intimidation were plenty.

Off the top of my head, I don't remember a single fight. He didn't need to. Huge hits and intimidation were plenty.

You beat me too it. Stevens was intimidating every time you step onto the ice with him. However, he was a pretty unique player in that respect and the Devils can't replace grit like his. Therefore, Janssen is a necesary player to protect the Devil's best assets. The Devils have 15 million tied up in just Elias, Gomez and Gionta. They better damn well protect them.

Off the top of my head, I don't remember a single fight. He didn't need to. Huge hits and intimidation were plenty.
That's my point, the act of fighting is overrated. If Janssen fights it's going to be the other team's goon like McGratton, not necessarily the guy who laid a cheap shot on our player.

If I had to choose between huge hits with awful play and decent hits with good play I'd choose the good play every time. Stevens provided both those things so we didn't have to choose. Right now we aren't so lucky, I'd prefer leaving things to Rasmussen or Lacouture than Janssen on a regular basis at this point.

I'd like to see Clarkson on the squad -- as a potential scoring threat that could also punch you in the face, if neccessary.

I love, love, love Cam's energy, and that stupid grin of his is hilarious -- like he WILDLY enjoys every shift he gets. Kinda infectuous. And we may never have had an equal as a fighter on the Devils, despite the Troy Crowders and Kristof Oliwa's of our past. So he isn't the end of the world as a 13th forward... But ZERO career points says something, even if it is something we Devils fans tune out in favor of the other things he does.

But there just isn't a competent, defensively responsible, offensively functional, NHL quality line to be composed from Erik Rassmussen, Cam Janssen, Mike Rupp and Dan LaCouture. There is too much suckage there and zero chemstry amongst the group. I know it is early, and our much more pressing problem is the defense, but the idea of Dowd and Clarkson replacing Rupp and LaCouture is VERY appealing to me.

The fourth line is the least of our problems right now... I see nothing wrong with what Janssen brings to the team.. The fourth line isn't going to play that much anyway.. Stats don't exactly project Janssen's impact on the game..

We currently have 2 scoring lines that aren't scoring and defensive pairs that look lost.. That's the problem we should be focusing on right now

When did Stevens fight in the playoffs?

back in 1992, against Tie Domi, inside the meadowlands penalty box. :yo:

Cam fights so our top guys dont have to suffer a stupid injury which can take them out of the game.

He takes and administrates the beating for that reason.

I dont need Elias, Gomer, or Gionta throwing punches and busting their hands, or getting hurt in a fight.

Cam fights so our top guys dont have to suffer a stupid injury which can take them out of the game.

He takes and administrates the beating for that reason.

I dont need Elias, Gomer, or Gionta throwing punches and busting their hands, or getting hurt in a fight.

Absolutely right. There is a book called The Code: The Unwritten Rules Of Fighting And Retaliation In The Nhl which covers this subject very well.

http://www.amazon.com/Code-Unwritten-Rules-Fighting-Retaliation/dp/1572437561/sr=1-3/qid=1161659967/ref=sr_1_3/002-2634923-8180820?ie=UTF8&s=books

Absolutely right. There is a book called The Code: The Unwritten Rules Of Fighting And Retaliation In The Nhl which covers this subject very well.

http://www.amazon.com/Code-Unwritten-Rules-Fighting-Retaliation/dp/1572437561/sr=1-3/qid=1161659967/ref=sr_1_3/002-2634923-8180820?ie=UTF8&s=books


Saw that when i picked up the Marty book the other day... Read a little bit of it and it's pretty good and interesting.. Might get that after i'm done with Marty's

Cam fights so our top guys dont have to suffer a stupid injury which can take them out of the game.

He takes and administrates the beating for that reason.

I dont need Elias, Gomer, or Gionta throwing punches and busting their hands, or getting hurt in a fight.
Who the hell advocated Elias Gomez or Gionta fighting? Rasmussen can fight, Lacouture can fight, even Rupp can fight if he's forced to.

Cam has been adding very little of actual value from night to night. If the only reason that he's in the lineup is to throw some punches, why not just sign Mike Tyson.

I'm talking about one of the main reasons the Devils need Cam.

I'm talking about one of the main reasons the Devils need Cam.
Elias, Gomez, and Gionta wouldn't fight whether we had Cam in the lineup or not. Not only is it so they won't get hurt, it's the same reason why Stevens rarely fought over the last ten years of his career, because he was more valuable to the team on the ice than in the box.

This is true... but sometimes emotions can get the better of these guys.

But you're right, they are smart enough not to fight. But its nice to know you got a guy on your team willing to lay down the law about messing with your top players.

Who the hell advocated Elias Gomez or Gionta fighting? Rasmussen can fight, Lacouture can fight, even Rupp can fight if he's forced to.

Cam has been adding very little of actual value from night to night. If the only reason that he's in the lineup is to throw some punches, why not just sign Mike Tyson.I didn't say that they fight, nor did I say that anyone suggested that they should or might have to fight. I was saying that the presence of a very capable enforcer is a protection against those guys getting bullied.

The ideal lines for the Devils is two capable scoring lines, a great shutdown line and a grind line. The team certainly has the personnel to put that together. The defense should be capable once Hale or Matvichuk returns to action. The team simply needs go out on the ice at the beginning of the game and play hard for 60 minutes.

The fourth line is the least of our problems right now... I see nothing wrong with what Janssen brings to the team.. The fourth line isn't going to play that much anyway.. Stats don't exactly project Janssen's impact on the game..

We currently have 2 scoring lines that aren't scoring and defensive pairs that look lost.. That's the problem we should be focusing on right now

I agree, completely. And think that the lines that continue to work should be kept together, namely the EGG line (witness our third period success rate with this line) and the Pando- Mad Dog- Sarge line (I dub thee the PMS line...Ladies!)

Let the 2nd line be the only one to have to go through the growing pains and be re-jiggered due to injury... instead of screwing around with all three lines (as Claude Julien has done).

Ultimately, when Zajac gets healthy, reunite the PZL line. Until then... With the bodies we currently have on the squad, let Parise cut his teeth at some NHL center (as he one day might have to replace Gomez....) with Tallackson (whom he played with in Albany) and Langs as his wings...and see what happens.

Could be a scrappy, gritty group with a quasi-sniper in Langs (if the glass behind the goal were the goal itself, an actual sniper...) and a quasi-power forward in Barry T. (who I have not been remotely impressed with, ever, but he is who is up now on the team...and projects in this role.)

This seems like the most logical use of the players we have on forward, with the two lines with legitimate chemistry and who are playing well together being kept together -- despite the injury to Zajac. So when he returns, Tallackson can be sent back down to Lowell and very little is disrupted other than Parise shifts back to Zajac's wing. But every line doesn't have to dismantle all over again, which seems extremely stupid, IMO.

Also, any further Rassmussen based experiments outside of the 4th line must come to a halt.

The ideal lines for me;

EGG
PZL
PMS
Rass-Dowd-Janssen/LaCouture*

(*Unless the cap space would allow Clarkson, who is better than these two. Then Janssen would be #13, and LaC would be sent down.)

Regarding D pairings, I'd be really excited about putting White - Rafalski together, who both have the most hockey sense and are our top "stay at home" & "offensive" defensemen respectively. They would be the logical people to have against the opposing top lines. And they played great together over the pre-season, so they've already practiced this successfully under game conditions.

And Martin just doesn't seem totally ready for the top pairing at this point. It could be the result of not being signed during camp and therefore not playing in any pre-season games. Regardless, he should be on the 3-4 pairing with either Hale (if his eyes come back) or pending cap space, and healthy return from injury, Richard Matvichuk. Until then, we are stuck with Brad Lukowich in the 3-4 pairing (basically as a placeholder for a better player.)

If Matvichuk is unable to return, I'd still trade and/or waive Luko and bring up the well deserving Greene, which would save $150,000 in cap space and potentially improve the on ice product. Either way, Lukowich seems like the odd man out, especially cap wise, as all these pairings seem stronger without him (other than as a way too expensive #7). And someone has to go when Hale and Matvichuk return, and Luko carries $1 Mil in cap space.

Best options (either would be an improvement):

White - Rafalski
Matvichuk - Martin
Hale - Oduya
Fahey

or

White - Rafalski
Hale - Martin
Oduya - Greene
Fahey

For Now (still problematic):

White - Rafalski
Lukowich - Martin
Oduya - Fahey
Brooks

I don't think this was discussed in another thread.

from Newark Star-Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/devils/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1161669331221300.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

Travis Zajac, the rookie center who suffered a bruised left hip and thigh area when checked into the boards by Nashville's Shea Weber last Thursday night, said he is hopeful of returning when the Devils host the Florida Panthers Thursday night. Zajac wanted to practice with the team yesterday but was told to stay off the leg another day.

Defenseman Richard Matvichuk and center Jim Dowd participated in their first practice with the team since training camp opened and are moving closer to playing.

Sorry for coming in so late in the discussion as I have been viewing this board for a long time, but I didn't have an account yet and it was just created yesterday.

I wanted to add my 2 cents about the game in Ottawa on Saturday since I was there, although I now regret paying a 100$ to see it.

1) Very few guys were skating out there. Some guys looked better than others, notably Fahey, Oduya and Tallackson. Maybe it was because it was my first chance at seeing them play (I don't get to see the games very often, unless they play Ottawa, Toronto or Montreal, although I listen to pretty much all the games on net radio). Fahey and Oduya were quite respectable on defense that night, and 100 time better than White.

2) I know Lou won't do anything with Colin White, but he should be traded and quickly! I have never liked him, although he showed some promise when he first started playing for the Devils (Kenny-D type player). He was completly useless and lost out there on Saturday. If Martin hadn't been playing with him and fixing his screwups, he would have finished even more negative that night.

3) I think if Elias wants to wear the C, he better lead by example. I think I saw him skate hard once in the game, and that was with 3:30 left in the 3rd period.

Thanks and glad to be part of this Devils board!

2) I know Lou won't do anything with Colin White, but he should be traded and quickly! I have never liked him, although he showed some promise when he first started playing for the Devils (Kenny-D type player). He was completly useless and lost out there on Saturday. If Martin hadn't been playing with him and fixing his screwups, he would have finished even more negative that night.


Wow. :biglaugh:

Have you watched any games this season? Martin has not been the one fixing the screw ups.

And White is 10x better now than back in 00.

Wow. :biglaugh:

Have you watched any games this season? Martin has not been the one fixing the screw ups.

And White is 10x better now than back in 00.

Dude White is horrible. He's always going to be horrible. Slow and dumb. He doesn't know how to play his angles at all. So much for him being our "tough" defenseman. Trade him before he get a -42 ratio.

The games on TVU

Paul Martin did totally bail out Colin White once in the Sens game.

Dude White is horrible. He's always going to be horrible. Slow and dumb. He doesn't know how to play his angles at all. So much for him being our "tough" defenseman. Trade him before he get a -42 ratio.

Is anyone on the Devils good?

Julien is loosing this team quickly......No discipline what so ever being shown.

The team looks a lot like a Larry Robinson team.