Big Devils' Mistake

Drafted Jeff Frazee over Paul Stastny?

WHY????????????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4kxS1ksqtw

because we draft defensemen.

because we draft defensemen.

No, This jabroni is a goalie. Like it worked with Ari Ahonen and JF Damphousse! Paul Stastny is tearing up the NHL with 15 points in his last 9 games and this guy at best will be Marty's backup in 2009.

one fluke goal is enough to make a goalie terrible....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iXEzD1heawU

I was thinking about this just this morning. Especially since we once had a Stastny on this team.

Though, not over Frazee, over Bergfors.

I say we fire David Conte :rant: .... what a bum that Conte !!!!

No, This jabroni is a goalie. Like it worked with Ari Ahonen and JF Damphousse! Paul Stastny is tearing up the NHL with 15 points in his last 9 games and this guy at best will be Marty's backup in 2009.

oh yeah I'm an idiot, I was thinking of Fraser or whatever, they guy we had up for a couple games. woooops.

yeah it was a mistake. Stastny is great so far.

How dare the scouting staff fail to see into the future!

Well, I guess your right since Anton Kadeykin, Teemu Laine, Adrian Foster, and Ivan Khomotov have worked out so well. My bad.

Well, I guess your right since Anton Kadeykin, Teemu Laine, Adrian Foster, and Ivan Khomotov have worked out so well. My bad.

and your point? every team has busts.
quit whining, nothing we can do about it anyways.

I was thinking about this just this morning. Especially since we once had a Stastny on this team.

Though, not over Frazee, over Bergfors.

Has Bergfors really been that bad this year?

brodeur, niedermayer, rolston, elias, gomez, gionta, pandolfo, martin, parise, zajac


should i go on? stop friggin complaining. you expect them to get EVERY prospect in history right?

Drafted Jeff Frazee over Paul Stastny?

WHY????????????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4kxS1ksqtw

well in 1996, when we selected #10, which is only the 3rd time a Lou Lamoriello run team has selected in the Top 10:

We selected Lance Ward over these guys...some quite notable...

Daniel Briere
Marco Sturm (who we wanted at the trade deadline 2 weeks ago)
Corey Sarich
Tomas Kaberle
Pavel Kubina
Fernando Pisani
Eric Belanger

you do realize we can 2nd guess after the fact for every draft year, but let's be happy Lou, Conte and the entire scouting staff are right most of the time.

If you look at it the other way, how many teams are saying " man, we could've picked Parise in the '03 draft or Zajac in the '04 draft or Gomez in the '98 draft or Elias in the '94 draft or Brodeur in the '90 draft....

And I'm not even mentionning players that weren't drafter at all like Madden and Rafalski.

We're one of the rare teams that build within our prospect and not via free agency (like the Rangers !!!) and I think we've been one of the best teams in the league for the last 10 years or so...... so you need to stop :cry: or :rant:. I think you need some :help:.


Thanks ;)

You can make comments like this after every draft..It's pointless...The Devils have been one of the best drafting teams in the NHL over the last 15 years or so...

I recall me wanting to take Stastny 1st/2nd round during his draft year. Zajac is good but Stastny is like his father. I believe the ones who I really wanted were Pavelec, Stastny and Sauer.

I recall me wanting to take Stastny 1st/2nd round during his draft year. Zajac is good but Stastny is like his father. I believe the ones who I really wanted were Pavelec, Stastny and Sauer.

Nice call..but I'll keep Conte and staff for a while before we put you in charge

Whoever is second guessing our scouting staff, this article is for you.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/9417

well in 1996, when we selected #10, which is only the 3rd time a Lou Lamoriello run team has selected in the Top 10:


Tomas Kaberle




To be fair, he was passed over almost 225 times before bein drafted....and that also by the Leafs, they draft better later round picks than first round picks. Also Briere didn't just become good over night, he worked at it in Buffalo, who knows how he might have turn out here. Statsny was passed over by 51 other picks too, so obviously all other 29 teams minus Colorado ALSO made a mistake.

I recall me wanting to take Stastny 1st/2nd round during his draft year. Zajac is good but Stastny is like his father. I believe the ones who I really wanted were Pavelec, Stastny and Sauer.

I'm verry happy with Zajac and if we had to redo the draft, I would still pick Zajac. He's everything Lou and Conte were looking for. A big, strong, two way center. If Stastny had 34 points and some other "jack" would have 65 points, some would say " I recall me wanting to take "jack" before Zajac but David Conte or Lou wouldn't take my call ?!?!?!?"

We got Zajac and I'm happy.... case closed.

I'm verry happy with Zajac and if we had to redo the draft, I would still pick Zajac. He's everything Lou and Conte were looking for. A big, strong, two way center. If Stastny had 34 points and some other "jack" would have 65 points, some would say " I recall me wanting to take "jack" before Zajac but David Conte or Lou wouldn't take my call ?!?!?!?"

We got Zajac and I'm happy.... case closed.
Except Zajac was drafted in 2004, but you knew that.

Meh, Stastny is incredible, but our top three centers at least for the moment are set. No complaints.

I'm not even comparing who was picked were or when.... my point is that it's easy to say "I knew that Stastny was going to be the player he is now". Next draft, post up your ranking and we'll see if you're even close with the actual NHL scouts ranking.

Hey, it's ok... I knew in 1984 that Brett Hull would score over 700 goals and finish with over 1 300 points but no one would listen to me !!!!!!! so he dropped to the 6th round - 117th overall.

:sarcasm:

hey, i'm new on the board so be easy on me :)

I believe Frazee will be awesome in the future though. I mean he was the goalie for Team USA.

I'm not even comparing who was picked were or when.... my point is that it's easy to say "I knew that Stastny was going to be the player he is now". Next draft, post up your ranking and we'll see if you're even close with the actual NHL scouts ranking.

Hey, it's ok... I knew in 1984 that Brett Hull would score over 700 goals and finish with over 1 300 points but no one would listen to me !!!!!!! so he dropped to the 6th round - 117th overall.

:sarcasm:
Except my predictions and picks are on this site somewhere for every draft. Whats your problem anyway, Lou and Conte know they don't always make the best picks, there is nothing wrong with the would a could a game. I'm simply saying those were the players I targeted during the 2005 draft. The only player who I really that NJ selected Fayne, Bergfors, Frazee don't have the killer mentality to win.

you expect them to get EVERY prospect in history right?

Yes. Yes, I do.

:)

I watched Stastny in the USHL when he was in Nebraska. He was ridiculous, but I remember seeing how low he was in all the pre-draft rankings. I remember thinking whoever drafts this kid is going to get a steal. I said the same thing about Bochenski too, and until this year in Boston, I wondered if that was legit. DF hates the USHL, and there have been as many flops as nuggets, but I think it is a legit league and needs to get more respect.

DF hates the USHL, and there have been as many flops as nuggets, but I think it is a legit league and needs to get more respect.

Which DF? I don't hate the USHL, I don't know enough about the growing American junior hockey league.

Which DF? I don't hate the USHL, I don't know enough about the growing American junior hockey league.
DevilsFanatic. The USHL isn't the Q, nor will it ever be, but it is a great feeder league for the NCAA, and that is a great Junior league for NHL players.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Stastny drafted 32nd? He was in the high second round I thought?

Anyway it doesn't make a difference because its in the past. I remember Frazee was being tagged as a low first rounder and a potential starter, so he was picked below where most thought he was going to go anyway. I'm sure the Devil's staff thought they had a steal, plus there was plenty of depth at center.

Frazee will be good. Of that I have no doubt. He is a sophomore on a great team up in Minnesota. Briggs is a senior, so Frazee will get the bulk of matches next season. Will he be Marty? No. But that's unfair. He'll be a solid goaltender in the NHL, and I'm glad we own his rights.

Stastny is great, but which of Gomez, Parise, and Zajac would you get rid of for him? All are natural centers we had at the time of the draft.

Frazee will be solid. Will he be the next starter? I don't know. But at worst, he'll be a temporary player until we find one.

Gomez will be wearing a Los Angeles Kings jersey next year.

Gomez will be wearing a Los Angeles Kings jersey next year.

I think we have to worry a little more of him being a New York Ranger.

Gomez will be wearing a Los Angeles Kings jersey next year.
Even if that's true (which I don't believe it is), how could we have known that in the 2005 draft?

Stastny is great, but which of Gomez, Parise, and Zajac would you get rid of for him? All are natural centers we had at the time of the draft.

Frazee will be solid. Will he be the next starter? I don't know. But at worst, he'll be a temporary player until we find one.
You don't draft by position, you draft best player available, Stastny was the best player available IMO. That freshmen year was amazing.

Frazee doesn't have a goaltender mindset, I can't see him doing much outside the AHL. Pavelec was IMO the best goaltender in the draft.

You don't draft by position, you draft best player available, Stastny was the best player available IMO. That freshmen year was amazing.

Frazee doesn't have a goaltender mindset, I can't see him doing much outside the AHL. Pavelec was IMO the best goaltender in the draft.
I'm going to reserve judgement on Frazee until next year when he is THE MAN in goal. He has played well internationally when he is the featured netminder. I think he will do very well as a Junior, and if he does, I also think he will do well as THE MAN at the next level -- whether that be an extended stay in the AHL or up with the big club.

brodeur, niedermayer, rolston, elias, gomez, gionta, pandolfo, martin, parise, zajac


should i go on? stop friggin complaining. you expect them to get EVERY prospect in history right?

Don't forget, Morrison, Dunham, Souray, Mitchell, Bombardir, White, Sullivan, Brylin, ect. We have some of the best scouts in the biz.

Before you criticize the Devils' scouts for drafting Frazee, you should remember that when they drafted him he had just made 48 saves in the gold medal game of the U-18 World Championships to lead team USA to a 5-1 win.

Frazee will be fine, even if we have to move to a committee in net in the future, a la San Jose and Nashville. He'll be an above-average backup at least.

I'm not worried about not taking Stastny. He's good but I'd rather have Zajac as our #2 center for years to come. Stastny seems to be all-offense while Zajac is almost always down low in the defensive zone.

Although right now Stastny seems like a better pick than both Frazee and even Bergfors (who I think will be fine anyway), there's no way you can blame our scouting staff. They always have the depth chart in mind rather than just taking the best player available. They unearthed guys like Romano and Fayne that have found themselves on the fast track to the league after their first collegiate seasons.

yea our scouts are just horrible, i mean whoever told Lou to grab Zach with #17 pick in 03 should be fired, he's horrible, and Zajac, please.......Anotheer Loser! And i mean how about Scott Gomez in 1998 i think, that was a bust.........David Conte and our scouts are ruining our team...........i mean our future looks so bad, we may as well be the Rangers........


By the way that was all sarcism! For those of you who think i m serious.........


Look at our team in years to come

Elias-Gomez-Gionta
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Clarkson-MAdden-Pando
Janssen-Bergfors-Ryznar

Martin-Rafalski
White-Greene
Oduya-Malmivarra

Broduer
Frazee

I mean come on!

Frazee will be fine, even if we have to move to a committee in net in the future, a la San Jose and Nashville. He'll be an above-average backup at least.

I'm not worried about not taking Stastny. He's good but I'd rather have Zajac as our #2 center for years to come. Stastny seems to be all-offense while Zajac is almost always down low in the defensive zone.

Although right now Stastny seems like a better pick than both Frazee and even Bergfors (who I think will be fine anyway), there's no way you can blame our scouting staff. They always have the depth chart in mind rather than just taking the best player available. They unearthed guys like Romano and Fayne that have found themselves on the fast track to the league after their first collegiate seasons.
Stastny has been the second best defensive rookie forward this season behind Staal. The only area he isn't better then Zajac at the current moment is size and strength on the puck...believe me, I have been pumping Zajac for years as the next Brind`Amour...Stastny is the next Stastny though, plays exactly like his father.

yea our scouts are just horrible, i mean whoever told Lou to grab Zach with #17 pick in 03 should be fired, he's horrible, and Zajac, please.......Anotheer Loser! And i mean how about Scott Gomez in 1998 i think, that was a bust.........David Conte and our scouts are ruining our team...........i mean our future looks so bad, we may as well be the Rangers........


By the way that was all sarcism! For those of you who think i m serious.........


Look at our team in years to come

Elias-Gomez-Gionta
Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Clarkson-MAdden-Pando
Janssen-Bergfors-Ryznar

Martin-Rafalski
White-Greene
Oduya-Malmivarra

Broduer
Frazee

I mean come on!
Do you even follow prospects, or for that matter the logistics in creating a team/lineup. Not one person said Conte isn't the best scout in the league, we are allowed to question his picks though.

Stastny has been the second best defensive rookie forward this season behind Staal. The only area he isn't better then Zajac at the current moment is size and strength on the puck...believe me, I have been pumping Zajac for years as the next Brind`Amour...Stastny is the next Stastny though, plays exactly like his father.
We just gotta root for Sundstrom. I'd love Sundstrom back.

We just gotta root for Sundstrom. I'd love Sundstrom back.
Sundstrom showed some good pro potential at the world junior. He seemed to get around the ice a lot like Langenbrunner who was a center in junior. Has a bullet like Langenbrunner also, he needs a lot of games under his belt though. A lot of catching up to do with the development games missed.

I feel he will be moved to wing just like Langenbrunner, don't think he is good enough with the puck or smart enough to play center.

Jason MacIssac-

Why do you say he doesnt have the mental makeup to be a good goaltender?

Jason MacIssac-

Why do you say he doesnt have the mental makeup to be a good goaltender?
Reading quotes from him in two seperate situations where he said he wouldn't have been able to handle the pressure if the Finland game went to a SO and then not being able to handle the pressure in the shootout against Canada. No goaltender should think that way no matter how early in development they are. The great goaltenders want to have the game rest on their shoulders and I really can't see that with Frazee.

He has a decent skill set, very athletic for a bigger man but as of right now he lets in far too many weak goals, his rebound control is horrible creating many of the second chances on simple shots. Those are things that can improve but it will take a lot more to improve his mental state. A reason why I think hockey players should have psychologists under contract.

one fluke goal is enough to make a goalie terrible....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iXEzD1heawU

thank god we still won

I watched Stastny in the USHL when he was in Nebraska. He was ridiculous, but I remember seeing how low he was in all the pre-draft rankings. I remember thinking whoever drafts this kid is going to get a steal. I said the same thing about Bochenski too, and until this year in Boston, I wondered if that was legit. DF hates the USHL, and there have been as many flops as nuggets, but I think it is a legit league and needs to get more respect.

When did I say I hate the USHL?!

thank god we still won

Unfortunately the Golden Gophers were not so lucky.

Stastny has been the second best defensive rookie forward this season behind Staal. The only area he isn't better then Zajac at the current moment is size and strength on the puck...believe me, I have been pumping Zajac for years as the next Brind`Amour...Stastny is the next Stastny though, plays exactly like his father.

I have not seen much of Stastny, but are you sure he is (and Staal is for that matter) better defensively than Zajac?

Unfortunately the Golden Gophers were not so lucky.
They advanced today winning 2-1 on a tremendous 10 save performance from Jeff Frazee. :sarcasm:

I have not seen much of Stastny, but are you sure he is (and Staal is for that matter) better defensively than Zajac?

Well Staal is amazing in his own end, the short handed goal record by a rookie is nice but its his work even strength that impresses me. Stastny is right behind Staal in my opinion, very quick hands, always in the right lanes.

They advanced today winning 2-1 on a tremendous 10 save performance from Jeff Frazee. :sarcasm:

Actually they won 3-1. And Jeff had 11 saves. He did let up a weak goal in the first but had some big saves. Big stop an a 3 on 2 when they were up 2-1. Okposo iced the game soon after shorthanded.
:handclap:

Well I was talking about the game where he gave up the goal they posted. They lost that game 7-3 to North Dakota.

Okposo is a tank though... I played against him when he was at Shattuck and I must say, the guy has the hardest shot I've ever come across. If he keeps improving his skating the way he has in the last 2 seasons, he should be a force in the NHL some day.

When did I say I hate the USHL?!
I don't know. A few months back you said something about not trusting the USHL or something like that. No big deal. I know in the past I have pumped it up too high at times, but it is a good league. Sorry if I misquoted you.

To be fair, he was passed over almost 225 times before bein drafted....and that also by the Leafs, they draft better later round picks than first round picks. Also Briere didn't just become good over night, he worked at it in Buffalo, who knows how he might have turn out here. Statsny was passed over by 51 other picks too, so obviously all other 29 teams minus Colorado ALSO made a mistake.

The entire NHL passed up on Petr Prucha, who was selected 240th overall and scored 30 goals for the NYR in his rookie season last year. But what about now?

Let's be honest here. We're uber-hyping Paul Stastny in an era where scoring 22 goals & being on pace for 26, shouldn't be considered remarkable, especially when he plays on an offensive-first team and get's plenty of ice team being the #2 center behind Sakic. Let's see what happens next season before we give Lou & Conte the noose :sarcasm:

In other words, would he be having the same success in NJ as he would be having in Colorado.:sarcasm:

our system is/was loaded with center prospects. we needed goalies in development.

The entire NHL passed up on Petr Prucha, who was selected 240th overall and scored 30 goals for the NYR in his rookie season last year. But what about now?

Let's be honest here. We're uber-hyping Paul Stastny in an era where scoring 22 goals & being on pace for 26, shouldn't be considered remarkable, especially when he plays on an offensive-first team and get's plenty of ice team being the #2 center behind Sakic. Let's see what happens next season before we give Lou & Conte the noose :sarcasm:

In other words, would he be having the same success in NJ as he would be having in Colorado.:sarcasm:
Oh my God, Muttley. I am going to completely agree with about this. No mention of Madden or Elias, so we must be on the same page. ;)

Do you even follow prospects, or for that matter the logistics in creating a team/lineup. Not one person said Conte isn't the best scout in the league, we are allowed to question his picks though.



I guess thats why im not a GM, you half wit...........You criticize everything i say, this is supposed to be an open chat so ill post what i want JasonMacisaac, Your right i may not no alot about making a lineup but i have problably been a hockey fan longer than you have.....

I guess thats why im not a GM, you half wit...........You criticize everything i say, this is supposed to be an open chat so ill post what i want JasonMacisaac, Your right i may not no alot about making a lineup but i have problably been a hockey fan longer than you have.....
Quality not quantity.

Quality not quantity.
Ooooh, snap!

The entire NHL passed up on Petr Prucha, who was selected 240th overall and scored 30 goals for the NYR in his rookie season last year. But what about now?

What about now? He's been fantastic the 2nd half of the year when he's actually been playing with decent non-scrubs.

Stastny has been the second best defensive rookie forward this season behind Staal. The only area he isn't better then Zajac at the current moment is size and strength on the puck...believe me, I have been pumping Zajac for years as the next Brind`Amour...Stastny is the next Stastny though, plays exactly like his father.

Not as fast as Peter was though. When Peter came here in 1990, he was already on the downswing and lost some of his speed. When he was in Quebec in the mid 80's, he was very fast.

What about Luc Robitaille, who have been passed by all the teams untill the 9th round?

What about now? He's been fantastic the 2nd half of the year when he's actually been playing with decent non-scrubs.

I don't really know your team's lines that well, who has he been paired with?

Well, you can pretty much ignore Frazee's college stats up to this point, he has the unfortunate luck to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. And yes I know that Martin, Rasmussen, and Tallackson all played for them, I'm just taking a shot at the Gophers because I'm a Sioux fan.:D

Until Frazee plays in the NHL (which is probably 3-4 years away if not more) I don't think you can compare him with Stastny (besides the obvious fact that they play different positions). And there's no guarantee that Stastny will continue to produce like he has this year. It's kind of early to say the Devils made a "big mistake" by drafting Frazee over Stastny or any other player in that year's draft...