Lou says - Matvichuk coming back

Lamoriello confirmed that defenseman Richard Matvichuk, who hasn't played since having off-season back surgery, will definitely play "before the [regular] season is over," but wouldn't say when. Lamoriello said the team would have the cap room to activate Matvichuk and his $1.368 million salary even after Gionta returns April 1. - Source: The Record

Sounds good. It was kind of inevitable. Will be tough for him to just jump right in, especially with all of the D playing pretty well.
If he's our 7th Defenseman going into the playoffs thats pretty damn good. He was great in last years playoffs. The Rangers would give anything to have him be their #1 and he's our #7!

Sounds good. It was kind of inevitable. Will be tough for him to just jump right in, especially with all of the D playing pretty well.
If he's our 7th Defenseman going into the playoffs thats pretty damn good. He was great in last years playoffs. The Rangers would give anything to have him be their #1 and he's our #7!

Matvichuk our 7:th D-man? What?! Sure, the guy has missed most of the year and all, and it will take time for him to get into game shape...but he's definitely not a 7:th D-man when healthy.

Matvichuk is one of the best defensive D-men in the league, and regardless of how well Lukowich has played this year, Matvichuk will still bump him down a spot. Matty is definitely among our top 5 D-men. We'll see who he pushes out of the lineup, but it looks like it will be Andy Greene. I see the Devils scratching Greene in the playoffs just because of the physical grind and Greene is not enough experienced yet....

If Matvichuk is healthy, he'll be in the lineup for the playoffs. Greene will probably be scratched as the 7th D-man.

Matvichuk is a top 4 defenseman when healthy but his role I assume will be limited since he has not played in a year.

I do not see how he could be activated from the IR even when Gionta is back in the lineup. I would think Matvichuk would be activated now with the excess cap space and thenonce Gionta is ready Lou makes some roster changes. Only thing I can think of is Oduya is sent down and Dowd or Jannsen are sent down as well.

Send down a forward or a defenseman who has been in NJ's top four all season just for Richard Matvichuk? What?

Matvichuk our 7:th D-man? What?! Sure, the guy has missed most of the year and all, and it will take time for him to get into game shape...but he's definitely not a 7:th D-man when healthy.


Not quite. He's definitely not 7th d-man when healthy AND IN SHAPE. It took him half of the 2005-2006 before Matvichuk was playing well and that was after a year long layoff due to the lockout. He hasn't played for close to a year now, I think it's going to take more than just a few games before he starts playing well.

I don't see how this is a good decision unless Matvichuk proves me wrong and gets into game-shape quickly. I'd rather have a rookie on D in the playoffs who has played with the Devils (and played fairly well) than someone who has only played a handful of games and still has more rust than a junkyard car.

I'm a little concerned about how he will do when he's brought back (with how long he's been gone). Can he be sent on a conditioning stint in Lowell without using up cap space? Or is it the second we activate him were paying for him?

Send down a forward or a defenseman who has been in NJ's top four all season just for Richard Matvichuk? What?


Its not like Oduya would be sent down for 20 games. To send him down for the last 4 or 5 games of the season to get Matvichuk ready for the playoffs and then have both of them back for playoffs could only be a benefit.

Its not like Oduya would be sent down for 20 games. To send him down for the last 4 or 5 games of the season to get Matvichuk ready for the playoffs and then have both of them back for playoffs could only be a benefit.
i may be wrong, but with the callup of philman doesent that use up the available 4 callups allowed before the playoffs start?

so if lou were to send down oduya we wouldnt be able to call him back up

or i may be completely wrong

i may be wrong, but with the callup of philman doesent that use up the available 4 callups allowed before the playoffs start?

so if lou were to send down oduya we wouldnt be able to call him back up

or i may be completely wrong

If we sent down Oduya with 3 or 4 games remaining in the season, then we could not call him back up for the remaining games. But he can be called up for the playoffs.

Matvichuk is a top 4 defenseman when healthy but his role I assume will be limited since he has not played in a year.

I do not see how he could be activated from the IR even when Gionta is back in the lineup. I would think Matvichuk would be activated now with the excess cap space and thenonce Gionta is ready Lou makes some roster changes. Only thing I can think of is Oduya is sent down and Dowd or Jannsen are sent down as well.

His role may be limited to the bottom pairing, but I doubt Matvichuk has been a good soldier and kept quiet just to be brought back for a regular season game or two and sit in the rafters for the playoffs.

I'm a big fan of Greene, but he has seemed a bit apprehensive the past couple of games. Maybe the two would be worked in and out of the lineup depending on the matchup and the team needs (offensive d-man vs. defensive), but I think game 1 of the playoffs Matvichuk is in, Greene is out.

As far as fitting him under the cap, maybe Greene & Janssen get sent down for a game or two at the end of the season to fit him in (assuming everyon is healthy).

i may be wrong, but with the callup of philman doesent that use up the available 4 callups allowed before the playoffs start?

so if lou were to send down oduya we wouldnt be able to call him back up

or i may be completely wrong

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that injury replacement call-ups do not count against the limit. It would make no sense to force teams to go short players because they exceeded the limit. What if (somehow) both goaltenders get injured - does someone like Sarge have to put on the pads because they can't call up a goaltender?

I'm not sure of the intent of the rule, but I'm guessing it is to make teams play the best possible lineup. I think this rule prevents teams that say, have their playoff seed locked, from resting star players (like the final week in the NFL) or teams that are out of it from calling up a bunch of AHLers to see how they play at the NHL level. It's not to hamstring teams that get nailed with injuries.

thanks for the clearing up guys

Matvichuk will be back and he will be effective!

Lamoriello confirmed that defenseman Richard Matvichuk, who hasn't played since having off-season back surgery, will definitely play "before the [regular] season is over," but wouldn't say when. Lamoriello said the team would have the cap room to activate Matvichuk and his $1.368 million salary even after Gionta returns April 1.
This confirms several things:
-Gionta WILL be back this season
-Somehow, we have cap space we didn't know we had
-This almost garantees Greene will be sent down for cap space.

Rafalski - Mativichuk
Martin - White
Oduya - Lukowich
Greene

That is a SOLID defense.

Rafalski - Mativichuk
Martin - White
Oduya - Lukowich
Greene

That is a SOLID defense.



YES it is!

He should play tonight.

He should play tonight.

Yes, let's have Richard Matvichuk's first game of the season be against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sorry Andy Greene, you've done well clearing pucks off the line and you have a nice shot from the point; but it's Matvichuk so you know...

:shakehead

I am happy Matvichuk is coming back, but I don't think he will be able to help much. He is going to be very rusty and will need time to get into gameshape. I believe he can't do a conditioning stint in Lowell due to some clause in the CBA. Therefore he would have to have his pre-season as the Devils are in their stretch run. I bet he will just be the 7th guy when he comes back and he will alternate in and out of the line up with Greene in the playoffs.

I like Andy Greene

Matvichuk our 7:th D-man? What?! Sure, the guy has missed most of the year and all, and it will take time for him to get into game shape...but he's definitely not a 7:th D-man when healthy.

Matvichuk is one of the best defensive D-men in the league, and regardless of how well Lukowich has played this year, Matvichuk will still bump him down a spot. Matty is definitely among our top 5 D-men. We'll see who he pushes out of the lineup, but it looks like it will be Andy Greene. I see the Devils scratching Greene in the playoffs just because of the physical grind and Greene is not enough experienced yet....

If Greene and Oduya are playing well when the playoffs come around, he is pretty much the 7th man.
If he was healthy all year he's probably our #3 at worst, but he hasn't played at all. He's definately rusty and I would not feel comfortable throwing him in unless Oduya or Greene are struggling.
Oduya seems like he's in the doghouse after last nights bone head pass to Perrin so maybe Matvichuk would play for him.
Also Matvichuk is a shot blocker and it took time for him and Brodeur to get comfortable when he first came over. In Marty's book he talks about how Matvichuk "blocks shots in a variety of ways" and goes on to mention that "we(the Devils) don't do that." He's been out of game action for almost a full year, so who knows if he is mentally ready as well.
I like the guy, he was probably our best D-man in the playoffs last year but I don't think he's higher than 6th on the chart when he first returns.

The Rangers would give anything to have him be their #1 and he's our #7!

:help:

Are you serious? We have Rozsival, Mara, and Tyutin -- all of whom I'd take over Matvichuk.

Hell, I'd take Dan Girardi over him right now with the way Girardi has been for us.

Matvichuk would look nice on our third pairing, though. Can't deny that.

Yes, let's have Richard Matvichuk's first game of the season be against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sorry Andy Greene, you've done well clearing pucks off the line and you have a nice shot from the point; but it's Matvichuk so you know...

:shakehead

Bingo.

:help:

Are you serious? We have Rozsival, Mara, and Tyutin -- all of whom I'd take over Matvichuk.

Hell, I'd take Dan Girardi over him right now with the way Girardi has been for us.

Matvichuk would look nice on our third pairing, though. Can't deny that.

None of those guys stopped Sakic and Forsberg in the post season when he was on Dallas like Matvichuk. (And don't kid yourself, it was not Hatcher. It was Matvichuk)

Matvichuk was the Devils best defenseman when they swepped the Rangers last season.

He is a solid, solid stay at home defenseman.

The only issues with him is how well and quick he can adjust after not playing for so long and on top of that, if he can come back and be effective after back surgery.

But if he gets some playing time soon, I know for sure I would want Richard Matvichuk as one of our top 6 defenseman heading into the post season as somone who has won a cup, been to another, over Andy Greene (while impressive) is still trying to break in to the league on the blueline.