Is Lou Too Good??

The last trade the Devils made was on draft day back in July. The Mike Danton deal. Its been almost 7 months since Lou has made a trade. Is Lou too respected around the league that when he picks up the phone and calls a G.M. and asks for one of thier players, they instantly recognize that player is more valuable than before Lou calls???????

That's a very interesting question. I'd bet that there are a lot of teams that haven't made many deals since the draft though. A poor market and the looming CBA negotiations have a lot to do with that though. Very few teams are willing to add salary. There are far more sellers than there are buyers.

Add to the fact that virtually every player in the league will be an RFA or a UFA at season's end and you've got a fairly quiet trade market. GMs are looking to make deals that will either slash payroll or keep it at it's current level.

I don't know what to say about other GMs being wary of dealing with Lou. On one hand it makes sense but if a guy is struggling with another team and things aren't changing, GMs are rarely hesitant to deal him if they're getting fair value in return. If you look at Lou's deals, they're all fair value at the time of the deal. It's later on that the guys the Devils get make the deal look lopsided.

Playing a team game will really change a player. A lot of the players in Jersey benefit from the system but they all benefit from being responsible for what they do on the ice. It makes them better players for the rest of their careers.

Lou too respected around the league that when he picks up the phone and calls a G.M. and asks for one of their players, they instantly recognize that player is more valuable than before Lou calls???????

I don't think there really has been much of a need for a trade. Just because the Devils went through a little slump, many fans are pressing the panic button. But the team is actually a little better than last season's Stanley Club Champion club. They also have the guys they need, but the Devils need them to get healthy.

I wouldn't rule out a deadline trade for a quality veteran for reasonable price, but it may not be necessary.

I don't know what to say about other GMs being wary of dealing with Lou. On one hand it makes sense but if a guy is struggling with another team and things aren't changing, GMs are rarely hesitant to deal him if they're getting fair value in return. If you look at Lou's deals, they're all fair value at the time of the deal. It's later on that the guys the Devils get make the deal look lopsided.

In whose favour?

This is the same GM who has dished Brendan Morrison, Brian Rolston, Sheldon Souray, Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley, Bill Guerin, and a handful of other players who have improved since the players they were traded for pursued free agency outside New Jersey.

In whose favour?

This is the same GM who has dished Brendan Morrison, Brian Rolston, Sheldon Souray, Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley, Bill Guerin, and a handful of other players who have improved since the players they were traded for pursued free agency outside New Jersey.


1. Brendan Morrison- Lou got Brian Burke to pay 1/2 of Mogilny's salary and he unloaded a headache in Morrison and a scrub in Pederson. Without Mogilny, no cup in 2000, its as simple as that.

2.Brian Rolston- Got Claude Lemieux back for the 2000 season and cup run. Without Claude Lemieux, the Devils don't beat Phili in 2000 playoffs. Plus there were draft choices involved.

3. Sheldon Souray- Having a great year so far, but it took years before he made anything out of himself. Got Malakohov for him, maybe we win the cup without him, maybe we don't beat Toronto in 2000 with his goal in game 5.

4.Steve Sullivan- Such a steal Toronto gave him and Jason Smith away after the Gilmour trade. Lou did get rooked on this trade, but at the time Gilmour was the man. Allyn McCaully isnt Phil Esposito, he never turned out as good as the Devils/Maple Leafs had hoped.

5.Bill Guerin- Do I even have to tell anyone what Jason Arnott did as a devil. Guerin was good, but Without Arnott, no 2000 cup. Any maybe not even a 2001 ECF. Lou won this deal without question.

Lou will give you value, but years down the road the other GM always feels foolish for making these trades seeing how they turn out in NJ.


Lou's best trade- 1989-1990 Lou trades Tom Kurvers after opening night to The Toronto Maple Leafs for their 1991 1st round pick (Scott Niedermayer)

In whose favour?

This is the same GM who has dished Brendan Morrison, Brian Rolston, Sheldon Souray, Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley, Bill Guerin, and a handful of other players who have improved since the players they were traded for pursued free agency outside New Jersey.

And what about the guys that came back here? Point is, our struggling players for other teams' struggling players has worked for us in the past. In order to get the players we got back in the deals involving the players you listed, we have to give up talent.

2.Brian Rolston- Got Claude Lemieux back for the 2000 season and cup run. With Claude Lemieux, the Devils don't beat Phili in 2000 playoffs. Plus there were draft choices involved.



Lemieux wasn't a major factor in that series. In the 95 ECF he was a huge factor.

In the 2000 ECF the "A" line + Holik did almost all the scoring.

Lemieux wasn't a major factor in that series. In the 95 ECF he was a huge factor.

In the 2000 ECF the "A" line + Holik did almost all the scoring.

Off the top of my head, the only real notable thing Lemieux did during that series was getting the first goal in game 6......although that was a pretty clutch goal in the 3rd period of a 0-0 game.

Off the top of my head, the only real notable thing Lemieux did during that series was getting the first goal in game 6......although that was a pretty clutch goal in the 3rd period of a 0-0 game.


Agreed, the Devils were dominating that game, and he was the one to finally sneak one past Boucher.

He also scored he 4th goal in the Devils 4-1 win in game 1, as well as the final goal in the game 4, 4-2 Flyers win.

And what about the guys that came back here? Point is, our struggling players for other teams' struggling players has worked for us in the past. In order to get the players we got back in the deals involving the players you listed, we have to give up talent.

I'm not saying it hasn't worked for us. But the implication seems to have been that the trade looked worse for the other teams as time went by. So many of these players later went on to stellar careers that a case could be made that *both* sides won (except for the players Toronto shoveled along). I don't think Vancouver's regretting the deal that brought them Morrisson, Montreal's not regretting the deal that brought them Souray, Colorado's not regretting the deal that brought them Rolston who begat Bourque which begat them a Cup.

These deals all worked for the Devils. But most of them also worked for the other team. None of the three I've cited above, would those teams take back. They don't feel they got 'unfair value' simply because these players contributed to Devils' cup runs. There weren't trades that will cause the other team to lament what could have been. Malakhov wouldn't have meant a cup for Montreal; Mogilny wouldn't have meant a cup for Vancouver.

Agreed, the Devils were dominating that game, and he was the one to finally sneak one past Boucher.

He also scored he 4th goal in the Devils 4-1 win in game 1, as well as the final goal in the game 4, 4-2 Flyers win.

Without Lemieux's goal in the third period of game 6, thier is no game 7 in phili, and Lindros doesnt take that hit from stevens. Mogillny scored later on, but the flyers were pressing to tie the game and got caught up ice, if Claude doesn't score, the game is a tie, and eventually the flyers would have scored. To that point the devils had lost both home games to the flyers who scored either in overtime(berube) or late in the game(gagner) to beat the Devils in game 3 and 4. Mentally, the Devils needed that goal when they got it.

No Claude Lemiuex and instead an invisible Brian Rolston Flyers win the cup in 2000 not New Jersey.

Without Lemieux's goal in the third period of game 6, thier is no game 7 in phili, and Lindros doesnt take that hit from stevens. Mogillny scored later on, but the flyers were pressing to tie the game and got caught up ice, if Claude doesn't score, the game is a tie, and eventually the flyers would have scored. To that point the devils had lost both home games to the flyers who scored either in overtime(berube) or late in the game(gagner) to beat the Devils in game 3 and 4. Mentally, the Devils needed that goal when they got it.

No Claude Lemiuex and instead an invisible Brian Rolston Flyers win the cup in 2000 not New Jersey.

It was an important goal, but you certainly can't say that if Claude didn't score the Flyers certainly would have scored first and won the game. It's a possibility, but IMO the Devils were much more likely to score the sirst goal in that game.

The Devils were dominating the game.

Shots after two scoreless periods of play were 15-6.


As for games 3 & 4 the Flyers won each by 2 goals. 4-2 & 3-1. In each game Gagne scored late to put the Flyers up by two.

The Flyers didn't score until 30 seconds remaining in the game.

Getting back on topic, I wouldn't worry about Lou's inactivity since July. The only real notable trades I can remember off the top of my head have been Konowalchuk, Straka, and Comrie. Plenty of teams are bunkering for the CBA negotiations and nobody wants to end up with too many longterm contracts to non-core players.

I'm expecting Lou to make a move come deadline time, when salaries aren't as big a concern. Guys like Travis Green, Mike Sillinger, Yanic Perreault, and Kevyn Adams are more likely targets than the Miro Satans of the world.

Getting back on topic, I wouldn't worry about Lou's inactivity since July. The only real notable trades I can remember off the top of my head have been Konowalchuk, Straka, and Comrie. Plenty of teams are bunkering for the CBA negotiations and nobody wants to end up with too many longterm contracts to non-core players.

I'm expecting Lou to make a move come deadline time, when salaries aren't as big a concern. Guys like Travis Green, Mike Sillinger, Yanic Perreault, and Kevyn Adams are more likely targets than the Miro Satans of the world.


Correct me if I am wrong, but Lou hasnt made a trade in Jan/Feb in years??

In whose favour?

This is the same GM who has dished Brendan Morrison, Brian Rolston, Sheldon Souray, Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley, Bill Guerin, and a handful of other players who have improved since the players they were traded for pursued free agency outside New Jersey.

Asinine comments. Glad Macho put you in your place.

Asinine comments. Glad Macho put you in your place.

?? All Macho did was show he misinterpreted my point. I'm not complaining about the results on the Devils' side, I'm stating that the other teams *also* improved (this isn't like the old Neely or Naslund trades where the 'other side' turned out to be worthless). With the exception of Toronto giving up on the Gilmour trio, I don't think there's a single one of those trades that the other team laments. Not a one of those is an example of a team that's going to be wary of trading with the Devils again. If anything, these players' continued improvement only makes these teams feel better about the trade. They helped both sides - New Jersey in the short run, the other side in the long run (and inmany cases, still paying dividends).


The jist of this thread was "Are teams wary to trade with the Devils because of how past trades have turned out?". And my driving response is "They've turned out well for the Devils, but in most circumstances, they've *also* turned out well for the other side - therefore there's no reason to believe any team, short of the Devils' rivals, will be wary to make a mutually improving trade with the Devils".

I don't think Lou has robbed other GMs so that they should fear dealing with him.

But I do agree that he's too good. He should be punished for his excellence by sending him to the Rangers. :D

Lou Lamoriello doesn't really get away with steals at the trade table. Most NJD trades always see solid talent going back the other way.

?? All Macho did was show he misinterpreted my point. I'm not complaining about the results on the Devils' side, I'm stating that the other teams *also* improved (this isn't like the old Neely or Naslund trades where the 'other side' turned out to be worthless). With the exception of Toronto giving up on the Gilmour trio, I don't think there's a single one of those trades that the other team laments. Not a one of those is an example of a team that's going to be wary of trading with the Devils again. If anything, these players' continued improvement only makes these teams feel better about the trade. They helped both sides - New Jersey in the short run, the other side in the long run (and inmany cases, still paying dividends).


The jist of this thread was "Are teams wary to trade with the Devils because of how past trades have turned out?". And my driving response is "They've turned out well for the Devils, but in most circumstances, they've *also* turned out well for the other side - therefore there's no reason to believe any team, short of the Devils' rivals, will be wary to make a mutually improving trade with the Devils".


One thing about Lou that is true, He would never have done what Kevin Lowe did to Bryan Murray. He would never have done what Bobby Clark did to Pat Quinn with the Lindros thing 2 years ago. He would never have done what Glen Sather accused Craig Button of doing last year(not returing phone calls). Lou is respected highly around the league, and his word is bond. I can swear that Don Waddle "GAVE" Lou Paschal Rheume and Richard Smehlik last year while he could have gotten more from other teams because him and Lou have done plenty of good faith deals before.

Yshkedevich, Kinnear, Staios, Ed Ward, Eric Bertrandt, Kevin Dean and I am probably forgetting others that have been traded or left unprotected in expansion draft from New Jersey to Atlanta or visa versa.

One thing about Lou that is true, He would never have done what Kevin Lowe did to Bryan Murray. He would never have done what Bobby Clark did to Pat Quinn with the Lindros thing 2 years ago. He would never have done what Glen Sather accused Craig Button of doing last year(not returing phone calls). Lou is respected highly around the league, and his word is bond. I can swear that Don Waddle "GAVE" Lou Paschal Rheume and Richard Smehlik last year while he could have gotten more from other teams because him and Lou have done plenty of good faith deals before.

Yshkedevich, Kinnear, Staios, Ed Ward, Eric Bertrandt, Kevin Dean and I am probably forgetting others that have been traded or left unprotected in expansion draft from New Jersey to Atlanta or visa versa.

You are absolutely right about Lou's word being golden. There is a scene in the Devils 2003 Stanley Cup DVD from the entry draft where the GM of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks is really excitedly reporting to his top men that he's been given Lou's word on doing the Sykora deal. Priceless moment among many.

that you never try to take advantage of another G.M. That's not the idea. The idea is to help your team win, it could be for the short term or long term, and one team might need a skilled player while your team needs muscle. Sometimes you get the better of the deal, mostly, you hope both teams benefit! And, as for most of Lou's deals, if there is one deal I would take back, it's Willie Mitchell for O'Donnell.

Willie Mitchell for O'Donnell.
:cry:
I wouldn't only take that deal back, I'd shred it, burn it, wrap it in a burlap sack and send it to the bottom of the ocean.
No...I did not like Sean O'Donnell.

:cry:
I wouldn't only take that deal back, I'd shred it, burn it, wrap it in a burlap sack and send it to the bottom of the ocean.
No...I did not like Sean O'Donnell.

Ack! Memories of a younger Colin White and O'Donnell paired together....make it stop, make it stop!

Ack! Memories of a younger Colin White and O'Donnell paired together....make it stop, make it stop!
Oh my God, I remember that, one of the worst dmen pairings that the Devils had in the playoffs ever! :joker:

Lou Lamoriello is the best GM in the NHL over the last 15 years. It is not a coincidence that the Devils made the playoffs for the first time in Lou Lamoriello's first year as GM.

It also is no coincidence that since Lou Lamoriello has taken over as GM of the New Jersey Nets basketball team they have been to two straight NBA Finals.

Lou Lamoriello is the best GM in the NHL over the last 15 years. It is not a coincidence that the Devils made the playoffs for the first time in Lou Lamoriello's first year as GM.

It also is no coincidence that since Lou Lamoriello has taken over as GM of the New Jersey Nets basketball team they have been to two straight NBA Finals.
Lou is CEO of the Nets, Rod Thorn is the GM, that being said if he was the GM of the Nets I'm sure they would have captured the NBA title at least once. :D