Lou Should Have Kept Lukowich.

The one move I am really down on Lou for is letting Brad Lukowich walk. He was a solid soldier for us who player a responsible defensive game and was a team guy. He was well disciplined and had good size even though he did not make the best of it.

Lou used that money to sign Vitali Vishnevski. HE should have signed both. Even not knowing if Matvichuk was in the plans for this season. Lukowich is making a whomping $1.5 million per year for the next 3 years. That is a very minimal cap hit for what he brings.

As far as I am concerned, the worst move of the offseason was Lou Lamoriello not retaining Brad Lukowich.

But he wanted to go back to Tampa. As much as it sucks that he left, I think he would have gone back there, even if Lou offered more then they did.

But he wanted to go back to Tampa. As much as it sucks that he left, I think he would have gone back there, even if Lou offered more then they did.

Lou called Luko and asked him if he was interested in playing for the Devils for the upcoming season and Luko told him yes. Then Luko never heard from him again. If the Devils offered Brad 3 years and same salary, I think he would have stayed. And I would have even raised the anti for his services to $1.7 million per.

Hindsight's 20-20.

Lou called Luko and asked him if he was interested in playing for the Devils for the upcoming season and Luko told him yes. Then Luko never heard from him again. If the Devils offered Brad 3 years and same salary, I think he would have stayed. And I would have even raised the anti for his services to $1.7 million per.
I don't want Luko for three years at that salary. I wanted him for this year and that's it. We don't need to give third pairing guys long term contracts, we have PLENTY of those. We need to save our cap space for when a top pairing defenseman becomes available.

Hindsight's 20-20.
Yep. Lou couldn't know that Sutter wouldn't play Matvichuk, White would have a serious injury, and that Oduya would suck.

I don't want Luko for three years at that salary. I wanted him for this year and that's it. We don't need to give third pairing guys long term contracts, we have PLENTY of those. We need to save our cap space for when a top pairing defenseman becomes available.
Yeah, I wouldn't have minded a 2 year deal, but 3 is a little long.

I wasn't happy about us letting him go either, but it's too late to cry about it. Besides, I think Lukowich was going back to Tampa regardless - his wife was really happy to be back in Florida.

Yeah, because having another second or third pairing defenseman is really what the Devils needed.:shakehead

Yeah, because having another second or third pairing defenseman is really what the Devils needed.:shakehead

Yes it would have.

The Devils need help on the blueline like no tomorrow. For anyone to think the Devils D is not better with Brad Lukowich needs to go buy some of that readily available crack on the corners of Newark. :)

And I would have given him 3 years. The money he is getting is not an over absorbent amount of money in reference to a cap hit. He is an above averaged 3rd pairing D man who who played well for us as a top 4 as well. He is not just the average 3rd pairing D-Man. He has won Cups and is a well disciplined, very underrated defense man. He is miles and miles and miles better then Rachunek and Mottau and Oduya (who signed for 2 years at 550,000K and is skating on our top pairing with Martin, which is pathetic as is).

Yes it would have.

The Devils need help on the blueline like no tomorrow. For anyone to think the Devils D is not better with Brad Lukowich needs to go buy some of that readily available crack on the corners of Newark. :)

And I would have given him 3 years. The money he is getting is not an over absorbent amount of money in reference to a cap hit. He is an above averaged 3rd pairing D man who who played well for us as a top 4 as well. He is not just the average 3rd pairing D-Man. He has won Cups and is a well disciplined, very underrated defense man. He is miles and miles and miles better then Rachunek and Mottau and Oduya (who signed for 2 years at 550,000K and is skating on our top pairing with Martin, which is pathetic as is).

The point I was trying to make is that the Devils really need a #1 defenseman, not another defenseman who does things just well enough to play on the second pairing. They have enough of those with White, Greene, Rachunek, and Vishnevski. What they really need is somebody to play top pairing minutes with Martin and take some of the pressure off him. Can Lukowich do that?

I liked him as well, and would have liked to see him stay, but I'm not going to cry about him leaving. But then I guess with the Devils struggling it's no surprise that people are second guessing just about every move either Lou or Sutter has made over the offseason and into the season...

All I know is I have seen glimpses of what this offense is capable of this season. I have seen nothing from our D this season. #1 D men do not grow on trees.

Having depth in the form of an influx of several reliable defenseman would at minimum give us more of a chance at a respectable season.

Lou called Luko and asked him if he was interested in playing for the Devils for the upcoming season and Luko told him yes. Then Luko never heard from him again. If the Devils offered Brad 3 years and same salary, I think he would have stayed. And I would have even raised the anti for his services to $1.7 million per.

Why do I want Lukowich for 3 years? Dunno why I want him at all.

He's a C- and we're trotting out D's. It's not a big improvement.

All I know is I have seen glimpses of what this offense is capable of this season. I have seen nothing from our D this season. #1 D men do not grow on trees.

Having depth in the form of an influx of several reliable defenseman would at minimum give us more of a chance at a respectable season.
If White was in the lineup we'd have absolutely no need for Lukowich. Sure having him would be a slight upgrade but Brad would not be our savior.

All this monday morning quarterbacking is getting out of hand lately. I'll repeat it once more, You can't plan for what happened to our defense this year.

If you want to sign fifteen NHL defensemen to long term contracts so we can throw another average defenseman out there when we lose a top guy, be my guest. Just don't do it on my team.

I love how everyone after last season wanted a shakeup in the lineup to get these guys going and now when things aren't going our way the solution is to return to our old lineup. You can't have it both ways.

Why do I want Lukowich for 3 years? Dunno why I want him at all.

He's a C- and we're trotting out D's. It's not a big improvement.

Lukowich is a monumental, MONUMENTAL improvement amd upgrade over Mike Mottau and Sheldon Brookbank. And it would not have gotten us in cap trouble. In fact he probably would have taken less then the $1.5 if we offered him 3 years. If Johnny Oduya can get 2 years then Lukowich could have gotten 3 or 2 with an option.

You want Lukowich for 3 years because he is a solid underrated defenseman who is an above averaged lower pairing and has playoff, Cup experience and knows the Devils system.

Again, if anyone can honestly tell me they would not take Brad Lukowich on this team in its current state is not making sense.

Again, if anyone can honestly tell me they would not take Brad Lukowich on this team in its current state is not making sense.
Get it through your head! That is NOT an option. You can't build a roster with hindsight in view. Jesus, if White was in the lineup we wouldn't HAVE Mottau OR Brookbank on the roster.

White Martin
Rachunek Greene
Oduya Vishnevski

GET IT?

Get it through your head! That is NOT an option. You can't build a roster with hindsight in view. Jesus, if White was in the lineup we wouldn't HAVE Mottau OR Brookbank on the roster.

White Martin
Rachunek Greene
Oduya Vishnevski

GET IT?

White-Martin
Rachunek-Greene
Lukowich-Vishnevski
Oduya

Better team. And Lou could have made that happen and he did not. that was the only point I was trying to make.

And I was saying in the Devils CURRENT state with White out, someone like Brad Lukowich would make the team better then its current state.

And also I agree White is an upgrade over Mottau and Brookbank. But so is Lukowich.

You want Lukowich for 3 years because he is a solid underrated defenseman who is an above averaged lower pairing and has playoff, Cup experience and knows the Devils system.

Again, if anyone can honestly tell me they would not take Brad Lukowich on this team in its current state is not making sense.

You mean the Devils old system? The one they're no longer using?

Lukowich is a nice player to have, but I really don't think he's a huge improvement over what the Devils have on the second pair right now. And as others have said, the Devils expected to have White in the lineup. Rachunek was brought in because of his offensive abilities, and Vishnevski because of his physical play. Lukowich isn't as good at moving the puck as Rachunek, and isn't as physical as Vishnevski. Does this need any further explanation?

White-Martin
Rachunek-Greene
Lukowich-Vishnevski
Oduya

Better team. And Lou could have made that happen and he did not. that was the only point I was trying to make.

And I was saying in the Devils CURRENT state with White out, someone like Brad Lukowich would make the team better then its current state.

And also I agree White is an upgrade over Mottau and Brookbank. But so is Lukowich.
Where do we put Matvichuk who WAS signed? Or are you going to say that you predicted his fall?

Honestly, your logic has some serious flaws. Should we sign a #1 starter in case Brodeur gets injured? He'd definitely be an upgrade over Weekes.

Who's to say Luko would have (cough) fit the great Sutter system (cough Matvichuk)?

I liked Luko, he was a bit inconsistent though. Sometimes he looked like a world beater, other times he looked god-awful. Still Luko >> Oduya

Get it through your head! That is NOT an option. You can't build a roster with hindsight in view. Jesus, if White was in the lineup we wouldn't HAVE Mottau OR Brookbank on the roster.

White Martin
Rachunek Greene
Oduya Vishnevski

GET IT?

Absolutely...but like I've said before, I am going to ride the Brookbank bandwagon until its wheels fall off. When White returns, I hope he stays on the roster. After all, he is the first Devils defenceman in about 3 years that has taken more than one slapshot from the point in a game and actually got it on net.

Where do we put Matvichuk who WAS signed? Or are you going to say that you predicted his fall?

I might have gone with 8 D-men or rotate him in and out of the lineup.

But I had not thought of that.

I might have gone with 8 D-men or rotate him in and out of the lineup.

But I had not thought of that.
You also have to keep in mind that we were trying to sign Parise and Martin long term when Lukowich was signed while Kevin Lowe was out there putting out offer sheets like there was no tomorrow.

I'm somewhat frustrated because I wrote all of this in the other thread that I'm sure you read before making this one.

edit: I agree Weeonta, Brookbank had a very good game the past two. He made a couple of mistakes but also made up for them. I also don't think that Mottau played too terribly when he was in the lineup either. Sure he was on the ice for goals against, but for Mike Mottau he played well.

You also have to keep in mind that we were trying to sign Parise and Martin long term when Lukowich was signed while Kevin Lowe was out there putting out offer sheets like there was no tomorrow.

I'm somewhat frustrated because I wrote all of this in the other thread that I'm sure you read before making this one.

edit: I agree Weeonta, Brookbank had a very good game the past two. He made a couple of mistakes but also made up for them. I also don't think that Mottau played too terribly when he was in the lineup either. Sure he was on the ice for goals against, but for Mike Mottau he played well.

The Matvichuk thread? I did not read it through enitrely. I just skimmed through it. Sorry I did not respond to your post in that thread.

The Matvichuk thread? I did not read it through enitrely. I just skimmed through it. Sorry I did not respond to your post in that thread.
You quoted the first line of my post where I outlined all of this.

You quoted the first line of my post where I outlined all of this.

Still I started another thread pertaining to Lukowich. No matter if you have to make a point twice. And I think I responded to the point that Lou never contacted him.

edit: I agree Weeonta, Brookbank had a very good game the past two. He made a couple of mistakes but also made up for them. I also don't think that Mottau played too terribly when he was in the lineup either. Sure he was on the ice for goals against, but for Mike Mottau he played well.
This is getting a bit OT, but that's one thing I like about him - even when he makes a mistake and turns the puck over to someone, he generally does a good job of tying the guy up or poke checking the puck away. I'm sure his size helps with that.

As for Luko, I thought a top 6 coming into the season of:

Martin-White
Vish-Greene
Matty-Rachunek

looked pretty darn solid. 3 puck movers, 3 defensive guys. Not really sure where Luko would have fit there, and signing a guy for 3 years at 1.5 per to be a 7th defenseman is just silly.

Lukowich is a monumental, MONUMENTAL improvement amd upgrade over Mike Mottau and Sheldon Brookbank. And it would not have gotten us in cap trouble. In fact he probably would have taken less then the $1.5 if we offered him 3 years. If Johnny Oduya can get 2 years then Lukowich could have gotten 3 or 2 with an option.

You want Lukowich for 3 years because he is a solid underrated defenseman who is an above averaged lower pairing and has playoff, Cup experience and knows the Devils system.

Again, if anyone can honestly tell me they would not take Brad Lukowich on this team in its current state is not making sense.

I think Lukowich sucked and was totally overrated. I don't think he's
any better than Johnny No-Stick. Mottau and Brookbank weren't supposed to
be playing, they're seven and eights. I don't sign anyone for the reason that they're better than my #8 defenseman. If White was out there, those guys aren't
playing.

Luko had a hard time defending in our "stand around Marty and let him get
shelled, like it's a PK" strategy. I can't see how he'd work in this chinese
firedrill thing they have going at times. Especially, since if he was here, he'd
be playing #1-pairing with Martin.

I started a "wheres Matvichuk" chant!!!


I wish we had Lukowich or Matvichuk right now!!!!!!

I started a "wheres Matvichuk" chant!!!


I wish we had Lukowich or Matvichuk right now!!!!!!

Second the motion. Will join your Matvichuk chant on Wednesday. Sutter should hear it from the fans.

Absolutely...but like I've said before, I am going to ride the Brookbank bandwagon until its wheels fall off. When White returns, I hope he stays on the roster. After all, he is the first Devils defenceman in about 3 years that has taken more than one slapshot from the point in a game and actually got it on net.

I have drank the Brookbank Kool Aid as well. Getting more solid every game, and I love his insticts for getting pucks on net. The Eddie Shore Award (AHL's most outstanding defenseman) is not for nothing. I think we got another diamond in the rough with this kid, a real steal, similar to the Andy Greene pick-up.

Oduya, on the other hand, makes me want to blow my brains out. I am so very tired seeing the puck in our net with him standing there with his head hung low. He was on the ice for at least two of the first three goals last night, if not all three. As per usual.

And Rachunek looks like a bust, as well. Terrible on the outlet pass, questionable on the boards, and a heart attack waiting to happen when holding the point. And his defensive lapses far outnumber his offensive flashes. A real disappointment. (Rags fan Jonathan, often trolling our board, was dead right about him -- as he often is.)

Regarding Lukowich, if Lou offered two years at 1.2 per right out of the gate, Luko would have gladly jumped at it. The Tampa offer did not come until much later and would not have been a factor. Lou simply didn't want him anymore, despite the fact that he was averaging around 20 minutes of ice time by the end of last season -- some nights playing upwards of 24 minutes -- when our defense was #1 in the eastern conference, versus now when we are bottom 5, dead last on the PK. Hmmmmm.

I have drank the Brookbank Kool Aid as well. Getting more solid every game, and I love his insticts for getting pucks on net. The Eddie Shore Award (AHL's most outstanding defenseman) is not for nothing. I think we got another diamond in the rough with this kid, a real steal, similar to the Andy Greene pick-up.

Oduya, on the other hand, makes me want to blow my brains out. I am so very tired seeing the puck in our net with him standing there with his head hung low. He was on the ice for at least two of the first three goals last night, if not all three. As per usual.

And Rachunek looks like a bust, as well. Terrible on the outlet pass, questionable on the boards, and a heart attack waiting to happen when holding the point. And his defensive lapses far outnumber his offensive flashes. A real disappointment. (Rags fan Jonathan, often trolling our board, was dead right about him -- as he often is.)


I know I've been saying this in every thread...but we need a #1 d-man so bad. The problem isn't Oduya. The problem is that he's a 2nd/3rd pairing defenceman that is being forced to log top pairing minutes.

3 years is too long. Just lke 5 years for Raffi is too long.

I know I've been saying this in every thread...but we need a #1 d-man so bad. The problem isn't Oduya. The problem is that he's a 2nd/3rd pairing defenceman that is being forced to log top pairing minutes.

Phaneuf! I agree with the need, but those animals are not for sale. The #1 D man we get this season is Colin White, sometime in January or February, if we are lucky.

Phaneuf!

Phaneuf is pretty overrated. He isn't that good defensively. If I could pick one defenseman that I wanted, it would be Shea Weber.

Phaneuf is pretty overrated. He isn't that good defensively. If I could pick one defenseman that I wanted, it would be Shea Weber.

That was just a shout out to Weeonta. We all know he has the major man-crush on Dion.

I just want Whitey back healthy. That would be a great start.

Phaneuf! I agree with the need, but those animals are not for sale. The #1 D man we get this season is Colin White, sometime in January or February, if we are lucky.

I know we all miss White, but he's not a #1 defensman.

I know we all miss White, but he's not a #1 defensman.

Assuming every team has a #1 pairing, name me 30 better "stay at home" Defensemen? Or 20? Try 10? For what he does, he is among the very best in the league.

What a crock the abuse he takes on this board. One would figure our current godawful mess of a D would have proven how valuable he is to this team. Guh.

Assuming every team has a #1 pairing, name me 30 better "stay at home" Defensemen? Or 20? Try 10? For what he does, he is among the very best in the league.

What a crock the abuse he takes on this board. One would figure our current godawful mess of a D would have proven how valuable he is to this team. Guh.

He doesn't have enough offense to be considered a number one, but he's a top pairing guy for sure

I miss Luko as well, I liked him during his time here. He worked hard every night and usually made the right play - which is apparently a lot to ask for nowadays.

I agree with the consensus here that it would have cost more to keep him here than what Tampa paid for him. Besides, I think Lou has his eyes on a UFA for next year (we have some money now and some of our Dmen are on 1 year deals).

Karel Rachunek's one year deal cannot end soon enough. For one.

Karel Rachunek's one year deal cannot end soon enough. For one.

Amen brotha.

That was just a shout out to Weeonta. We all know he has the major man-crush on Dion.

I certainly do. I already have the PM to Ronnie Bass requesting to have my user name switched to "Phaneuf is Eneuf" written out and waiting to be sent once the deal goes down.