what are the devils going to do?

they have to do something,you can't lose brian,john,and your back up goalie,and replace them with nothing,and expect to make the playoffs.

Well it hasn't even been a week into free agency yet. I can still see Lou signing a decent center (fingers crossed for Koivu). My bet is that Frazee will be Martys back up next year. As far as Madden and Gio, I think Lou plans to give there spots to Pelley and Bergfors.

Pelley is no where near the defensive center that Madden is but I think thats the plan. Bergfors.....well he's got "potential"...I guess maybe its finally time to see what he can do for a whole NHL season.

I wouldn't count the Devils out just yet.

Yeah. Because the difference between winning your division and not making the playoffs is a second line winger, a declining third line center and a back-up goalie.:facepalm:

Madden and Gionta will be replaced from within, most likely by Bergfors and Pelley.

We always make the playoffs and this year is no different in that regard.

Madden was close to a non-factor this season, Clemmensen wasn't as good as his stats showed and I agree that losing Gionta stings, but we have promising prospects who can pot goals.

The guys that carried this team last season, are still here and are being given increased roles.

The Devils are still a playoff team and hopefully, the infusion of hungry youth could actually make some noise.

Our line-up as of now scares me. With Pelley and Bergfors,

ZZPoP
Elias-Zubrus-Rolston
Bergfors-Pelley-Clarkson (however its spelled)
Pandolfo-Walter-Pikkarainen
Leblond

Martin-Oduya
White-Mottau
Salvador-Greene
Leach

Brodeur
Frazee

Good thing the off-season isn't over, I'm sure this won't be our line-up and we'll probably sign a good veteran center like Koivu or Lang before the season starts. Also, maybe Halischuk, Corrente, or Cormier could make the team hopefully.

Our line-up as of now scares me. With Pelley and Bergfors,

ZZPoP
Elias-Zubrus-Rolston
Bergfors-Pelley-Clarkson (however its spelled)
Pandolfo-Walter-Pikkarainen
Leblond

Martin-Oduya
White-Mottau
Salvador-Greene
Leach

Brodeur
Frazee

Good thing the off-season isn't over, I'm sure this won't be our line-up and we'll probably sign a good veteran like Koivu or Zubov before the season starts. Also, maybe Halischuk, Corrente, or Cormier could make the team hopefully.

Was signed by the Stars on the first day of FA

Madden was close to a non-factor this season, Clemmensen wasn't as good as his stats showed and I agree that losing Gionta stings, but we have promising prospects who can pot goals.

The guys that carried this team last season, are still here and are being given increased roles.

The Devils are still a playoff team and hopefully, the infusion of hungry youth could actually make some noise.

I agree with your thoughts on Madden. But without Clemmensen, NJ is sunk last year when Brodeur went down. He wasn`t Marty, but solid enough to keep us in the playoff race. Otherwise, they would have either fallen down the standing or had to go out and get a capable goalie to fill in. And if we did go out and get one, the other GMs would have tried to fleece us knowing we needed a goalie that bad.

At first, I was somewhat worried about Lou`s lack of moves this off-season, but after looking into our prospects, I think we`ll be just fine.

Signing Gionta for the 5mil he got in MTL would have all of us fans pissed off for overpaying, something Lou doesn`t do all that much.

Our line-up as of now scares me. With Pelley and Bergfors,

ZZPoP
Elias-Zubrus-Rolston
Bergfors-Pelley-Clarkson (however its spelled)
Pandolfo-Walter-Pikkarainen
Leblond

Martin-Oduya
White-Mottau
Salvador-Greene
Leach

Brodeur
Frazee

Good thing the off-season isn't over, I'm sure this won't be our line-up and we'll probably sign a good veteran like Koivu or Zubov before the season starts. Also, maybe Halischuk, Corrente, or Cormier could make the team hopefully.

You forgot Shanahan as he will most likely be re-signed. Also, I'd be shocked if Walter plays for the big club this season.

Yeah. Because the difference between winning your division and not making the playoffs is a second line winger, a declining third line center and a back-up goalie.:facepalm:

Madden and Gionta will be replaced from within, most likely by Bergfors and Pelley.

Not sure that you can just say a back-up goalie considering he is the one that got you into the top seed. Broduer came back and was great for 2 weeks, then not so much. And relying on youth to not only preform, but to play the way that Devils players play is a poor decision by Lou.

We always make the playoffs and this year is no different in that regard.

Im not buying this kind of logic. Last year I made the prediction that Broduer would get injured and that the Devils will miss the playoffs. The injury happened but you guys lucked out with the fill in role. Had he not played that way for half the season you may not have even made the playoffs. Add the that the fact that everyone in you division has gotten remarkably better, minus the pens who are the cup champs, while you guys have stayed stagnant...

Madden was close to a non-factor this season, Clemmensen wasn't as good as his stats showed and I agree that losing Gionta stings, but we have promising prospects who can pot goals.

The guys that carried this team last season, are still here and are being given increased roles.

The Devils are still a playoff team and hopefully, the infusion of hungry youth could actually make some noise.

oh, so now Madden is a non-factor? Didnt he single handedly win 3 games for you? Not to mention a lot of the times you dont miss the small things that players like him do till they are gone. Again, you cant always rely on young guys to carry the load, or be consistent. Not to mention there is a spill down (really up) effect of losing a "2nd line winger and a declining 3rd line center" besides Praise and Elias, who is there to check? You put the Flyers top 4 against them and the games over.



I predict the Devils struggle, if that means miss the playoffs, or just end up a lower seed im not sure...

Was signed by the Stars on the first day of FA

No, that was a misinformation. He´s still available.

That said, I´m quite sure he will retire. And if not, he wouldn´t help us at all.

I predict the Devils struggle, if that means miss the playoffs, or just end up a lower seed im not sure...

You will eat your own words by this time next year.

Add the that the fact that everyone in you division has gotten remarkably better, minus the pens who are the cup champs, while you guys have stayed stagnant...

Well, your team and every other big-spender this off-season will be in cap hell after the 2009-10 season. Genius decision-making by Lou.

they have to do something,you can't lose brian,john,and your back up goalie,and replace them with nothing,and expect to make the playoffs.

Ohhhh ye of so little memory of interchangeable parts quotes...

oh, so now Madden is a non-factor? Didnt he single handedly win 3 games for you? Not to mention a lot of the times you dont miss the small things that players like him do till they are gone. Again, you cant always rely on young guys to carry the load, or be consistent. Not to mention there is a spill down (really up) effect of losing a "2nd line winger and a declining 3rd line center" besides Praise and Elias, who is there to check? You put the Flyers top 4 against them and the games over.



Madden was our 4th line centre for the majority of the season. Don't go and try and tell me how losing Madden effects us, Maddog being one of my favourite players to ever wear the red and black. The man simply didn't fit anymore, and it became painfully obvious when Sutter matched him against Staal and played him for 20 minutes a game.

We were steam rolling teams when Sutter was matching Elias and Zubrus against the top teams in the conference. Why he ever changed his philosophy going into the playoffs, I don't know...

I will guarantee you now, that the Devils will still get the better of the Flyers this season series. You didn't address your biggest need and that was a quality goaltender. Pronger won't make up for that.

EDIT: As for you argument about Clemmer. I won't get into that. Yes I appreciate the job he did, but our defence played above their heads at that point and our offence was firing on all cylinders. I'll just say, when you have the greatest goaltender in the league, it kinda negates the need for a mediocre back-up.

Not sure that you can just say a back-up goalie considering he is the one that got you into the top seed.
We can. If you´d have watched some of the games you would know that Clemmer wasn´t the reason we had a great regular season. He gave us a chance to win every night, but he didn´t stole a single game. He did an ok job, but his rebound control is ridiculous.


Im not buying this kind of logic. Last year I made the prediction that Broduer would get injured and that the Devils will miss the playoffs. The injury happened but you guys lucked out with the fill in role.

:laugh:
See above.

Add the that the fact that everyone in you division has gotten remarkably better, minus the pens who are the cup champs, while you guys have stayed stagnant...

We will see. The Rags, as always, have no team chemistry, the Flyers still have a goalie tandem of Emery/Boucher and the Isles? I´m sorry, but I don´t see them as a threat.


oh, so now Madden is a non-factor? Didnt he single handedly win 3 games for you?

1.) What?
2.) So? We´d still make the POs easily.

who is there to check? You put the Flyers top 4 against them and the games over.


Who´s there to check? Zajac, Zubrus, Pelley, the complete 4th line....

The game is over? Yeah right, I´m scared.

I predict the Devils struggle, if that means miss the playoffs, or just end up a lower seed im not sure...

As you did last year. We will see.

I'm going to start going around to everyone's forum and ask them stupid question since it's turned into the most popular thing to do on HF now.

I predict the Devils struggle, if that means miss the playoffs, or just end up a lower seed im not sure...

How have the last 12 years treated you?

Enjoy having a goalie tandem that belongs in the ECHL.

Gionta (Bergfors, Rolston) and Madden (Zubrus, Pelley) will be replaced from within, Clemmensen will be replaced from within as well (Frazee) or we can sign a backup (Weekes?).

If you're actually concerned about what the Devils will do, you can read some of the thousands of posts that have been made on this board in the past week, they'll give you a nice idea of what Devils fans think (the majority support what Lou has done, FYI).