I'll admit the title of this post is a little melodramatic, but it is clear that Lou Lamoriello has been a very different general manager pre- and post-lockout. This is obviously necessary to a point, with greater restrictions on spending and trading no doubt making it harder to do the right things to help your hockey club; but while many GMs have adjusted and are now very capable in the salary cap era, Lamoriello never really has been (a quick glance at a recent series of fanposts will prove as much). The goal of this post is not to overly critique Lamoriello's cap management, but rather to point to a better example of how to do so in the hopes that the Devils will begin to move forward and adopt this model.

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It's taken me a great deal of time to be able to collect and organize my thoughts enough to put this together, but now that I've had a few weeks to drown my frustrations with beverage, scream at my TV like I thought it could understand me, and seriously contemplate giving up and counting the days until the draft, I think I can finally get my thoughts across in a rational matter and just maybe get to the bottom of this mess.

Lou Lamoriello always says one thing: you worry about what you can control, not what you can't. Unfortunately, he's the only one with the ability to control anything in the way of helping our poor Devils get back on the right track. But just in case he happens to stumble upon this, here is my master plan for bringing the Devils back from the depths of...hell.

Okay, enough with the melodrama, it's time for some real talk.

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The 2009-10 season for the New Jersey Devils had an all too familiar tone. Enter the season with tons of promise, head into the playoffs with a team built to win the Cup, lose miserably in the first round. The only difference being that at least in 2009 the Devils looked like they deserved to win that series. So once again, we're at that point where the offseason has just begun. Playoff failure fresh in our minds, we look ahead at a long summer, wondering what exactly Lou Lamoriello will do to help us fare better in 2011. Just one day into our offseason, lots of things are already clear.

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As is typically the case when a team officially falls into a slump, the fans are left searching for how the problem can be fixed. Far too often it seems that if Jacques Lemaire were a little less stubborn in his ways, many of the problems we're currently experiencing would not exist. Regardless, I think our coach would do well to at least glance at this list and take some of these suggestions to heart. Could it really be worse than what we're seeing right now?

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I wanted to wait a little before commenting on everything that's happened with the trade of Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils, mostly because as I sit here writing this, I still can't believe he's on our team. I don't think there's any question this is the biggest trade in Devils history since acquiring Alexander Mogilny from Vancouver en route to the 2000 Stanley Cup. And aside from acquiring a high-end Russian talent, the two trades are similar in the sense that the 2009-10 version of the New Jersey Devils is one that Lou Lamoriello has officially put his confidence in to make a Cup run.

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February 3, 2010

Dear Jacques,

Don't take this the wrong way, but it's time you and I sat down and had a little talk. You see, there's no denying the amount of success you've had, both as a player and a coach. Especially this year, I'd like to believe you have had as much to do with our success as anyone else on this team. But now that the team has hit a little bit of a slump, so too has your coaching. Allow me to outline for you a few things someone with as much knowledge as you have should already have done.

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As we inch ever closer to the Olympic Break and onward to the trade deadline on March 3, the Olympic roster freeze period will only add to the speculation as we begin to see how NHL teams are going to handle what is effectively two deadlines this season. The incredible amount of parity in the league (seeds 6 - 13 are separated by TWO points) makes this time of year all the more interesting. The Devils currently sit second in the conference, and though they've hit a rough patch as of late, we've seen what this team can be when they play at their best. So come trade deadline, what kind of team are we looking at?

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Wednesday night's 4-0 shutout over the Dallas Stars marked the official halfway point for the 2009-10 New Jersey Devils season. With 41 games in the books, it's time to take a look back at the season thus far.

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Unfortunately, the Devils will not be in town when Christmas rolls around this year. But if you find yourself wondering what to get your favorite Devil for Christmas, here's what they need.

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It's been a while since I've written anything on here. It's really been more of a change in lifestyle than a lack of things to say. Since the hockey season started, I've become a part-time student with a full-time job instead of the other way around. As such, my days begin at 7:55 AM as opposed to 2 PM. I'll write when I have time, which is not that often, but I have some time now, so let's clear the air about a few things.

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For the past few years, the NHL has been releasing DVD box sets commemorating the greatest games of some of certain teams. So far, the criteria has been original six teams, or teams with a historical dynasty, such as the Oilers and Islanders. Tomorrow, the Calgary Flames are getting their boxset done, and considering they moved to Calgary in 1980, the Devils might be somewhere up on their future teams list. They may wait until the team's 30th anniversary--which will take place during 2011-2012 season--or not, but suppose the Devils' 10 Greatest Games box set were to be released this year...what games would make the cut, and in what order?

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This has already been posted on places like Fire & Ice, but with the newcomers and number changes, I figured the more places it's available, the better. 

Editors Note: Tom Gulitti did report on the roster at Fire & Ice earlier today.  The full training camp roster comes after the jump, I will update the roster to include last season's stat line for the team they played the most for last season for each player.  If they made it to the NHL, I'll add that too. All stats are from HockeyDB.  Also, a player's name in italics means that they are entirely new to the organization.  And to answer a question some of you may wonder, I imagine Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby are with their pro teams in Sweden, Djurgardens and HV71, respectively.  

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I know that my posts are usually a bit more introspective than this one is going to be, but it's the middle of August, a period during the NHL offseason where yesterday's Evgeni Artyukin for Drew Miller trade was the top hockey story. Mid-August is when the hockey fan reaches the point where anything that even mentions the word hockey piques their interest. And so, with that in mind, I pose this question to the Devils Legion: With the departure of John Madden, who would you give the vacant 'A' to?

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To this point in the summer, the New Jersey Devils have laid out their plans and executed. The gameplan this summer is youth movement, and save for the Cory Murphy signing, that is exactly what's happened. The signing of Murphy gives the Devils 8 defensemen who could potentially play with the big club this season, and that's ignoring the fact that a strong training camp from Matt Corrente and/or Tyler Eckford can only increase that number. So working with the exact lineup of the Devils right now, here is what I would do in the GM's chair.

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Ah, mid-July. The time of year when its very easy to get away from all things hockey related. Free agency has died down to a trickle, and most players and executives are on vacation. It’s the time of year when a mid-scrimmage fight at prospects camp becomes the top headline on a team’s website. Except of course, if you’re the New Jersey Devils, who still did not have a head coach to replace the grandest of all liars, Brent Sutter. And suddenly, the floodgates opened.

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Though the 2009 NHL free agency period is just a day old, it’s already become clear what the Devils’ message is going forward.

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An open letter to the future coach of the New Jersey Devils

Dear Future Coach,

First of all, welcome! You have just signed on for a job that requires seemingly no good reason to be fired. In fact, no Devils coach has lasted more than three years since Jacques Lemaire stepped down in 1998. Incidentally, if you happen to be Jacques Lemaire, welcome back—and please know that if you try to implement the trap again, I will be calling for your head on a platter shortly.

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First thing’s first, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins! I’m happy for a pair of former Devils—Bill Guerin’s only other Stanley Cup came here in Jersey back in his rookie year of 1995, and while Sykora was part of the winning team of 2000, he had to watch the celebration from the hospital after being injured during game 6. But obviously there’s a big difference between skating around with the Cup yourself and watching Larry Robinson on TV with your jersey on representing you doing so.

Now, with the NHL season now officially complete, it’s time to turn our attention to the draft. Predicting what the Devils will do in the draft is nearly impossible because Lou Lamoriello and draft day guru David Conte have made a habit of going off the board and doing something unexpected. It has become a trend for the Devils to trade down from their original spot, still get the player they wanted because no one else saw in them what the Devils did, and use the extra draft picks to their advantage. It’s the reason that, save for a rough patch between 1999 and 2002, the Devils have become notorious as one of the best drafting teams in the NHL.

So let’s turn our attention to the 2009 draft coming up in Montreal, and more specifically who the Devils will take first. Providing the Devils do not trade down, though they always seem to, they will make their first pick at 23rd overall. Taking into consideration team needs, as well as who will already be gone by the time the Devils hit the podium, here are the top five players I think the Devils should choose if they have the chance.

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I have a new blog that I’m waiting on because now is not the right time to publish it. So until that time arrives, I thought I’d fill the gap with a discussion on the Devils and retired numbers.

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Watching the Stanley Cup Finals now, I can't help but think how it should be us. We should be watching the Devils battle the Red Wings right now, and we very well might be had the team not decided to sit back as if they still had the likes of Stevens and Daneyko to save the day. But now that the offseason is unfortunately upon us, I’d like to try placing myself in the GM’s chair with regard to the decisions that need to be made. Here is what I would do in dealing with free agency and why.

Keep

Johnny Oduya
Oduya should be priority #1 for the Devils this offseason. Rather underrated, and the only major piece of our defense set to become unrestricted, he will command—and deserves—a significant raise from the $600,000 he made in ‘08-’09, and will deserve every penny of it. He’s only going to get better, and with every team needing good offensive defensemen, we’d be wise to lock him up now. Taking a look at our defense, keeping him together with Paul Martin will be critical in the coming years.

Travis Zajac
Zajac is set to become a restricted free agent, and Lou has already said he will make every effort to sign him long term. He and Zach Parise are our one-two punch of the future, and he should be treated and signed as such. His play dropped off toward the end, but early on in the season, he really broke free from his sophomore slump, and as he ages his play will become more consistent. With his new contract, however, he should be given a gym membership. He really needs to get stronger to become more effective.

Brian Gionta
I have nothing against Gionta, but this is a conditional “keep,” the condition being how much money he wants. Lou will have his maximum value set well in advance, and should Gionta want more, we can use his cap room for better things, while giving offensive youngsters like Nicklas Bergfors the chance to finally prove themselves in the proper environment, i.e. NOT 6 minutes a night on the fourth line, as was the case early this year. Gionta is a tireless worker who needs to produce more, but if he stays at the right price, it will be worth giving him that chance.

John Madden
This is another conditional “keep,” and for the same reason. Madden is one of the best defensive forwards in the game, an alternate captain, and an all-around team player. He is without a doubt one of our core players who must be re-signed, but only at the right price. Unfortunately, Jay Pandolfo is making $2.5 mil per year, which may dictate what Madden will ask for. It is hard to believe Madden and Gionta will both be back, but individually it should depend on how what they want will fit into our cap structure.

Andy Greene
An upcoming RFA, Greene has followed up a potential-filled first year with a couple of steadily improving performances. Greene is a keeper as long as he will not be relied upon to play like a top-four defensemen. Andy Greene is a third-pairing defensemen at best, and should be paid as such. No need to break the bank on him, if he really thinks he’s worth more then let him go, but as a member of the 5-6 pair on defense, you can’t do much better.

Mike Rupp
Rupp is in a conditional state as well. Pierre-Luc Leblond has emerged as a replacement, and although Rupp has the size advantage, Leblond may prove to be cheaper. Time will tell, but I am fine with either one of these two players or both returning. Someone needs to give David Clarkson some backup.

Petr Vrana

Like Nicklas Bergfors, Vrana deserves to play in the role he was designed for, which is not low-minute nights on the fourth line. Sign him and keep a spot for him open, especially if John Madden will not be returning. Vrana has always been called a mini-Madden, and if John thinks he’s worth more money than we’re offering, now would be the perfect time to begin grooming Vrana for the role long-term.
(note: Vrana has reportedly signed with a contract to go play in the Czech League, therefore taking him out of the situation. It's too bad, I really think this was the year he made the team for good.)

Kevin Weekes
You were waiting for this one, weren’t you? Which goalie to keep when both are UFA’s? Weekes will require less money, and is the ultimate teammate when he’s not playing. Unlike Clemmensen, he has no delusions of being a starter anymore. Clemmensen, meanwhile, has played phenomenal, but wants to become a full-time starter now, and that opportunity cannot come in New Jersey. I will say this, however: if Clemmensen is willing to sign on as Marty’s full-time backup again, then I would keep Clemmensen instead. I just doubt that is going to happen

Pierre-Luc Leblond
I love what Leblond brought to the lineup this year, and I think he is on the verge of becoming a full-timer. He is most likely a cheaper option than Mike Rupp, and should be signed long-term. Leblond will prove to be a key building block for the future.

Ditch

Niclas Havelid
Havelid is, by far, the worst trade deadline acquisition in Devils history. Sure, it looked good at the time, but he just never fit in on this team. Always out of position, always making stupid plays that you wouldn’t expect a veteran to make. I will personally drive him to the airport if it means he never has to appear in a Devils uniform again for the rest of time.
(note: Havelid has signed a contract to play in Sweden next year. Thank you dear god.)

Bobby Holik
It’s time for Holik to inform the post office that his mail is to no longer be forwarded to the Devils penalty box. His stupid penalties cost us far too many times this year, and if we honestly expect to have a better fate next season, there’s no way he can be part of that.
(note: Holik has officially retired. He knew all along he wasn't coming back apparently.)

Scott Clemmensen
You can read the explanation above under why we should keep Kevin Weekes, but I will summarize by saying that if Clemmensen decides he is willing to return as Marty’s backup, I’d rather keep him. I just don’t believe he is willing to do that.

Brendan Shanahan
I put him here because he’s probably going to retire anyway, but also because we’re a very old team right now, and that’s how you get yourself into salary cap trouble. I loved the concept of Shanahan coming back for this year to help us make a run, but now we need to start getting younger like everyone else. If, at the end of the summer, we have the cap room to bring him back for one more season, however, I am not opposed to it.

Disclaimer
Let me just clarify that I do not expect every single player on the keep list to return next season. Many of them are on there because they should be considered for being kept, but with the salary cap situation the way it is, all of them will not be brought back, nor should they. For example, Madden is on there because it would be great if he stays, but Vrana is up there because it’s very likely that Madden will choose to leave. So interpret the list with caution.

So now that we did all that, what do we need to add to make the 2010 Devils even better? The key is defense, defense, defense. If this year taught us anything, it’s that you cannot rely on a group of minor-leaguers to fill out an NHL defense. Our top four of Martin, Oduya, Salvador, and White were capable, but those last two spots need a serious upgrading. It’s not that Mottau played bad, but our top six needs to be stronger and more talented. I would focus my efforts this summer on signing a veteran stalwart defenseman, who can give our backline a higher profile. Stay-at-home or puck-mover, it doesn’t really matter. The bottom line is that any effort in free agency should be spent on making our defense corps far better.

Other than that, I like the pieces we have, and as long as some of those prospects that have been stewing in the minors for four or five years finally get the chance to prove themselves, I don’t think we need to do a whole lot else.

As a hockey fan in America, I sometimes find myself in a situation which I'm sure some of you have faced before as well. When talking sports with someone, you may happen to mention that your favorite sport is hockey, and in response you receive nothing but a blank stare. It's almost as if the other person is silently answering, "No, seriously, what sport?" It is indeed frustrating on many levels, but mostly because as a sport, hockey has everything that America loves about its other three sports all rolled into one, and yet in this country it is taken about as seriously as roller derby (probably looks the same to them too). And it is with this thought in mind that I write this blog, not to convince the hockey fan of anything that they don't already know, but rather to serve as a reference to explain to the uninformed that everything they love about football, baseball, and basketball is present in the great sport of hockey. Should you ever find yourself in this situation, feel free to pull from this whatever you deem necessary to defend your love of hockey.

Football
Let's start with what is clearly America's favorite sport, football. Typically what attracts people to football is first and foremost the physical play. Each sport is rife with contact, and there is nothing to say that a big tackle or sack in football is any more exciting than a bone-crunching check into the boards or a Stevens-esque open ice hit. Toughness is certainly equaled in both sports, with the only difference being that hockey players are allowed to release their aggression by fighting.

In addition, football preaches the concept of teamwork. Every player on the field, both on offense and defense, has their specific job to do, and the whole does not succeed without all of the individual parts performing their jobs to the best of their ability. So too does this concept exist in hockey. Each team is made up of snipers, playmakers, penalty killers, face-off specialists, defensive forwards, grinders, puck-moving and stay-at-home defensemen, and goaltenders...and it is only when all of these players do their specific part that the team as a whole enjoys success on the ice.

Baseball
Ah yes, the great American pasttime...a sport which values above all else, its rich tradition and history. The history and tradition of hockey go back around the same time as baseball, and despite the advance of time, the simplicity and integrity of the game in both instances is carefully maintained.

Along with being a game of tradition, baseball carries an heir of grace and elegance about it. There are times when the flow of the game is one of discipline and finesse, not unlike watching a player like Sidney Crosby alone on a breakaway. Just as with the perfect execution of a double play, there are times in hockey, such as watching a talented goal scorer execute a deke to perfection and gently slip the puck past the goaltender that the game of hockey is one of pure beauty, so much so that you are at a loss for words.

Basketball
Basketball is a sport which requires a great deal of athleticism and hand-eye coordination. It is certainly no easy task to execute an alley-oop or a wide array of spinning dunks and no-look passes, let alone with the continuity and accuracy displayed by professional players. Hockey is no different in this sense, either. Everything from tape-to-tape passes and shot accuracy to performing drop passes and dekes, to the goalies being able to stop pucks traveling at 90-100 mph coming from all angles all requires and incredible amount of skill and hand-eye coordination.

It is a shame that more people can't look at hockey for what it is, rather than regarding it with the same impression they get from watching cricket. If they would look a little closer, they'd be able to see that hockey contains everything they already love about sports. Hockey is contact, teamwork, strategy, tradition, grace, skill, and athleticism all rolled into one beautiful game