Rampant Speculation and Whistful Predictions (WordPress sucks edition)
Published: June 29, 2008
Uh yeah, so I just wrote this massively long post previewing free agency and WordPress ate it when I went to save it and publish it to the site. Seriously, if you could have seen the look on my face ten minutes ago, you would’ve cried. I imagine it would have looked like ten sad-eyed puppies looking down at a dropped ice cream cone.
So at the moment my anger at blogging templates is slightly outweighing my excitement for free agency.
At any rate I present to you my angrily abbreviated free agency preview. As Devils beat writer extraordinaire Tom Gulitti points out, we’ve got some cash to throw around. More than $18 mil to be less than exact. That’s a lot o’ benjamins, so let’s hope we can outdo last years lesson in mediocrity.
Here are my picks for the ‘08 Fabulous Free Agency Frenzy (trademark pending):
Who Stays: Jay Pandolfo, Bryce Salvador
Pando was off to a great start before his injury last year, he’s the consummate Devil and he deserves a new contract. I’d be seriously surprised and upset if we let him go. I think Bryce, despite his injuries last year, could be a solid lockdown 3 or 4 d-man.
Get the Eff Outta Town: Aaron Asham, Karel Rachuneck and Sergei Brylin
Karel and Aaron who? These guys just sucked last year, end of story. Unlike Pando, Brylin just looked like he was out of gas last year. He’s been great over the years, but I’d like to see the Devils part ways with him. Sorry Sarge. Despite my feelings, he’ll probably be back courtesy of a player option for next year.
Who to Pitch for (Realistically): Brian Rolston, Brendan Morrison or Cory Stillman up front. John Michael Liles or Mark Streit in back. Georges Laraque as a back line bruiser.
We NEED a top six center and a bigtime offensive defenseman desperately, there’s no two ways around it. I like Rolston and Morrison to fill our hole at center because they already know our system and are proven vets that could fill the gap while our youth develops. I’ve really enjoyed the reemergence of Stillman over the last few years as well, and could see him easily in the same role.
There are some big names out there on D, but Streit and Liles are young and brimming with talent. I love Paul Martin, but he just hasn’t proven he can be the powerplay QB we need. If we took one of these guys and had Martin as as a solid No. 2, I think we’d be set for a few years.
uhh…Laraque is a f***ing beast. So… yeah.
I also wouldn’t mind seeing Brooks Orpik or Ryan Malone in Red ‘n Black.
Who to Pitch for (Prob not Going to Happen): Marian Hossa, Pavol Demitra, Wade Redden, Brian Campbell.
These guys would make any team better. I’m not expecting any of them to come aboard, but I wouldn’t be unhappy if they did.
Marketing Maddness Pick: Miro Satan
I’d have my Satan Devils jersey faster than you could say ‘underachieving winger.
Left Field Crazy Trade Proposal: Patrick Marleau for a package including Brian Gionta, so long as we bring in another top six winger via free agency.
If Gio stays I’m fine with it, but if something like this went down I’d get to sleep at night.
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -
Alright, that’s it boys and girls. The other crazies at 2ma are likely to put their two cents in before long and we of course want to know what you guys have to say in the comments section. Cross your fingers!
12 Comments on "Rampant Speculation and Whistful Predictions (WordPress sucks edition)"
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Steve Stirling on Sun, 29th Jun 2008 10:08 pm
Well I guess you can scratch Malone and Liles off my list already.
John Fischer on Sun, 29th Jun 2008 10:38 pm
Mark Streit? The Devils could have kept Karel Rachunek and got the same result – excepting the whole Rachunek didn’t want to be here anymore and a Russian team made him an offer.
Mark S on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 8:52 am
I could see going big up front and trying to land Hossa. It’s nuts, I know, but he went hard at the deadline, the number of teams with space to get him is somewhat limited especially considering competition for $ from Sundin, Jagr, Redden, Campbell. I’d see Lou focusing on signing Bryce and Pando and then going outside for one big name. Too many new faces disrupts the chemistry. With 7 defencemen already on board, he might look for a possible trade for a backliner as teh F/A guys out there will either be too expensive or more of what we already have.
My wish list…
1. Sign Hossa to bolster the front lines.
2. Trade Gionta, Greene or Vish, and a 2nd rounder to Florida for Boumeester. Otherwise, go offer sheet for him.
3. I agree in bringing in Laraque for toughness.
4. Cut Sarge loose.
5. Contingency if no Hossa…go for Orpik and Ryder.
Steve Stirling on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 10:29 am
Shasbah, I like Streit. Maybe I’m not giving the efforts of Martin and Oduya last year enough credit, because as you pointed out John they did step it up. Even with that though, my gut feeling is that neither will take it to the next level.
Hossa would be nice, and we do have the cash to get him, I just don’t know that he’d want to play here. He doesn’t fit the mold so to speak, and I bet he’s looking for a team that will pay AND operates a run-and-gun offense a la Pittsburgh. Who knows though, people were reporting Lou made a pitch for him at the deadline.
And did you guys see the contract TB gave Malone?! 7 mil per for the next 2 seasons?!
Randy on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 11:47 am
Patrick Marleau has two more years at $6.5. He also has a no-trade clause that kicks in on 7/1/08. the Sharks only played 4 defensemen in the playoffs and Campbell might be on his way out. Send the Sharks Corrente and a # 1 draft pick and it might happen. I would love to have Bouwmeester; however, the draft picks you have to give up on offer sheets to RFA is just not worth it. Florida just obtained two defensemen in the Oli J. trade. The Devs could send Zajac and draft pick to Florida for the rights to Bouwmeester. The Devs need a first line Center!! If they can pull it off, Marleau could be the man.
Adam Jones on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 2:20 pm
There is absolutly no way Brenden Morrisson will work with Lou ever again. Not after him being benched for 15 straight games before being traded clear across the continent.
Mark S on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 3:20 pm
Say no to Marleau…
Say no to Morrison..
Say Yes to Boumeester. Signed to an offer sheet paying 3.9M a year would cost us a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Not like I want that but FLA needs offense with Joikenen traded…they also have like 4 UFA defensemen….Gionta and Greene!
Oh, and Malone’s contract averages 4.5 a year but is front loaded (as many are these days). Heck Gomez got $10 mil for last year! I have t ask though, are these guys going to be as motivated when they’re playing for 3 million when two years earlier they were getting paid 7 mil? Sounds like an excuse to get lazy….
Steve Stirling on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 3:24 pm
Heh, the Bergen Record is reporting we’re looking at Hossa. Is he the new Sheldon Souray?!
Sources tell me Hossa is a veritable lock to come to NJ. The Pens are expected to trade his negotiation rights over to us any minute for a thimble and a bag of cocktail peanuts. The deal is all but done.
(Note: should this actually happen I’ll gladly eat my words)
John Fischer on Mon, 30th Jun 2008 7:16 pm
Mark S: I’d love Bouwmeester, but not at the cost of an offer sheet. All that will serve is for the Devils to mortgage more of their future for one guy and to proclaim to every GM that the Devils’ RFAs are open season. A trade would be much better and considering who they got for Jokinen, the Devils could swindle one with Florida. I have NO idea what they are thinking down there.
Brian Finkel on Tue, 1st Jul 2008 1:26 am
Personally I would’ve loved to see the Devs get Rolston. He has a cannon for a shot which’d work real well on our pp and he plays both ends well.
I don’t know who they’ll get noon today but I hope Lou makes a serious but smart splash in free agency.
I can see them getting Jason Smith. Not as fast as he used to be but he’s smart and would stabilize the D. As for forwards i’d love it if they got Ryder, Morrison or even Nagy. Nagy hasn’t been great but a new team might turn things around.
In the least he’d be a affordable signing because he certainly won’t get the 3.75mil he made last season.
On another note…I think it’d be SWEET if we got Tucker. Hard nosed younger version of Gary Roberts with a bit of Oliwa which I miss. Think that’d go a long way towards toughening us up.
As for Streit, are you serious John? How are Steit’s 62pts (13g, 49a) anything at all like Rachunek’s 13pts (4g, 9a). Only advtange, and I say that lightly, that Rachunek might have is he’s better defensively.
Either way, the Devs have a way of turning that around and Streit I think would be worth it and definitely better then what we had last yr.
Mark S on Tue, 1st Jul 2008 8:51 am
Rumors say that Rolston is deciding between TB and NJ. He would help in numerous ways. First, would be reasonably affordable and not committed long term…probably around 3.75-4 mil for 2 years. He’s solve the problem of the pp quarterback while also adding some to the overall offense.
We have 7-8 defensemen right now and a PP quarterback defender creates a log jam where someone has to go.
Besides, he started his career in NJ and won a cup here in 1995. Wouldn’t it be nice to finish his career here?
But, if we do sign him, I think Pando is left to walk as Rolston is a good 2 way guy who could benefit if playing with Madden on the PK as well as spark some offense from the 3rd line with Mad dog and Zubrus or Clarkson.
We’d still need that solid backliner and I’d liek to see an offer sheet of $2mil per year to O’Sullivan from LA. Good young center that scored 20+ goals last year and wouldn’t cost the farm in draft picks since the salary is only 2 mil/year. It would triple his current 600K salary.
library-lover on Tue, 1st Jul 2008 8:22 pm
not doing too badly in your predictions so far. hope you’re happy!