from TG

I know they think highly of Darnell Nurse and Rasmus Ristolainen, who both could go in the top 10. Both are 6-foot-4 and filling out physically, like to play an aggressive physical game and have some offensive skill. - See more at: http://blogs.northjersey....ars/#sthash.ef1bBeE5.dpuf



interesting

from TG

I know they think highly of Darnell Nurse and Rasmus Ristolainen, who both could go in the top 10. Both are 6-foot-4 and filling out physically, like to play an aggressive physical game and have some offensive skill. - See more at: http://blogs.northjersey....ars/#sthash.ef1bBeE5.dpuf



interesting
- dmarsden2988

He did also say Lou would prefer to pick a skilled forward. What I think that means is that if the first 8 picks were to come out looking like this(not exacts just throwing names around where they might be):
1. Mackinnon
2.Jones
3.Drouin
4.Barkov
5.Nichushkin
6.Lindholm
7.Monahan
8.Shinkaruk

If that were to happen he would opt for Nurse or Ristolainen because they see those two as that much better than the next forward on their lists

He did also say Lou would prefer to pick a skilled forward. What I think that means is that if the first 8 picks were to come out looking like this(not exacts just throwing names around where they might be):
1. Mackinnon
2.Jones
3.Drouin
4.Barkov
5.Nichushkin
6.Lindholm
7.Monahan
8.Shinkaruk

If that were to happen he would opt for Nurse or Ristolainen because they see those two as that much better than the next forward on their lists
- bobert836

i really hope one of those 3 teams take D over F.

i really hope one of those 3 teams take D over F.
- MartysBetter88

If that is how the draft would happen I would take Horvat I know we're deep at C but something about that guy he's just an animal.

If TG is right, the numbers for potentially re-upping Zubrus look pretty good. 3yrs at 3m per
- bobert836

Very nice

Apparently there's people saying that the Devils may petition the league to try to regain the lost first round pick.
- Kaymondel

I hope (frank)ing there is a shred of truth to this. Such a (frank) jerkoff that we have to forfeit a pick for signing a guy to a contract that is no different then all the other front loaded 10+ year contracts. ALL THOSE OTHER (frank)ING TEAMS GOT Richard DONE TO THEM WE LOSE A 1st RD PICK PLUS A FINE? Yeah that's fair and doesn't show a complete bias against the devils....

I don't think we will know until opening night.
- rmdevil313

Yup can't wait to see line combos in preseason. Really need to find some consistent linemates for Kovy and Elias.

He did also say Lou would prefer to pick a skilled forward. What I think that means is that if the first 8 picks were to come out looking like this(not exacts just throwing names around where they might be):
1. Mackinnon
2.Jones
3.Drouin
4.Barkov
5.Nichushkin
6.Lindholm
7.Monahan
8.Shinkaruk

If that were to happen he would opt for Nurse or Ristolainen because they see those two as that much better than the next forward on their lists
- bobert836

if that really happens I hope a team picking later really blows us away with a trade offer for one of those guys

There's a lot more uncertainty after pick #4 than I thought there was. This site compares all the important draft rankings.

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=9421

We might well be able to get a steal or to bust bad at no.9. Todd, if you're reading this, you may want to reflect on this a little.

Has it really been that long? I've always visited the site regularly since then (just didn't post) but figured I'd get back into the swing of things. Can't think of a better time to than the start of the offseason.

Great to see a few familiar faces are still around!
- amerk626

Maybe it just seems like its been a while. Good to have you back. All the new faces are good except devfan30, who has caused the rest of hockeybuzz to think that Larsson is a bust.

If that is how the draft would happen I would take Horvat I know we're deep at C but something about that guy he's just an animal.
- K-dizzle

Please no, he's a solid player, but not the type we need IMO. Shinkaruk or Lindholm are the way to go. Both can play center or wing (and have both positions quite a bit), and have the skill needed for our top-6. I like Horvat, but only if we move down. Maybe it's because I have not watched him enough, but I feel like he's in the mold of a Henrique.

Please no, he's a solid player, but not the type we need IMO. Shinkaruk or Lindholm are the way to go. Both can play center or wing (and have both positions quite a bit), and have the skill needed for our top-6. I like Horvat, but only if we move down. Maybe it's because I have not watched him enough, but I feel like he's in the mold of a Henrique.
- Kaymondel

Don't know much about Hovart except what i read but his size is appealing...We are a very soft team overall and need to get bigger and tougher. If he has a good amount of skill like a few London fans have said then it could be the way to go.

Please no, he's a solid player, but not the type we need IMO. Shinkaruk or Lindholm are the way to go. Both can play center or wing (and have both positions quite a bit), and have the skill needed for our top-6. I like Horvat, but only if we move down. Maybe it's because I have not watched him enough, but I feel like he's in the mold of a Henrique.
- Kaymondel

Do you have any source for the devils petitioning the league?

Don't know much about Hovart except what i read but his size is appealing...We are a very soft team overall and need to get bigger and tougher. If he has a good amount of skill like a few London fans have said then it could be the way to go.
- NickA

Tougher is one thing, but if we have toughness and can't score goals it will not matter. We need scoring above all else. Period. 29th in goalscoring proves that.

Do you have any source for the devils petitioning the league?
- rmdevil313

Aaron Portzline was tweeting about it yesterday morning.
"Really, the Devils' belief that #NHL might let them off the hook is the only way to justify not giving up No. 29 pick in weak 2012 draft.

Prevailing opinion is that Devils play to petition league - perhaps they already have - to repeal that part of their punishment.

No way they'd give up this year's No. 9 overall. But I asked around, at combine/since, wondering why they wouldn't give up last yrs No. 29.

New Jersey must forfeit a 1st-round pick either this year or next as part of their punishment for salary cap circumvention w Kovalchuk deal."

Goes from bottom to top in terms of order he tweeted it.

Aaron Portzline was tweeting about it yesterday morning.
"Really, the Devils' belief that #NHL might let them off the hook is the only way to justify not giving up No. 29 pick in weak 2012 draft.

Prevailing opinion is that Devils play to petition league - perhaps they already have - to repeal that part of their punishment.

No way they'd give up this year's No. 9 overall. But I asked around, at combine/since, wondering why they wouldn't give up last yrs No. 29.

New Jersey must forfeit a 1st-round pick either this year or next as part of their punishment for salary cap circumvention w Kovalchuk deal."

Goes from bottom to top in terms of order he tweeted it.
- Kaymondel

Hmmmmm. Very interesting. I could see the league rescinding it if its a top 10 pick or something like that. Certainly wouldn't help bettman's popularity among the fans though.

Aaron Portzline was tweeting about it yesterday morning.
"Really, the Devils' belief that #NHL might let them off the hook is the only way to justify not giving up No. 29 pick in weak 2012 draft.

Prevailing opinion is that Devils play to petition league - perhaps they already have - to repeal that part of their punishment.

No way they'd give up this year's No. 9 overall. But I asked around, at combine/since, wondering why they wouldn't give up last yrs No. 29.

New Jersey must forfeit a 1st-round pick either this year or next as part of their punishment for salary cap circumvention w Kovalchuk deal."

Goes from bottom to top in terms of order he tweeted it.
- Kaymondel

It would be sweet if they got that dropped

Tougher is one thing, but if we have toughness and can't score goals it will not matter. We need scoring above all else. Period. 29th in goalscoring proves that.
- Kaymondel

I agree but one of the reasons for lack of goal scoring is all our shots usually came from the point or outside of the slot. Not gonna score a lot when no one is in front of the net doing the dirty work. I'm not saying i want hovart just pointing out how soft and pathetic our offense is. I probably would prefer a guy like Shinkaruak honestly, we need a top end skill guy who will hopefully mesh well with Kovy.

devils shoulda used that pick for bernier...missed the boat on that one...not straight up obviously but a pkg for sure

Hmmmmm. Very interesting. I could see the league rescinding it if its a top 10 pick or something like that. Certainly wouldn't help bettman's popularity among the fans though.
- rmdevil313

Who knows, maybe this Sunday when he speaks to start the draft he opens with something like; "Thank you to NJ for the great hospitality, as a reward we are returning to the NJ Devils organization their first round pick in 2014." Pipe dream, but one can hope.

devils shoulda used that pick for bernier...missed the boat on that one...not straight up obviously but a pkg for sure
- bazookajo

I would have loved to get Bernier, but not for our 9th pick. I'm still not convinced he's a bona-fide starter, he still has a lot to prove.

Who knows, maybe this Sunday when he speaks to start the draft he opens with something like; "Thank you to NJ for the great hospitality, as a reward we are returning to the NJ Devils organization their first round pick in 2014." Pipe dream, but one can hope.
- Kaymondel

Can we get all the Devils fans going to start a "Give our pick back" chant?

He did also say Lou would prefer to pick a skilled forward. What I think that means is that if the first 8 picks were to come out looking like this(not exacts just throwing names around where they might be):
1. Mackinnon
2.Jones
3.Drouin
4.Barkov
5.Nichushkin
6.Lindholm
7.Monahan
8.Shinkaruk

If that were to happen he would opt for Nurse or Ristolainen because they see those two as that much better than the next forward on their lists
- bobert836

if the draft pans out this way, trade down, grab an extra pick or two and take rychel, he is a poor man's shinkuruk anyway. you have a better chance of catching lightning in a bottle than the NHL giving the devils back there draft pick. the problem all along hasn't been the contract, its who kovalchuk signed the contract with. can't help but feel if he had signed say with the rangers or pens, nothing would have ever been said about it.

It will always blow my mind for the rest of my life that the commissioner of a professional sports league took liberties on one of his teams. Taking away our 1st round pick while all the other teams have zero penalty for their "cap circumventions". Maybe Vancouver and Chicago should lose a 1st. Maybe other teams should lose a 2nd.

OR MAYBE THE FUTURE OF THESE TEAMS SHOULDN'T BE SCREWED WITH BECAUSE OF THEIR POORLY EXECUTED ATTEMPTS AT RE-SIGNING A PLAYER!!!

THAT's how you make a point?? By preventing a team from drafting a top 30 player in the world to their team? The arrogance. The nerve! What planet is this guy on?! I get it, we're signing a player to a massive deal... to help us for many years in the future- SO, the punishment is removing a 1st round pick to potentially help for all the years in the future.

MEANWHILE, about 5 other huge deals out there are helping other teams for years in the future (... well some of them), AND they keep their 1st round pick, to potentially help their team in the future.

How is this remotely fair? Oh because NJ is the team that REALLY took it too far?? Really? That's the answer?? It's like a 4 year old justifying why he took a cookie out of the cookie jar. What a joke!

He goes outside of the case at hand to punish us to make a point to the league. Our 1st round pick. This could be a 15th overall pick! Could be 20, heck even 30th! This could be depriving us of a solid player! atrocity. Such nerve. "I can do what I want and no one can stop me!!!" Can't stand the man.

I would have loved to get Bernier, but not for our 9th pick. I'm still not convinced he's a bona-fide starter, he still has a lot to prove.
- MannySilvers

yup like I said not straight up...but they coulda made a deal i bet