We would be down to 1 right handed Dman . Well 2 if you count Harrold.
- NickA

DAMN IT YOU'RE RIGHT

This is so true and i do not get it. The guy is tough as they come but never drops em...He obviously knows he can't fight.
- NickA

Maybe he's a really good fighter and is afraid to break someone

I think if we had a tough stay at home guy back there who could toss em we would be a much better team because we wouldn't need a goon and it would make the lines that much better all around having a guy able to play 20 minutes a night and still have the toughness to fight some pretty tough guys. Please no more Sestito/Barch/Janssen lines the kill us.

I think if we had a tough stay at home guy back there who could toss em we would be a much better team because we wouldn't need a goon and it would make the lines that much better all around having a guy able to play 20 minutes a night and still have the toughness to fight some pretty tough guys. Please no more Sestito/Barch/Janssen lines the kill us.
- blizzzard

But you wanna trade Urbom who was willing to fight Prust? Not that he did good but at least he dropped em with a known fighter. Urbom should be on the team and has played better in his own end then Gelinas. Only thing Gelinas has over him is the offense but that's obviously huge. Both have earned a spot imo.

But you wanna trade Urbom who was willing to fight Prust? Not that he did good but at least he dropped em with a known fighter. Urbom should be on the team and has played better in his own end then Gelinas. Only thing Gelinas has over him is the offense but that's obviously huge. Both have earned a spot imo.
- NickA

Lou is in a good spot right now with all this depth

But you wanna trade Urbom who was willing to fight Prust? Not that he did good but at least he dropped em with a known fighter. Urbom should be on the team and has played better in his own end then Gelinas. Only thing Gelinas has over him is the offense but that's obviously huge. Both have earned a spot imo.
- NickA

I don't know what it is about him but I am not a huge fan and I think he embarrassed himself trying to fight Prust he looked like a deer on ice in that fight. I don't like watching my boys lose fight ! I am willing to move him because I think it is an option we have and one that might get us the best return. If we can move Teddy and Urbom in a Swedish package it makes for one less log jam at forward and D and could get us a very nice offensive prospect still in jr's who will be ready to crack the lineup as Patty is retiring. To be honest I am not going to be all that picky with what happens I just want to see a D get moved and Lou rarely losing a trade so if he makes a trade we can almost garuntee that we will be happy with the return or cap space saved

Lou is in a good spot right now with all this depth
- shvingter88

I agree he just needs to find a good trade partner and he doesn't mind waiting to find that one who is under a lot of pressure. Lou never goes oh I need to make a trade he sits and waits till another team needs to make one then he pounces. I mean if Holmgren was smart he would of traded his first for Corey as to me they are a young talented team who don't need any stud prospects because they have Schennx2 Giroux Cooter they are set if they get a legit goalie not name Bryz. Thing is he is always thinking how do I add that untouchable D or forward instead of parts that will make their team better.

Lou is in a good spot right now with all this depth
- shvingter88

Should be an interesting week to come. Moves have to be made.

I agree he just needs to find a good trade partner and he doesn't mind waiting to find that one who is under a lot of pressure. Lou never goes oh I need to make a trade he sits and waits till another team needs to make one then he pounces. I mean if Holmgren was smart he would of traded his first for Corey as to me they are a young talented team who don't need any stud prospects because they have Schennx2 Giroux Cooter they are set if they get a legit goalie not name Bryz. Thing is he is always thinking how do I add that untouchable D or forward instead of parts that will make their team better.
- blizzzard

Islander should of traded for Schnieder too. Many teams missed out. Lou's the (frank)ing man

Islander should of traded for Schnieder too. Many teams missed out. Lou's the (frank)ing man
- NickA

I don't know how I feel about them. I don't want to sound like a tool but I just don't think Moulson is that great. Certainly not without JT to me the Islanders are still JT and I am not sold on Hamonic either. They will go as far as JT takes them but I don't really like their forward depth ( I am not comparing them to the Devils ) this is just my opinion of them. I am open to them proving me wrong as i think Jt gets 90-95 pts this season barring any injuries.

Someone said something about scapegoats.

Here's why I use Zidlicky (and Tallinder last year) as a scapegoat:

An effective first pairing power play point man is an offensive catalyst; he helps your forwards score, whether their name is Ilya Kovalchuk or Tim Sestito. Look at teams with good number one D-men like St. Louis, Los Angeles, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was always all right as long as Letang played, but when he was injured, they'd start losing, even with both Crosby and Malkin in the line-up.

Ottawa did fine without Karlsson, but that's because they have underrated guys like Marc Methot and Wiercoch QBing, but their forwards are a bunch of never-heard-ofs and Turris and Silfverberg last year. They made the playoffs.

When LA had Doughty going in the playoffs, they could win with just two guys who have any offensive ability whatsoever on their forward lineup. Put that LA forward corps on most other teams (with no Quick or their D) and they look very average.

St. Louis nearly won the president's trophy when Pietrangelo was firing on all cylinders. They nearly missed the playoffs when he had an off year.

Next to a goaltender, having a #1 defenseman as an offensive catalyst is the most important player on a hockey team. When Brodeur went down, it wasn't that Hedberg was bad (he was; NHL goaltenders should maintain a 900 save % at the very least), it was that the first pairing got exposed. And when Kovalchuk went down, it showed how weak the defense was at transitioning and creating offense, and Zidlicky is the leader of that group. He's not a #1 d-man, not even close to it. Replace him alone, last year, and NJ's in the playoffs.

You can't blame your forwards if your defense can't give them the puck; it's pretty hard to score from behind your own blueline and from past their goalline when your face is jammed into the glass because you only have two passing options instead of four (since your D can't handle the puck).

Edit: want to add that he was 7th in PP ice time last year and 23rd in PP points when I checked. It shows you that he's not making effective use of that PP ice time. His shot wasn't enough of a threat to cover and so it was easy to let him have time while the defending team covered Elias, Kovalchuk, Henrique, and Clarkson. It makes you ask what Andy Greene would have done with that PP time instead.

Someone said something about scapegoats.

Here's why I use Zidlicky (and Tallinder last year) as a scapegoat:

An effective first pairing power play point man is an offensive catalyst; he helps your forwards score, whether their name is Ilya Kovalchuk or Tim Sestito. Look at teams with good number one D-men like St. Louis, Los Angeles, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was always all right as long as Letang played, but when he was injured, they'd start losing, even with both Crosby and Malkin in the line-up.

Ottawa did fine without Karlsson, but that's because they have underrated guys like Marc Methot and Wiercoch QBing, but their forwards are a bunch of never-heard-ofs and Turris and Silfverberg last year. They made the playoffs.

When LA had Doughty going in the playoffs, they could win with just two guys who have any offensive ability whatsoever on their forward lineup. Put that LA forward corps on most other teams (with no Quick or their D) and they look very average.

St. Louis nearly won the president's trophy when Pietrangelo was firing on all cylinders. They nearly missed the playoffs when he had an off year.

Next to a goaltender, having a #1 defenseman as an offensive catalyst is the most important player on a hockey team. When Brodeur went down, it wasn't that Hedberg was bad (he was; NHL goaltenders should maintain a 900 save % at the very least), it was that the first pairing got exposed. And when Kovalchuk went down, it showed how weak the defense was at transitioning and creating offense, and Zidlicky is the leader of that group. He's not a #1 d-man, not even close to it. Replace him alone, last year, and NJ's in the playoffs.

You can't blame your forwards if your defense can't give them the puck; it's pretty hard to score from behind your own blueline and from past their goalline when your face is jammed into the glass because you only have two passing options instead of four (since your D can't handle the puck).
- archromat

That is a good point over half our D can't make a tape to tape pass they always wire it off the boards in a panick and ice it or turn it over.

Someone said something about scapegoats.

Here's why I use Zidlicky (and Tallinder last year) as a scapegoat:

An effective first pairing power play point man is an offensive catalyst; he helps your forwards score, whether their name is Ilya Kovalchuk or Tim Sestito. Look at teams with good number one D-men like St. Louis, Los Angeles, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was always all right as long as Letang played, but when he was injured, they'd start losing, even with both Crosby and Malkin in the line-up.

Ottawa did fine without Karlsson, but that's because they have underrated guys like Marc Methot and Wiercoch QBing, but their forwards are a bunch of never-heard-ofs and Turris and Silfverberg last year. They made the playoffs.

When LA had Doughty going in the playoffs, they could win with just two guys who have any offensive ability whatsoever on their forward lineup. Put that LA forward corps on most other teams (with no Quick or their D) and they look very average.

St. Louis nearly won the president's trophy when Pietrangelo was firing on all cylinders. They nearly missed the playoffs when he had an off year.

Next to a goaltender, having a #1 defenseman as an offensive catalyst is the most important player on a hockey team. When Brodeur went down, it wasn't that Hedberg was bad (he was; NHL goaltenders should maintain a 900 save % at the very least), it was that the first pairing got exposed. And when Kovalchuk went down, it showed how weak the defense was at transitioning and creating offense, and Zidlicky is the leader of that group. He's not a #1 d-man, not even close to it. Replace him alone, last year, and NJ's in the playoffs.

You can't blame your forwards if your defense can't give them the puck; it's pretty hard to score from behind your own blueline and from past their goalline when your face is jammed into the glass because you only have two passing options instead of four (since your D can't handle the puck).

Edit: want to add that he was 7th in PP ice time last year and 23rd in PP points when I checked. It shows you that he's not making effective us of that PP ice time. His shot wasn't enough of a threat to cover and so it was easy to let him have time and cover Elias, Kovalchuk, Henrique, and Clarkson.
- archromat

when marty went down hedberg let in a ton of soft goals. when kovalchuk went down it wasn't keeping the puck out of our net that was the problem it was scoring. as for your PP reference that is moot because our PP sucked and you cant blame that all on zidlicky

That is a good point over half our D can't make a tape to tape pass they always wire it off the boards in a panick and ice it or turn it over.
- blizzzard

Yup which is why i complain about Sal so much. He's the worst and anton's not far behind him in that regards. Last year we could never break out of the zone clean. A bad breakout just sets up sloppy play all the way up the ice.

last year there were also plently of games which we outworked and outplayed and outshot the opposition but just couldn't cash in which is why i think some people are looking for someone to blame for the failures when we just had really bad luck last year. just look at the shooting percentage

Yup which is why i complain about Sal so much. He's the worst and anton's not far behind him in that regards. Last year we could never break out of the zone clean. A bad breakout just sets up sloppy play all the way up the ice.
- NickA

I don't mind letting him finish out his contract if a roster D gets moved. But something needs to happen because we need a first this year :p or maybe we trade for a first in next years draft better chance at getting MacDavid if we have 2 firsts I am going to watch him play against the Colts January 9th and I am beyond pumped to see the next face of the NHL.

our D also allowed the lowest shots per game last year. you cant do that if your stuck in your zone the entire game

our D also allowed the lowest shots per game last year. you cant do that if your stuck in your zone the entire game
- BDizzlez

To me our D is a product of our system you can't give our D credit with out giving the system credit you throw anyone of Sal Zid or Volchenkov on teams with weak defensive systems and they would be spending most the year buried in the minors.

last year there were also plently of games which we outworked and outplayed and outshot the opposition but just couldn't cash in which is why i think some people are looking for someone to blame for the failures when we just had really bad luck last year. just look at the shooting percentage
- BDizzlez

Some of it was luck a lot of it was that a lot of the shots we took just weren't taken in high scoring areas. Too many perimeter shots with no traffic in front was the biggest reason we didn't score a lot.

To me our D is a product of our system you can't give our D credit with out giving the system credit you throw anyone of Sal Zid or Volchenkov on teams with weak defensive systems and they would be spending most the year buried in the minors.
- blizzzard

Ok but you guys were saying we couldn't break out with poop and how can we score from behind our blueline. If we were behind our blue line all game we would have been getting shots piled on us

on a side note im not really a fan of having zajac on the point on the PP or any forward for that matter. Kovy was an exception.

Ok but you guys were saying we couldn't break out with poop and how can we score from behind our blueline. If we were behind our blue line all game we would have been getting shots piled on us
- BDizzlez

mayhem occurs when those guys are on the ice there is no other word for it wether it be good or bad. We are not talking about 25-30 years olds having a bad year here we are talking about a guy or two of them that are 37 and likely aren't going to be turning nothing around and a guy in Volchenkov who is the slowest guy on the ice and is vastly over paid for what he brings to the table. For the most part you can't seriously believe Sal and Zid are going to have that much better of year if any better at all? Like I said Before Sal was NEVER a top 4 guy we got him for Janssen. He played well within our system and is now over the hill likely to be average at the very best in my opinion. Yes he wears the C so he will not be moved or benched but my god man he is far from a great defensemen.

on a side note im not really a fan of having zajac on the point on the PP or any forward for that matter. Kovy was an exception.
- BDizzlez

He has looked awkward to me pretty much everywhere. I really haven't liked his contracted and I am on the fence when it comes to if he can live up to it or not. If he doesn't put up 65-70 pts this season Ill be a little worried we need him hitting more then 50pts

mayhem occurs when those guys are on the ice there is no other word for it wether it be good or bad. We are not talking about 25-30 years olds having a bad year here we are talking about a guy or two of them that are 37 and likely aren't going to be turning nothing around and a guy in Volchenkov who is the slowest guy on the ice and is vastly over paid for what he brings to the table. For the most part you can't seriously believe Sal and Zid are going to have that much better of year if any better at all? Like I said Before Sal was NEVER a top 4 guy we got him for Janssen. He played well within our system and is now over the hill likely to be average at the very best in my opinion. Yes he wears the C so he will not be moved or benched but my god man he is far from a great defensemen.
- blizzzard

i never said they were great i just disagree that there as bad as some people here make them out to be and that the rookies are as good as some people believe here.

He has looked awkward to me pretty much everywhere. I really haven't liked his contracted and I am on the fence when it comes to if he can live up to it or not. If he doesn't put up 65-70 pts this season Ill be a little worried we need him hitting more then 50pts
- blizzzard

i just want some of the guys that are for sure going to the ahl (sestito, pelley, sislo, matteau, janssen, burlon, merrill and in severson's case juniors) to be cut so we can see some more solid line combos for our final preseason game