Todd Cordell: Zach Parise says no to the Rangers, Devils keep their 1st round pick & more

Pete DeBoer officially confirmed that Ilya Kovalchuk was playing nowhere close to 100 percent in the playoffs. Not really news to most of us, but I figured I'd put this in here.

Not many Russians do...

Not many Russians do...
- Habfan in Leafland

i see what ya did there. although ill largely give kovy a pass here. he actually did a lot through these playoffs as it was

Not many Russians do...
- Habfan in Leafland

oh good, we've got a nationalist in here already.

How does it make any sense at all keeping the pick? This is as bad as the pick could possibly get. You really think they'll win the cup next year cause that's the only way this makes any sense.

oh good, we've got a nationalist in here already.
- Pomegrant

Not good. Not good.

How does it make any sense at all keeping the pick? This is as bad as the pick could possibly get. You really think they'll win the cup next year cause that's the only way this makes any sense.
- nhaneo

What's the difference in 29th overall this year and say 25th overall next year? The 29th overall will be a good prospect and already have a year of development. That's how it makes sense.

What's the difference in 29th overall this year and say 25th overall next year? The 29th overall will be a good prospect and already have a year of development. That's how.
- Todd.Cordell

This draft is supposed to have a lot of defense prospects, right? Our defense isn't incredibly old but by the time a defensive prospect drafted from this year is developed Tallinder and Volchenkov will be gone and Andy Greene is going to be much older. Merrill is a good prospect but he's still just that. We don't really have any young NHL talent in the back end except for Larsson.

The Devils pick will pick 29th in this year's draft and could only have had a lower pick if they had won the Cup. Drafts are hard to predict and while it doesn't seem like it will be a really weak draft, it doesn't seem like it will be that strong of a draft either. The circimstances could almost not be better for them to give up their first round pick.

This move strikes me as an "F You" to the league. Lou didn't like the league's decision to punish his team. I think it is out of pride that he will not voluntarily give up one of his first round picks. Instead of cutting his losses he'd rather be forced to give up the pick against his will in 2014, even though that will very likely be a higher pick than this year's.

While Devils fans have confidence their team will do well, there is always the chance they have a setback year. For example, what if Parise leaves, Brodeur retires/regresses and one of their big players (like Kovalchuk) got injured? You never know what could happen.

What's the difference in 29th overall this year and say 25th overall next year? The 29th overall will be a good prospect and already have a year of development. That's how.
- Todd.Cordell

The real problem comes up when Parise leaves, Kovalchuk ends up out 6 months with back surgery and Brodeur plays as well as he did in 10-11.

With that being said this isn't a shock and I don't think too many GM's would do it differently. Lou is worried about the now not the future, he might not be the GM the year NJ ends up giving the pick up so what would he care? At least they'll add a prospect now and start early development.

Or maybe he knows that he can make a deal moving this year's pick getting an extra pick next year and then some.

This draft is supposed to have a lot of defense prospects, right? Our defense isn't incredibly old but by the time a defensive prospect drafted from this year is developed Tallinder and Volchenkov will be gone and Andy Greene is going to be much older. Merrill is a good prospect but he's still just that. We don't really have any young NHL talent in the back end except for Larsson.
- Pomegrant

There's some forward prospects that could be had around there that I really, really like. Some good goaltenders if they want to go that route, too. Doubt they'll take a goalie, though.

Silly move by Parise, at least stay mum if that's your feeling & use the Rangers to help drive up your price. And it should be noted also that Scott Gomez said similiar things about not going to the Rangers before he went UFA in 07 & we know how that turned out.

The real problem comes up when Parise leaves, Kovalchuk ends up out 6 months with back surgery and Brodeur plays as well as he did in 10-11.

With that being said this isn't a shock and I don't think too many GM's would do it differently. Lou is worried about the now not the future, he might not be the GM the year NJ ends up giving the pick up so what would he care? At least they'll add a prospect now and start early development.

Or maybe he knows that he can make a deal moving this year's pick getting an extra pick next year and then some.
- Lahey

Lou isn't just the GM of the Devils. He's the president, and a couple of other things that slips my mind. He isn't the kind of person to say that he doesn't care about the team if he's not involved because the Devils is basically his franchise. He might not be the owner or part of the owning group but he's the only reason why this franchise has been successful. You might still be seeing 80's level Devils out there if Lou didn't devote his life to the franchise.

Im betting Lou is holding out for this new CBA thing to go through and to try and get a pass at circumvention. He's gonna try and not have to give up any picks.

There's some forward prospects that could be had around there that I really, really like. Some good goaltenders if they want to go that route, too. Doubt they'll take a goalie, though.
- Todd.Cordell

I suppose the prospect pool is extremely thin at forward. Makes sense to draft some.

Only reason goalie doesn't make sense is because we already have three goalies eligible to play in the AHL.

Silly move by Parise, at least stay mum if that's your feeling & use the Rangers to help drive up your price. And it should be noted also that Scott Gomez said similiar things about not going to the Rangers before he went UFA in 07 & we know how that turned out.
- B2B76

ya but I think we can all agree that Parise is a completely different person then Gomez is

Devils are keeping the pick just to deal it at the draft anyways

Silly move by Parise, at least stay mum if that's your feeling & use the Rangers to help drive up your price. And it should be noted also that Scott Gomez said similiar things about not going to the Rangers before he went UFA in 07 & we know how that turned out.
- B2B76

Trust me...he won't need the Rangers to drive up his price. There will be plenty of suitors minus NYR for his services. Just sucks that you guys now know full out how he feels about signing with you guys.

I thought this years draft is weak... and next years draft is supposively deeper... YOu will never get the 29th pick next year you will be picking higher - book it... I find this absolutely amazing... I guess in LOU you trust....

Devils are keeping the pick just to deal it at the draft anyways
- oilersfanatic

or before, but thats what my moneys on

ya but I think we can all agree that Parise is a completely different person then Gomez is
- bobert836

Without question

I thought this years draft is weak... and next years draft is supposively deeper... YOu will never get the 29th pick next year you will be picking higher - book it... I find this absolutely amazing... I guess in LOU you trust....
- saskoil21

No one would have said we would have had the 29th pick this year so hold off on saying we will "never" have it next year or the year after....

new CBA coming...Lou probably is going to give it a shot to have the punishment dropped....even if that doesnt work there isnt much of a difference between 29 this year and 25 two years from now.....once you get outside the top 10 on a normal draft year its a shot in the dark pretty much

LOL Schultz signing with the devils? Or edmonton or vancouver... its the worst kept secret in the NHL he will be a leaf come July 1st or before if Murray and Burke work out a deal for his rights.

He wants to play with his buddy gardiner.

Interestingly Lou said the deadline for the pick is today hmmm

Meet Daniil Zharkov, men.