Stephen Gionta
Boston College > Boston University
UPDATED DEVILS OFFSEASON GAME PLAN AS OF JUNE 28 MORNING. THE DAY AFTER THE DRAFT.
I do not want to see a full blown rebuild. A 1-2 year transition to get a youth movement in full effect isn't a terrible idea though.
The main reason I do not want to see a rebuild is this: Cory Schneider is too good of a goalie to sit through a rebuild. In my opinion, the top NHL goaltenders in order are: Price, Lundqvist, Rinne, Schneider, Rask, Quick.... You can't have a top 5 goalie on your team, and try to rebuild at the same time because Schneider alone will pull the Devils up 4-6 spots in the standings, therefore weakening our shot at the #1 draft pick.
With the recent moves of the Palmieri acquisition and the drafting of Pavel Zacha, Mackenzie Blackwood, Blake Speers, Colton White, and Brett Seney, here is my opinions on these moves, and how I want to see the Devils go about the rest of their offseason:
I am in full support of the Palmieri trade: basically traded 20 games of Jaromir Jagr for Kyle Palmieri. Great trade.
I am in full support of the Zacha pick: before the draft, I would've preferred Barzal, or trading the 6 and other pieces to get O'Reilly and the 10th. Now after seeing Barzal drop so far, it makes me feel a whole lot better about Zacha. Im excited for this. However, I still wish there was a way we could've acquired O'Reilly. The guy is 24 and is a stud.
I am in full support of the Mackenzie Blackwood pick: Sure we needed forwards, but if Devils believed that Blackwood was the best player available, and they also acquired another 3rd round pick next year in the process, I like it. Devils needed another goalie in the system, and I'm happy we have a top prospect goalie rather than a middle level prospect.
I am a bit disappointed that Gomez won't be back, but I can understand the decision. I have no problem with Bernier, Harrold, Fraser, Havlat, Ryder, and Salvador not coming back.
Here's where to go from here in my opinion:
Resign Larsson (I'm thinking maybe like 6 years in the 3-4.5 million per season range, kinda like the Henrique deal)
Resign Gelinas for one or two years, low cost
On July 1:
Sign one of (Paul Martin, Johnny Oduya, Andrei Sekera, or Francois Beauchemin) to a 1-3 year contract
Sign UFA forward Michael Frolik to a 3-5 year contract.
LINEUP
1. Henrique
2. Palmieri
3. Cammalleri
4. Zacha*
5. Zajac
6. Elias
7. Frolik
8. Boucher
9. Matteau
10. Josefson
11. Gionta
12. Zubrus
Extras: Ruutu, Tootoo, Paul Thompson, Kalinin, Blandisi, Whitney, Sislo
* What does everyone think Shero should do with Zacha? I vote to let him play in our first 9 NHL games. If he's visibly ready for the NHL, and ready to contribute to a top 6 forward position, they should keep him. And if he's clearly not ready, send him back to junior and don't waste an ELC year. If he stays, and then his play happens to decline throughout the season, they can still just send him back to junior, only wasting 1 year of the ELC.
Greene-Larsson
UFA-Severson
Merrill-Gelinas
Extras: Helgeson, Hrabarenka
Schneider
Kinkaid
Extra: Wedgewood
Prospect pool highlighted by: Pavel Zacha, John Quenneville, Steven Santini, Josh Jacobs, and Mackenzie Blackwood
I do not want to see a full blown rebuild. A 1-2 year transition to get a youth movement in full effect isn't a terrible idea though.
The main reason I do not want to see a rebuild is this: Cory Schneider is too good of a goalie to sit through a rebuild. In my opinion, the top NHL goaltenders in order are: Price, Lundqvist, Rinne, Schneider, Rask, Quick.... You can't have a top 5 goalie on your team, and try to rebuild at the same time because Schneider alone will pull the Devils up 4-6 spots in the standings, therefore weakening our shot at the #1 draft pick.
With the recent moves of the Palmieri acquisition and the drafting of Pavel Zacha, Mackenzie Blackwood, Blake Speers, Colton White, and Brett Seney, here is my opinions on these moves, and how I want to see the Devils go about the rest of their offseason:
I am in full support of the Palmieri trade: basically traded 20 games of Jaromir Jagr for Kyle Palmieri. Great trade.
I am in full support of the Zacha pick: before the draft, I would've preferred Barzal, or trading the 6 and other pieces to get O'Reilly and the 10th. Now after seeing Barzal drop so far, it makes me feel a whole lot better about Zacha. Im excited for this. However, I still wish there was a way we could've acquired O'Reilly. The guy is 24 and is a stud.
I am in full support of the Mackenzie Blackwood pick: Sure we needed forwards, but if Devils believed that Blackwood was the best player available, and they also acquired another 3rd round pick next year in the process, I like it. Devils needed another goalie in the system, and I'm happy we have a top prospect goalie rather than a middle level prospect.
I am a bit disappointed that Gomez won't be back, but I can understand the decision. I have no problem with Bernier, Harrold, Fraser, Havlat, Ryder, and Salvador not coming back.
Here's where to go from here in my opinion:
Resign Larsson (I'm thinking maybe like 6 years in the 3-4.5 million per season range, kinda like the Henrique deal)
Resign Gelinas for one or two years, low cost
On July 1:
Sign one of (Paul Martin, Johnny Oduya, Andrei Sekera, or Francois Beauchemin) to a 1-3 year contract
Sign UFA forward Michael Frolik to a 3-5 year contract.
LINEUP
1. Henrique
2. Palmieri
3. Cammalleri
4. Zacha*
5. Zajac
6. Elias
7. Frolik
8. Boucher
9. Matteau
10. Josefson
11. Gionta
12. Zubrus
Extras: Ruutu, Tootoo, Paul Thompson, Kalinin, Blandisi, Whitney, Sislo
* What does everyone think Shero should do with Zacha? I vote to let him play in our first 9 NHL games. If he's visibly ready for the NHL, and ready to contribute to a top 6 forward position, they should keep him. And if he's clearly not ready, send him back to junior and don't waste an ELC year. If he stays, and then his play happens to decline throughout the season, they can still just send him back to junior, only wasting 1 year of the ELC.
Greene-Larsson
UFA-Severson
Merrill-Gelinas
Extras: Helgeson, Hrabarenka
Schneider
Kinkaid
Extra: Wedgewood
Prospect pool highlighted by: Pavel Zacha, John Quenneville, Steven Santini, Josh Jacobs, and Mackenzie Blackwood
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