Speculation: Tomas Kaberle eyeing return to the NHL

[livewell68]

It looks like Tomas Kaberle is back on this side of the pond and is eyeing a return to the NHL. He even indicated he might have a tryout contract on the table.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/08/18/exleaf_tomas_kaberle_eyes_nhl_comeback.html

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/08/18/tomas-kaberle-keeps-eye-on-toronto-maple-leafs-while-looking-for-one-final-chance-in-the-nhl/

Are the Devils the team offering him this tryout contract? Does Lou sign Kaberle and waive or force Salvador to retire?

Can he still be a serviceable NHL defenseman?

The title should be changed to reflect the fact that the Devils have actually offered him a tryout. When I first read this article, I saw Devils written all over it what with the Czech contingent on the team and possibly this being a favor to Jagr who is from the same town as Kaberle and they both played for Kladno during lockouts.

More Czech Mates, the better.

Click to read more...

 

[Billdo]

No..

 

[Missionhockey]

It looks like Tomas Kaberle is back on this side of the pond and is eyeing a return to the NHL. He even indicated he might have a tryout contract on the table.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/08/18/exleaf_tomas_kaberle_eyes_nhl_comeback.html

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/08/18/tomas-kaberle-keeps-eye-on-toronto-maple-leafs-while-looking-for-one-final-chance-in-the-nhl/

Are the Devils the team offering him this tryout contract? Does Lou sign Kaberle and waive or force Salvador to retire?

Can he still be a serviceable NHL defenseman?

I would think signing Kaberle is more indicative of how the organization views Gelinas.

 

[JimEIV]

I would think signing Kaberle is more indicative of how the organization views Gelinas.

Yup...in Lou vernacular, one is a drummer and the other a violinist. A violinist can't play the drums.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

oh dear God, please no.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Please no. I'd rather a young guy get his shot and fail spectacularly than have an old guy come in and barely tread water.

 

[Burner Account]

Nope. I can't remember the last time a general manager was so vocal about being disappointed in a player's performance.

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nhl/columns/story?columnist=mcdonald_joe&id=6421535

"Has he been a disappointment? He hasn't played up to the level that we expected," Chiarelli told 98.5 The Sports Hub last week. "There have been parts of his game where he hasn't played in the playoffs for a while and some of those [bad] habits have stuck with him. We expected better."

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Where is that Michael Scott gif when you need it?

 

[xdevx16]

Where is that Michael Scott gif when you need it?

I don't post often, but I figured this would be an appropriate time to rise from the shadows of lurking and deliver. The last thing I want to see on this team is Kaberle. We already have a Zidlicky, it's time to let the young guys play.

 

[JimEIV]

There are still a lot of unsigned Dmen out there if something was needed.

 

[Madik77]

I don't post often, but I figured this would be an appropriate time to rise from the shadows of lurking and deliver. The last thing I want to see on this team is Kaberle. We already have a Zidlicky, it's time to let the young guys play.

Believe me I saw a lot of Kaberle last year in Czech Extraliga and he is not anywhere near Zidlicky. He was simply horrible. The only thing which scares me is that he played for Jagrs team - Kladno. I hope he won´t try to utilize this contact somehow

 

[Devils Dominion]

Heck no! Let Garth Snow sign him.

 

[njdevil26]

It looks like Tomas Kaberle is back on this side of the pond and is eyeing a return to the NHL. He even indicated he might have a tryout contract on the table.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2014/08/18/exleaf_tomas_kaberle_eyes_nhl_comeback.html

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/08/18/tomas-kaberle-keeps-eye-on-toronto-maple-leafs-while-looking-for-one-final-chance-in-the-nhl/

Are the Devils the team offering him this tryout contract? Does Lou sign Kaberle and waive or force Salvador to retire?

Can he still be a serviceable NHL defenseman?

This doesn't help the Devils at all in terms of Salvador. His contract is 35+ and the cap hit stays unless he's traded.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'd honestly rather have Salvador than Kaberle.

and thats saying something.

 

[MadDevil]

I don't really see the harm in letting him tryout. At least see what he looks like in case they want a backup plan if the kids falter or they run into injuries.

 

[Missionhockey]

I don't really see the harm in letting him tryout. At least see what he looks like in case they want a backup plan if the kids falter or they run into injuries.

It might not be a terrible idea. It would put pressure on Gelinas' camp to sign, plus that spot could go to Severson if he impresses and then you have Kaberle as a safety net. Maybe you can let go of Harold and give that spot 7th spot to Kaberle.

 

[Brodeur]

If it's just a tryout, then there's no real harm. We've had plenty of random guys at camp on tryouts that didn't get a sniff at the opening night roster. Anton Stralman, Fedor Fedorov, Mathieu Darche, and Marcus Nilson are the first to come to mind. Damien Brunner was a camp invite last year and earned himself a contract. Steve Bernier was a camp invite initially, signed an AHL deal, and eventually an NHL deal. Then there was Petr Sykora a couple years ago.

 

[Burner Account]

It might not be a terrible idea. It would put pressure on Gelinas' camp to sign, plus that spot could go to Severson if he impresses and then you have Kaberle as a safety net. Maybe you can let go of Harold and give that spot 7th spot to Kaberle.

It might just make the Gelinas camp laugh.

 

[Wingman77]

I'd take Volchenkov back over Kaberle

 

[Richer's Ghost]

I'd take Volchenkov back over Kaberle

I was going to put Mike Mottau.

 

[NC107*]

I hope Lou was watching and listening to the Bruins
He would be a mistake, why gamble on him?

 

[Brodeur]

I hope Lou was watching and listening to the Bruins
He would be a mistake, why gamble on him?

I'm not particularly high on Kaberle at this point, but if it's only a tryout then there's no harm. I wouldn't expect any of our D to play every preseason game, so if anything Kaberle could hypothetically mean a night off for one of the regulars. Worst case, Kaberle takes a preseason game away from a LD like Brandon Burlon or Seth Helgeson.

Similarly, I wouldn't hate it if Gomez were in camp on a tryout if only to let him have one last (preseason) game as a Devil.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I just don't see the point of it. Even as a tryout. If you were that worried about the D, Fayne should have been re-signed.

 

[Brodeur]

I just don't see the point of it. Even as a tryout. If you were that worried about the D, Fayne should have been re-signed.

If anything, warm bodies to either scrimmage against or to toss into preseason games to give a regular guy a rest. Anton Stralman got into a preseason game for us in 2011 but wasn't given a contract.

It's a secondary consideration, but there are actual rules about the number of veteran players that an NHL team has to dress for a preseason game. We have a back-to-back on September 25th/26th. I remember a few years back, Vancouver brought in Owen Nolan on a tryout and some joked it was simply to fulfill the preseason roster rule.

15.4 Exhibition Games.

(c) A Club shall be permitted to dress a minimum of eight (8) veterans for any Exhibition Game. For purposes of this Section 15.4(c), a veteran shall constitute either:

(1) a forward or defenseman who played in thirty (30) NHL Games during the previous season,

(2) a goaltender who either dressed in fifty (50) or more NHL Games or played in thirty (30) or more NHL Games in the previous season,

(3) a first round draft choice from the most recent year's Entry Draft, or

(4) any Player who has played one-hundred (100) or more career NHL Games.

During last year's preseason, there was one set of back-to-back games. The D for those games:

Game 1: Fayne, Greene, Gelinas, Larsson, Urbom, Severson
Game 2: Fayne, Harrold, Merrill, Zidlicky, Volchenkov, Salvador

Hypothetically speaking, Kaberle would probably be taking a preseason game away from somebody like Burlon/Helgeson which wouldn't be the end of the world. As it stands right now:

Greene-Merrill
Gelinas-Larsson
Salvador-Zidlicky
Burlon-Harrold
Helgeson-Severson
-Scarlett

Adding Kaberle would at least give six D for two games without anybody having to play back-to-back.

 

[Classic Devil]

Bring him to camp to give the kids some competition, I have no problem with that.