2013 New Jersey Devils (Team/Player Discussion)- Offseason FA and trade talk Part IV

[Bleedred]

It works in NHL because of the easiness of breaking out and you can't really use your body to protect the puck from a poke check.

In real life, D-men rarely cross over because putting a righty on the left side forces them to clear the zone by playing it with a backhand off the near boards or using their forehand to throw it down the middle of the ice or far boards - not as easy. Forwards play on their natural wing because theoretically they'd be putting their bodies in between the puck and the defensemen, an added level of protection. Elite snipers like Kovy and Ovi are different because playing off wing allows them more net to shoot at, but it also makes them prone to turnovers and worse defense.

I have no problem with it being the preferred way to assemble the lineup, but not for it to be mandatory. It was partly the cause for a lot of bad lines last year, and it also keeps Gionta at center instead of Carter because both Gionta and Bernier are right handed shots.

 

[apice3*]

Making it manditory is kind of stupid, but I'm in favor of keeping Kovy on the right. He's a better all around player because of it. Him converting back to LW isn't going to magically make him a 40 goal scorer again like some posters think.

 

[Bleedred]

Making it manditory is kind of stupid, but I'm in favor of keeping Kovy on the right. He's a better all around player because of it. Him converting back to LW isn't going to magically make him a 40 goal scorer again like some posters think.

I would try it, but it could be all for nothing.

With it being mandatory though there's some lines I've thought could be good, but we can't use it because he makes that a prerequisite. Unless it's Zubrus, he's the only one I really remember constantly being allowed to play anywhere. Especially on the geezer line when both he and Sykora were lefties, and Patty was playing center.

Someone said Sullivan was used on the opposite wing too a game or two.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

That's fine with me as long as he's not holding us up. There's already a couple other Clarkson's hitting the market so he's really nothing special that should have to wait forever like Niedermayer/Parise. We could get Clarke MacArthur if Clarkson walks. I swear to god if I hear another BS line from Lou though like ''You can't replace a playa like David Claakson, you just don't replace a playa like David Claakson'' I will explode.


He's a big boy and knows what he's doing. The only two guys I feel bad for so far are Bryz and Luongo. I felt a little bad for Gomez, but it was after he was kicked out of Montreal to start the season that I really started to actually feel bad for him.

Hes gonna get some serious cash no matter where he goes. This is gonna be the biggest contract he gets in his career and probably his 1 chance to really hit paydirt. Hes gonna get lots of offers when the clock hits whenever the UFA time is and I think he'll only be on the market for a few hours. It wouldn't shock me if he pulled a Gomez, Gionta, and Martin and just went where the big money was. I still think there's a chance he resigns here but I'm not THAT optimistic.

 

[Classic Devil]

Hes gonna get some serious cash no matter where he goes. This is gonna be the biggest contract he gets in his career and probably his 1 chance to really hit paydirt. Hes gonna get lots of offers when the clock hits whenever the UFA time is and I think he'll only be on the market for a few hours. It wouldn't shock me if he pulled a Gomez, Gionta, and Martin and just went where the big money was. I still think there's a chance he resigns here but I'm not THAT optimistic.

The question is will Lou even try to keep him, like he did Martin, or just let him go, like he did Gomez and Gionta.

 

[ScottyK]

The question is will Lou even try to keep him, like he did Martin, or just let him go, like he did Gomez and Gionta.

The fact that Lou is talking to him already says to me he wants him.

The edmonton journal also said today the Devils are trying really hard so clarkson doesn't even sniff July 5th.