Confirmed with Link: Devils get Alexei Ponikarovsky from Jets for 2013 7th & 2014 4th round picks

DEVILS ALL THE WAY*

Guest
Poni's acquisition is to solidify our bottom 6 during our post season run and fill in, atm, on our top line until Lou makes a move and acquires a top 6 forward.
 

Gentleman of Verona

Famous Ray
Apr 24, 2012
294
0
Verona, NJ
Consider me just as nuts as you - because that's exactly what I want to see, as well.

Except with Matteau in, and not Barch.

Yes, I'm not that pleased with seeing him scratched either. But you know, with Rinaldo and the goon squad in town... Lou's pretty old-school when it comes to the whole enforcer schtick.
 

Bleedred

Travis Green BLOWS! Bring back Nasreddine!
Sponsor
May 1, 2011
128,935
55,938
I like Poni on the top line more than Matteau. I'm not so into either on the top line, nor Zubrus either. Though I'll take it right now.

Hopefully against the Sens on Monday we can scratch BARCH, and then we'll have a 3rd/4th line whatever you wanna call it with Matteau, Josefson, Butler. See if Jacob can get on the score sheet. Don't get me wrong I'm not unsatisfied with Barch. I don't think he's an incompetent liability like Boulton, and Janssen. He just doesn't bring much at all if anything to the score sheet. I can't see calling out Josefson until he gets a full game without playing with him. Butler, and Josefson both have points. Or in Josefson's case just a point. Coming on special teams, but none on even strength.

EDIT- Scratch Barch, not Butler haha.
 

Emperoreddy

Show Me What You Got!
Apr 13, 2010
129,830
75,219
New Jersey, Exit 16E
Poni's acquisition is to solidify our bottom 6 during our post season run and fill in, atm, on our top line until Lou makes a move and acquires a top 6 forward.

That move if it happens will not happen until we get closer to the deadline. Lou is going to wait until some sellers start to show up before he starts paying the big prices. My opinion but I think we are going to ride a good portion of the season with Poni in the top 6.

I am fine with Matteau sitting tonight, you don't want Carter to have to be the one doing the enforcing when he is needed on the ice. As long as Matteau plays in non-atlantic games I am fine with Barch playing tonight.
 

manilaNJ

Optimism: Unwavering
Mar 5, 2012
6,267
127
New Jersey
Yes, I'm not that pleased with seeing him scratched either. But you know, with Rinaldo and the goon squad in town... Lou's pretty old-school when it comes to the whole enforcer schtick.

I was actually impressed with how Matteau did in his first game against them.
He held his own when he wound up in the middle of anything, but didn't get too undisciplined or get too thrown off.

I don't believe Rinaldo was in the lineup at that point, so that does make quite a bit of difference.
 

Bleedred

Travis Green BLOWS! Bring back Nasreddine!
Sponsor
May 1, 2011
128,935
55,938
We always have the option at some point to use the Poni-Henrique-Kovy clutch line again.
 

Gentleman of Verona

Famous Ray
Apr 24, 2012
294
0
Verona, NJ
That move if it happens will not happen until we get closer to the deadline. Lou is going to wait until some sellers start to show up before he starts paying the big prices. My opinion but I think we are going to ride a good portion of the season with Poni in the top 6.

This brings up an interesting question. Namely, when would be the earliest that the bottom-feeders finally start waving the white flag and selling off their assets in a shortened season such as this? Perhaps the last 48 game season could serve as guidance here? Maybe a question for a different thread, though...
 

DEVILS ALL THE WAY*

Guest
That move if it happens will not happen until we get closer to the deadline. Lou is going to wait until some sellers start to show up before he starts paying the big prices. My opinion but I think we are going to ride a good portion of the season with Poni in the top 6.

One thing I liked about Brian Burke is that he got his "shoping" done early cause you and I both know that around deadline, when teams are scrambling to add that missing piece, the Gm's who's selling will want the moon for player x, y, z.

We got Poni for close to nothing but I can almost garantee you that if the same deal would've done around the deadline, the price would've been much higher then what we paid.
 

Bleedred

Travis Green BLOWS! Bring back Nasreddine!
Sponsor
May 1, 2011
128,935
55,938
This brings up an interesting question. Namely, when would be the earliest that the bottom-feeders finally start waving the white flag and selling off their assets in a shortened season such as this? Perhaps the last 48 game season could serve as guidance here? Maybe a question for a different thread, though...

Who knows when. Caps just won 3 in a row, but against bad defensive teams and one game with joke goaltending. Buffalo always has the tendency to come up out of the toilet kinda like how they almost made it last year and failed. Think they did it the year before too, and just snuck in. Southeast is weird, and even Washington can win that division now, but I'm not convinced they're in the clear yet.

Toronto has the tendency for years now to peak early, and then blow their load before falling way down.
 

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,126
17,821
i thought we overpaid for poni. we needed him, and im glad we did, but we overpaid with that 4th. especially in hindsight, when we shouldve just told parise to **** off into space and signed him. in any case, im glad to slightly overpay to have him back. love this dude
 

DEVILS ALL THE WAY*

Guest
i thought we overpaid for poni. we needed him, and im glad we did, but we overpaid with that 4th. especially in hindsight, when we shouldve just told parise to **** off into space and signed him. in any case, im glad to slightly overpay to have him back. love this dude

We sent a 5th for a AHL'er in "Lockjtiaunov", so how is a 4th and 7th "overpaying" for a NHL caliber player who can help right away?
 

Emperoreddy

Show Me What You Got!
Apr 13, 2010
129,830
75,219
New Jersey, Exit 16E
Who knows when. Caps just won 3 in a row, but against bad defensive teams and one game with joke goaltending. Buffalo always has the tendency to come up out of the toilet kinda like how they almost made it last year and failed. Think they did it the year before too, and just snuck in. Southeast is weird, and even Washington can win that division now, but I'm not convinced they're in the clear yet.

Toronto has the tendency for years now to peak early, and then blow their load before falling way down.

Columbus seems to be nearing sell mode with the GM firings, but other then that no panic yet out west. A week ago I would of said the Caps might of been in blow up mode real soon, still think they will sell but will hold off now. Isles will soon enough, but I doubt we would be dealing with them.
 

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,126
17,821
We sent a 5th for a AHL'er in "Lockjtiaunov", so how is a 4th and 7th "overpaying" for a NHL caliber player who can help right away?

4th round pick is nothing to sneeze at, and like i said- this is overpayment primarily because we let him slip away. couldve had him for nothing (minus salary)
 

DEVILS ALL THE WAY*

Guest
4th round pick is nothing to sneeze at, and like i said- this is overpayment primarily because we let him slip away. couldve had him for nothing (minus salary)

Meh... I won't cry over spilled milk. We got a NHL caliber player for a 4th and a 7th. I can't even remember when one of our 4th round pick had any significant impact on our NHL roster.

Poni decided to sign with the Jets and that's that. We can't keep everyone that's headed to free agency and there must of been a solid reason for him to bolt like 2 hours after free agency opened it's doors.
 

Gentleman of Verona

Famous Ray
Apr 24, 2012
294
0
Verona, NJ
Meh... I won't cry over spilled milk. We got a NHL caliber player for a 4th and a 7th. I can't even remember when one of our 4th round pick had any significant impact on our NHL roster.

Poni decided to sign with the Jets and that's that. We can't keep everyone that's headed to free agency and there must of been a solid reason for him to bolt like 2 hours after free agency opened it's doors.

I think he may have been a bit spooked by (what seemed to be) our financial situation at the time, knew he was way down the priority list, and just jumped at the first wad of bills that was waved in front of him. When you're not a star player, you might not want to look that gift horse in the mouth.

No matter now. All water under the bridge.
 

Devilswede

Registered User
Dec 10, 2006
12,264
619
People are overreacting because it's Ponikarovsky coming back in exchange for picks when we could've re-signed him in the offseason. Guess what, it doesn't always work out the way you want it. We all know what happened and why it happened.

Lou could've gone after another player and given up the same package for him. Would people still be criticising the move then?

What people are forgetting is that we're adding a player from outside the organization that will have no need to adapt or to get to know his new teammates. Lou didn't just get a player, he acquired a player that fits this team and that knows the way we play. That's invaluable at this point. Getting someone else doesn't give you the same guarantee.

Yes, there are a lot of players out there you can acquire for a 4th and 7th round picks, but none of them is a sure bet it will work out. Ponikarovsky is. Wich is why it's such a great move by Lou and why we are much better off now than we were before the trade.
 

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,126
17,821
Meh... I won't cry over spilled milk. We got a NHL caliber player for a 4th and a 7th. I can't even remember when one of our 4th round pick had any significant impact on our NHL roster.

Poni decided to sign with the Jets and that's that. We can't keep everyone that's headed to free agency and there must of been a solid reason for him to bolt like 2 hours after free agency opened it's doors.

we 'actually' got a pending UFA for a 4th and 7th. and lou already said he didnt offer because of the ZP situation.

nobody's crying over anything, im glad we got him, but in hindsight we overpaid (as he was wearing a devils jersey last year)
 

manilaNJ

Optimism: Unwavering
Mar 5, 2012
6,267
127
New Jersey
People are overreacting because it's Ponikarovsky coming back in exchange for picks when we could've re-signed him in the offseason. Guess what, it doesn't always work out the way you want it. We all know what happened and why it happened.

Lou could've gone after another player and given up the same package for him. Would people still be criticising the move then?

What people are forgetting is that we're adding a player from outside the organization that will have no need to adapt or to get to know his new teammates. Lou didn't just get a player, he acquired a player that fits this team and that knows the way we play. That's invaluable at this point. Getting someone else doesn't give you the same guarantee.

Yes, there are a lot of players out there you can acquire for a 4th and 7th round picks, but none of them is a sure bet it will work out. Ponikarovsky is. Wich is why it's such a great move by Lou and why we are much better off now than we were before the trade.

Exactly. We've been speculating all season long how to get someone like Poni back in the line up - offering prospects and roster players. Well, we got a Poni replacement. For two meaningless picks in two separate drafts. And it's Poni. A guy who will slip back in without a hitch.

Given the current situation, and the reality of what this summer was like, this is the best possible scenario we could have hoped for. Literally nothing to complain about unless you endlessly spiral off in "what ifs"
 

DEVILS ALL THE WAY*

Guest
we 'actually' got a pending UFA for a 4th and 7th. and lou already said he didnt offer because of the ZP situation.

nobody's crying over anything, im glad we got him, but in hindsight we overpaid (as he was wearing a devils jersey last year)

Landing a player that will help your team compete for the top spot in the East and give us some much needed depth during our post season run is what matters the most to Lou and to us fans.

As our Gm, Lou had other priorities and didn't want to keep Poni "hostage", so he probably told him this... "look, I'm dealing with a couple of things here, so if you choose to look elsewhere, by all means, go ahead and if you're still on the market when my things will be finalised, I'll be glad to approach your agent and start talking contract with him". Anyways, that's what I think Lou told him but I might be wrong.

P.S. If your down, I'm ready to have a little friendly "bet" with you that around trade deadline, a player similar to Poni will cost more then what we gave up this week.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

NJDevs26

Once upon a time...
Mar 21, 2007
67,115
31,150
Landing a player that will help your team compete for the top spot in the East and give us some much needed depth during our post season run is what matters the most to Lou and to us fans.

As our Gm, Lou had other priorities and didn't want to keep Poni "hostage", so he probably told him this... "look, I'm dealing with a couple of things here, so if you choose to look elsewhere, by all means, go ahead and if you're still on the market when my things will be finalised, I'll be glad to approach your agent and start talking contract with him". Anyways, that's what I think Lou told him but I might be wrong.

P.S. If your down, I'm ready to have a little friendly "bet" with you that around trade deadline, a player similar to Poni will cost more then what we gave up this week.

Can't say I disagree with any of that...it is a classic second guess when you re-acquire a guy a month after letting him go (a month in a hockey sense) but it's not like a fourth rounder's going to kill us. It only looks worse because of our dissapearing # of picks the next two years.

But I'd rather just be glad we had a chance to right that wrong and bring the guy back instead of being annoyed we had to burn a fourth to do it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

New Jersey

(pacmanghost x) sad again
Sep 7, 2009
24,369
4,376
*intro to the sopranos*
twitter.com
Some of you people need to calm down and realize what just happened here.

Poni probably wanted to re-sign but money was tight during Parisegate and didn't want to wait for a job offer he liked and that was in Winnipeg. After all that, Lou goes and gets him back at a reasonable cost and he will more than likely re-sign him this summer if Poni performs like he did last year.

Yeah, losing the picks sucks but what else was he going to do? Truthfully, a 4th and a 7th is not bad at all for Ponikarovsky had we not already had him on the team. Hell, that's a ****in' steal if we hadn't already had him on the team. Hindsight is always 20/20. We got our Poni back.
 

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,126
17,821
again. this is good news. I am happy. would've been happier to keep the picks. everyone untwist their's at the same time...go!
 

Bleedred

Travis Green BLOWS! Bring back Nasreddine!
Sponsor
May 1, 2011
128,935
55,938
Who is the last 4th round pick that even played for us? Fayne was a 5th round, but other than that I can't remember anybody else that late. At least nobody who become a regular.

I personally think they never intended to keep Matteau up. I think he would have been gone this past week if Zubrus never gets injured. We may keep him the whole season if we aren't healthy. I still see him playing some time in Albany next season.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->