Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
15 points and speed out of a 4th liner is exactly what you would want.
the problem is we have too many middle 6 guys on this team that either stink or are overpaid for what they actually bring
Tootoo isnt a problem.
Confirmed with Link: Devils Re-Sign Jordin Tootoo (1 year, $825k)
- Thread starter Zajacs Bowl Cut
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15 points and speed out of a 4th liner is exactly what you would want.
the problem is we have too many middle 6 guys on this team that either stink or are overpaid for what they actually bring
Tootoo isnt a problem.
I agree, which is why we should be letting some of them go (I understand we haven't re-signed Gomez or Bernier yet but it seems everyone wants them back).
NJDevils#4
Since 2002, bishes
I'll take those 3 back as 3rd 4th liners at 3rd/4th line price. Our problem was the 1st and 2nd line.
Tootoo, Bernier, Gomez, JJ, Gionta, Matteau, Zubrus, Ruutu, Boucher. That's 9 guys who don't have the ability or who have not yet earned anything higher than bottom 6and would be under contract. And that's not allowing for a Paul Thompson to even make the team (thinking he is top 6 is a little ambitious). I'm simply struggling to understand why we want to load up that way since those "extra" guys (whomever they are) are just taking up roster space and money.
Except Gomez, Bernier and Tootoo did bring play and production. It's a one year deal for TooToo, hey let's bring in a guy like TooToo except it can't be TooToo.
Hopefully Matteau/JJ/Boucher take the next step and start to produce. Paul Thompson, eh?
Hopefully Matteau/JJ/Boucher take the next step and start to produce. Paul Thompson, eh?
I guess flatly stated, I'm for Gomez, Bernier and Tootoo if they are at the expense of Gionta, Zubrus, and Ruutu. The question is will that somehow happen or are we stuck with the whole gaggle of those guys which should be avoided.
Who should the Devils let go?
Gomez actually brought play- I don't see a replacement.
Bernier scored 16 goals on a cheap paper deal. Don't have a problem.
I love Zubrus but he looks shot, Ruutu is misplayed/mishandled. Gionta is decent as a 4th. line winger. I hope Matteau is challenging for a top nine role same goes for JJ.
They absolutely just need to buy out Zubrus - he looks shot. Maybe Ruutu can bounce back a bit since he's a few years younger and possibly be dealt at the deadline. I'd rather see Gionta as a spare forward or sent down to Albany.
At this point, we have to almost just hope for the best that some combo of Josefson, Matteau, Boucher, Thompson, UFA signing, Euro signing, ??? can contribute in a top 9 role.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
Don't really understand why people would be upset by this re-signing. Tootoo's one of the better bottom six forwards we've brought in recently, and he's back on a cheap deal. Of course he's expendable--that's why he was signed for minimal money and a short, one year term--but he's not the problem with this team. If everyone on this team produced results commensurate with their pay, as Tootoo did last season, this team would be in a much better place, but, unfortunately, our top six forwards have issues living up to their paychecks whether due to excessive age or sheer lack of ability. I'd rather see Tootoo play than Zubrus or Ruutu, for starters.
- May 1, 2011
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Yeah I would say those two are a bigger problem.
Buyout one of Zubrus or Ruutu. I'd rather buyout Zubrus, but it's no big deal if he stays and is planted to the 4th line.
One has to go.
Tootoo had good chemistry with Cammalleri and Zajac. 825K is cheap. He can skate, he hits, he's defensively responsible. It's a no brainer good move, he can have a spot on the roster. As someone says he's not the problem at all. Look at Domenic Moore on the Rangers right now, there are places for guys like this even on contending clubs.
People are complaining about bringing back a decent skating, defensively responsible player for 1 season at a minimal cap hit?
Being a Devils' fan, and more specifically talking to other Devils' fans, is going to be miserable for the next few years, isn't it?
Being a Devils' fan, and more specifically talking to other Devils' fans, is going to be miserable for the next few years, isn't it?
It wasn't a "complaint". I'm simply trying to figure out what we are going to do with all of the bodies that we have at forward since everyone wants Bernier and Gomez back too. Add them to Matteau and Boucher and we have more players than we have spots, and that's BEFORE adding the offense that we need. You going to scratch Zubrus and Ruutu every night making what they make? It's a numbers game, not that Tootoo isn't one of our 12 best forwards.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
I have zero problem with a coach doing that if those two are still on the team. When our team struggles as much as it has last season and probably will next season (barring dramatic changes I'm not going to hope for right now), the coach should play the "best" lineup possible, not the highest paid players. If Zubrus and Ruutu get upset, I honestly could care less. Their play on one of the most offensively challenged teams in the league has warranted nothing better than being bought out or at minimum exiled to the press box if a better playing option exists, and last year, Tootoo proved to me at least that he is a better playing option.
Sitting veterans like that is a bit unorthodox, and could lead to salary cap issues depending on what goal scorers we acquire.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
Don't mind being a bit unorthodox at this point especially with veterans who weren't an important part of this franchise, and I'll just trust Shero to manage the salary cap with the addition of Tootoo's salary. I just don't see re-signing Tootoo at this point being a bad move. I don't think it prevents Shero from doing other things to try to fix the forward situation. At this point, we don't know what else Shero has planned, but I doubt he'd make this move if he thought it would tie his hands in acquiring a better player. Right now, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
It's not a bodies thing, not even close... How many proven or even fringe NHL contracts do we have? Not enough, I think it's 12 skaters including D? Matteau and Boucher are neither proven nor fringe NHL'ers yet for that matter too.. You have to sign a guy like Tootoo as a stop gap. And at the price? No problems.
This was part of my quote from yesterday afternoon:
"Tootoo, Bernier, Gomez, JJ, Gionta, Matteau, Zubrus, Ruutu, Boucher. That's 9 guys who don't have the ability or who have not yet earned anything higher than bottom 6and would be under contract."
I guess Boucher doesn't have to make the team but Matteau does or we lose him.
What am I missing? That's 8 or 9 guys for what should be 6 spots. Obviously we could play guys on the 2nd line, but I thought the idea was to upgrade so we don't have to do that.
ForeverJerseyGirl
Registered User
I don't think much of an upgrade to our forward corps was realistically possible this off-season. Everyone would like to see it get better, but it's not going to change overnight. There are a lot more Devils that I'll be sad about seeing back than Jordin Tootoo. He's cheap, and last year at least he did his job well. If he's our biggest problem next season, I'll be grateful since he's so minor in the scheme of things.
Matteau is like 27 years old, or am I wrong about that? It's clearly now or never for him, but he hasn't shown yet that he's more than a marginal player. Tootoo is much better from every point of view.
We do need to get younger, that's true.
The original poster here is also quite right that something is going to have to be done to cure the too many bodies for too few slots issue that dogged the team last year. What are the pieces that can constructively fit? But it's way too early to tell. And saying that Tootoo will probably be one of them - given what he showed last year - looks like quite a good idea.
We do need to get younger, that's true.
The original poster here is also quite right that something is going to have to be done to cure the too many bodies for too few slots issue that dogged the team last year. What are the pieces that can constructively fit? But it's way too early to tell. And saying that Tootoo will probably be one of them - given what he showed last year - looks like quite a good idea.
SpeakingOfTheDevils
Devils Advocate
It's absolutely an issue with having too many bodies.
Elias-Gomez-Bernier
Matteau-Josefson-Tootoo
I would be thrilled if that were our bottom-6.
But we've got Gionta under contract. Ruutu and Zubrus on the books. So all of the sudden, everyone that should be in the bottom-6 is now shifted up. And that's my main gripe.
Unless Shero plans on playing Tootoo in the top-6 with Cammy again (please God no), this re-signing could signal a Zubrus buyout.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
what?
Matteau just turned 21 like 2 months ago....
hes either on the Devils in 2015-16 or he is playing for another organization. he can't be sent down anymore, he'd have to go on waivers and he would absolutely get claimed.
SpeakingOfTheDevils
Devils Advocate
Dead wrong. He's 21.
I still have hopes that he'll be a solid middle-6 player for us, even as soon as next year.
All those players are on contracts? Shero, and not the un-named coach, is doing player personnel choices, on his own?
We need bodies to ice a team. Simple as that. And EVERYONE knows it's not going to be a good one this year. There's no way around that. No cream of the crop UFA to pick up, we're drafting at a year+ develop cycle position, and we have minimal trade assets without shooting ourselves in the foot.
Am I missing something here that everyone else is seeing? You need a full roster, regardless of how they play.
SpeakingOfTheDevils;102401979[COLOR="Red" said:
Thank you. I guess if we are just going to "surrender" this year and go with Bernier, Tootoo, etc. on the 2nd line and upgrade next year when Patty, Gio, Zubrus are off the roster then we have no problem but if we are going to acquire a player or two and maybe have the #6OA make the team then we have too many guys (or will after we re-sign Bernier and Gomez). Plain and simple.
