Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Gelinas (1 year, $900k)
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I am glad that the gelinas deal got done. It doesn't matter that if the deal got done om July1 or Sept 15, he is at camp on time. My only worry is that without a contract over the summer is that he did not train properly. I hope being a pro hockey player had him working hard and getting his body in tip top shape.
As for the deal I think it is fair. In the one year he has to prove to Lou and Pete that he is going to seize one of the top 6 spots and prove that he can be a full time NHler playing 18-22 minutes a night. The deal is the same for larsson, prove it and we will pay.
Having Tommy as assistant might be better for Larsson and Gelinas anyways, from the Albany days.
As for the deal I think it is fair. In the one year he has to prove to Lou and Pete that he is going to seize one of the top 6 spots and prove that he can be a full time NHler playing 18-22 minutes a night. The deal is the same for larsson, prove it and we will pay.
Having Tommy as assistant might be better for Larsson and Gelinas anyways, from the Albany days.
Wingman77
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What Gelinas did there is almost a mirror image of what Colin White did on Carolina's gm 7 go ahead goal in 2009
Brooklyndevil
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This is about the best news since they extended Cory. The kid needs to learn the defensive end of the game better, however, he's a weapon from the blue line we haven't had in a while.
manilaNJ
Optimism: Unwavering
Post signed quotes from Gelinas:
“The plan was to make it before camp. As a player, I want to play. I didn’t want to miss camp or anything. It’s a business and it’s a process. That’s what it came down to, and I’m just happy that it’s all done now and I can focus on having a big season and helping the team as much as I can.”
“I don’t have much experience in the league, and I want to earn my place,” said Gelinas, who played 60 NHL games (7-22–29, –3) last season. “I’m really happy about the situation now and I can focus on myself and the team.”
http://blog.timesunion.com/hockey/gelinas-ends-holdout-signs-one-year-contract-with-devils/18224/
He doesn't do a lot of english interviews, but the stuff I've read/heard that he's said to Montreal papers/shows -- he really seems to value what he can learn defensively from the Devils.
If Lou doesn't try and trade him, we might see a pretty good, determined year from him.
Edit: Meanwhile, Chere unsurprisingly chooses to go with this...
Rich Chere @Ledger_NJDevils 4m
Did Eric Gelinas defy his agent's advice to sign a 1-year, $900,000 deal with Devils rather than hold out?
“The plan was to make it before camp. As a player, I want to play. I didn’t want to miss camp or anything. It’s a business and it’s a process. That’s what it came down to, and I’m just happy that it’s all done now and I can focus on having a big season and helping the team as much as I can.”
“I don’t have much experience in the league, and I want to earn my place,” said Gelinas, who played 60 NHL games (7-22–29, –3) last season. “I’m really happy about the situation now and I can focus on myself and the team.”
http://blog.timesunion.com/hockey/gelinas-ends-holdout-signs-one-year-contract-with-devils/18224/
He doesn't do a lot of english interviews, but the stuff I've read/heard that he's said to Montreal papers/shows -- he really seems to value what he can learn defensively from the Devils.
If Lou doesn't try and trade him, we might see a pretty good, determined year from him.
Edit: Meanwhile, Chere unsurprisingly chooses to go with this...
Rich Chere @Ledger_NJDevils 4m
Did Eric Gelinas defy his agent's advice to sign a 1-year, $900,000 deal with Devils rather than hold out?
Last edited:
Wingman77
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He was a solid defensemen for us for many years, after his eye injury things started to decline a bit but he was still serviceable
What was so bad about him? and silly terms like slow, pylon, etc don't cut it - an actual reasoned thought out explanation
And I bet we could find quite a few examples of Salvador and Volchenkov making similar mistakes over the past 3 years.
Feed Me A Stray Cat
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I'm intrigued as well. White did an admirable job from 05-09 playing as our go to shutdown guy.
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He was good for many years for us. Perhaps I'm a bit biased in saying he was finished after Niedermayer. He was really finished in 08-09 particularly.
I can remember so many backbreaking and awful plays from him during his last two seasons with us. Especially his last two seasons. Even stupid mistakes that don't happen with a player on the decline. It was like he not only lost his skills and speed, he seemed to lose his brain too.
It was absolutely the right move to buy him out after 2011. He didn't even make it to age 35 in the NHL and there is a reason for that.
As for my out of shape comments, I have a friend who works for the Sharks. I've heard some horror stories about how horrible his conditioning was when he played for them. This is a person I completely trust. White was in brutal shape when he got to San Jose.
The 29th Pick
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billingtons ghost
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This is BS.
It is not a poor policy. When players deal with the Devils, they know exactly how things will go - that they will get paid their fair worth - not some overinflated Gomezian Holikian #.
The 300k Gelinas would have gotten would have made negotiations with Severson, Santini, Helgeson, Larsson..... so much harder.
The reason he caved is that he knew he was in the wrong and that it would have a negative impact upon his career.
I'm sure that you would rather have people blow sunshine up your ass, but in reality - Lou's approach is the best approach and sets the right attitude going forward.
Lemieux, Holik, Gomez etc - they all thought they were more valuable than they were - and grabbed for the brass ring. Yeah they have the cash to show for it - but they aren't remembered particularly fondly anywhere because of it.
Gelinas got paid what he was worth. They could have put gravy on top, but why?
Wingman77
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He played some of his better hockey in 08-09, IMO it was his best post-eye injury season
Granted he was slowing a bit and the eye injury not helping as I mentioned, playing with Mottau didn't exactly help him either so when he would make a mistake in some areas, Mottau not being there to bail him out because Mottau just wasn't capable, enlarged some of those mistakes more than a regular defenseman would have and you'd be surprised how many defensemen around the league look better because of their partner(s) bailing them out and it's a 2 way street there for the pairing of course - it's not to say these guys all suck because that just isn't true obviously, rather that everybody makes mistakes and needs a little help from their partner
White was very strong at keeping his guy to the outside, his shot blocking and stick checking was strong as well - did he get beat a few times, for sure, but with a defensemen in his body frame not named Chris Pronger, that is going to happen from time to time
I don't doubt your friend one bit because White seemed to be struggling more than we had seen in 2011 and like much of that team because of the locker room to on ice problems, he seemed sluggish at times
But it does not take away from what he brought to the team for a number of years
Devilsgrl35
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Wingman77
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Found the bolded part of this quote interesting and somewhat of a hint that this was more Gelinas fueled than agent
Gelinas admitted there was an urgency to get the deal done before the start of camp.
“In my mind, yeah,†he said. “Like I said, I’m a player, I want to play and I was eager to play and I was glad that we made that decision before camp. A couple more days and that would have set me back for a bit, so I didn’t want to miss any of camp.â€
Gelinas admitted there was an urgency to get the deal done before the start of camp.
“In my mind, yeah,†he said. “Like I said, I’m a player, I want to play and I was eager to play and I was glad that we made that decision before camp. A couple more days and that would have set me back for a bit, so I didn’t want to miss any of camp.â€
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I also didn't like White's attitude during his last year with us. It kind of soured me. That's another reason why I have a negative comment whenever his name is brought up. Pandolfo was also a nightmare his last two years with us, but I can't say I had a problem with his attitude.
There's been rumors that White was a locker room problem back in 2010-2011 along with Langenbrunner. I can't confirm that though.
One particular annoyance I remember about White was a lazy and dumb poke check right to John Carlson's stick, that led directly to a goal. I remember how bad Fayne looked that game (one of his first in the NHL) and White's lazy "I don't give a ****" attempt at a poke check was even worse than anything Fayne did that night.
There were a few of these instances, and they really made me sick of White. I was shocked to see him bought out, but it was the right thing in my mind.
manilaNJ
Optimism: Unwavering
You and me both.
This quote from TG's article kind of furthers that suspicion from me, as well:
“I was just leaving that in my agent’s hands, I guess,†Gelinas said. “I had told my agent that I wanted to play, but whatever they do when they negotiate I wasn’t really aware of what was going on. I spoke to my agent early in the summer and then we spoke in the middle and we set a date in September to catch up, so I just told him that we were going to do this and I’m glad it’s done.â€
Ultimately, it was Gelinas’ decision to take the deal the Devils were offering.
“Obviously, I want to play,†Gelinas said. “I don’t have much experience in the league or anything, I want to earn my place and I’m really happy about the situation now and, likeI said, I can focus on myself and the team.â€
Better Call Sal
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I think this makes it clearer than ever. His quotes sound pretty honest about the whole situation.
billingtons ghost
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So we don't think Gelinas is some spoiled brat with an entitlement complex whom Lou is ready to trade at the drop of a hat anymore, right?
manilaNJ
Optimism: Unwavering
He comes off very well when he talks about NJ and his role here. Beyond the standard player interview fluff, of course. Had he done a couple of interviews outside of Montreal, it might have saved some of the harsher criticism he received here, and over social media.
Richer's Ghost
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did the majority really think that to begin with, or did we feel it was more of an agent toying with Lou for ulterior motives?
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
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manilaNJ
Optimism: Unwavering
I think it was fairly even between middling agent, spoiled player and tyrant GM.
I've clearly been in the first camp
Richer's Ghost
Bourbonite
I think it was fairly even between middling agent, spoiled player and tyrant GM.
I've clearly been in the first camp
It only takes one contract holdout to undo all the off season signings by Lou and make him into the tyrant again. Cammalleri didn't get his #13?!?!!
Damn that old man and his outdated ways!
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