Not surprised at all that majority want Patty back but if Shero did that it would be a horrible decision. Elias has been out almost the entire season and has just recently had knee surgery. Not to mention he is past 40 now, its time to move on. Makes absolutely no sense to bring him in just to possibly mentor one player.
Do you want Shero to sign Elias, Stempniak?
- Thread starter Stephen Gionta
- Start date
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Mentor the most important prospect in the system as well as add a veteran presence to an increasingly young team.
Also to help out a team that got zero scoring from its bottom 6.
If patty says he can go and team doctors agree. You bring him back on a one year deal.
It keeps blender, JQ and wood in Albany to start the season as well.
Also to help out a team that got zero scoring from its bottom 6.
If patty says he can go and team doctors agree. You bring him back on a one year deal.
It keeps blender, JQ and wood in Albany to start the season as well.
tr83
Nope, still embarassed
Stephen Gionta
Boston College > Boston University
Exactly.
I doubt Elias will ask for a lot of $$, so to me its a no brainer for Shero to bring him back. He can slide up and down the lineup anywhere from line 1 - line 3. He had 8 points in 16 games last season. That's a 41 point pace if he plays the whole year.
The Devils scoring problem was more of the lack of bottom 6 scoring than lack of top 6 scoring. Cammy - Henrique - Stemp was one of the NHLs best lines. And the Zajac-Palmieri duo was solid as well. The bottom 6 had NO scoring. Elias would bring scoring to that 3rd line that the Devils desperately need if they want to be a playoff team.
If Elias is hurt again the whole season, so be it, at least we gave him one last chance to show he can still play. Would hate to see him sign elsewhere, and contribute to their team, which I think he will be able to do.
It's Patrik freaking Elias. One of the smartest players to ever play the game of hockey. Sure hes not gonna be the same guy we used to know that finished 10th in the league in scoring as recent as the 2012 season, but if he can stay relatively healthy and play ~60 games as a 3LW, he should be good for around 20-30 points and that's exactly what the Devils need. And when/if he gets hurt, all that means is a chance for a young guy to prove what he's got.
I hate the idea of just handing a young player a spot. Make them earn the spot like Adam Henrique did in 2012 when he got called up after the injury to Josefson.
JBthree24
Registered User
Henrique was recalled following the injury to Zajac; Gionta was recalled, I believe, when josefson went down
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
I am fine if you are against bringing Elias back but to say it would be a horrible decision is way too overboard
Gotta ask yourself this question...for this 1 upcoming year, how much will having Elias affect our performance in the standings? How much would having Elias retire here mean to the fan base?
We aren't going to win the cup this year, is it really worth it to tell Elias we don't want him and end on bad terms, just so we can finish 8th in the conference and lose in the first round?
We aren't going to win the cup this year, is it really worth it to tell Elias we don't want him and end on bad terms, just so we can finish 8th in the conference and lose in the first round?
- May 1, 2011
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Henrique made the team out of camp and was sent back for two or three games. Or maybe he was supposed to go back but never made it, because Josefson wound up getting injured. That's when Henrique was bumped up. Zajac was injured in the offseason.
Gionta was called up in the last game of the season after the second time Josefson went down to injury.
If it wasn't for one game against the worst team in the league that was icing half their minor league roster, most people would be saying Elias is done. On top of having another surgery and his age, yes I think it is a poor decision.
Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
my opinion has nothing to do with that 1 game and I highly doubt people here are making decisions based on 1 game
if they sign him and he gets hurt again, so what? its not like he will be making $10 million or something
if he WANTS to play (he might just want to retire, we don't know that yet), then I sign him.
Players generally won't sign a UFA contract with a team when they don't think they'll get the ice time they want. Signing Elias complicates that, because he's obviously going to be in the lineup when healthy, but no one has any idea whether or not he'll be healthy, or for how long. But if he goes through another season like the last one, now you have to fill that spot internally, using players who may be better served in the minor leagues.
SpeakingOfTheDevils
Devils Advocate
I'm in the same boat as you; I think signing Patty is pretty much as win-win as it gets.
My only qualm would be penning him in on the third line going in to the season... him getting injured... and now we're looking for a third liner. Not the scenario we want to be in coming off a year with the plague as our bottom-6.
Hardly an insurmountable situation at all, as we could call up Blandisi or another guy that impressed in camp. But some would make the argument of preferring a more 'guaranteed' player in our third line, especially since we're looking to improve bottom-6 scoring.
Many were saying he were done prior to that game. I just think it is a waste of a roster spot for someone who realistically is not going to bring much to the team.
But is the guy who comes in instead of Elias really going to make thatttt much of a difference? It would be different if we were anywhere close to competing for a Cup right now, but we aren't
- May 1, 2011
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I'm pretty split on Patty, but I'm pretty that confident that he can outproduce what Josefson did last season in the absolute WORST case scenario. Provided he has both arms and both legs still.
I'm not super confident that he will be able to play as many games as Josefson last year, but pretty confident that he'll outproduce Josefson by pace. Same goes for most of the 3rd liners from last year.
I'm not super confident that he will be able to play as many games as Josefson last year, but pretty confident that he'll outproduce Josefson by pace. Same goes for most of the 3rd liners from last year.
DoobeeDoobeeDoo
The Doobster
- Jul 3, 2013
- 1,509
- 9
He was really good for you guys this season, was really surprised you let him go with a chance to make the playoffs. I guess they figured they would be better off accumulating draft picks this year instead of trying for the playoffs. I would definitely re-sign him if I were the Devils, he really thrived under John Hynes's system.
- May 1, 2011
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I think one of the problems is that he probably isn't as good as he was last year. He overachieved by quite a bit. But I also think that he's MUCH better than any of the JUNK we had playing in our bottom 6/3rd line last year. I don't want him for a multi year deal though, two years might not be horrible. No way to any of this 3 year or more stuff, I'd personally just prefer one.
He could be a good 3rd liner for us, or he has the potential to be the 2013 version of Alexei Ponikarovsky for us. The 2013 Space Junk version of Ponikarovsky. Speaking of Ponikarovsky, 15 points in 51 games for KHL SKA in 13-14, 8 points in 32 games in 14-15, 4 points in 40 games in 15-16. Why the hell do they even keep bringing him back?
Absolutely want to see Patty come back.
We all know that he's not going to try to come back unless he absolutely feels he can still contribute at a high level. He's not just going to be handed a roster spot or put out there if he's not helping the team. And quite honestly, I don't know if we would find a more productive player out there anyway for the 3rd line.
Elias a smart player, great in the locker room and a legend for this team. I still think he can help the Devils next season and would obviously be great to watch him and Zacha.
Ultimately, I believe he will come into came without a contract - he'll say all the right things about wanting to get on the ice and make sure his knee feels well enough to play a full season before signing a contract. Assuming that is the case, I'm sure there would be a clear understanding between Patty and the organization about his role with the team - ideally his probably a 3rd liner that can move up with injuries, but maybe he has to accept 4th line minutes if things aren't going as well as both would like or maybe there's even an understanding that he would walk away from the game if it's clear he's not earning a place in the lineup anymore.
Personally, I think things work out and Patty surprises people with one last good season.
We all know that he's not going to try to come back unless he absolutely feels he can still contribute at a high level. He's not just going to be handed a roster spot or put out there if he's not helping the team. And quite honestly, I don't know if we would find a more productive player out there anyway for the 3rd line.
Elias a smart player, great in the locker room and a legend for this team. I still think he can help the Devils next season and would obviously be great to watch him and Zacha.
Ultimately, I believe he will come into came without a contract - he'll say all the right things about wanting to get on the ice and make sure his knee feels well enough to play a full season before signing a contract. Assuming that is the case, I'm sure there would be a clear understanding between Patty and the organization about his role with the team - ideally his probably a 3rd liner that can move up with injuries, but maybe he has to accept 4th line minutes if things aren't going as well as both would like or maybe there's even an understanding that he would walk away from the game if it's clear he's not earning a place in the lineup anymore.
Personally, I think things work out and Patty surprises people with one last good season.
CerebralGenesis
Registered User
- Jul 23, 2009
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Where are these other players filling our lineup coming from? Sure as hell want none of the bottom 6 we had last year.
If he gets hurt then i could care even less about patty taking a spot for awhile.
If Patty wants to keep playing, then it is a non-brainer that I bring him back.
I would reward also Stempniak with a one-year deal after his good season.
Of course in both cases it depends also what they would ask. Hoping both would be reasonable.
I would reward also Stempniak with a one-year deal after his good season.
Of course in both cases it depends also what they would ask. Hoping both would be reasonable.
Definitely bring Elias back, I think I'd be alright with bringing Stempniak back, but probably not right on July 1st. If he has a chance to go get a real good opportunity somewhere else, I'd let him take it. If he comes insanely cheap for 2 or 3 years, I'd bring him back.
RangerDoggo
The Devils have a culture of failure
I voted a very shaky yes for Stemp, but only if they can't get anyone else in free agency. Otherwise, toss him aside and spend money elsewhere.
Elias is a team legend who is loved by everyone and can be a positive influence on Zacha, but I'm gonna say "no" to him, unless he's willing to stay just one more year on the cheap. He's only a couple of years younger than Jagr but hasn't discovered the same Czech-related immortality in his play, plus he was injured almost all of last season.
If these are the best we can do at free agency this year (doubtful, we've got plenty of money to spare), then prepare for another garbage offensive year.
Elias is a team legend who is loved by everyone and can be a positive influence on Zacha, but I'm gonna say "no" to him, unless he's willing to stay just one more year on the cheap. He's only a couple of years younger than Jagr but hasn't discovered the same Czech-related immortality in his play, plus he was injured almost all of last season.
If these are the best we can do at free agency this year (doubtful, we've got plenty of money to spare), then prepare for another garbage offensive year.
