Larsson for the 3rd overall pick... Yes or no.

[AfroThunder396]

Here's a good question I've been thinking about.

Would you trade Volchenkov for 2015s first round pick? Like Malakhov to the Sharks with our first round pick 2007 style?

I know we can buy him out for nothing, but it does save real dollars.

Personally I don't think getting rid of him is worth sending a first round pick away a year after we have to forfeit one.

We would have to give up more.

Malakhov was suspended, which meant teams didn't actually have to pay his salary in real dollars. They would just be responsible for his cap hit. Volchenkov has 3 more years at a higher rate, and they would have to pay his salary as well, and would cost nearly $13M in real dollars.

We aren't buying him out, Lou has too much of a ego to admit he gave a stupid contract to a player who can't keep up with bottom 6 forwards when coming down the wing and our owner doesn't have deep enough pockets to eat that salary for the next 3 years.

I would be really shocked if we bought him out, unfortunatly for me.

And yet he bought out Colin White, a career Devil and Stanley Cup winner, the only defensive holdover from our championship era. White was making $3M and was actually playing reasonably well when Lou bought him out.

He didn't have too much ego to trade Rolston to the Island, banish Mogilny to the minors, or trade UFA Arnott at the deadline.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Yeah, I don't think Lou is afraid to buy out anyone.

 

[Czech Trio]

Wait, Drouin/MacKinnon/Barkov while keeping 9th overall for Larsson?

Yes

 

[SeidoN]

Wait, Drouin/MacKinnon/Barkov while keeping 9th overall for Larsson?

Yes

sounds awesome. until 2-3 years from now when our defense is awful

 

[Bleedred]

I think Lou would extend his lifespan by years if he were able to buyout Volchenkov.

I can see it happening in 2014 though, and not next year. I find it hard to believe we won't use at least one buyout.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

The weird thing about Volchenkov is that he's been a +5 as a Devil.

I'm pretty sure all of that came from the second half of 2011 when we stockpiled all those wins to get back in the race. Either that or towards the end of last year when we got hot. That is a wacky stat though.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm pretty sure all of that came from the second half of 2011 when we stockpiled all those wins to get back in the race. Either that or towards the end of last year when we got hot. That is a wacky stat though.

Here's another thing to also think about. Volchenkov is a main penalty killer, and with all the shorthanded goals we've scored in the last two years he's gotten a plus for all the ones he's been on the ice for.

He was also embarrassingly, and mind numbing bad in the Florida series last year. Yet he still didn't wind up with a minus rating in that series I don't think because he was mostly **** on the PK, and you don't get minuses for being on the ice for PP goals against.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

I think Lou would extend his lifespan by years if he were able to buyout Volchenkov.

I can see it happening in 2014 though, and not next year. I find it hard to believe we won't use at least one buyout.

Where would he even go after hes done with us? Players like him are pretty much a dying breed. Hes not even that old which makes it even stranger. I can't see a whole lot of interest in him after some of the sad spectacle's hes put on here. Its a really shame because I had really high hopes for him when he got here. I was pretty damn pumped after watching what he did in Ottawa. Boy, my attitude on him did a 180 pretty quickly. As soon as I saw the length of that deal, I knew it would hurt us badly though.

I can see Tallinder being the buyout guy but he only has a year left. Same with Hedberg. It really has to be Volchenkov but for some reason I can see him sticking around which would cause everyone to rage.

 

[Edmonton East]

Didn't Rolston start off pretty hot and then saw his career practically end after a knee injury?

Some contracts you can tell are awful from day 1: Richards, Bryzgalov, etc.

Some contracts look like garbage as their careers go on: Buowmeester, Heatley, etc.

Volch contract as awful from day 1 and I laughed my ass off at the time to 80% of this board rejoicing.

I'm really excited to see what can't skate tough guy we get this year only to send to the minors OR have to friggin buyout. We get at least one every year.

On topic: No you do not trade Larsson at this point. However, I do wish we traded back in that draft and select Murphy (suggested this at the time) and picked up additional picks.

 

[Bleedred]

Where would he even go after hes done with us? Players like him are pretty much a dying breed. Hes not even that old which makes it even stranger. I can't see a whole lot of interest in him after some of the sad spectacle's hes put on here. Its a really shame because I had really high hopes for him when he got here. I was pretty damn pumped after watching what he did in Ottawa. Boy, my attitude on him did a 180 pretty quickly. As soon as I saw the length of that deal, I knew it would hurt us badly though.

I can see Tallinder being the buyout guy but he only has a year left. Same with Hedberg. It really has to be Volchenkov but for some reason I can see him sticking around which would cause everyone to rage.

I also thought Tallinder could be the buyout guy. I think the fact that he has just one year left would make him a candidate like Colin White when he only had a year left. Tallinder isn't a complete shell of himself or washed up like Volchenkov though. Someone should be willing to take him should we not want him anymore.

Unfortunately he's missed some time with injuries the last two years so that might also take a hit on his value.

 

[apice3*]

I'm pretty sure all of that came from the second half of 2011 when we stockpiled all those wins to get back in the race. Either that or towards the end of last year when we got hot. That is a wacky stat though.

Not even.

He was a -6 under MacLean (not bad considering Tallinder was -25 or worse at one point. +9 under Lemaire, + 3 under DeBoer during the Cup year, and -1 this year.

My eyes tell me he is terrible, which is baffling considering his ES +/- isn't bad at all.

 

[apice3*]

Where would he even go after hes done with us?

Ottawa's fans have said numerous times they would take him back without thinking twice.

 

[Bleedred]

Volchenkov also plays limited even strength minutes too. People have been bringing that up forever, but I think it's true.

 

[apice3*]

sounds awesome. until 2-3 years from now when our defense is awful

That's why we develop Mackinnon/Drouin in the hopes that in two 2-3 years, we can trade him for a stud D prospect.

 

[glenwo2]

sounds awesome. until 2-3 years from now when our defense is awful

So we'd be the U.S. version of the Edmonton Oilers.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

That's why we develop Mackinnon/Drouin in the hopes that in two 2-3 years, we can trade him for a stud D prospect.

Give it a rest already.

We won't be moving that franchise forward with the depth we can have with Greene, Fayne, Gélinas, Urbom, Severson and one of Ristolainen/Nurse/Zadorov.

On the other hand, staying "status quo" on offense and drafting possibly Shinkaruk or Domi has us moving forward with Kovalchuk, Henrique, Boucher, Matteau, Shinkaruk/Domi and we're still crossing our fingers that Josefson/Tedenby eventually turn that corner.

You make it sound like we're soooooo stacked up front that moving Larsson for a potential franchise player like MacKinnon or Drouin doesn't make any sense depth wise. No one is denying that Larsson will be top #4 d-men for us for years to come but like I've been saying forever, when you have a surplus somewhere and a need elsewhere, you make a move to balance things out.

The thing is, everyone around here wants a upgrage on offense, especially with Parise bolting to Minny, but no one or a select few should I say, actually want to part ways with solid assets to acquire a solid forward.

 

[Devils Trap]

I would do it

Drouin + Ristolainen/Zadorov/Nurse at #9

 

[Kensu]

if we were to get one of those defensemen, it better be Ristolainen.

not a big fan of Nurse and Zadorov.

 

[MadDevil]

No. While we have some good defensive prospects in the system, at this point all they are is prospects. They might pan out, they might not. Larsson has proven he belongs in the NHL at 20, and is only going to get better. I agree the Devils need to get better offensively, but if you're moving Larsson it should be for a proven scorer.

 

[apice3*]

it has nothing to do with our lack of offensive prospects. Its the fact that larsson is our best d prospect weve had since niedermayer and you want to deal him for a winger after a promising 2 years.

2 years ago you wanted to do a parise for weber swap because stud dmen are so much more valuable than stud wingers. Yet you want to deal a stud d prospect for a stud wing prospect, just hypocritical.

And no glenwo, its not so much to do with the loss of my avatar. Me and datw have always clashed, so its no different in this case. The difference is the influx of new posters that talk out of their ass and clearly have no idea what theyre talking about yet speak in matter of fact fashion. Its no secret the best posters from hf circa 2010 are long gone

 

[Bologna 1]

Id have to think long and hard about this. BC if you could ideally get ristolainen @ 9 it might actually make some sense.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

There is definitely a talent dropoff after the first two forwards and then again after the next 4, but this is still a very deep draft for forward, and I'd rather hold on to our developed defenseman and see what forwards are available at #9. There's a chance a REALLY good forward drops to the Devils (Nichushkin, Lindholm), and it's easier to swallow the alternative with guys like Shinkaruk and Domi and Wennberg and Horvat all likely to still be available.

I'd give up a lot for a shot at Mackinnon or Drouin, and I was previously fine with the idea of giving up Larsson, but the more I hear about the remaining forwards, the less I think it's worth it.

 

[JackHughes86]

i wish we could get drouin/mackinnon

 

[sbresistor]

What were Lou's biggest free agent splashes since the lockout?

Volchenkov (yuck)
Rolston (double yuck)
Tallinder (meh)
Zubrus (only signing universally considered to be good)
Sykora (literally no risk)
Hedberg (whatever)

Then we get into Asham/Vishnevski/Holik territory.

Lou doesn't get into bidding wars, and NJ isn't a terribly attractive place for UFA's to sign. As long as he keeps up the bargain bin mentality, don't expect us to fill any holes via trade or UFA.

Lou uses UFA to supplement a core he builds through the draft. Loktionov was a one time fleecing, we can't expect to continue getting new talent that way.

Kovalchuk

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think it's a crazy idea. Larsson is the foundation of our future defensive corps. He is not being traded for a pick. Not even a top 5 pick.

All it does is lose a guy we have developed for two years, and replace him with a guy whose development clock is at zero. Lou refused to give up the 29th pick because he didn't want to do that, what makes you think he will do it in this situation?

Ya I agree with this too, though honestly for the deal he offered I'd think about it. Having both the 3rd and 9th pick in this draft would something to consider.

That said no way we get both picks without shipping out way more then just Larsson. Tampa would want the 9th pick as well, especially since we don't have a 1st rounder next year to send them in exchange.

Would NEVER consider sending Larsson out for the 3rd pick and lose the 9th as well. Not worth it.