NJ gets DINGED big time!

Big Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:My mouth is still agape. I'm stunned. A 3rd + a 1st? Holy moly.

Are you really THAT surprised? The NHL wanted to show they mean business.

Very surprised. I thought the NHL would let it lie, but they indeed...did not.

stempniaksen wrote:I'm willing to bet they go with the 2011 pick. With the young guys they have coming up coupled with how weak the '11 draft is supposed to be they'd be better to hold off.

Of course this is all speculation because things clearly change and the Devils could fall in love with a defense prospect or two (because they clearly need them).

The 2011 draft, as it looks today, is not deep. But the top 10-ish is excellent.
I'm NJ, I'd wait til the end of the year to decide because, at this time last year, how many people knew who Ryan Johansen was?

Obviously they wouldn't decide now, but you'd think with the cast they have (Kovalchuck, Parise, Zajac, Elias, Brodeur, ect) that they'll be near the top of the league and will have no trouble giving up that pick in a below average draft.

What happens to their picks then? Does that mean those rounds are only 29 picks in length?

I'd imagine that would be the only way to do it that would be fair. What else would they do, give the pick to another team?

stempniaksen wrote:I'd imagine that would be the only way to do it that would be fair. What else would they do, give the pick to another team?

They might do a 29 team lottery for the picks.

PKC wrote:

stempniaksen wrote:I'd imagine that would be the only way to do it that would be fair. What else would they do, give the pick to another team?

They might do a 29 team lottery for the picks.

I'm pretty sure this situation has come up in other drafts and they dealt with it by simply removing the pick. Seems like the most fair way to make it work.

Yeah, that would be my guess.

lol just came to the realization that $3M is a gargantuan fine! here we are complaining about draft picks.....the owner must be livid

also from tsn:

They Devils do have the right to appeal the punishment to the NHL's board of governors, who meet Tuesday in New York but it is not yet known if the they will challenge the penalties. Devils CEO, President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello responded to the League's statement with one of his own later on Monday.

"We were today advised of the ruling by the commissioner with respect to the Kovalchuk matter. We disagree with the decision. We acted in good faith and did nothing wrong. We will have no further comment."

While the Devils are undoubtedly happy to finally put an end to the saga, the price that they had to pay to originally acquire, then re-sign the Russian sniper was incredibly high.

New Jersey originally obtained Kovalchuk along with Anssi Salmela and a 2nd-round draft pick in 2010 prior to the NHL's Trade Deadline in exchange for forward Niclas Bergfors, defenceman Johnny Oduya, prospect Patrice Cormier as well as a first-round and second-round draft pick in 2010. They then re-signed the former Rocket Richard Trophy winner to a 15-year contract worth $100 million. Along with the contract, the fine and the draft picks lost, the Devils will also likely be forced to shed an additional veteran player in an effort to get under the League's mandated salary cap.

Michallica wrote:this is silly though. no one else faced penalties for circumventing the cap. They finally took action against NJ but they should have just warned that next time there will be penalties. Sucks for Lou

Ya, that's my take. Why only NJ? From the sound of it, it's because NJ is the first and only team "found guilty" of purposely circumventing the cap, while the other contracts in question are grandfathered in. But to me, that's not good enough. Penalize all of them, or none of them.

stempniaksen wrote:I'd imagine that would be the only way to do it that would be fair. What else would they do, give the pick to another team?

Ottawa?

beerandsens wrote:

Michallica wrote:this is silly though. no one else faced penalties for circumventing the cap. They finally took action against NJ but they should have just warned that next time there will be penalties. Sucks for Lou

Ya, that's my take. Why only NJ? From the sound of it, it's because NJ is the first and only team "found guilty" of purposely circumventing the cap, while the other contracts in question are grandfathered in. But to me, that's not good enough. Penalize all of them, or none of them.

Every rule has to be grandfathered in though. How can those other teams get penalized if there was no rule against at the time?

stempniaksen wrote:

beerandsens wrote:

Michallica wrote:this is silly though. no one else faced penalties for circumventing the cap. They finally took action against NJ but they should have just warned that next time there will be penalties. Sucks for Lou

Ya, that's my take. Why only NJ? From the sound of it, it's because NJ is the first and only team "found guilty" of purposely circumventing the cap, while the other contracts in question are grandfathered in. But to me, that's not good enough. Penalize all of them, or none of them.

Every rule has to be grandfathered in though. How can those other teams get penalized if there was no rule against at the time?

But the only reason this is happening is because of the independent arbitrator. And apparently the arbitrator fingered more than just the Kovalchuk deal, right? Whose to say this is over? No one's talking about it though, so maybe it's just the Devils that the league fought and won, maybe they don't want to risk a different outcome for let's say the Hossa contract and create more holes.

Strange stuff...give us Zajac now?

Tee hee, Parise has just informed Devils management that he's interested in talking new contract.

8 million please? Or 15 X 6.66 like Kovalchuk. Please screw them out some $$ Parise!

SpezDispenser wrote:Tee hee, Parise has just informed Devils management that he's interested in talking new contract.

8 million please? Or 15 X 6.66 like Kovalchuk. Please screw them out some $$ Parise!

Parise is worth more because he's the far better talent.

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Tee hee, Parise has just informed Devils management that he's interested in talking new contract.

8 million please? Or 15 X 6.66 like Kovalchuk. Please screw them out some $$ Parise!

Parise is worth more because he's the far better talent.

How do you figure?

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Tee hee, Parise has just informed Devils management that he's interested in talking new contract.

8 million please? Or 15 X 6.66 like Kovalchuk. Please screw them out some $$ Parise!

Parise is worth more because he's the far better talent.

How do you figure?

Well I look at a few things:

1. Parise is better on the defensive side of the puck. He's just more responsible.
2. He's a better set up man than Kovalchuk, which makes him more dangerous offensively.
3. His shot isn't as hard as Kovalchuk's, but it's certainly as accurate and it's not unreasonable to say that with health and consistency for both, that Parise could could keep pace with or outscore Kovalchuk over the course of a season.
4. Parise is starting to see spot duty on the penalty kill. I think this season you'll see him more and more on the second unit penalty kill. Conversely, Kovalchuk and penalty killing go together like Superman and kryptonite.
5. The Devils' style fits Parise's game far more than it fits Kovalchuk's.

That's all just an opinion though, and at the end of it, there's only one conclusion to draw: the Devils will be looking down at the rest of the teams in the conference again this year.

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Tee hee, Parise has just informed Devils management that he's interested in talking new contract.

8 million please? Or 15 X 6.66 like Kovalchuk. Please screw them out some $$ Parise!

Parise is worth more because he's the far better talent.

How do you figure?

Well I look at a few things:

1. Parise is better on the defensive side of the puck. He's just more responsible.
2. He's a better set up man than Kovalchuk, which makes him more dangerous offensively.
3. His shot isn't as hard as Kovalchuk's, but it's certainly as accurate and it's not unreasonable to say that with health and consistency for both, that Parise could could keep pace with or outscore Kovalchuk over the course of a season.
4. Parise is starting to see spot duty on the penalty kill. I think this season you'll see him more and more on the second unit penalty kill. Conversely, Kovalchuk and penalty killing go together like Superman and kryptonite.
5. The Devils' style fits Parise's game far more than it fits Kovalchuk's.

That's all just an opinion though, and at the end of it, there's only one conclusion to draw: the Devils will be looking down at the rest of the teams in the conference again this year.

Yeah, they're pretty close. Not sure I'm anoint Parise better than Kovalchuk right now, there are too many variables. I'd MUCH rather Parise than Kovalchuk - no contest, but at the same time I see what Kovalchuk brings to the table and I want some.

The Devils will be good, but that defense is almost laughable. Tallider, Volchenkov, White, Greene...the only guy who can pass in there is Greene - and he can barely pass, he's more of a shooter.

I hope Kovalchuk can lead the rush himself because the Devils sacrificed what they really needed - a puck mover - for him.