Against Colorado he was moving as fast as anyone not named MacKinnon or Duchane. He'd circle all around their defensive zone.. dangling around people, protecting the puck with his body, making plays, OWNING THE ICE.. at 42! insane.
- MartysBetter88

Yes he's good

The whole line juggling thing scares me.

Let's break up our best producing line in hopes we create offense elsewhere.

What happens when it doesn't work?

The whole line juggling thing scares me.

Let's break up our best producing line in hopes we create offense elsewhere.

What happens when it doesn't work?
- shvingter88

Nothing is really working now.

I would like to see NJ move Brodeuer only because I think the return would be reasonable & he won't be getting resigned next season. A 2nd round pick from a contender like Pittsburgh, Chicago, Tampa Bay or maybe even a team like Columbus, Minnesota or Washington. Surely he would at least fetch a player that could help now. Very unlikely he's moved as Lou is incredibly loyal & it would be hard to see Brodeur wrap up his career playing else where. He may next season regardless as unless Brodeur is willing to accept significantly less money to be a back up in NJ next season no way Lou can bring him back & apparently Brodeuer wants to keep playing.

Better yet take a flyer on Erat who would fit nicely as a top 9 LW & other than his cap hit could be had for almost nothing at this point. Erat has a cap hit of 4.5 mil for this season & next but is only being paid 3.75 this season & 2.25 next season. Washington has a serious cap issue currently. Only 190K now & not increasing before the tradce deadline according to cap geek. Rumours are Kuznetsov is coming over when the KHL season ends, shortly after the Olympics & Washington will need cap space to sign him if they want him to play in the NHL now. NJ has the cap space to assume the contract but you get Washington to eat some portion of the cap hit. Ideally 1/2 but at least a milllion.

I would like to see NJ move Brodeuer only because I think the return would be reasonable & he won't be getting resigned next season. A 2nd round pick from a contender like Pittsburgh, Chicago, Tampa Bay or maybe even a team like Columbus, Minnesota or Washington. Surely he would at least fetch a player that could help now. Very unlikely he's moved as Lou is incredibly loyal & it would be hard to see Brodeur wrap up his career playing else where. He may next season regardless as unless Brodeur is willing to accept significantly less money to be a back up in NJ next season no way Lou can bring him back & apparently Brodeuer wants to keep playing.

Better yet take a flyer on Erat who would fit nicely as a top 9 LW & other than his cap hit could be had for almost nothing at this point. Erat has a cap hit of 4.5 mil for this season & next but is only being paid 3.75 this season & 2.25 next season. Washington has a serious cap issue currently. Only 190K now & not increasing before the tradce deadline according to cap geek. Rumours are Kuznetsov is coming over when the KHL season ends, shortly after the Olympics & Washington will need cap space to sign him if they want him to play in the NHL now. NJ has the cap space to assume the contract but you get Washington to eat some portion of the cap hit. Ideally 1/2 but at least a milllion.
- striker777

Get out

Against Colorado he was moving as fast as anyone not named MacKinnon or Duchane. He'd circle all around their defensive zone.. dangling around people, protecting the puck with his body, making plays, OWNING THE ICE.. at 42! insane.
- MartysBetter88

I coach Junior B on the west coach & I would let him dangle all day on the outside if he's so inclined. His puck posssession skills are top notch & well suited to NJ's system & NHL hockey. Attacking him to aggressively isn't worth the risk as scoring from the outside is rare & unlikely. Part of the reason NJ is last in shots in the NHL & 26th for goals for. That's what other teams do when they play against Jagr as well. They let him skate around the outside & carefully choose when to attack him.

As for the speed issue. On NJ he's fine, few speedsters on that team & those that are, other than Brunner, play on the 4th line. Almost every player on Colorado with they excepton of Parenteau in their top 9 are faster skaters. Substantially faster skaters. His acquistion by Boston last season was a huge mistake. He couldn't keep up or utilize Bergeron & Marchand. As crazy as it sounds, I agree with Ron MacLean. His aquisition may have well cost Boston the cup last season. As his style of play was very poorly suited to their system & killed Seguin's confidence.

Now I don't mean to slight Jagr. The way he plays the game now he could play to 50 & those hands don't appear have any issue's. I hope NJ can get him resigned. What tallents he still has are very well suited to NJ hockey & he has helped NJ ice the 11th best PP in the NHL. If Deboer would quit trying to force those square pegs into round holes the PP would be even better.

Get out
- shvingter88

What other possible options are there?

NJ doesn't have a 1st round pick this year. A 2nd isn't getting Cammy, Moulson, Vanek or any other decent rental player. Do you want to give up a 2nd for the likes of a Gionta, Boyes, etc? I don't.

Erat has scored when given decent quantity & quality of minutes. He is sound defensively, something that is important in NJ & could potentially be had for nothing more than a little bit of cash. If Washington eats even a million in real dollars for the next 2 seasons that means about 600K for the remainder of this season & 1.25 for next. Who cares about the cap hit. NJ has cap space now & a ton next season. Surley he can play in NJ's top 9. Erat has 21 points in 49 games & has barely played & when he has it's been on the 4th line. When he's played in the top 6 he's produced but for what ever reason Oates has never liked him. He has 1 of the best +/- in Washington at -2.

This would be the perfect bargain bin acquistion. Maybe you could even force Wasington to send you a mid round pick as well as eating the million this & next season to help them elevate their cap issue today & next season.

What other possible options are there?

NJ doesn't have a 1st round pick this year. A 2nd isn't getting Cammy, Moulson, Vanek or any other decent rental player. Do you want to give up a 2nd for the likes of a Gionta, Boyes, etc? I don't.

Erat has scored when given decent quantity & quality of minutes. He is sound defensively, something that is important in NJ & could potentially be had for nothing more than a little bit of cash. If Washington eats even a million in real dollars for the next 2 seasons that means about 600K for the remainder of this season & 1.25 for next. Who cares about the cap hit. NJ has cap space now & a ton next season. Surley he can play in NJ's top 9. Erat has 21 points in 49 games & has barely played & when he has it's been on the 4th line. When he's played in the top 6 he's produced but for what ever reason Oates has never liked him. He has 1 of the best +/- in Washington at -2.

This would be the perfect bargain bin acquistion. Maybe you could even force Wasington to send you a mid round pick as well as eating the million this & next season to help them elevate their cap issue today & next season.
- striker777

I would be so much happier with status quo than go for erat.

What is he going to finally find a scoring touch by coming here?

Don't despair NJ fans. I know being a NJ fan is punishing but they are built for playoff hockey. All they have to do is find away to get there. They currently sit 3 points out of a playoff spot although Detroit has a game in hand. The have a better goals for against differential than 3 teams above them & are tied with a 4th in Toronto & only 1 behind Philadelphia. All ahead of them in the standings.

Were finally healthy for the 1st time all season, although Volchenkov is currently down. The torch appears to have been passed to Schneider which had it been done sooner would have had NJ comfortably in the playoff picture. NJ will benfit greatly from the break. Many of NJ's forwards are qualified for retirement benefits. Ha-ha!

Gelinas will be back after the Olympic break. I found the criteria for being allowed to be sent down to the AHL over the Olympic break & it was 83 days played in the NHL pre break. I can only assume Gelinas qualified as I have read nothing to the contrary.

Lou will do something to acquire at least 1 more NHL quality forward. Who & what he pays are debatable but it won't be earth shattering. NJ simply doesn't have the assets to give up to do something earth shattering.

In a perfect world here's my line up in NJ with what we have until the Olympic break issue's can be addressed with Gelinas & Boucher. Ideally Elias would play LW but unless NJ gets another decent C that's not an option unfortunately.

Ryder Henrique Jagr.
Clowe Elias Brunner.
Zubrus Zajac Bernier.
Carter Loktinov Gionta.

I don't like Zajac on the 1st PP unit; square peg, round hole, I play Henrique in place of him with Jagr, Elias, Brunner & Zidlicky. Zajac plays on the 2nd unit with Clowe, Ryder, Greene & Merrill.

Once the olmpic break passes baring a trade I bring Gelinas & Boucher back up. The top 2 lines stay the same but Boucher bumps Zubrus to RW with Zajac & Boucher mans the LW with them. Bernier bumps Loktinov out of the line up, Gionta moves back to C & Bernier plays RW.

Gelinas bumps Merrill from the #2 PP. Maybe even move Henrique off the #1 unit & play Brunner, Elias & Jagr up front with Zidlicky & Gelinas on the points. The power plays can be juggled in a whole range of ways. NJ can ice 2 solid PP units. I just don't want Zajac on the 1 unit. I know he's there because he's the only player NJ has that can win face offs but he can't score apparently, he can't get assists either or at least not t the rate a 1st line C should. His 20 assists in 55 games logging such huge minutes in all situation si mind boggling.

I would be so much happier with status quo than go for erat.

What is he going to finally find a scoring touch by coming here?
- shvingter88

If he gets top 9 minutes yes. Something has to be done to find another top 9 forward. Erat even played as a C for the 1st time in his career due to injuries to Grabovski & Laich & others over the course of the season to date in Washington & in 203 attempts a very small sample size managed to win 45.8% of them. That is significantly better than Elias or Gionta & nominally better than Henrique.

It would be better than dressing Bernier, Gionta, Loktinov or Carter. Hell his 21 points would rank him 10th in scoring on NJ now & he has managed those points with little to no ice 20th overall in Was for TOI a game, playing all 3 forward psoitions with constantly changing linemates.

If he got top 9 forward minutes & 2nd line PP time in NJ he would have more points than Zajac only 8 behind now, Zubrus, Ryder & Clowe.

Someone is going to take Erat for a bag of used pucks & considering the cost in compensation to acquire him, nothing but some cap hit & the cost in real dollars is going to get some great value.

Much like Vancouver acquiring Diaz for Weise. I don't know what Mtl was thinking giving up a Dman that has logged top 4 minutes in TOI a game in MTL for the last 3 seasons. Yes he isn't a hitter, nor does he play a physical game but he willingly blocks shots & is a very sound positional Dman. He hasn't been the same since suffering his concussion but playing for Therrian isn't pleasant. He has very good skating ability, can make a long pass & is quite capable of maning a PP when given the chance. See production when Subban held out. Again a scenario of a coach trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I wager Vancouver resigns Diaz for reasonable money 2.5 to 3 mil a season for 3 or 4 years & moves Edler in the off season. This may be the only trade Gillis has made to date that Vancouvcer has even remotely won. Unfortunately it's minor but at least he didn't lose this 1 like every other deal he's made.

Sorry an entire sentence fanished there. Erat's face off attempts & winning % are the #'s shown. 203 at 45.8%.

Gentlemen.

Have a gret day. I have practice in at noon.

Go Devils.

Which is why we should probably trade him why his value is still high.
Let's face it we're not going to the playoffs and if we do happen to make it you think Jagr will have much left in the tank? He's already logging tons of minutes plus he'll be playing in the olympics.
- FAZOOL

he's never. slowing. down. you think he's going to just start slowing down then? not now? not last year? not 2 or 3 years ago? I guess eventually he will. . I see your point. But being that he hasn't slowed in the slightest bit, and the incredible intangibles he brings to this team, I want to keep him for next year.. if he's still got it, then the year after that! How many Jagrs exist in the world? I'd rather have him on our team. That work ethic is unreal.

Gentlemen.

Have a gret day. I have practice in at noon.

Go Devils.
- striker777

who the heck is this guy??

The whole line juggling thing scares me.

Let's break up our best producing line in hopes we create offense elsewhere.

What happens when it doesn't work?
- shvingter88

shutout again with Cory in net for the 1,000th time

If he gets top 9 minutes yes. Something has to be done to find another top 9 forward. Erat even played as a C for the 1st time in his career due to injuries to Grabovski & Laich & others over the course of the season to date in Washington & in 203 attempts a very small sample size managed to win 45.8% of them. That is significantly better than Elias or Gionta & nominally better than Henrique.

It would be better than dressing Bernier, Gionta, Loktinov or Carter. Hell his 21 points would rank him 10th in scoring on NJ now & he has managed those points with little to no ice 20th overall in Was for TOI a game, playing all 3 forward psoitions with constantly changing linemates.

If he got top 9 forward minutes & 2nd line PP time in NJ he would have more points than Zajac only 8 behind now, Zubrus, Ryder & Clowe.

Someone is going to take Erat for a bag of used pucks & considering the cost in compensation to acquire him, nothing but some cap hit & the cost in real dollars is going to get some great value.

Much like Vancouver acquiring Diaz for Weise. I don't know what Mtl was thinking giving up a Dman that has logged top 4 minutes in TOI a game in MTL for the last 3 seasons. Yes he isn't a hitter, nor does he play a physical game but he willingly blocks shots & is a very sound positional Dman. He hasn't been the same since suffering his concussion but playing for Therrian isn't pleasant. He has very good skating ability, can make a long pass & is quite capable of maning a PP when given the chance. See production when Subban held out. Again a scenario of a coach trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I wager Vancouver resigns Diaz for reasonable money 2.5 to 3 mil a season for 3 or 4 years & moves Edler in the off season. This may be the only trade Gillis has made to date that Vancouvcer has even remotely won. Unfortunately it's minor but at least he didn't lose this 1 like every other deal he's made.
- striker777

NJ doesnt need top 9, they need top 6. NJ has a plethora of 3rd-4th liners. Enough is enough.

Enough dumpster diving, it doesn't work.

Make a real move or status quo.

The options are "don't touch the gun" vs "shoot yourself in the foot" apprently.

Why can't he make a good move instead of a good enough move?