Seems a little unfair to pin the majority of the Devils problems on DeBoer. He acquired a seemingly playoff ready team in his first season and then lost 3 of his best players to free agency and retirement in the following 2 seasons.

I'm not a huge follower of the Devils anymore now that Parise plays for the Wild, but it seems to me that Lou hasn't come close to replacing the amount of talent that he's lost over the past few seasons.
- MnGump

This ^^^ I agree 100% and this has been happening for over a decade. The Devils seem to be willing to just let their players walk without getting nothing back for them. This has more to do with Lou then Pete D. Lou and his policy about not talking contract during the season and letting the player to become a FA hurts their chance of resigning that player. I posted about trading Gomez years ago knowing that Lou wasn't going to bring him back. We could of got back a decent player or even a very good prospect (rumors at the time). I said the same thing about Clarkson and Parise because I have no faith in the Devils resigning their own. (we almost lost Elias too) Other teams, even the Rangers with Callahan, traded him before he became a FA knowing that they might lose him for nothing and as a team you can't afford that. Devils problem now is they need to hit rock bottom, get high draft picks , get some high-end offensive talent and trade/dump/release their older players and start rebuilding.

DeBoer is a good coach just not for us. We could do worse then him but we could also do better; time to move on and find someone else.
Whoever does wind up coming in though won't have much more success than PDB. While we do have some good individual talent we do not have a good team.
We need a coach who is going to get the most out of what we have and right now PDB isn't doing that.

This ^^^ I agree 100% and this has been happening for over a decade. The Devils seem to be willing to just let their players walk without getting nothing back for them. This has more to do with Lou then Pete D. Lou and his policy about not talking contract during the season and letting the player to become a FA hurts their chance of resigning that player. I posted about trading Gomez years ago knowing that Lou wasn't going to bring him back. We could of got back a decent player or even a very good prospect (rumors at the time). I said the same thing about Clarkson and Parise because I have no faith in the Devils resigning their own. (we almost lost Elias too) Other teams, even the Rangers with Callahan, traded him before he became a FA knowing that they might lose him for nothing and as a team you can't afford that. Devils problem now is they need to hit rock bottom, get high draft picks , get some high-end offensive talent and trade/dump/release their older players and start rebuilding.
- Gambi99

The only ones I regret are Niedermayer and Parise. Clarkson, Gomez, and Martin were busts. Rafalski had a good career, but we were fine without him.

Also. Selling off/giving up isn't in our blood. Take that poop to Buffalo.

If you watched it as closely as we did you would have noticed those games could have gone either way. This was no LA vs NYR
- shvingter88

LA vs NYR was a pretty close series, 3 games went to OT, NYR could've won that series if they had a couple bounces go their way

The only ones I regret are Niedermayer and Parise. Clarkson, Gomez, and Martin were busts. Rafalski had a good career, but we were fine without him.

Also. Selling off/giving up isn't in our blood. Take that poop to Buffalo.
- TheJerseyDevil1

Its pretty hard to win the cup if you sell off every upcoming ufa. Lou hasn't been afraid to do that when they are out of a playoff spot, and I don't blame him for not doing it when they are a playoff team.

LA vs NYR was a pretty close series, 3 games went to OT, NYR could've won that series if they had a couple bounces go their way
- Rangers_Suck01

Shh. You're betraying your namesake.

I've defended PDB in the past but I think it's time for a change. The team just hasn't played well this season, they played better last year with less talent. I just hope if Lou does it he does it soon, while the team is still in striking distance.

The only ones I regret are Niedermayer and Parise. Clarkson, Gomez, and Martin were busts. Rafalski had a good career, but we were fine without him.

Also. Selling off/giving up isn't in our blood. Take that poop to Buffalo.
- TheJerseyDevil1

we would've faired so much better if we retained those 2 guys. we were lost without both Stevens and Niedermayer for a few years, even though we were still making the playoffs.

LA vs NYR was a pretty close series, 3 games went to OT, NYR could've won that series if they had a couple bounces go their way
- Rangers_Suck01

yea but LA was controlling the games, NY was dropping leads left and right, collapsing, couldn't hang with LA. The winner was clear from the 1st game.

I'd like to think we put up a better fight. The Fayne missed empty netter killed us.. but the 1st and only boarding major in NHL history that was called in a Cup Final elimination game was jaw dropping. History Will Be Made, and it was. that was a joke. great way to end a long season and deep playoff run. travesty. With that said, LA deserved the '12 Cup too. But, we didn't get a fair fight in that last game.. which is THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME, a series deciding game.. and we didn't get a fair shake at it. Play the best team in the league and be down a man for 5 minutes and see if you win. And it was called right after a boarding call on LA was missed.. but that was fine cuz it's "playoff hockey".. yet we make a JUDGEMENT (per rule book) CALL and call a MAJOR against NJ just 5 seconds later.
insane. asinine. thanks for that. the game was decided when that whistle blew. When you play the best of the best.. you can't have refs making it even harder like that.

I've defended PDB in the past but I think it's time for a change. The team just hasn't played well this season, they played better last year with less talent. I just hope if Lou does it he does it soon, while the team is still in striking distance.
- MannySilvers

The Devils need a coach you will play the younger players and not bench them when they make one mistake...they aren't going anywhere so lets bring up some of our younger players and see what they bring....at least they will bring energy!!!

Do tell how you would go about replacing Parise and Kovalchuk in two-three years.
- TheJerseyDevil1

Well obviously if I had the answer to that question I'd be getting paid a lot more money, but that being said, the fact of my point remains, the problems with your club is not so much the coaching as it is the GM.

Easy or not, Lou can't let his best two players get away for absolute zero. That to me is unforgivable. Granted Kovi's decision was a blindside hit, but I'd be willing to bet that decision was set in motion when he let Parise get away. Maybe, maybe not, but either way, all I'm saying is DeBoer shouldn't be shouldering Lou's portion of the blame for the lack of success.

Well obviously if I had the answer to that question I'd be getting paid a lot more money, but that being said, the fact of my point remains, the problems with your club is not so much the coaching as it is the GM.

Easy or not, Lou can't let his best two players get away for absolute zero. That to me is unforgivable. Granted Kovi's decision was a blindside hit, but I'd be willing to bet that decision was set in motion when he let Parise get away. Maybe, maybe not, but either way, all I'm saying is DeBoer shouldn't be shouldering Lou's portion of the blame for the lack of success.
- MnGump

The choice is always up to the player. If you're implying Lou should sell off his captain instead of coming within two games of a Stanley Cup, I think you're doing hockey wrong. We're here to win, not sell off whenever there's a chance we can't keep a player.

Does it suck to lose a player we spent years drafting and developing? Absolutely. But that was his decision to make to leave. Lou's job is to try and win a Stanley Cup. His decision not to dump Parise got us within two games of that.

Elliot sidelined for the Blues with lower body injury...Marty signing?

Not to mention a 13-contract is just retarded. I don't know if Lou would've given Parise that anyway. He was pretty much forced into giving out Ilya's montrosity of a contract.

One thing that I have been thinking about lately and is the fact that our new owners are okay with losing. Look at what they are doing with the 76ers in Philly. They have not won a game yet and last year they lost I believe 27 games in a row. They are signing guys off the street with 10 day contracts to play. The have already had like 30 different people on the roster already!

Maybe they are okay with losing because they are thinking about the "future". Its a crazy thought but maybe the Devils losing doesn't bother them as much as it bothers us.

Not to mention a 13-contract is just retarded. I don't know if Lou would've given Parise that anyway. He was pretty much forced into giving out Ilya's montrosity of a contract.
- TheJerseyDevil1

It should've been MORE than the Wild's offer, and it should've been when he was an RFA to lock him up. that was a joke.. and you know why we couldn't afford the cap hit???? BECAUSE OF SALVADOR!!!!!!!!! or was that Rolston??

we shouldn't have made the 1 year deal. I know the concern with his injury, but what's better to risk? the injury.. or losing the guy for nothing? Lock him up with 7+ instead of the 1 year 6mil deal. heck, we finally... since scott stevens, had a captain.

you pay the star what he wants to keep him. or, you lose him and suffer the consequences for YEARS... which is the situation we're in now.

One thing that I have been thinking about lately and is the fact that our new owners are okay with losing. Look at what they are doing with the 76ers in Philly. They have not won a game yet and last year they lost I believe 27 games in a row. They are signing guys off the street with 10 day contracts to play. The have already had like 30 different people on the roster already!

Maybe they are okay with losing because they are thinking about the "future". Its a crazy thought but maybe the Devils losing doesn't bother them as much as it bothers us.
- MikeWilliams

That doesn't fit with Lou's philosophy. I don't know what the sixers GM/ownership situation is, but when they bought the Devils, they were very clear that hockey decisions are 100% up to Lou.

It should've been MORE than the Wild's offer, and it should've been when he was an RFA to lock him up. that was a joke.. and you know why we couldn't afford the cap hit???? BECAUSE OF SALVADOR!!!!!!!!! or was that Rolston??

we shouldn't have made the 1 year deal. I know the concern with his injury, but what's better to risk? the injury.. or losing the guy for nothing? Lock him up with 7+ instead of the 1 year 6mil deal. heck, we finally... since scott stevens, had a captain.

you pay the star what he wants to keep him. or, you lose him and suffer the consequences for YEARS... which is the situation we're in now.
- MartysBetter88

I agree, but I wasn't in the negotiating room. Maybe Parise would only sign for that term because he wanted to go home and we had a bad owner at the time. I don't know.

I agree, but I wasn't in the negotiating room. Maybe Parise would only sign for that term because he wanted to go home and we had a bad owner at the time. I don't know.
- TheJerseyDevil1

that's the only thing I could think of, that it truly was about moving closer to his family. .. and that no amount of money could make him stay.

Ya I know a few went into overtime, first two I think? That said…the Kings won.
- LeftCoaster

Yes they did

I've been a DeBoer supporter. But I still cannot believe how he thinks that game was remotely even, that to me is just completely incredible. His justification of Zidlicky was even more asinine, especially considering he costed us the first goal as well.

Bring back Robbie Ftorek, Deboer rode Lemaires team to a cup and has failed at creating his own winning team. We could also use another 30 plus goal scorer

I've been a DeBoer supporter. But I still cannot believe how he thinks that game was remotely even, that to me is just completely incredible. His justification of Zidlicky was even more asinine, especially considering he costed us the first goal as well.
- _Zippy_

Zippy, hello.

I still hold Lou more accountable. He is the GM. Period.

You be an appologist all you want, but it's his job to replace Parise & Kovy.

It's his own fault he had to reaplce them anyway! The way he handled Parise was his doom and should've been the nail in his coffin along with Kovalgate.

Furthermore, he didnt want to sign Kovy (but if he didnt no way we get to the Cup in 2012).

He should've locked up Parise, but his stubborness and pride cost NJ. Parise is all on Lou. He had years to sign him & work on a deal, but Lou said "I dont work on deals during the season, a full moon, lent, blah blah".

It's more on Lou than DeBoer, but it's also clear DeBoer isn't the solution for a team in need of a youthful infusion.

Both need to go.

Lou won't make the necessary moves in the front office, has hard ons for useless players that don't solve anything other than add yet another name to a long list of bottom 6 talent, and DeBoer wont make the necessary moves on the ice.