MOST VALUABLE PLAYER This one's easy. Goalie Martin Brodeur didn't have a great playoff series against the Rangers but was the reason there was a playoff series in the first place. OK, perhaps that's a little overboard, but Brodeur kept this team in so many games this season, notching his fourth straight 40-win season, the eighth of his career. Management Kevin Weekes was brought in to ease some of the burden but Brodeur's last game off was Jan. 5.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER There were several candidates for this, but let's go with left wing/center Dainius Zubrus. The free agent was brought in to ease at least some of the pain of losing Scott Gomez to free agency, but scored 13 goals, had one in the last 14 games and registered just one point, an assist, in the five playoff games.
FREE AGENT FOCUS All the Devils' potential unrestricted free agents said they want to return, except for D Karel Rachunek, who appeared in one of the final 17 games. Rachunek was convinced New Jersey coach Brent Sutter froze him out because of reports he'd already signed to play in Russia next season, something Sutter denied.
Veteran forwards Jay Pandolfo (the biggest name on the free agent list) and Sergei Brylin both want to stay.
"I've played my whole career here," said Pandolfo, a key member of this team who was voted, by the players, as the "Player's Player" and "Unsung Hero" for the third straight year. "It's a great organization. There's a whole bunch of reasons."
Brylin, the jack of all trades up front, was reportedly seeking a two-year deal.
Defensemen Bryce Salvador, Mike Mottau and Sheldon Brookbank and RW Arron Asham all wanted to come back, too.
PLAYER NOTES
--G Martin Brodeur turned down requests to join Team Canada for the World Championships. "I just didn't feel like going," he said.
--D Bryce Salvador said the 10 games he missed down the stretch were because of a broken left fibula and not a bruised foot.
--C/LW Patrik Elias had a hat trick for the Czechs at the World Championships, May. 5. He didn't have one throughout the NHL season, scoring 20 goals in the regular season and four more in the playoffs. He had two goals in a game four times in the regular season and in Game 4 of the playoffs.
--RW David Clarkson, a potential restricted free agent, ranked third among NHL rookies in hits, with 150.
--D Andy Greene ranked No. 4 among rookies in blocked shots with 77.
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
Hey guys, I know i've posted this on here before, but I thought i'd post it again. If you're looking for a better more managed message board, with faster links, more replies, and no ranger trolls, come to Njdevs.com. You'll love it there, its an absolute blast with a bunch of really fun and cool people, and in the dreaded offseason (which came a bit too early for us) this is the
I know the Rangers eliminated the Devils our team.Sean Avery was brought to a hospital in Manhattan earlier this morning not breathing in Cardiac arrest.All hockey Issues aside I hope he makes a full recovery and gets better.Prayers are with you,healthand good will transcends r
...(more)
Did anyone see the replays of that game? Marty Turco stopping 61 shots. Both goalies making game-saving saves in the overtime. Just from a Devils fan's perspective, it was a very entertaining game.
I am so sick and tired of all these clueless Rangers fans takling about their self proclaimed "King" and how WONDERFUL he is. I was just on the Rangers board reading some of the posts. One moron claims he is the best goalie in the NHL. I am curious as to what he is basing this on because I still can't figure it out. The guy
...(more)
Well, it always hurts losing to forking Rangers. Even more so with Scott Gomez on the team. I have said this all years long that team needs scoring depth and a stud defenseman. My thoughts are below.
A true blue bona fide number 1 center. A guy who can get
...(more)
If he's still available come July 1st, would you guys like to see the Devils sign him? He's only 29, 30 years old and we know what he can do to the other team, not to mention if you put him in the right place, he can score you 15, 20 goals a season. I would love to see what he would do on our second or third line, with Clarkson and Zubrus,
...(more)
In a previous post of mine you told me to check the records and then insert my foot in my mouth. Your talking to a REAL hockey fan pal so i'll give you a little information since you only watch hockey 2 out of every 15 years when the rags are good. Since the 2001-2002 your precious Rangers including the playoffs have 10 count them,
The Nashville Predators, a team that made the playoffs by a thread, tie their series 2-2 against Detroit, while the Devils, who are obviously much better of a team than the Preds, blow our series tying opportunity against the
...(more)
I just went to the Rangers board to curse those dudes off and saw you made a thread congratulating them. What are you thinking? I guess you weren't at any of the games huh? If you were you wouldn't be congratulating them. Those piece of garbages started nothing but touble inside and out of the arena. I gotta go back to New
I can't stand it anymore. 1 30 goal scorer on this team 1. It's a disgrace. Lou has finally reached the end in my opinion. Hockey has changed he hasn't. It's a lot more offensive now. What has Lou really developed in the minors lately? Parise thats it really. The Devils farm
I want to personally thank the Devils and their fans for another great season. Anyone that attended the game last night saw the classless display that was put on by Ranger fans everywhere. Thank you to those fans that attended and also that showed their appreciation of standing and clapping while the Devils exited.
Guys i know we've all said it and heard it 1000 times, but i really need to vent again. I have had season tix for the past 15 years and its been a great ride. however I'm watching our great franchise fall apart with poor move after poor move. I said after the deadline that if i was gm, i would of picked up Sergei Federov, who washington got for nothing, and most importantly
...(more)
