Ice Shavings: The Latest Happenings With The New Jersey Devils
Added by Rick Marsh on August 9, 2011.
Welcome to Ice Shavings where I will touch on a variety of topics affecting the New Jersey Devils in a faster paced manner than the typical in depth articles you’re used too.
Doc Emrick
I had originally thought I would be writing about the Devils decision to sign Peter DeBoer as their new head coach when I returned from my business travels toPhoenix. Seeing as how the Devils didn’t make any big ticket signings, it seemed basically a given the most important news was the introduction of a man who will be shaping the franchise on ice for at least the next 7 months. Then the news hit, Mike “Doc” Emrick was leaving the MSG family to work games exclusively for NBC/Versus. Suddenly the coach took a backseat to the play by play guy, maybe for the first time in my life. DeBoer is another in an assembly line of coaches the Devils have trucked out since 18 coaches since Lou was named Lamoreillo in 1987.
Emrick has been honored by the NHL, USA Hockey, the Hockey Hall of Fame, has won Emmys and Cable Ace Awards, but if you look just at the awards and accolades, you lose what “Doc” is. He is the best announcer in the NHL bar none, and possibly the best play by play man in the business of sports. Doc has called just about every significant moment in Devils history since 1994 on. Doc was never about flash, never above the action on the ice. His voice, his love of the game, and his enthusiasm is what hockey fans think of whenever Doc comes to mind. For Devils fans, next year won’t feel right, no matter who is behind the mic next year, it won’t be the same, until Doc is calling the Devils winning the Stanley Cup Finals. Good luck Doc, you’re a treasure to the sport of hockey, and we hope to hear you calling games for the Devils when they matter most.
Peter DeBoer
Well man, was I ever wrong about the head coaching vacancy. I thought for sure the job was going to either Ken Hitchcock or to Mike Eaves if he were to leave the college ranks, but Lou wanted DeBoer, and that’s who he went out and got. As a Devils fan, I was originally very unhappy with the signing, as I thought a man with a sub .500 career record wasn’t quite the way to go with the head coaching job of a team looking to make the playoffs after missing for the first time in 13 years. Looking at it fairly, DeBoer MAY have been a victim of the team he coached. Florida has NEVER drawn fans, and the team hasn’t made a move for an impact player in years, but has certainly failed to resign or traded away its share of impact players (Olli Jokinen, Roberto Luongo, Jay Bouwmeester) so to place the blame on a the coach, when his team hasn’t been competitive in ages seems a bit unfair to him.
If you’re a Devils fan, and if you’re reading my drivel, you probably are, here is what to like about the DeBoer hiring: In 2008-09, DeBoer did lead the Panthers to a 93 point season missing the playoffs by virtue of a tiebreaker; the Devils instantly became the most talented team that DeBoer has coached, with Parise back and Kovalchuk expected to pick up where he left off at the end of last season, he has two potential 40 goal scorers, and with Volchenkov, Larsson, Tallinder, Fraser and Greene, you have a blue line with players who know what they are doing in their own end.
Still, Devils fans will be worried about the fact that DeBoer has never coached a team that has a Power Play percentage better than 24th overall, has never coached in the NHL postseason, and is probably one extended losing streak away from being replaced, as its unlikely Lou will have as long a leash for DeBoer as he did for MacLean.
One decision already made by DeBoer was to not make very many changes behind the bench with him, adding former Devil Dave Barr while keeping Adam Oates, Larry Robinson and Chris Terreri on gives a sense of continuity to a team that has had the previously mentioned 18 coaches since 1987.
Player Moves
The Devils were equally busy making moves on the ice, trading Brian Rolston to pseudo-rival Islanders for Trent Hunter and a conditional draft pick. The Devils promptly bought out Hunter’s contract, meaning this trade was less about Rolston’s play which had improved last year after joining the second line, and more about his salary. I was a big Rolston backer, feeling his hard shot and fast skating would improve the Devils woeful powerplay, and that his years with the Devils and Wild, two defensive minded teams, would increase mean they had added a decent two way player, even if it was at a very high price.
In addition to that trade, the Devils also waived longtime defenseman Colin White, who promptly signed with the San Jose Sharks. These moves opened 6.33 million dollars in salary cap room for the Devils, helping the Devils reach an arbitration avoiding agreement with Zach Parise, who signed a one year, six million dollar tender. That contract in addition to prior cap space leaves the Devils comfortably under the 64 million dollar salary cap.
