Wrapping up a busy day

I've finally had a chance to catch up and eat something after filing my story for tomorrow's paper and posting updates on this site all day.

Here's some stuff that slipped through the cracks earlier and some of my observations from today.

**According to the NHLPA, Brian Rolston's contract is exactly $5 million per season. Some places are reporting it as at total of $20.25, but the total is $20 million.

**From what I've been told, Brendan Shanahan's agent Rick Curran received phone calls from several teams expressing interest in signing in the UFA left wing today. None of them were from the Devils.

**The Rangers are still in the bidding for Marian Hossa and Mats Sundin, but don't have the room to sign both. Edmonton is said to have the best offer on the table for Hossa. Word is it's for more than $9 million per season.

**If the Rangers land Hossa or Sundin, Jaromir Jagr's days as a Ranger are likely over. There is a possibility that Jagr could go back to Pittsburgh, but it appears the market for Jagr is waiting on Hossa's decision.

**Bobby Holik on whether the Devils' fans will welcome him back after boing him since he left New Jersey to sign a five-year, $45 million deal with the Rangers in 2002: "I'll tell you what, fans in New Jersey are somewhat spoiled and I don't mean it in a bad way. They want their team to be successful. There's nothing more important to them and because it's been a great 12-13 years prior to last year. But if I give my best as I always had and make the team better, I think that's all they (want). Yeah, there are going to be people who have opinions. I have opinions, too. So, we all do. And we're all entitled to them. But the bottom line is I'm on that team to make the team better and I believe I can with whatever role they designate for me."

I've posted a discussion topic on The Record's Devils' forum (forums.northjersey.com) about whether the fans will cheer Holik. What do you guys think? Share your thoughts on that site.

**I think the Devils probably overpaid a little for both Rolston and Holik, but if you look at the contracts that were given out today, the whole salary structure of the league has gone crazy again. I would not have given Wade Redden $6.5 million per season. I know some of you loved him, but you're about to get a close look at why the people in Ottawa (actually, all of Ontario) didn't like him.

**Giving Rolston four years at age 35 is also a bit of a risk. If he drops off, the Devils are stuck with his cap hit for all four years, even if he retires (unless it's a Mogilny situation with an injury).

"I know people who when they're 35, they're going on 40 and I've had people who were 28 going on 40," Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said. "In Brian's case here, he's not a player at 35 years old. We look at him like a 30-year-old player. The way he keeps himself in shape and certainly the values he has as far as off the ice, we don't look at him as 35-year-old player. Age is a number. It has to do with exactly what he can bring and what he has. So, no, I'm not concerned."

"Maybe three years from now I will (be)," Lamoriello added, laughing,  "But right now I'm not."

**The Devils probably need one more defenseman to upgrade that group. I'm not sure if Lamoriello will be able to add one, however, unless it's by trade. I can't see him using the $2 million-plus he has left in cap room to sign someone else and leaving himself without any cap flexibility during the season.

**Lastly, if this is the end for Sergei Brlyin, I'm going to miss him. He's always been a pleasure to talk to and I've seen the guy play through a lot and just keep going without complaint. If he doesn't come back, he'll leave with the three Stanley Cup rings and the second-longest ironman streak in club history (328 consecutive games). I can understand why the Devils didn't pick up his option at $1.52 million, but I'm not sure why he didn't pick it up. I know he wanted more than one year. Still, I don't think he's going to find a team that's going to give him $1.52 million for one year or more .

Comments

[Uli]

Tremendous work, TG. Thanks for all the updates.

[DevsFanInTX]

Agreed, thanks for all the hard work you put in to keep the fans updated.

[Evan]

Any chance Lou worked out a deal with him for another job within the organization for declining the option? seems like Brylin definitely should've picked it up otherwise

[Maxwell]

Nice wrap-up TG. I honestly don't read any other hockey news because of how good your posts are and how you've really attracted the elite to your site.

Good job as always.

You should get NHL 08 for xbox 360. I've made all these roster changes, and the devils are definitely a better team with Holik and Rolston. I don't really care what anyone else says. I also think the Zubrus is one of the most under-rated players in the NHL right now.

The team has a nice mix of slick goal-oriented guys, big tough hitters that can also score, playmaker/leaders (Madden, Langs, Pando) and solid d-men. I think it's going to be a good season.

[tailfins]

TG - your link to the Record's forums is broken...you've created an email link. Regardless, thanks for the remarkable effort today. Great job cultivating sources with the Devils and throughout the league. And, nice note about Sarge.

[Jason]

He will find a team, in Russia. They will pay anything for ex-NHL talent over there, and they have nothing but cash to blow.

[Brodeur30]

Thanks for all the hard work TG. Seriously, this was the first site I went to after work tonight. A Devils season tick holder who's a friend of mine texted me about Rolston, but I HAD to come here and read all the quotes, summaries, and posts. Great site. Love your work...

I'm happy with the Rolston deal. We filled a NEED. We HAD to add a goal scorer. Bottom line. We just couldn't ice almost the exact same forwards as last season and expect to score a lot. Rolston's a good skater with a booming shot who can score. He can also PP the QB. As Lou said, the guy is in great shape and I compare him to sakic as age is just a number with them. He'll play into his early 40s. I'm really glad we didnt go out and give campbell 8 yrs for 56 mill or Hossa 10mill/yr. That would CRIPPLE our cap space for years to come. We'll move on.

[Z-Man]

TG, your work is appreciated beyond belief. Especially for us former NJ residents now living out of town. Keep up the great job!!

[TG]

I don't know why that link to the forums didn't work. It's the correct address. Please copy and paste it, if you want to go to the forums.

[Josh]

TG, thanks as always for the tremendous work. I agree with your sentiment that we paid a little too much for both players, but if we put the numbers aside...

Rolston has speed, a cannon, plays two way hockey, plays all 3 forward positions well, is great on the PK, can/will be our SHOT from the point on the power play, has missed something like 6 games in the last 6 seasons total, is a 30/30 player even in a defensive system like the Wild, and has good leadership qualities

Holik is still a very good defensive centerman who may give Madden more offensive freedom (or if not, we have two top-class defensive centers, not complaining), great on the faceoff (we don't need to use Madden for EVERY defensive faceoff now), works hard, is a big guy who may be the pivot on a Crash Line v2, and can chip in 30 points or more depending on his ice time... For the record, both on here and on a forum I was calling for Lou to get Holik at the deadline because he's a great guy to have, especially in the playoffs.

Just a fun fact... Today we got Holik and re-signed Pandolfo. Both came into the Devils organization on Aug. 28, 1992 when we traded Sean Burke and Eric Weinrich to the Whalers for Holik and a 2nd round pick that would become Pando. (I was 4 years old when this happened, crap...)

I don't think the Rangers will get Hossa. In 5 players (Gomez, Drury, Lundqvist, Redden, Roszival) they have something like 33 million per year. Hossa will go at least 9. I can't see them doing that.

Now c'mon Lou, work some magic and allow me to buy a Bouwmeester Devils jersey this fall.

[frankie due]

Thank you, Tom... you are the connection to the fans. Great job.

[Vishal]

TG

What was the reaction from around who you talked to about Jeff Finger's ridiculous contract?

[Al]

Thanks for all of your work Tom. I don't think people really understand what their losing in Sergei. When I hear Kellen Winslow's infamous "Soldier" speech (the best speech in ..well forever) I think of Sarge, Marty, Madden and Pando. I will miss him greatly and I am ecstatic to have Rolston back on this team.

I will cheer Bobbby Holik. People love Driver, Cirella, and Johnny Mac (Gomer is not the only one to leave directly or indirectly with the NYR).

Great work Tom, but I wished we did sign Shanny for one big reason. I would have loved for him to address his "Worst fans in the league" comment (Devs fans).

[DiscordantLight]

I am sorta miffed as to why Sergei wouldn't just play 1 more year here, collect his 1.52 million n just retire, or work out another 1 year deal.

I know alot of you on here say Sergi is old, slow, and can't do anything anymore, and you know....maybe it's true, and maybe I am in denial, but look who Sergei played with most of the year...Mike Rupp and Aaron Asham. Those 2 guys well....if your looking for point production...your just not gonna get it from those guys. I think if Brylin has better linemates, and wasn't getting juggled around from line to line each night, he would've put up better #'s. I don't recall who his linemates we're in the past when he put up better numbers, but I'm sure he was playing with better talent than mike rupp and aaron asham.

I'll never forget back in 2000 in game 1 when we beat the stars 7 to 3, and sergei took the puck off the boards, and had a defended all over his back, and roofed it to the top right corner with one hand on his stick, and it was a backhand shot too. I rembember just jumpin up n down screamin "SERGEI!!!" lol

Maybe Lou made him other offers in the organaztion, and said hey..if nobody else wants you, you can always come back and work in another facet of the organaztion. Or maybe if nobody wants him, Lou will offer him a 1 year $900,000 contract or something. It really wouldn't be a bad idea to keep em around if you can have em dirt cheap, say someone gets hurt, like Holik, Zubrus, or Rupp, or Clarkson. You can fit Sergei in anywhere, and he'll do ok.

Or maybe I'm just being a prisoner of the moment n thinking too much of the glory days lol

In anycase....I wish Sergei nothing but the best. He gave us all great memories, and was a true Devil.

[Salvatore from Garfield]

Excellent work, TG!! I'm excited that holik and rolston are back. Though I'm on the fence about Holik and his age; hope he still has it in him!

[DiscordantLight]

Or maybe he'll try to tell those russian teams he is evgeni malkin n try to collect one of those crazy 35 million dollar contracts! :)

[DiscordantLight]

Oh....and I gotta rant about one more thing...

The NHL is seriously fu#$#ed up.

Since when was Mats Sundin God?! What did he EVER do to deserve 10 million a year, plus a 5 million dollar signing bonus, and he's like..37 or something like that.

What the HELL did Crisotbal Huet EVER Do...to deserve to make more money than Marty?!?!

There are teams willing to pay Mats Sundin 3 million dollars more than what Sidney Crosby makes?!?! I just don't get this. More importantly....don't these GM'S ever take a history lesson? How often do those insane "splashes" as people like to call them, actually work.

Ask the New York Rangers how well those splashes have done for them over the last 15 years.

Wasn't the salary cap supposed to prevent this? Oh wait...it keeps going up so that within like 5 years or so, we'll be right back where we started, and all the owners will be crying about how they are overpaying for talent, except this time...they'll have nobody to blame but themselves.

I just don't get it.

[TG]

There was much laughter from the people I talked to about the Finger contract. Ridiculous is quite accurate.

[DiscordantLight]

Yeah the Finger contract was unreal.

TG...I forgot to mention, thank you so much for all your hard work.

I'm a diehard Devils fan who lives in Pittsburgh, and it's so hard to find out ANYTHING about the Devils. This is my main page when my browser opens, and it's the first thing i check in the morning before i goto work, and the first thing i check when i get home frok work. Your reporting all the news and keeping us Devils fans in the know is awesome. Again...many thanks

[stoonbora]

DiscordantLight: while I agree that the Canuck's offer is ridiculous, you have it slightly wrong. According to TSN he has been offered $5 million per year for two years, a $5 million signing bonus this year, and $5 million provided that he plays with them for 09-10. Therefore, if he plays for the full two years, he gets $20 million. If he plays next year and then retires he gets $15 million (09-10 salary is guaranteed since he is over 35, just like Rolston's contract with the Devs).

[Vishal]

I'm actually glad that Finger got that contract and that Campbell scored 7 million, it makes what Lou signed everyone for look like an absolute bargain, especially Salvy.

[topshlf]

Speaking of laughter involving that Fingers deal, check out this thread over at hockey buzz. It's very funny to see the reaction from Leafs fans. One of the funniest things I've seen. LOL

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/boards/thread.php?thread_id=43419&forum_id=74

[Josh]

Discordant Light, regarding Huet and Marty's salary... What it comes down to is that Marty is willing to take a cut in his salary if it means that the team has more money to spend on quality teammates. Huet is overpaid but there are goalies in this league who deserve to make more than Marty is currently making, Marty included.

[modnarm]

I too will express my gratitude to sir Tom Gulitti. What a job u do. Idk how you get around all over and get all this information but it is always prompt and 100% reliable. Its been a luxury to participate in reading and commenting on this blog/journal. Every team should have some1 of your high caliber, but sadly there is only 1 you. I am enthused and pleased every time i read your posts. Keep up the great work! you the man!

[DiscordantLight]

Thanks for correcting me on Sundin's contract. Needless to say....It's still insane.

I know Marty was willing to take a paycut, plus he doesnt have an agent, so he doesnt have to give his money to anyone else. Still...You'd think other teams would use what the top tier players make and say "Hey..Marty is the best goalie in the leauge...why should we pay you more?" Or say to Hossa "hey...look what crosby and Alex O make...and you want more?!"

Maybe I outta walk into work tomorrow n tell my boss I just signed an offer sheet from the competetion for a 9 year deal worth 85 million. heh heh