Fedorov done as a Devil (updated with quotes, new info)

General manager Lou Lamoriello said this morning that he has given Fedor Fedorov's agent permission to talk to other teams that might be interested in trading for him and the 25-year-old forward will not be play for the Devils. Lamoriello insisted that it was purely a numbers decision and he had promised Fedorov that if he wasn't one of the team's top 12 forwards, he could seek a deal elsewhere.

"We've given his representative time to talk to other teams," Lamoriello said. "When we spoke to him when he was coming this summer, if it looked like he wouldn't be one of the top 12 forwards, we would give his agent time to talk to other teams. He'll have a time frame. He's done nothing wrong. He's healthy. It's just a numbers decisions. We want to be proactive to that and give him the opportunity before training camp ended.

Asked if this meant Fedorov definitely would not be on the Devils this season, Lamoriello replied, "Yes."

Fedorov signed a one-year, one-way contract for $500,000 with the Devils in July after playing in Europe the last two seasons. He had one assist in four preseason games.

"Your top 12 forwards, they are what they are," Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "No one has stepped up to replace those guys. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it's Fedor or whoever else. Those 12 guys have earned the right to be the top 12 from how they played through camp."

If Fedorov's agent can't find a taker, the next step would be to place him on waivers.

"We'll take one step at a time," Lamoriello said. "He's played well enough. There's nothing he hasn't done. I just want to emphasize there is no issue, no problem. It's just a hockey situation that his representative and I have talked about and I respect. He's worked very hard to give himself an opportunity, so he deserves that opportunity."

In addition to Fedorov being on his way out, right wings Nicklas Bergfors, Vladimir Zharkov and Patrick Davis, defensemen Matt Corrente and Tyler Eckford and goaltender Scott Clemmensen have joined those practicing in Lowell. Lamoriello said none of those players have been officially assigned there and it's possible they could come back, as Davis did to play in Monday's game against the Capitals.

Chad Wiseman (groin) and Kevin Cormier (knee) have also been shifted to Lowell to work with conditioning coach Vladimir Bure.

Notable players who are still in New Jersey: D Anssi Salmela, D Jay Leach, LW Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, C Petr Vrana.

There are still 27 players still in New Jersey. Lamoriello decisions on final cuts will be made after Saturday's preseason finale against Philadelphia.

***

It turns out right wing Matt Halischuk is still in New Jersey. Lamoriello said he hadn't skated for "the last three or four days" because his "groin is bothering him", but he skated today with defenseman Mike Mottau after today's morning skate at Prudential Center. Mottau had been off the ice since Friday because he was ill.

Defenseman Johnny Oduya did not skate with the team this morning and skated on his own.

"He just sore," Lamoriello said. "He wants to play, but we won't let him."

***

Listed below is the lineup for tonight's preseason game against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum and the extra players.

The line of Jay Pandolfo, John Madden and David Clarkson will not play in tonight's game against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Defenseman Jay Leach also will not play tonight. Martin Brodeur will get the start in net and is slated to go the distance.

You'll notice that Petr Vrana is skating at right wing on a line with Pierre-Luc Letoureau-Lebond at left wing and Rod Pelley at center. I'll have more on that in another post that I'll put up shortly.

Forwards (16): Elias-Rolston-Gionta; Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner; Rupp-Holik-Zubrus; Leblond-Pelley-Vrana; Extra line: Pandolfo-Madden-Clarkson. Skated on his own: Halischuk.

Defensemen (9): Salvador-Martin; White-Salmela; Greene-Brookbank; Extra: Jay Leach. Skated on their own: Oduya, Mottau.

Goalies (2): Brodeur, Weekes.

***

Lamoriello said Barry Tallackson, who had surgery Friday to correct an irregular heartbeat, will be returning to New Jersey "this weekend" and "the doctors have given him the green light to skate and do whatever he needs to do."

Lamoriello said Tallackson would be allowed to start practicing with the team, "whenver he's ready physicially, conditioning-wise."

How long that will take is up in the air.

"He hasn't had any training camp," Lamoriello said. "That's unknown." 

Comments

[tyler]

Great news about Tallackson!

[Hoosier]

Makes sense, it was worth a shot and if he wasn't going to make the NHL team it wouldn't have been worth signing here to play in the AHL after a good season in the RSL.

[FOTC]

Damnit...

[MaLockFan]

Too Proud? Has FF really done anything to warrant not going down to the minors to see what he's got. Just like a euro though not wanting to earn his stripes

[titans04]

No Fedor hasn't done anything that should have amounted to anything more than a tryout.

[Sean Glickman]

Just looked at some videos of him on youtube. He looks like a really solid player. This is kind of disappointing to me.

[2600]

He certainly picked a strict team to try to impress with a tryout. Certainly other teams with less full offensive rosters and more lenient coaching staff would have given him better odds. I wonder why he chose us?

[modnarm]

the guy has talent, but is a 1 dimensional player. Glad we've seemed to thin out our roster by at least 1 player. If the players sent to Lowell remain there, congratulations Vrana, welcome to the New Jersey Devils.

[Jersey Mike]

I'm not surprised about Federov

Glad to hear BT has doing well

[TG]

There are still some decisions to be made, but Vrana is still here.

[Devilswede]

The Devils still have decisions to make yes. What to do with guys like Vrana, Pelley, Salmela, Leblond etc. All of them can't make the team..so we'll see.

[titans04]

TG if you had to guess how many more guys will be sent down not names just numbers?

[MoonDragn]

I think while those videos are impressive, we've seen from the preseason games that he doesn't always put out the effort. Its sporatic with him and thats why they aren't keeping him. But I think if we didn't have a log jam of forwards he would have stayed. It was just bad luck for him.

[TG]

The Devils still have 27 players here not including Barry Tallackson. Assuming Matt Halischuk will leave after he's healthy, that's down to 26. They'll trim to 22 or 23 players, so three or four other guys will be cut - one or two defensemen and one or two forwards.

[JasonMacIsaac]

Vrana is getting an audition for Madden's line. They are going to see if he can play in a defensive role with Pelley and if it works there, then try it with Madden in the next game situation.

[modnarm]

true that JasonMacIsaac. This is an important game for Vrana to see if he can play RW well and be good on the backcheck. Make or break possibly. Seems Leblond would best fit the Holik line.
So we have Vrana trying to push Clarkson off the Madden line and onto the 4th.

And we have Leblond pushing Rupp of the 4th.

Heck maybe we'll have

Pandolfo-Madden-Vrana
Leblond-Holik-Zubrus

don't think it would happen but it would be interesting.
If Zubrus doesn't produce this year, we HAVE to trade him or package him for something. I see no harm in Leblond-Holik-Clarkson. Its a little sketchy but could be good.

[H]

Can someone please tell me what Clarkson brings to the table? Ive seen this kid play all last season and now this camp and nothing hes done warrants a definite roster spot let alone a job on the madden-pando line. Am i missing something?

[mikeP]

Clarkson may not be the most talented in the NHL, but he's Sutter's favorite because the kid gives it all every shift, never hesitates to throw a check, never afraid to take on enforcers that has no business being involved with, and just agitates the heck out of the opponent. I doubt he'll ever score 20 in the league but every team needs a guy like him. Sure, he doesn't have very good balance, and isn't a great fighter, but I'd take him on my team anyday.

[titans04]

Leblond would bring as much talent and even more toughness than Clarkson, he can go imo.

[Triumph]

I liked what I saw out of PL³, but he'll be lucky to score as many goals in his whole career as Clarkson has already.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

Clarkson is much more fundamentally sound than Blondie, and is a much better skater. To play in Sutters system you must have 2 components in your game. 1.) you must be a good skater, and 2.) you have to give your all every shift. Does Blondie give his all ABSOLUTELY there is no question of that, but is he a better skater than Clarkson, well thats not even close. Also when speaking of fundamentals Clarkson is way ahead of Blondie right now. Maybe that will change, but not this year.

As for Federov..... i have been watching and i am not impressed. At least not impressed enough that i would rather have him over anyone on our top 2 lines, which is where he wants to play. he hasn't shown the hustle or the heart to EARN a spot on the top six

[lowelldevsfan]

I dont think so. Leblond cannot score let alone skate any better than Clarkson.
At least Clarkson can score a few and assist.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

it was stated on a previous thread, but i see Blondie playing more than a couple games for us, especially against teams like Philly that are more physcial than say the Bruins or the Thrashers, or like the rangers LAST YEAR(this years version IMO is severely lacking in the physical end of the game) But Clarkson is still young too and he EARNED his spot last season, and i think he will be a great complimentary wing for the MAdden Pando line

[titans04]

clarkson would not be missed, that's the main point.

[Pearl Jammed(RJ Arditti)]

i would miss him, and i know i am not the only one