Fire & Ice

Moving Day for Fire and Ice

Northjersey.com's  Fire and Ice blog is moving today.

From now on I'll be using Expression Engine to put up the blog postings.

The new address is  http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/.

I'm told that you will be routed there from this site, beginning at 10 a,m today, but in case you aren't the new addess above is already active.

I wish I could have given a little more notice, but I didn't find out until last night myself.

The new site will allow me to do more and I think you guys who have complained about the format of this page will like the new design.

Look forward to seeing you there.

--TG

Lamoriello: Shanahan placed on waivers

The Devils placed left wing Brendan Shanahan on waivers today, general manager Lou Lamoriello confirmed.

If Shanahan is not claimed by another team before noon on Wednesday, the Devils would be free to assign him to their AHL affiliate in Lowell. That would clear his $1 million salary from their salary cap. 

Lamoriello would not say whether Shanahan would be assigned to Lowell or what the next step would be if the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer is not claimed by another team. He also would not answer when asked if he had discussed this plan with Shanahan before placing him on waivers.

Shanahan's agent, Rick Curran, has not returned telephone messages.

The Devils moved Shanahan Monday to the "non-roster list", so they could activate right wing Ilkka Pikkarainen off injured reserve.

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Martin's knee "a little sore; Fraser "felt normal"

Devils defenseman Paul Martin said his right knee was "a little sore" this morning after his near knee-on-knee collision with the Rangers' Chris Drury in the first period Monday night.

That didn't stop Martin from participating in today's optional practice, though.

"It was a little sore and then as I warmed up and practiced it felt better as we went along," Martin said. "It will be gone soon."

***

Defenseman Mark Fraser said he "felt normal" today after practicing with the team today for the first time since he was injured in a Sept. 24 preseason fight with Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo.

Fraser said he had skated on his own "a few times."

Fraser said he never was bothered by significant head injury-type symptoms other than the night of the fight.

"To be honest, I felt OK," he said. "We were just taking a little bit of precaution and wanted to get me checked out by the doctors to make sure everythng is OK. But, to be honest, it was a pretty quick recovery."

Fraser remains on injured reserve. The next step for him is to improve his conditioning after a 12-day layoff.

"He's got to get back in shape," Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said. "It's going to take a few days. We'll see how he comes bacik. I liked what he did when he played."

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Lemaire: Brodeur's confidence "not at its best"; ZZ Pops gets a boost (post updated and complete)

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire talked a lot about confidence after today's optional practice: guaging it after an 0-2 start, trying to boost it in certain players and how he believes it will improve on the team's upcoming three-game road trip that begins Thursday night at Tampa Bay.

So, I asked Lemaire how goaltender Martin Brodeur's confidence is right now after losing the first two games and giving up some questionable goals.

"Not at its best, that's for sure," Lemaire replied. "But, on the other hand, he's not destroyed either. His confidence is not destroyed. I think he needs a little support right now, which we'll try to give it to him, and he'll be fine."

With no game scheduled for Wednesday, Lemaire used today as kind of a moral boosting/temperature taking day with his team. Seven players -- Jamie Langenbrunner, Zach Parise, Travis Zajac, Jay Pandolfo, Rob Niedermayer, Dainiuz Zubrus and Colin White -- got the day off from skating because they logged heavy minutes in Monday's 3-2  loss to the Rangers. Those players worked out off the ice.

Some players went on the ice early to work on taking shots from center ice. It doesn't seem to be a meaningful drill until you hear the explanation.

"If you can concentrate and hit the net from there and pick your corners, it's easier to do it when you're closer," defenseman Paul Martin said. "It's good to get some shots. In practices, we don't shoot a lot of pucks."

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Devils holding optional practice today; Fraser participating

The Devils are holding an optional practice today, but it looks like most of the players will be participating.

Brian Rolston, Niclas Bergfors, Matt Halischuk, David Clarkson, Ilkka Pikkarainen, Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya were on the ice early working on taking long slap shots from center ice with the coaches. I'm not sure what the purpose of this was.

Here's the list of the players on the ice today.

Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Yann Danis.

Defensemen: Johnny Oduya, Paul Martin, Bryce Salvador, Cory Murphy, Mike Mottau, Andy Greene, Mark Fraser,

Forwards: Brian Rolston, Niclas Bergfors, Matt Halischuk, David Clarkson, Ilkka Pikkarainen, Andrew Peters, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, Rod Pelley.

Not skating: Zach Parise, Travis Zajac, Jamie Langenbrunner, Dainius Zubrus, Rob Niedermayer, Jay Pandolfo, Colin White.

This is Fraser's first practice with the team since he was injured in a Sept. 24 fight with Daniel Carcillo in Philadelphia. He remains on injured reserve.

Several players logged some big minutes Monday night, so it's understandable that they're not out there with no game on Wednesday. Jamie Langenbrunner and Travis Zajac both played more than 22 minutes against the Rangers, which is a lot for a forward.

Devils to make decision on Shanahan "soon"

The move Monday to place left wing Brendan Shanahan on the "non-roster list"  was just a temporary one until the Devils and Shanahan decide what they want to do going forward. Shanahan was let go by the Devils last Wednesday after being informed that there was no room for him to play on the team's top three lines.

Shanahan might soon be placed on waivers, but that's just one of the options.

"We'll make decisions on whether he goes on waivers or what we do," Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said this morning. "We'll make those decisions "soon."

Lamoriello said placing Shanahan on the "non-roster list" was, "all within the rules."

Lamoriello clarified that he did not have to get permission from the commissioner to place Shanahan on the "non-roster list", though that is what Article 16.12 (a) of the CBA stipulates.

"There are different rules in the book that allow you to do non-roster," Lamoriello said. "There are certain decisions you can make within the framework."

This is just a reminder that the CBA is such a long and confusing document that has so many different clauses about different subjects that you can never state anything firmly. That's why I try to reference the exact article to be sure.

Elias skates for first time

Devils left wing Patrik Elias skated on his own this morning for the first time since having arthroscopic groin surgery three weeks ago in Philadelphia.

"He did skate this morning, so it will be just a gradual thing until we see where he goes," Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said.

Lamoriello said that Elias' recovery has been on target so far for what they expected. The Devils originally said that Elias would be back in three to six weeks following the surgery, but Lamoriello wouldn't say this morning that Elias will definitely be back within three more weeks.

"I don't want to put any timetable on it," Lamoriello said. "Nothing has changed, but these are things that you have to wait and see. Everything is on progression right now."

***

Defenseman Mark Fraser will practice today with the team. Fraser was injured in a fight with Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo on Sept. 24 and began the season on injured reserve with a suspected head injury.

"He'll practice today and we'll see what the doctors say," Lamoriello said.

The Devils will practice at noon today.

Progress wasn't enough for Devils tonight

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire thought his team played better in tonight's 3-2 loss to the Rangers than it did in losing 5-2 to the Flyers in their season opener on Satruday.

There was still a lot of room for improvement, though.

"Yes, there was progress. No, it was not enough," Lemaire said. "There are a lot of things that have to go well for a team to win. First of all, everyone has to be on the same page. We talked about last game having long shifts. It was a lot better today. We only had one and they scored on it.

"After being on the same page and being together, it is to be sharp. I just feel right now that we lack a bit of confidence. I can say that because I see the top the top players, sometimes, they do make a lot of plays, but to make more plays. Chances, we sometimes miss. We were a little tight."

The Devils are off to an 0-2 start for the first time since 2001-02. They begin a three-game road trip Thursday night in Tampa Bay. If they don't find a way to win that game against one of the worst teams in the league last season, the Devils might find themselves in a deep hole.

Saturday's game in Florida won't be an easy one and after that comes a date with Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals at Verizon Center.

"It's definitely not the way you want to start," captain Jamie Langenbrunner said. "You don't want to start 0-2 by any means. I think we've done some good things. We're growing and we're making growing mistakes as far as questionable decisions at tough times, but I think you're going to have those when you have a whole new lineup. It's something we have to get through pretty quickly. We have a tough road trip coming up here that we need to get some points out of." 

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Rolston misses on big shot

Brian Rolston apologized to his teammates in the locker room after tonight's game for missing the net on what might have been the Devils' best chance in the third period to score the tying goal in a 3-2 loss to the Rangers.

With Ryan Callahan already serving a goaltender interference penalty that carried over from the second period, Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi was sent off for boarding only 37 seconds into the third. After the Devils failed to convert on two 5-on-3s in Saturday's season-opening loss to the Flyers, Devils coach Jacques Lemaire wanted to make sure he set up a play, so he called his timeout.

The Devils set it up for Rolston to take a one-timer from the right circle. Rolston got the shot, but missed high and wide left.

"We moved the puck a lot better on the 5-on-3 and turned out to get a great shot and he missed the net," Lemaire said.

Rolston took full responsibility.

"Obviously, I can't miss the net there," he said. "That was a great, great opportunity there and we were only going to get one shot because there was only a few seconds left in it. I just missed that one high. I can't miss those that's for sure."

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Martin says he's OK after near knee-on-knee hit from Drury

Devils defenseman Paul Martin said his right knee was OK after a near knee-on-knee collision with the Rangers Chris Drury in a 3-2 loss to the Blueshirts at Prudential Center.

The collision occurred between the circles in the Devils' zone with 3:42 left in the first period. Drury's right leg connected with Martin's right leg and both plays went down.

Martin admitted he was initially concerned that he was injured.

"It had a weird feeling about it at first, like a stinger kind of," Martin said. "Then, as the game went on, it loosened up and felt better."

Martin said, "it kind of was" a knee-on-knee collision.

"But I knew he wouldn't do that on purpose," Martin said. "If anything, he might have tried to get out of the way. I'm not sure. I don't think he would have done it on purpose."

Drury said it was not intentional.

"I was forechecking as hard as I could," he said. "I am not trying to hurt anyone or knee anybody. I haven't seen the tape, but our video guys said I didn't really do anything. I didn't stick my leg out. I was just going right at him. He is so shifty, he moved out of the way and I just caught a bad part of him. I'm glad he is OK. I am certainly not trying to go knee-on-knee with anybody."

Martin's defense partner, Johnny Oduya, didn't think it was on purpose either, but he still thought it was a "dangerous" play and immediately jumped Drury. Oduya wasn't sure why he got a four-minute double minor for roughing and Drury only got two minutes for kneeing.

"I think that's a more dangerous play," Oduya said of the kneeing. "I don't think it was intentional, but to come across like that, guys get hurt."

In hindsight, Oduya regretted his actions because Ales Kotalik scored the goal that tied it at 2-2 on the resulting Rangers' power play..

"For sure because they scored a goal," he said. "Afterward, it's not a good thing if they scored goal. I thought maybe I would get two (minutes). But you don't want to get scored on."

Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said Oduya's reaction was understandable and did not seem to blame him.

"He wants to show he's protecting the guys and all of this." Lemaire said. "That's normal how a player wwill think. I was surprised he got four minutes. I was more upset [about] the four minutes than anything else because they're doing the hit that could have injured a player and we ended up with the extra penalty."

***

I'll have more later after I've finished writing my story for the newspaper.