Devils off-season thoughts

The New Jersey Devils started fast and finished slow as injuries to their two top players caused an historic collapse and watched the team fail to make the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

Yes,I could blame the injuries to Martin Brodeur and Ilya Kovalchuk as the main reason for the slide and that's pretty true,but there still are plenty of things that need to be addressed in order for the team to return to contention.

The top need for the team is add an scorer.
Sounds simple,but since Zach Parise taking his time to decide that Minnesota's green acres was the place for him and the lockout after crippled the Devils chances to replace him,the Devils now have the opportunity to try to do so.

But,the team also will have to make decisions on their own free agents as well as deciding what scorer that the Devils want to pursue as we look at the forwards.
The two toughest decisions are on unrestricted free agents Patrik Elias and David Clarkson.
The problem is this-Re-sign one or both and the team still needs scorers and have less money to spend on one.
But allow one or both to go and the team will need to replace offense on a team that needs it already.
Elias is 37 and this will likely be his last contract,so does Lou Lamoriello pay him for past production or can a compromise be worked out to sign Elias to a reasonable deal to save cap space?
Clarkson is a tough call as there will be suitors for the gritty game that he brings to the table,but his game brings long funks of lack of scoring and the question is which Clarkson are you paying for?
Both players bring difficult decisions to be made.

Dainius Zubrus was overpaid for his production over this contract and unless he wants to stay at a drastically reduced deal,his 3.4 million cap number will likely go to a new player.
Of the patchwork additions that the Devils acquired through the year,all of them are either restricted or unrestricted free agents. Steve Sullivan will likely not return at anywhere near his past salary,Alexei Ponikarovsky was not as effective in his second Devils stint and Tom Kostopolos would be his decision because he would not cost much,all of these three are unrestricted free agents.

I think Andrei Loktionov would be a likely return as the Devils would match any offer after a surprising good run as a Devil.
I would not be against a Matt D'Agostini return as long as a suitor does not go over the top in making him a offer.
The Devils have three other restricted free agents that are likely to be back.
Adam Henrique is the biggest name and unless someone makes an offer that is ridiculous,the future captain will be back.
The enigmatic Jacob Josefson is unlikely to draw an offer and I'm not sure Harri Pesonen will either after a season spent mostly at Albany.

When you consider the lack of prospect scorers at Albany,unless the team decides to force feed either or both of Stefan Matteau/Reid Boucher or whomever the team takes with the ninth pick of the first round,any help will have to come from elsewhere.....

The blueline is a different kettle of fish altogether when you look at the moves to be made there.
Right off the bat,the defensive prospects are far stronger with Alexander Urbom and Eric Gelinas both being ready to contribute to the parent club.
The Devils have Marek Zidlicky's four million off the books and Peter Harrold also is a UFA,so two spots are easily available for the two youngsters to plug into.
That allows top prospect Jon Merril to spend a year at Albany and the large amount of veterans could be tapped for a forward.
Mark Fayne might be the most likely as his low contract and seeming long term residence in Pete DeBoer's doghouse makes him the most desirable of the group for a potential trade partner.
I know the team has lots of money tied up in this group,but if you are bringing up Urbom and Gelinas after the mishandling of Adam Larsson,who finished the season strong,they need to play,so moving someone else might be mandatory after after allowing Zidlicky and Harrold to leave.
If not,either Urbom or Gelinas will have to return to the AHL.

Martin Brodeur returns as the anchor in goal,but the bigger question is with Johan Hedberg as the backup.
The moose is under contract,but he did not play well when Brodeur was injured,which was the selling point for the veteran backup.
Hedberg might retire or the Devils might even release him.
If that happens,will the Devils seek another veteran backup or will Keith Kincaid be given the backup role?
Another possibility is that the team carries Jeff Frazee as the emergency goalie in case Brodeur gets hurt in a game and then Kincaid would get the time during Brodeur's recovery.

The Devils have the ninth pick in the first round,which gives the team two top ten players in the draft over the last three years,which gives a team help that has drafted in the bottom half of the first round for years.
This pick is very important as the 2014 first rounder will finally go for the Ilya Kovalchuk mess.
I would have taken that hit last season,but what's done is done.
I think the team will take the best forward available when you look at the dearth of forward prospects in the minors,but you can always make a point to pick the best player available.

New Jersey is a playoff capable team that needs to plug a hole or two to be right back in the thick of things.
No rebuilding project this,the team does have to add some help and the draft pick is huge for the future,but this is not a bleak picture.
Lou Lamoriello does need to need to think carefully as this summers moves will be the largest amount of cap room that the Devils have to play with for a while,so being prudent with the money is important.
This will be a fun off season too observe.
I'll be back come draft time with a look at the Devils top pick.....

Photo Credit:Rachel Heimberger