Devils get a number one,after all!

I've been critical of Lou Lamoriello for not paying the penalty for the first round portion of the Ilya Kovalchuk deal after the Devils lost in the Stanley Cup finals.
That pick would have been the 29th and they weren't going to get a better chance to pay a lower cost.
Lou didn't and took Stefan Matteau (currently at Albany) and then used last years pick to bring Cory Schneider to Newark.
That left this season as the default time to pay the piper,but as usual-Lou Lamoriello knew best.

The Devils appeal for relief from the sanctions after Ilya Kovalchuk slunk off into the night was heard yesterday and in a surprise to me-the NHL was shockingly fair.
The league returned 1.5 million of the fine levied against the team and allowed the team to re-enter the first round by giving them a selection back.
The Devils were fined three million,so they got some cash back,but the first rounder was key.

The Devils will pick in the 30th and final slot in the first round,which is a hit as it looks to be a sizable drop from where they will finish in the standings,but still reinstates a pick that could have been lost.
By not relinquishing the pick earlier,the Devils will wind up adding a prospect when they could have cashed in and lost a choice.

I think this was very fair,the Devils paid a price,although it was far too high to begin with,but some relief was given and justifiably so.
The player is not here and still a percentage of his contract is counted against the cap,so the league decided fairness needed to come into play.
The league did the right thing and the Devils will not spend a second year out of the first round to keep them from helping a system that needs forward help in the worst way.

Boardroom maneuvering at its best.
That is why he's Lou Lamoriello and I am typing on a laptop.

Back later tonight with the Devils in Detroit.