Screwing the Cap on Tight

Embarrassing, really. 

That an NHL team in front of its home audience would dress less than the maximum number of skaters seems hard to believe.

I mean, can you imagine the fallout in Montreal or Toronto if such nonsense occurred?

Yes, Calgary did it two seasons ago. GM Darryl Sutter misplayed the salary cap game, but at least it was late in the season when injuries and callups can make the already tricky game of maneuvering the salary cap nearly impossible.

But this year's New Jersey Devils, down to 15 skaters just three games into the season? That's just blatant mismanagement. The fact it is Lou Lamoriello behind it all, a member of the Hall of Fame and one of the best managers of the past quarter-century, has even his admirers - and there are legions of them - scratching their heads.

Good thing it's not the early 1980s again. Someone might suggest this is a Mickey Mouse way to operate.

Some are wondering if there should be a punishment from the league for dressing fewer than 20 skaters. Well, dressing fewer than 20 skaters is the punishment for botching the cap, and anyway you cut it, that's what has happened in Newark with the Devils.

This happened before, and Lamoriello had to get out of it by sending big contracts to the minors and making one-sided trades. This time, there is no easy way out, and so far, Lamoriello hasn't wanted to choose any of the uncomfortable alternatives open to him.

Instead, the Devs started the season with 20 players, and after a suspension and two injuries, found themselves down to nine forwards and six defenceman for Sunday afternoon's game against Pittsburgh. It was a home game, and as a season ticket holder, you'd sure have to be annoyed that the Devils weren't maximizing their chances of winning by dressing a full roster. Ditto for the veteran New Jersey skaters like Martin Brodeur, Jamie Langenbrunner, Colin White and Patrick Elias, who have been put in a difficult position by management and are now winless after three games following Sunday's 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh.

Making it worse, of course, is that the man all of this was done to accomodate, forward Ilya Kovalchuk, hasn't scored a goal in any of those games. The desperation of the Devils to sign Kovalchuk has never been fully understood, and even less so now when it's clearer than ever that the club simply couldn't afford him, at least not without making some other tough decisions on players.

But Lamoriello has not, as of yet, wanted to make any of those tough decisions, and so a contract that has already cost the club millions in salary, fines and lost draft choices is now costing the team competitively.

The strange part is that the Devils have always been all about winning, even ahead of the business of attracting fans. Now, they have been organized in a way that seems to be all about Kovalchuk, to the exclusion of winning.

 

 

Comments

[John Carss]

Did the new owner insist on Kovy for some excitement?

[Devilsfanatic]

Typical Devil bashing. What is embarrassing, Damien is that journalists are voicing their personal opinions with an agenda against a team that has been viewed as the bad guy since 1988.

I know, I know you co-wrote the book with Brodeur, who cares? There was money in it for you, so easy to make that decision. I'd work with Sean Avery if it made me millions, and I loathe him more than anyone in the league.

Lets see how the situation plays out FIFTEEN years from now, and see the ultimate decision on whether it was worth getting an Ilya Kovalchuk, or not. Are the Caps silly for signing Ovechkin to a 13 year deal. I mean, yeah, he's scoring. But he hasn't led them out of the 1st round of the playoffs the last 2 years.

Give me a break, and don't worry about Lou's cap, or his team and stick to the precious Maple Leafs who are 2-0 and well on their way to the first Cup since 1967.

[Matt B]

I've been totally befuddled by what Lou has been doing.

[Cory]

would you mind pulling up your article about the flames embarrassing the league when they id this for 5 games? Oh does that not exist. Odd.

[T]

Yeah I think we have to put this all into perspective. I hate the Devils, as a Habs fan, they've had our number for years. However, I think this is all on the owner. New Jersey has a huge Russian/Soviet expatriate population and I think the owner figured they would come and fill up his new half-empty stadium and buy tons of Kovy jerseys. Of course, Lou could've and should've stood up to his owner and said no way we're doing this but I guess that's kind of hard considering how long their relationship goes back. It's the owner's team and if he insists on taking it down then you do what the boss wants.

[James Jack]

This is ludicrous to say the least. Big Lou might have to dump some salary to give himself some breathing room and just like the rest of the teams in the league start to depend on some young players who are not big salary cap hits. That's good news for any team looking for a talented experienced centre like a certain team that I know. You can not question Brian Burke's wisdom in managing in the salary cap era. He knows that as the schedule goes on there will be big oppourtunities to improve the Leafs and I have to hand it to him, he seems to know how to turn a good trade. I guess what I am saying is that Burkie is really being patient building his club at all levels, while some want to spend money like fools on individual stars I gather to sell tickets. Burke knows that the tickets in T.O> are already sold but he has to deliver a cup to Toronto now in 3 years or less. I am betting on Burke.

[Arhtur Bailey]

Devilsfanatic, you are a twit. I have noticed over the years that Damien appears to have a PRO devils bias, or at least a pro Brodeur bias that spills over to encompass the entire team including Lamouriello. (Yes Damien, it was the right thing not to go with Brodeur during most of the Olympics. That was obvious LONG before they won the gold).

UNTIL this Kovalchuk fiasco, I don't think Damian has printed a negative word about the Devils or Lamouriello.

With fanatic in your name, you are already outing yourself as a voice of passion, not a voice of reason. Your reasoning here is certainly flawed.

[victor]

Lou made his bed now he has to sleep in it. Good for him. I have no sympathy for him. This will be an ongoing problem and it will cost the devils wins. Oh well. I am sure he is a nice man but as I said have a good slepp.

[Pyramid Power]

"Someone might suggest this is a Mickey Mouse way to operate." Sly Wayne reference. Love it.

Lamoriello and the Devils have severely damaged their ability to win hockey games with this signing as everyone knows. Lot of respect for Lou, the Devils and Kovalchuk himself but his contract is just out there. Has this signing ever devastated them? I can only imagine what Devils fans are going to be doing soon enough at their home games if they keep losing, and Kovalchuk continues not scoring. Ouch!

Bet Lombardi down in L.A. is breathing a huge sigh of relief that he did not sign Kovalchuk. He is a tremendous talent, and there were certainly many many Leaf fans who wanted Kovy in Toronto including this fan but not at this incredible cost.

Good luck Lou. You will certainly need it.

[adam]

I don't understand any of this. The Devils weren't a terrible team before Kovalchuk and didn't need him, certainly not for what he cost them. It makes no sense. However, I don't care about NJ or the Devils so it's just an amusing curiousity to me.

[Hoofheartz]

Could be an excellent opportunity for someone to scoop up Travis Zajac for next nothing to relieve some of that devilish cap pressure. Shouldn't be too difficult to come up with a blue and white jersey with the number 9 on the back.

[J Ritchie]

Others have suggested that four lines aren't really needed in the modern NHL, since the fourth line typically harbours goons and "talent" that is barely above AHL-calibre. Maybe Lou is ahead of the curve here.

[Boston Booing]

Why don't they scratch Kovalchuk from the lineup, thereby allowing them to dress probably 32 skaters per game!

[Conn Smythe]

'Typical Devil bashing.' Is there such a thing? Do people really bash the Devils? I think Lou is widely respected throughout the league, but this whole Kovalchuk fiasco does make me scratch my head somewhat.

[Crippler]

I guess I don't really understand the cap but isn't Kovalchuks cap hit 6.6 mil a year??? and Elias is 6 mil... and isn't Ovechkins hit 9.5... Sid and Malkin are 8.7 mil each... the Rangers have Gaborik 7.5, Drury 7 and Lundquist 6.8... Detroit has Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Zetterberg and Rafalski all between 6 and 7 mil a year... so I'm not sure how it's Kovalchuks salary that has killed them cap wise... I'm just saying...