After failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in three years, it was an adventurous offseason for the New Jersey Devils. All the additions and subtractions have left many wondering what will happen in 2013-14. There isn't a player on the roster capable of doing what Ilya Kovalchuk was able to on a nightly basis. Kovalchuk, 30, had 417 goals and 816 points in 816 regular-season NHL games and had his streak of nine-straight 30-goal seasons snapped by the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Lamoriello added forwards Jaromir Jagr, Michael Ryder, Ryane Clowe and Rostislav Olesz during free agency to alleviate the offensive burden. There's also a very good chance one or more of the organization's top prospects, Stefan Matteau, Harri Pesonen or Reid Boucher, will spend considerable time in the NHL. DeBoer acknowledged that Kovalchuk leaving was a big loss. He had 11 goals and was second on the team with 36 points last season, and his average ice time of 24:44 per game topped NHL forwards. Martin Brodeur is the team's starting goalie, and barring injury will be between the pipes opening night, Oct. 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. There's no question, however, Cory Schneider will receive his fair share of minutes throughout the season. The Devils didn't trade away the ninth pick of the 2013 NHL Draft for Schneider to play only a handful of games. Don't be surprised if Schneider gets as much as 45 percent of the starts, or about 36 games. When the 27-year-old Massachusetts native played a career-high 33 games with the Vancouver Canucks in 2011-12, he finished with career bests in wins (20), goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.937). The realization is that Schneider knows he's going to be the man in short order; Brodeur is 41 and signed only through this season. DeBoer has been very patient with the 20-year-old defenseman during his first two seasons in the League. The coach has allowed Adam Larsson to play alongside many of the veterans, including Andy Greene, and at times opted to have him watch from the stands as a healthy scratch. The fact Lamoriello traded veteran Henrik Tallinder means DeBoer might be willing to loosen the reins a little bit. There were several moments last season when Larsson exhibited the ability scouts were drooling over prior to the 2011 NHL Draft, when he was the No. 4 pick. He was using his body effectively, was able to make smart decisions at the point, and was generating some quality chances. He averaged 18:06 of ice time and saw more action in penalty-killing situations than on the power play, something that could change in 2013-14. The expectation is that Larsson establishes career highs across the board as a regular in the lineup this season. As a rookie in 2011-12, he had two goals and 18 points in 65 games. He had six assists and a plus-4 rating in 37 games in 2012-13. Jaromir Jagr has been able to contribute in each of his stops since returning to the NHL for the 2011-12 season, so there's no reason to think it will change now that he's with the Devils. The Devils were 28th in the NHL in goals scored and 21st in power-play percentage in 2012-13, so even at 41, the likely Hall of Fame right wing should be able to contribute in some fashion. He played 34 games for HC Kladno in the Czech Republic during the work stoppage, then played 45 with the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins, scoring 16 goals and 35 points. He had 10 assists in 22 playoff games with the Bruins. Jagr was a big influence on many of the young players with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-12, his first season back in the NHL after three in Europe, when he had 19 goals and 54 points. He was equally valuable to the Stars and Bruins. The Devils struggled when Kovalchuk sustained his shoulder injury against the Florida Panthers on March 23. The team lost 10 of the 11 games he missed (1-6-4) to fall out of a playoff position. During his absence, the Devils scored 19 goals, and Patrik Elias, Travis Zajac, Adam Henrique and David Clarkson mustered one apiece. Though there is a bit more of burden placed on the shoulders of that next tier of offensive players, there's no question the Devils need a collaborative effort, something that didn't happen when Kovalchuk was out of the lineup. The Devils will need their offensive catalysts to drive the team this year, which means Elias, Zajac and Henrique must step up, and newcomers Jagr, Ryder and Clowe must come through. Prior to Clowe's injury-riddled 2012-13 season with the San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers, he was good for 17-plus goals and 45-plus points during the four previous seasons. Lamoriello certainly expects the Devils to return to the postseason and challenge for the Cup. New Jersey will compete in the new Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, along with the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. The top three finishers in the division are assured a playoff berth, and though that presents a challenge, Lamoriello said he is happy with the roster he built for 2013-14.
NY Islanders - When Garth Snow became general manager of the New York Islanders in July 2006, he inherited a veteran club with little help on the horizon. The Islanders made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Snow's first season. He acquired Ryan Smyth, Richard Zednik and Marc-Andre Bergeron to help them get there, but New York was eliminated in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres. After free agents Smyth and Jason Blake decided to leave town that summer, Snow changed course. With an outdated building and a budget smaller than the big-market clubs', Snow set out to rebuild the Islanders from the ground up. It's been a slow, methodical, sometimes painful process. The Islanders possessed a lottery pick at the NHL Draft every year from 2008-12 and used the No. 1 selection in 2009 on John Tavares, who is now the face of the franchise. They waited patiently to see if goaltender Rick DiPietro could stay healthy and regain the form he showed shortly after signing that historic 15-year, $67.5 million contract. All the while, owner Charles Wang was trying to secure a new arena to replace Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1972. Things finally started to turn around for the Islanders at the start of last season. Wang never got the building he wanted in Nassau County, but the franchise announced it would move to Barclays Center in Brooklyn in the fall of 2015. A few months after the announcement, the Islanders found themselves in the playoffs for the first time in six years. They lost in the opening round in a competitive six-game series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a defeat the Islanders have been thinking about all summer. Should New York achieve that goal, it will do so without DiPietro. The No. 1 selection in the 2000 NHL Draft, who had a 4.09 goals-against average and .855 save percentage in three games last season before being waived and demoted to the American Hockey League, was bought out by the Islanders on July 3. He will be paid $1.5 million annually for the next 16 years. Evgeni Nabokov returns as the No. 1 goaltender after signing a one-year contract July 5. Nabokov, 38, struggled during the playoffs (4.44 GAA, .842 save percentage), but his solid play during the regular season (23-11-7, 2.50 GAA, .910 save percentage) helped New York end its postseason drought. He will be backed up by 23-year-old Kevin Poulin, who may see more playing time in an attempt to keep Nabokov fresh should the team return to the playoffs. The Islanders will have a similar cast this season, with the biggest exception the departure of defenseman Mark Streit. Captain the past two seasons, Streit was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in June after failing to reach a new deal with New York. A new captain hasn't been named, but Tavares is the logical and most popular pick. He likely will be appointed during training camp. Forward Cal Clutterbuck arrives from the Minnesota Wild after being acquired by the Islanders in a trade for Nino Niederreiter at this year's draft. Clutterbuck struggled offensively last season (10 points in 42 games) but finished in the top 10 in the League with 155 hits. Joining him in New York is Pierre-Marc Bouchard, a candidate to play right wing on the top line alongside Tavares and Matt Moulson. Bouchard, who signed a one-year contract July 5, had 20 points (eight goals) in 43 games for the Wild last season. New York also signed 27-year-old center Peter Regin from the Ottawa Senators for depth. Two key pieces of the Islanders' rebuild were re-signed to long-term contracts this summer. Left wing Josh Bailey, who had 11 goals in 38 games last season, signed a five-year contract worth $16.5 million. Travis Hamonic, who has emerged as one of the better young defensemen in the League, signed for seven years, $27 million. Bailey (No. 9) and Hamonic (No. 53) were drafted by the Islanders in 2008. Streit's departure leaves a hole on the blue line, which the Islanders will attempt to fill internally. They are encouraged by the play of waiver-wire acquisitions Brian Strait and Thomas Hickey and could turn to Matt Donovan, a fourth-round pick (No. 96) in 2008 who had 93 points during the past two seasons for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the AHL. New York used its first-round selection at this year's draft on defenseman Ryan Pulock, whose slap shot has been clocked at more than 100 mph. Pulock likely will return to the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League for more seasoning. Griffin Reinhart, the club's first-round pick (No. 4) in 2012, will compete for a roster spot, but he is 19 years old. Calvin de Haan, another first-round pick (No. 12 in 2009), is in the mix, but he could need some time in Bridgeport after a shoulder injury limited him to three AHL games last season. Training camp also will determine the fate of 2011 first-round pick (No. 5) Ryan Strome. The gifted forward could be ready to make the jump to the NHL after he had 94 points (34 goals) in 53 games in his final season of junior hockey with the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League. Projected as a top-six forward, Strome would join a mix that includes Tavares, Moulson (a three-time 30-goal scorer), Bailey, two-way center Frans Nielsen and power forward Kyle Okposo, who made a name for himself in the playoffs after struggling through the regular season. That puts speedy wing Michael Grabner on the third line. Grabner had 16 goals in 45 games last season and is a breakaway threat every time he's on the ice. He could be joined by Clutterbuck and rookie Brock Nelson, who is competing for a roster spot after scoring 25 goals for Bridgeport last season. The fourth line of Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Colin McDonald provides the Islanders with balance throughout the lineup and the ability to get under the opposition's skin.
The New York Islanders qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season for the first time since 2007, but their return was short-lived, eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. With a talented, young core a year older and more experienced, the Islanders won't be satisfied with simply making the playoffs in 2013-14. Coach Jack Capuano returns for a third full season after guiding the team to a third-place finish (24-17-7) in the Atlantic Division. Garth Snow has been the general manager since July 2006 and, with the help of five straight lottery draft picks, has built one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL. Some of those players had key roles in helping New York end its six-year playoff drought. But with success comes greater expectations. Led by superstar center John Tavares, the Islanders can't afford to take a step back in 2013-14. It's all but certain Tavares will be named the 14th captain in franchise history before the regular season begins. The Islanders have yet to make any announcement, but it's a foregone conclusion No. 91 will replace Mark Streit after the latter was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in June. The face of the franchise and a Hart Trophy finalist last season, Tavares leads by example on and off the ice. The 22-year-old is driven to be the best player on the ice every shift, and that rubs off on his teammates. New York's first-round draft choices in 2011 and 2012, Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart will be given an opportunity to make the NHL lineup. Strome, 20, had a brief taste of pro hockey last season when he had seven points (two goals) in 10 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League following the completion of his junior career. Likely pegged to play right wing (he is a natural center), Strome will return to Bridgeport should he not make the Islanders. Reinhart, 19, is a 6-foot-4, 202-pound defenseman whom the Islanders envision playing roughly 25 minutes per night for years to come. If he doesn't make the team this fall, he will play another season for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League. Streit struggled at times in his own end of the ice last season, but his departure leaves a gaping hole in offensive production. The Islanders' power-play quarterback had 27 points (six goals) in 48 games, including 11 points with New York up a man. Lubomir Visnovsky will take on an increased role (especially on the power play), and 23-year-old Matt Donovan will get a long look in training camp after scoring 93 points during the past two seasons at Bridgeport. Evgeni Nabokov's solid regular-season numbers (23-11-7, 2.50 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) were instrumental in helping the Islanders return to the playoffs. However, the 38-year-old struggled in the postseason against the high-powered Penguins, allowing three or more goals in each of the six games. Nabokov appeared in 26 games during the final two months of the regular season, which may have played a role in his playoff performance. He's still unquestionably the No. 1 goaltender, but Capuano will have to find some playing time for Kevin Poulin so Nabokov can have gas left in the tank come playoff time. Inconsistency has plagued Kyle Okposo, the Islanders' first-round pick (No. 7) from 2006 for much of his time in New York. The power forward had four goals in 48 games during the regular season in 2012-13, but Islanders brass is hoping his performance in Game 2 against the Penguins proves to be the turning point of Okposo's career. His biggest moment in the NHL came that night, when he floored Matt Niskanen with a right hand in the second period and scored what proved to be the game-winning goal midway through the third. He scored two more goals in that series, giving everyone a glimpse of the player he can be when on top of his game. It's possible the 25-year-old opens the season skating on the top line with Tavares and Matt Moulson, a spot that will provide Okposo every opportunity to produce. Now that the Islanders have returned to the playoffs, they won't be surprising anyone in 2013-14, nor will they be taken lightly. Snow clearly believes the majority of pieces to contend are already in place, given his relatively quiet summer. The Islanders acquired right wing Cal Clutterbuck from the Minnesota Wild for 2010 first-round pick Nino Niederreiter at the NHL Draft, then signed forwards Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin when free agency began July 5. Snow also re-signed core players Josh Bailey and Travis Hamonic to long-term contracts. With the majority of last season's team intact, it's up to Capuano and his staff to help the Islanders take the next step.
Philadelphia - Back in July, on the day the Philadelphia Flyers introduced their three biggest offseason signings, chairman Ed Snider was asked if his team was better with the additions of defenseman Mark Streit, goalie Ray Emery and center Vincent Lecavalier. There might be no question in the mind of the Flyers' founding father, but others might not be so sure. In the summer of 2011 the Flyers signed Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year, $51.5 million contract in the hope he could be the undisputed long-term answer to the never-ending goaltending question in Philadelphia. Instead, he turned out to be what general manager Paul Holmgren called a "costly mistake," and in June the Flyers used one of their compliance buyouts to terminate the final seven years of Bryzgalov's deal. They'll pay him more than $1.6 million not to play in Philadelphia this season, or about the same amount they'll pay Emery to split time in net with Steve Mason. Mason, acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in April, was impressive in seven late-season games, going 4-2-0 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. But that came after four mostly down seasons following his dazzling Calder Trophy-winning season in 2008-09. Emery, playing behind an elite defense with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, went 17-1-0 in 21 games, and was third in the League with a 1.94 GAA. However, the last time Emery was a full-time starter was his first time in Philadelphia, the 2009-10 season. And when the 30-year-old looks at the defense now in front of him, he certainly won't see Duncan Keith or Brent Seabrook. Holmgren, who traded for Mason and signed Emery, said he was more than satisfied with what his team has in net. Streit has averaged 46 points the past six seasons he's been healthy (he sat out 2010-11 with a shoulder injury). However, he's 35, adding another veteran to a group that features one player younger than 27 in its projected top six: 23-year-old Luke Schenn. That position also was the most fragile on the team, with six defensemen ending the season on the injured list and 13 players skating at least one game, tied for the most in the NHL. It's a unit that could use some help. Braydon Coburn and Nicklas Grossmann, expected to be the top shut-down pair, combined for a minus-11 rating and had their seasons ended by injuries in late March. Andrej Meszaros had a slow start recovering from offseason back surgery, played 11 games and was done in late March because of a shoulder injury. The most productive member of the unit was 38-year-old Kimmo Timonen, who had 29 points in 45 games and gutted out more than a month with a broken foot before sitting out the final three games of the season. About the only benefit to the late-season rash of injuries that also claimed Kent Huskins (concussion) and Bruno Gervais (torn stomach muscle) was a chance to get prime NHL playing time for younger players Erik Gustafsson, Oliver Lauridsen and Brandon Manning. Lauridsen, at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, is the most intriguing of the three. Though Streit's offensive ability is something the Flyers were missing, Lauridsen's size and physicality are something the Flyers haven't had on a consistent basis since Chris Pronger left the lineup in November 2011. Lauridsen had two goals in 15 NHL games (one more than he had in 59 games in the American Hockey League), 35 hits and 34 penalty minutes. The Flyers hope any issues they have on the back end will be more than compensated for with their offense. They had a deep group of forwards prior to signing Lecavalier to a five-year contract to upgrade the second-line center spot left open when Daniel Briere was bought out of his contract. It's likely Lecavalier will center a second line with wings Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds. The question is whether Lecavalier, 33, can keep pace with the up-tempo offensive attack preached by coach Peter Laviolette, and if he can stay in the lineup. He has played 65 games or fewer the past three seasons, and he missed nine games with a broken foot last season. Lecavalier said he feels strong and is excited to be a part of Laviolette's system. The top line will feature Claude Giroux, who should be recovered from August surgery to repair torn tendons in his right index finger sustained during a mishap at a golf outing, between Scott Hartnell and the breakout star from last season, Jakub Voracek. The 24-year-old had a career-best 22 goals and was second on the team with 46 points (Giroux had 48). The Flyers have solid depth on the lower lines. A third line of Couturier between Matt Read and Tye McGinn will be solid defensively and contribute offensively, especially if Couturier and Read can return to the level of their rookie seasons of 2011-12. A fourth line of Adam Hall, Maxime Talbot and Zac Rinaldo has the potential to create chaos in small doses.
It's been 38 years since Bernie Parent skated with the Stanley Cup, and more than 25 years since Ron Hextall won the Vezina Trophy. So it's been about that long that fans have been asking what the deal is with Philadelphia Flyers' goaltenders. Steve Mason, acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL Trade Deadline, showed flashes of his Calder Trophy-winning form in seven late-season games, going 4-2-0 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. To supplement Mason, the Flyers signed Ray Emery, who went 17-1-0 in 21 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season, and was third in the League with a 1.94 GAA. After two seasons of Ilya Bryzgalov as the unquestioned starter, the Flyers enter this season with Mason and Emery on equal footing. The question, though, is will it work. Of the seven defensemen on last season's opening-night roster, only two were healthy at the end, Luke Schenn and Kurtis Foster. The Flyers had 13 players skate at least one game on defense, tied for the most in the League. They lost their most effective defensive pair 10 days apart in late March, when Nicklas Grossmann went out with a concussion and then Braydon Coburn followed him with a shoulder injury. Andrej Meszaros, who spent the lockout rehabilitating from back surgery, played 11 games before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury. No. 1 defenseman Kimmo Timonen played more than a few weeks on a broken foot before it finally gave out on him with three games left. Kent Huskins (concussion) and Bruno Gervais (torn stomach muscle) also ended the season on the injured list. The injuries gave the Flyers a chance to look at some of their younger players, and while Erik Gustafsson, Oliver Lauridsen and Brandon Manning did well in extended playing time, shoring up the defense was a critical offseason goal for Holmgren. Whether they accomplished that remains to be seen. The only NHL-ready addition was Mark Streit, acquired from the New York Islanders and signed to a four-year contract before he hit free agency. Streit may have made the defense a bit more mobile, but at 35 he didn't make it any younger, or less injury-prone. Timonen is 38, and while Grossmann (28), Coburn (28) and Meszaros (27) aren't old, injuries and their physical styles of play have left them with a bit less tread on their tires. At 23, Schenn is the youngest of the expected top six. With questions in goal, the Flyers will need their defense to remain intact and productive to give Mason and Emery the best chance to be successful. Holmgren, though, is positive things will be fine on the back end. Jakub Voracek was a big offensive producer growing up in the Czech Republic and in his two seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. However, prior to 2012-13 he never had found his scoring touch in the NHL, in three seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected him with the seventh pick of the 2007 NHL Draft, and one with the Flyers, his best output was 18 goals and 50 points. Last season, though, the departure of Jaromir Jagr opened a spot at right wing on Claude Giroux's line and Voracek took advantage, scoring a career-best 22 goals while playing all 48 games. He also had 46 points; pro-rated over an 82-game season, those totals would have been 37 goals and 78 points. The biggest difference for Voracek last season was his willingness to shoot, his 129 shots on goal were second on the team, and in an 82-game season projected to a career-best 220. Voracek might have caught some teams by surprise, but that won't happen this season. Can he fight through the extra attention to be productive again in 2013-14? For the Flyers to get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he'll have to. As an 18-year-old rookie in 2011-12, Sean Couturier had 13 goals, 27 points and a plus-18 rating that was second on the team in 77 games. He was even better in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, becoming the youngest player since 1945 to have a hat trick when he scored three times in Game 2 of the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also played outstanding defensively, where he was tasked with covering Evgeni Malkin. He held that season's Art Ross Trophy winner to eight points in six games, but three points came in one game. The belief heading into last season was that Couturier was ready for an increase from the 14:08 of ice time he got per game as a rookie, including some time on the power play. While his ice time went up to 15:58 per game, though, his production plummeted. He had four goals and 15 points in 46 games, and was a minus-8. After scoring twice in his first six games, he went 27 games without a goal. So was last season a blip and Couturier will develop into a second-line center? Or is he more suited to a third-line role, where he can use his defensive abilities to chip in offensively? The addition of Vincent Lecavalier will push Couturier to a third-line role to start, but if he plays like he did as a rookie, he could earn a bump up the lineup. Speaking of the veteran center, he was nowhere near the Flyers' thought process until the Tampa Bay Lightning opted to use a compliance buyout to get out from the final seven years of Lecavalier's contract. The Flyers signed Lecavalier to a five-year, $22.5 million contract, with the expectation that he can center the second line, or shift to right wing on a line with Claude Giroux. But can Lecavalier keep up with the Flyers' up-tempo style of play? The 33-year-old hasn't played more than 65 games in a season since 2009-10, and has suffered from hand, wrist and foot injuries the last few seasons. He says he feels good now, though, and the Flyers expect to be stronger up the middle with Lecavalier's presence. Holmgren never has been a general manager willing to sit still. If he sees a problem or an issue, he does his best to solve it. He saw a need for a puck-moving defenseman, and found it in Streit. He needed to clear cap space, so he used a compliance buyout on Daniel Briere. He wanted to change course in goal, so he used his second compliance buyout on Bryzgalov and brought in Emery. He wanted to get bigger down the middle, and signed Lecavalier to a five-year deal. While those transactions filled needs, were they the right moves to get the Flyers back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs? That question won't be answered until April, but the people who made them certainly feel confident.
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