Devils re-sign Paul Martin, 3yrs/$12m

[Guest Crymson]

$12m for this guy? Sheesh. The Devils are desperate.

[Guest jaytan]

Wow, how did he get away with taking all that cash? He's been good so far, but they're paying him like he's Rafalski or something.

Oh well, at least a Gophers gettin' paid.

[Earthhuman 8]

Now they're only falling apart.

It's a total eclipse of good judgment.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

He's a capable defenseman, but this is way too much money to pay him. I guess they must have been afraid Kevin Lowe would take a stab at him.

[Cicada 4]

even the Kronwall deals looking good now

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

even the Kronwall deals looking good now

Lets not go that far ...

[BeeRYCE 2]

Paul Martin? I know of this guy, but he has to be the most overpaid player that nobody gives a damn about.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

i agree too expensive to pay a defenseman that doesnt stand out a lot in one category whether offense or defense like rafalski

[Kp-Wings 3]

Lou Lamb is becoming senile in his old age.

Martin is a good defenseman, but he's not that good. I can't imagine why they'd pay him 12 million like that. I didn't even think he was going to be their top defenseman this year.

...and people thought the Islanders we're bad shape. The Devils will be lucky to even compete this year.

[Heaton 1]

...and people thought the Islanders we're bad shape. The Devils will be lucky to even compete this year.

Nah, as long as the Devils still have Brodeur, Elias, Gionta, Parise, Zajac and Lagenbrunner they'll be able to compete. Losing Rafalski was a bigger blow than losing Gomez IMO.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Nah, as long as the Devils still have Brodeur, Elias, Gionta, Parise, Zajac and Lagenbrunner they'll be able to compete. Losing Rafalski was a bigger blow than losing Gomez IMO.

Gomez wasn't that big of a loss in my opinion.

The reason I say they will have trouble competeing is their defense. Martin and either Richard Matvichuk or Colin White will be their top defenseman next year. Now, if Brodeur was the same guy he was a few years ago that would be fine, but he looked real human last year in the playoffs against Ottawa. He was overplayed, yes, but who's to say that won't happen again?

Not that I think Brodeur sucks, but whether he can perform as well as he has before with a defense that doesn't include Niedermayer, Stevens, and now Rafalski is in question.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

The Devils will be okay, they won't be great, but they will be a 6th-7th seed. Their biggest problem won't be defence, it will be finding goals, but that has ALWAYS been a problem for them and they have always done fine despite it. By the end of this year i bet Brodeur will be quite close to beating Roy's winning record (woot!). After that the Devils can become the NHLs worst team for all I care.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Martin-Matchichuk

White-Green

Luckowich-Oduya

Wow , thats horrible. Im all for gritty defence , but it has to have some skill.

There forwards arent exactly great either. Parise and Elias are the only "star" forwards they have , the rest are 2nd rate guys , who play hard. And then guys like Madden and Pandolfo, who are great defensive players. I dont see them making the playoffs

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Bottom line with the Devils: It doesnt matter if you have the best goaltender in the NHL in net. Theres only so long a team can sustain the consecutive losses of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, and Brian Rafalski and replace them with guys that cant even hold a candle to their predecessors.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Martin-Matchichuk

White-Green

Luckowich-Oduya

Wow , thats horrible. Im all for gritty defence , but it has to have some skill.

There forwards arent exactly great either. Parise and Elias are the only "star" forwards they have , the rest are 2nd rate guys , who play hard. And then guys like Madden and Pandolfo, who are great defensive players. I dont see them making the playoffs

Scratch Lukowich off that list. He signed in Tampa over the summer.

Vishnevski will replace Lukowich, while either Karel Rachunek or Andy Greene will probably have a roster spot over Oduya.

Again though, not an impressive defense by any stretch of the imagination.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

Descent player but 4 million is way to much to pay for him . I've said it before . in the era of salary caps . there's far to much money getting thrown at good to avarage players.

[Systemfel 33]

Not that I think Brodeur sucks, but whether he can perform as well as he has before with a defense that doesn't include Niedermayer, Stevens, and now Rafalski is in question.

Haven't people said that in the past too, only to watch him win the Vezina this year with a career high of 12 shutouts? Edited August 18, 2007 by Systemfel

[wingsfan40 0]

This is why many of us value Holland as our GM; he's not perfect, but in a league with a cap he's doing very well

I second that motion

[BeeRYCE 2]

Haven't people said that in the past too, only to watch him win the Vezina this year with a career high of 12 shutouts?

Not to mention the most wins by a goaltender ever in a single season.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Haven't people said that in the past too, only to watch him win the Vezina this year with a career high of 12 shutouts?

This will be his 1st year without Rafalski, meaning that he won't have a single top defenseman on the team. I hate to break it to you, but Paul Martin and Richard Matvichuk are not top defenseman.

[Systemfel 33]

This will be his 1st year without Rafalski, meaning that he won't have a single top defenseman on the team. I hate to break it to you, but Paul Martin and Richard Matvichuk are not top defenseman.

I hate to break it to you, but it's not like Rafalski was some sort of superman in his own zone. And Matvichuk probably won't have a huge role with the Devils. Edited August 18, 2007 by Systemfel

[Kp-Wings 3]

I hate to break it to you, but it's not like Rafalski was some sort of superman in his own zone. And Matvichuk probably won't have a huge role with the Devils.

He was the best defenseman on the Devils last year. Who is going to replace him? Martin?

[Manoir 70]

Every year since Stevens left, people have been writing off the Devils. Every year they are wrong. Most people are forgetting the wild card in all this, Brent Sutter as coach. The Devils will be fine.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I hate to break it to you, but it's not like Rafalski was some sort of superman in his own zone. And Matvichuk probably won't have a huge role with the Devils.

Actually, Rafalski is probably one of the best Dmen flying under the radar in todays game.

[Manoir 70]

Keep in mind that Martin would have been a UFA next summer, so the Devils had to overpay a bit. When Lou likes a D-man, he pays very well, something he was not prepared to do with Rafalski. That makes me a bit nervous.

Edited August 19, 2007 by Manoir