New Jersey is much the same, though they couch their objections in salary cap terms:
http://www.devilsrule.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7307551

The Atlanta official boards think he won't go there:
http://forums.atlantathrashers.com/jive/thrashers/threadMode2.jsp?forum=230&thread=69625&tstart=15&trange=15

Let's Go Caps!
www.washingtonhockey.com

Joisey does have salary cap issues and with Lou Lam, they believe that they can contend for the Cup every season. But Joisey does have salary cap issues. (Interesting thought from rumor-boy about this situation yesterday, I find it hard to disagree with him on that point.)

Atlanta fans are prolly listening to rumor-boy who said it is down to Philly and Joisey. Of course, like the CBA agreement, rumor-boy keeps saying that Bondra's decision is "imminent."

Again, personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Bondra come back for the right price on a one year contract. However, my life will go on just fine thank you should Bondra play for somebody else (even if it were the loathsome Flyers, Pens, or Ning) or retire.

-------------------------
Everybody Wang Chung......

Please load brain before shooting off mouth.™

I don't know what Jersey is thinking and Lou is off his rocker. Maybe come training camp there will be more need for players, but like it or not the Devils are still going to be in a position of having to cut salary. Lou is the one who is constantly going to be in a position of HAVING to make a deal, rather than WANTING to make a deal to improve your team. At most he may get a slightly better prospect for the player, because they surely can't take salary back.

I think Atlanta isn't truly a contender, because they aren't a contender. The team has never made the playoffs and they think they can win the Cup this season?

It comes down to Washington, Philly and Jersey. Reading the article from the Post the other day makes me think that it will be Washington, but I fall in Nuts' point of view. If he comes back fine, if he doesn't that is okay too.

--------------------------

Quote

---

I don't know what Jersey is thinking and Lou is off his rocker. Maybe come training camp there will be more need for players, but like it or not the Devils are still going to be in a position of having to cut salary. Lou is the one who is constantly going to be in a position of HAVING to make a deal, rather than WANTING to make a deal to improve your team. At most he may get a slightly better prospect for the player, because they surely can't take salary back.

---

Some teams are going to be expected to spend their full cap and who really knows what the canceled season did to these older players? Lou's right, he's got until October to get under the salary cap.

Finally, what's the status of Gomez? I believe he was seriously injured playing in the ECHL last season. I wouldn't put it past Lou (or any other GM) to try to "hide" players through "injuries" (it worked great for the Redskins in the 1980's). Drop Gomez (or some other collection of players) on a permanent IR and/or figure out which vet has too much rust come training camp and the Devils just might be in business w/o having to resort to too much in "giveaways."

-------------------------
Everybody Wang Chung......

Please load brain before shooting off mouth.™

I tried to find a link to make my second point, but I couldn't. It was going to be a link to the unrestricted free agents that remain unsigned. It isn't like there isn't available talent out there. Lou and the Devils won't just be trying to find the right price for a team to acquire a player, but there are also lots of UFA's who would cost a team nothing in terms of giving up talent.

Lastly, Jersey is coming into a trading situation where everyone knows they MUST make a deal. Every team is going to low-ball them because of it. No matter how brilliant Lou may be I think he has made a huge mistake this time around...unless a team like the Rangers or Leafs comes in and overpays because of a gapping whole in their roster. This may be what he is banking on, but that is a huge gamble.

--------------------------