Revamped Devils Ready for Title Run
The last few weeks has shown just how serious the New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello was about changing the franchise after the Devils’ painful first-round playoff defeat at the hands of seventh-seed the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Devils now have a very strong line-up and are primed to compete for the top ranking in the Eastern Conference. They should also be able to make a strong run at the Stanley Cup.
Here is a glimpse at the various changes undertaken by Lamoriello.
Ilya Kovalchuk: Kovalchuk’s drawn out free agency has finally ended and he will return to the Devils. Kovalchuk is an offensive machine and has scored over 40 goals in his last six NHL seasons.
He initially seemed like a gun-for-hire situation when he signed a one-year contract with the Devils, and his return is a surprise to many. The Devils retaining the most sought after free agent shows just how serious they are about contending and how likely they are to remain in the top-tier of NHL franchises.
With Kovalchuk meshing for a full season with the Devils, he should be able to perform at his best, and the Devils are primed to make a run that is much more successful than their past three playoffs.
Anton Volchenkov: Volchenkov, also known as "the Human Shield," brings a huge shot-blocking ability to the Devils. Defensive play is always appreciated in New Jersey and Volchenkov should provide some much needed relief to veteran goalie Martin Brodeur.
He is not as offensive as the man he is replacing, Paul Martin, but he does play a much more physical game and is a superior shot-blocker.
As Lamoriello himself said: "Volchenkov, we certainly have played against enough, and he's going to do something in our zone that we have not had recently, in fact since Scott Stevens left. He's going to make it very difficult to play in that zone and he will complement the [Colin] Whites and the [Bryce] Salvadors."
Henrik Tallinder: Tallinder is more of a Martin-like all-around player for the Devils. The 31 year-old former Buffalo Sabres defenseman is still in his prime and should provide at least 20 points for the Devils while playing strong defence. He will also be a crucial mentor to a triumvirate of young Swedish defensemen in the Devils juniors ranks.
"We've always liked him," Lamoriello said of Tallinder. "We played against him enough in Buffalo. In particular, for me, he came to the forefront on the job he did playing alongside [Tyler] Myers and how he helped him along. There was another factor in that: we have three young Swedish players, one defenseman in [Alexander] Urbom and two young forwards in [Mattias] Tedenby and [Jacob] Josefson, who will be given every opportunity to make this team. We thought he would be just perfect in helping them develop and come along."
Jason Arnott: Arnott’s return is a huge morale boost for the Devils. Arnott was the hero of the 2000 Stanley Cup-winning Devils team. That year, he scored the overtime goal that won the Cup for the Devils against a talented Dallas Stars team.
Arnott’s return from the Nashville Predators gives the Devils another dominant centre and will help give Travis Zajac some more rest. With Arnott, the Devils can now field two extremely strong offensive lines.
Johan Hedberg: Veteran goalkeeper Martin Brodeur might not seem like he needs a break, and he certainly will not admit it. The acquisition of Hedberg from the Atlanta Thrashers gives the Devils an option for resting Brodeur and gives the 37 year-old Hedberg a shot at winning a Stanley Cup.
"Hedberg understands his role, and he's looking forward to it," Lamoriello told the team website. "He's extremely excited, in fact, all three players, I was really pleased with the conversations I had with them today."
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