Devils Trade Captain USA

In trading Captain Jamie Langenbrunner back to Dallas, it looks like the Devils "fire sale" has officially begun. I put the words fire sale in quotations because a fire sale to Lou Lamiorello is not the same as a fire sale to say, the Florida Marlins. Yes there are a lot of high priced, underachiveing veterans on this team, but I don't get the sense that Lou is just going to trade them all away. First there is the issue of the no-trade cause. Second is the issue that I honestly think he thinks they are not a terrible team. Which is a shame, because the 2010-2011 Devils are brutally horrible.

Anyways, the Devils got a conditional third round draft pick in the deal for the Devils and USA Captain. At first glance, I was very underwhelmed considering the experience and leadership he brings to a team. So I, along with my buddy Bich, summoned help from the Crappy One. He explains:

I really liked him (even though he was garbage this year), which might have clouded my judgement a little, but I think he gets a lot of respect around the league from both players and management. 2 time cup winner. Leading goal scorer in the 2003 playoffs. Captain of team USA. I think he could have gotten a 2nd rounder and maybe even a 4th rounder on top of that. Right now, the pick is a 2011 third rounder, but with the following scenarios:

1. Stars win a playoff series this year - pick becomes 2011 2nd rounder
2. Stars resign JL before July 1 - pick becomes 2011 2nd rounder
3. Stars lose in first round/miss playoffs, BUT resign JL after July 1 - pick stays as 2011 3rd rounder, but they will swap picks in 2012 (NJD 2012 3rd rounder for DAL 2012 2nd rounder)
4. Stars don't win a playoff round/miss the playoffs AND let JL walk after this season - pick stays as 2011 3rd rounder.
   

So it seems like the best case scenario is #3. Devils get an extra 3rd round pick this year and swap next year's 3rd for a 2nd. It's all too confusing, but I think it actually makes more sense for deals to go this way; it makes the whole rental concept a little better. I still think I would have guaranteed a 2nd rounder and then had the bullshit part of it be about swapping a 3rd for a 4th or some crap. sometimes I really think that figuring out cancer is easier than all of this.

Ok, great. So depending on how Dallas does, it might move up to a 2nd round pick. The problem I have is this: yes its great to acquire picks. But one reason people have given to why this team is so crappy is that they have been unable to get any stud draft picks in the past decade because they are always picking late in the first round. So really, how is getting a 2nd round draft pick any better than that? You're telling me they couldn't have at least waited until the trading deadline when a contenders may be more desparate to win now?

Our conversation then moved on to who should become the new Devils Captain. It's an interesting question given the lack of success the Devils have had since Scott Stevens retired. Now I'm not going to blame the playoff collapses on Langenbrunner (who has been captain since 2007), but I don't think you can overlook his record: 3 years, 3 1st round exits. I know he has the intangibles, but I just never felt like he was Captain worthy. It probably is a crazy statement for someone so removed to make, but it's just how I feel. For all I know he might be the most amazing lockerroom guy their is.

My thought originally was whether they give the "C" to Kovy yet. I really hope not, but didn't know if there were any other options besides him or Elias. Once again, the Crappy One had this to say:

Parise will be the next captain. NEEDS to be the next captain, which is why they shouldn't name Kovy or Elias. Giving it to either of them means that at some point in the next few years, you have to strip them of it to give it to Parise (assuming he re-signs). The only caveat to this is whether or not Elias retires after his contract is up in the net year or 2 (I think after next season). He's kind of hinted that at the very least, he's not going to be signing another long-term deal, so maybe he comes back on a 2 year deal or something. Kovy is going to be around for too long and giving him the "C" would be a bad move for their hopes of re-signing Parise.

I'd say they give it to Arnott first, Elias second, as both of them might have a limited future with the team. Giving either of them the "C" will sort of show that Lou is planning on keeping them around past this season, to say nothing of not trading them by March. They could give it to Arnott to ride out the rest of the year, then let him walk in the postseason and give it to Zach. Or, they could just hold off on naming a captain and go with 3 alternates the rest of the year, then give it to Parise when they announce his re-signing in June.

I continue to drink the Crappy One's bathwater again, as he is dead right on this one. Somehow I totally forgot about Parise. I'm unsure whether Parise will want to come back to this dreadful team after he gets healthy. I wouldn't blame him for not wanting to - I mean, first off they stink. And second, they openly disrespected him by signing Kovy to that huge deal, all while knowing his contract would be up soon. I get that the team would love to have both of them, but can they offer him the type of money he deserves? Right now, probably not. Maybe in the future, but what if they can't? What a better way to show their commitment to him than by not naming a captain and giving it to him for the 2011-12 season and beyond? That would be an amazing ploy to get him to stay. And it's not like the Devils haven't done this before. they actually went the entire 2005 season without a captain after Stevens retired. So yes, Lou...do this. Give Zach the "C".