September 5, 2010, 2010-11 New Jersey Devils season preview for HockeyPrimetime.com

2010-11 preview: New Jersey Devils

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Written by Denis Gorman

Sunday, September 05, 2010 00:00

For the casual hockey fan, the Summer of Ilya Kovalchuk ended Saturday. For the Devils, who got their man signed but are stuck with a roster in excess of the salary-cap ceiling, it ain't over yet. • 2009-10: 48-27-7, 103 points, lost to Philadelphia in first round of playoffs • Key additions: C Jason Arnott, G Johan Hedberg, D Henrik Tallinder, D Anton Volchenkov • Key losses: D Paul Martin, C Dean McAmmond, D Mike Mottau, G Yann Danis, C Rob Niedermayer, LW Jay Pandolfo • Overview: It’s been an interesting summer in Newark. It started in May with the retirement of head coach Jacques Lemaire. Six weeks later, and after Ken Hitchcock, Mike Keenan and Michel Therrien were linked to the job, former star John MacLean was hired as the replacement. The organization and Ilya Kovalchuk announced a 17-year marriage one month later, only to have the NHL void the deal. The contract saga, which ended in the wee hours Saturday morning, dominated news cycles for two months. The Devils ultimately got their man, but were left more than $4 million over the salary-cap ceiling with a month to trim the fat. • What they're missing: Depth on the blue line. General manager Lou Lamoriello retooled the defense corps with the free-agent signings of Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder. Volchenkov is the physical, shot-blocking defenseman the Devils have lacked following the retirements of Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko, while Tallinder is serviceable. However, who is going to run the power play? • Players to watch: Zach Parise. The most beloved Devil outside of Martin Brodeur, the 26-year old sniper is entering his sixth season in New Jersey. He will also be a restricted free agent. Among the top ten left wings in the league, Parise will command top dollar. And, yes, the organization recognizes that. HPT is counting down one team each day before NHL training camps open on Sept. 17. Tomorrow: New York Islanders. Twitter: @DenisGorman

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