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LOU NEEDS TO DO 'RIGHT' THING
by MARK EVERSON , The New York Post
It has long been held here, and long ignored there, that the Devils need at least one right-handed defenseman, of the persuasion that wouldn't have had to try to backhand the puck up the right boards, fail, and watch Carolina's Jussi Jokinen win Game 4 with 0.2 seconds left this spring.
Sources say Lamoriello came within a hair of landing Derek Morris at the trade deadline, and may try again.
Other top likely righty candidates are Adrian Aucoin and Steve Montador.
There is a bumper crop of lefty defensemen, led by Mike Komisarek and Mattias Ohlund, probably all too expensive, but a bargain might be had in Marc-Andre Bergeron.
The Devils still need that righty defenseman who can run the point, and they still need a major center. And now, they're likely to lose their only-ever Selke Trophy winner, John Madden, and team-record goal-scorer, RW Brian Gionta, who become unrestricted free agents at noon today.
Now that they've re-signed Johnny Oduya, three years at $3 million, $3.5M and $4M, and when they've signed restricteds Travis Zajac and Andy Greene, a backup goalie and perhaps Brendan Shanahan, they're likely to have only $5 million to $6 million left in cap space.
Left wing is too crowded. Patrik Elias is expected to be ready for training camp after having some tissue and deposits removed from his hip area. Zach Parise, Brian Rolston, Zubrus and Jay Pandolfo are the other left wings.
The right wings are Jamie Langenbrunner, David Clarkson, perhaps Shanahan, and perhaps rookies Matt Halischuk and Nicklas Bergfors. Without Madden, Zajac is their only true center.
Mike Comrie, Robert Lang, and former Devils Brendan Morrison and Steve Sullivan are leading suitables, with the Sedin twins, Mats Sundin, and probably Saku Koivu too expensive for the Devils to also add a defenseman.
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The Devils yesterday traded 21-year-old Smithtown native Tony Romano to the Islanders for 25-year-old Ben Walter, son of former Cap and Hab Ryan Walter, in a swap of centers.
The Islanders also get a 2012 conditional draft pick.
Romano was 9-10-19 in 29 games as a Cornell frosh three seasons ago, and spent the last two years in the Ontario junior league, with London and Peterborough. Walter went 20-30-50 in 65 games with Bridgeport last season, and has scored one goal in 22 NHL games with the Isles and Bruins.
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