Bleacher Report - Articles by Phil DeHaven

Saku Koivu Signs with Ducks, Devils Miss Out on Another Good Player

Phil DeHaven — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:50:06 -0400

Oh Lou, what's going on?

I know I'm probably not the only person who thinks this, but shouldn't the Devils have added at least one scorer during free agency? I mean, we haven't added anyone yet except for Ilkka Pikkarainen.

Yes, I appreciate the fact that we re-signed two key defensemen in Johnny Oduya and Any Greene, but we havn't even re-signed Travis Zajac. Yes, arbitration will solve that problem but after losing Gionta, Madden, and Rupp, I'm starting to wonder if Lou has lost his free agency touch.

In my eyes it all started with the signing of Dainus Zubrus a few years ago. Yes, he is a big player, but he is not the player he used to be.

I understand he wants to start a youth movement by bringing up Rod Pelley, but I think losing Gionta puts a huge hole in our offense. Especially since Gionta was the fifth best point getter in the regular season and the second best point getter in the playoffs. I have no problem not re-signing him as long as we find someone who can replace him, which we have not done.

As far as I can see, our team is not in the place it should be. I think we had too much cap room to just sit around and sign some of the less talented or more injury-plagued players. But Lou does have a knack for putting together a playoff-worthy team year after year.

The only thing I'm worried about is if he can put together a Stanley Cup caliber team, because most Devils fans that I've talked to are tired of only winning the division and losing in the playoffs.

We will see what Lou does, but I have a feeling it won't be much.

GO DEVILS!

Devils Baffled By Leafs: Trouble Ahead for Devils?

Phil DeHaven — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:04:49 -0400

On Tuesday night, the Devils tried to extend their two-game winning streak by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs, but that never happened.

The end result would be 4-1 Leafs, with the Devils out shooting the Leafs 48-18. The Devils went 1-for-4 on the power play, but could not capitalize on a five on three in which one of the penalties was a double minor.

Let's face it, the defense has been absolutely inconsistent over the last 10 games, and it cost them valuable points in the playoff race. They only needed one point or a Flyers loss to the Panthers to clinch the Atlantic Division but, both of those didn't happen.

The Devils currently sit in third place in the conference standings with the second place Capitals, four points up on the Devils, and the fourth place Flyers five points back of the Devils.

If the Devils are not careful, they could end up blowing their division lead to the Flyers, which would not be a good way to enter the playoffs.

If the season ended today, the Devils would play the Atlantic Division rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

As a Devils fan, I watched the meeting between the two teams on April 1 and after the 6-1 pasting the Pens put on the Devils, I'm not exactly excited to think of playing them in a playoff series.

The bottom line is the Devils need to WAKE UP, before their defensive slump costs them the division title or worse, an early playoff exit.

Will a Real Giants Fan Please Stand Up

Phil DeHaven — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:10:33 -0500

First, I will get you guys up to speed on my current situation. Right now I live in Northern New Jersey which is strictly Giants and Jets territory but, I dare to be an Eagles fan that gets bashed and tormented by all my friends who are Giants fans at school. Well now the joke is on them, after the Eagles dominated the Giants today I have some dirt on all of my friends who have been bragging how good the Giants were this season and how they were the Super Bowl champs last year.

However, these people aren't true Giants fans because they can't accept the fact that another team may possibly just be better than the Giants are. Believe me after the Eagles beat the Giants in the regular season, all I heard was oh Jacobs was hurt, and oh the Giants didn't need to win because they are already going to win the division... please!

After today's game I just happened to text all my friends with a friendly message. How about them Giants? Oh you wouldn't guess the excuses I've heard so far. I gotten oh well Eli Manning just had a bad game, Justin Tuck got hurt, we were missing our best wide receiver, and my personal favorite...how many super bowls have the Eagles won?

First of all, Eli Manning always has bad games when the Eagles put a little bit of pressure on him. Second of all, Justin Tuck did nothing when he wasn't hurt in today's game and your best wide receiver is stupid enough to shoot himself in the leg (oh yea he is really worth the big bucks). And finally, yes I do believe we haven't won a super bowl but according to my sources, WE JUST BEAT THE DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPS, DIVISION CHAMPS, AND OH YEA WE ARE A 6 SEED AND YOU WERE THE NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE CONFERENCE.

So I ask all Giant fans out there to just accept defeat and to STOP LIVING IN THE PAST because there should be no excuses for losing to the number six seed in the conference when you were the number one seed, and had an extra week off to prepare for this game. Also I will give you guys credit for beating the Patriots last year but, please stop using that win as a crutch to lean on since the Giants lost. It makes everyone sick and tired of hearing you brag about something that didn't even happen this year.

E-A-G-L-E-S!!!!!

Philadelphia Eagles Could End Up Becoming the New York Giants of Last Year

Phil DeHaven — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:27:20 -0500

This year, the Eagles stumbled into the playoffs with a 9-6-1 record. So it turns out, that tie with Cincinnati didn't cost them their season after all. They made it in on week 17 by destroying NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys 44-6. They also got a little help from the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans after they both won against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Chicago Bears.

So with the Eagles having recently defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card game 26-14, now it is time for the Eagles to head to the Meadowlands in New Jersey to face off against the NFC East rival and defending Super Bowl Champions.

Last time these two teams met it in week 14 was a true "gridiron" game dominated by defense. The Eagles came into the Meadowlands desperate for a win and out hustled the Giants for a 20-14 win. Running back Brian Westbrook had 203 all-purpose yards and nearly out gained the Giants who only had a total of 211 yards in the game.

Eli Manning was shut out after completing only seven-of-21 for a total of 66 yards before the touchdown in the fourth quarter. Donovan McNabb completed 19-of-30 for a total of 191 yards.

Back in week 10 the Giants stormed into Lincoln Financial Field on a Sunday night to beat the Eagles 36-31. Brandon Jacobs could not be stopped as he had 22 rushes for a total of 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brian Westbrook was held to only 13 carries for a total of 26 yards. Both Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb passed for over 190 yards with at least two touchdowns. McNabb's three passing touchdowns couldn't not keep the Eagles alive without Westbrook and they lost because of it.

Based on the two regular season meetings, we know a couple things:

Home field means NOTHING as both teams won at each other's stadiums.
The team that stops the rush game of the other team will win.
Passing the ball will not completely win the game for either team.

Here are the Keys to Success for the Eagles:

Stop Brandon Jacobs from running the ball for big gains.
Get pressure on Eli and turnovers will come.
The Eagles secondary needs to have another strong performance once again led by Brian Dawkins.

Here are the Keys of Success for the Giants:

Stop Brian Westbrook and McNabb will fold under pressure.
Take advantage of your experienced O-Line.
Don't turn the ball over, or else you will be in for a long game.

If the Eagles can pull off the victory, they will become the so called "New York Giants of last year," a title that they wouldn't mind having as long as they win the Super Bowl as the Giants did last year.

E-A-G-L-E-S.... EAGLES!!

What Does Scott Clemmensen's Breakout Year Mean for the Rest of His Career?

Phil DeHaven — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:41:23 -0500

When the New Jersey Devils had their All-Star net minder Martin Brodeur go down Nov. 1 with a torn bicep, the future looked dark for the Devils.

However, out of that darkness came Scott Clemmensen, ready and eager to help the Devils keep their season alive.

Although the Devils lost five of the first six games without Marty, the Devils have found a way to win yet again and are now considered a threat in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.

Clemmensen left the Devils last year after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. When he did not perform well with the Maple Leafs, he was demoted to the AHL, where he was outstanding.

The Maple Leafs decided not to re-sign him last off-season and the Devils decided to bring back Scott because they knew his potential.

He was drafted in 1997 as an eighth-round pick and had been living in Marty's shadow for the previous nine years.

So when Marty went down and the Devils gave Clemmensen a shot to lead the Devils, he took complete control.

As of New Year's Day, he had a 2.23 GAA, fifth among the NHL's regular goalies and he had stopped 92.3 percent of the shots he has faced.

Martin Brodeur is scheduled to return sometime in February. In reality, we all know that when Marty does come back, he will regain his starting spot as the Devils' goalie.

This will create a big problem for the Devils. What will they do with Scott Clemmensen?

Clemmensen will be a free agent after this season and will be a valuable player for any playoff contending team looking for a goalie at the trade deadline.

If the Devils look to trade Clemmensen at the deadline, they could ask for a first-round draft pick or a prospect. The Devils could also look to sign Clemmensen to a contract extension, since Marty is getting old.

Clemmensen will probably want to get a starting spot on a team after this year so the probability that he will return to the Devils is low, if anything.

But, will the Devils try to trade Clemmensen knowing how Marty may still be trying to recover from his injury? We will find out at the trade deadline.

Until then... GO DEVILS!!!

C.C. Signs... Are the Yanks Now Frontrunners in the A.J. Burnett Sweepstakes?

Phil DeHaven — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:45:42 -0500

C.C. Sabathia, the hottest free-agent on the market this year has signed a seven-year deal with the Bronx Bombers worth about $161 million. So now that the top free-agent is off the market, the free-agency floodgates will open.

The Yankees have a high amount of interest in free-agent A.J. Burnett, the same pitcher whom the Atlanta Braves and GM Frank Wren have atop their wish list this off-season.

The Braves have wasted no time in trying to sign A.J. as they have already offered him a five-year deal worth $80 million. This offer shows just how badly the Braves want A.J. because Frank Wren was very reluctant to offer a five-year deal to the injury prone Burnett.

This offer is very appealing to A.J. and it will be interesting to see how the Yankees respond to the Braves' bold offer. They, too, are also reluctant to offer Burnett that highly-wanted five-year deal. The real question is if A.J. will sign based on the years offered , the money offered, or the quality of the team.

Burnett has already said that the acquisition of pitcher Javier Vasquez from the Chicago White Sox has made the Braves a more appealing team to sign with but, does the signing of Sabathia make A.J. want to wear pinstripes?

Other teams have shown interest in Burnett but the top two teams are believed to be the Braves and Yankees. It will be interesting to see who Burnett signs with and why he signs with them.

GO BRAVES

Ryan Dempster Gone, A.J. Burnett Likely Next... What Do the Braves Do?

Phil DeHaven — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:10:46 -0500

On Tuesday, all Atlanta Braves fans lost the possibility of seeing pitcher Ryan Dempster in a Braves uniform this year. Dempster has reportedly signed a four-year deal worth about $52 Million to remain in a Cubs uniform.

The 17-game winner last season, decided that he wanted to stay in Chicago and help the Cubs make a push for the World Series instead of pursuing other options. So with Dempster gone and crossed off Frank Wren's list of pitchers that could help the Braves next season, we look at the other pitchers left out on the market...

1. CC Sabathia

CC is asking for way too much money and has gained interest from the Yankees, who are probably the only team who could meet his big contract demands.

2. A.J. Burnett

This fireball pitcher, who had a 4.07 ERA in 2008, played with Toronto last year and is reportedly also getting serious interest from the Yankees. They could certainly offer A.J. more money than the Braves are willing to give up, but it is just a matter of what team he likes the most.

3. Ben Sheets

Obviously, he is one of the most injury prone pitchers on the market this offseason, but when he is healthy, he has been lights out. It will be interesting to see if Frank will take a gamble on Ben or if he will just pass him by.

4. Derek Lowe

Frank Wren is extremely interested in Derek and will try very hard to sign him. The only problems are that he will be 35 years old by opening day, wants a long term deal, and has not been consistent.

His pitching over the last six weeks of the season may make Wren tempted to get in a bidding war over Derek.

5. John Garland

He had some good and bad times in Chicago but is not a major strikeout pitcher. However, his ability to last throughout the season may make Frank look at Johnny twice, especially if some of the other free agent pitchers have been snagged away from the Braves.

6. Junichi Tawaza

Oh boy, can this kid pitch. His amazing fastball has drawn interest from other teams such as Boston and Seattle. The Braves have already sent a contract offer to Junichi and are hoping he will sign on with the Braves. I certainly hope so too.

7. Randy Wolf

He had a great month of September for Houston, in which he had a 2.23 ERA. He is old, but his performance as of late may have given him more time to pitch in the bigs.

The free agency season is still very young and it will be very interesting to see if free agents go after money or go after the team they think has the best chance of going all the way and winning it all.

-GO BRAVES-

Season Threatening Rash of Injuries Strikes the Devils Early in the Season

Phil DeHaven — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:29:58 -0500

So far the New Jersey Devils have a 7-5-2 record. They are currently third in the Atlantic Division and eighth in the Eastern Conference...So far so good right?

Nope not so fast, all of a sudden the injury bug has struck the Devils and struck them hard. First it was the newly acquired free agent signees Brian Rolston (Sprained Right Ankle) and Bobby Holik (Broken Right Pinkie). After this happened most Devils fans thought "oh well they will come back later in the season and we will just have to manage without them until then". Little did most of us know, this would only be the beginning of the injury bug.

About 10 days later it would be rookie Pierre Letourneau-Leblond that would suffer a nasal fracture during a fight. To make it even worse, the next day Defenseman Andy Greene went on the IR after suffering a broken hand.

So now Devils fans were wondering what else could possibly go wrong. Well, we got our answer during the Nov. 1 game against the visiting Atlanta Thrashers. Martin Brodeur who has been the most important player in the Devils entire franchise history, hurt his left elbow and would require surgery taking him off the ice for three to four months. This truly was the last nail in the coffin for the Devils as more injuries would come.

Now the Devils will have to face the rival New York Rangers for the first time in a very long time without Martin Brodeur. With the season still very young, it is too early to count any team out. Only one this is for sure...the Devils have a very long road ahead of them.

Here is a list of the Devils injured players...

Player	Date	Status	Injury
B. Gionta RW	Nov 8, 2008	Day-to-Day	Head, Shoulder
B. Salvador D	Nov 8, 2008	Day-to-Day	Left Foot Injury
P. Martin D	Nov 3, 2008	Injured Reserve	Upper-back Soreness
M. Brodeur G	Nov 2, 2008	Injured Reserve	Left Elbow Surgery
A. Greene D	Oct 30, 2008	Injured Reserve	Broken Hand
P. Letourneau-Leblond RW	Oct 29, 2008	Injured Reserve	Nasal Fracture
B. Holik C	Oct 19, 2008	Injured Reserve	Broken Right Pinkie
B. Rolston LW	Oct 17, 2008	Injured Reserve	Sprained Right Ankle
B. Tallackson RW	Oct 6, 2008	Injured Reserve	Irregular Heartbeat

NCAA Tournament Sleeper: Get on Your Glass Slipper, Purdue

Phil DeHaven — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:57:07 -0400

All right all you Cinderella-seekers—hear me out.

My Cinderella story in the NCAA Tournament this year will be the Purdue Boilermakers, a No. 6 seed in the West Bracket, straight out of the Big Ten after finishing second in the conference to Wisconsin.

The Boilermakers boasted an impressive 24-8 overall record with a conference record of 15-3. They had impressive wins over Clemson, Louisville, Wisconsin (twice), and Michigan State.

To me these wins stand out not only because when they beat these teams they were ranked, but also because these teams are now in the NCAA Tournament with them.

With any Cinderella story comes upsets, and Purdue will have to overcome UCLA, UConn, Xavier, and Duke to cut down the nets in the Finals.

The first challenge is Xavier, a team out of a weak A-10 conference that looked strong during the season.

To analyze the matchup, we look at the statistics of both teams:

Overall Record: Xavier 27-6 vs. Purdue 24-8

Conference Record: Xavier 14-2 vs. Purdue 15-3

Record Vs. Top 25: Xavier 2-1 vs. Purdue 4-3

Points Per Game: Xavier 75.33 vs. Purdue 68.72

Points Allowed Per Game: Xavier 62.33 vs. Purdue 61.19

Obviously these teams look almost equal on paper, and it is bound to be a great game. So for all you bracket-busters out there—believe in your team, because you never know which teams will pull out the W.

NHL Trade Deadline: Do the New Jersey Devils Really Need to Deal?

Phil DeHaven — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:34:12 -0500

The New Jersey Devils are at the center of a multitide of trade rumors on the eve of Tuesday's deadline.

Some of them include players such as Robert Lang, Matts Sundin, Dan Boyle, Brad Richards, and Rob Blake.

But my question to Lou Lamorello:

Who can you afford to give up?

This year's team has shown lots of talent from younger stars that have stepped up, such as the already proven Zach Parise, Rookie David Clarkson, and Sophmore Travis Zajac.

I'm not suprized Clarkson has been one of the most popular players on the Devils roster.

He offers a well-rounded package to any team willing to trade for his physical, yet skillfull, style of play. He has show that he can score but isn't afraid to drop the gloves to help his team out if necessary.

Teams are very interested in Clarkson and Zajac, but I would find it hard to believe that Parise would be delt away.

Two players who should be delt away are Mike Rupp and Arron Asham.

Sure Asham scored twice against Ottowa, but where is the consistency?

Rupp is way past his time; the Devils only have a spot for him because he is a fighter and Nicholas Bergfors isn't ready to come up from the AHL yet.

So as we push foward to Tuesday's deadline I leave all you Devils fans with one last question?

Is it worth it to give up your future just to try and win the Stanley Cup for one year with a "RENTAL" player you aquired in a trade?

I don't have that answer for you, but I guess by the time Tuesday rolls around we shall all know the answer.

LET'S GO DEVILS!!!!!