Thursday, September 20, 2007
Langenbrunner Out for Up to Two Months
The sad and quite sucky news comes from the CBC: Jamie Langenbrunner will be out for up to two months. I'm glad he got the surgery to begin with; but I can't be happy that he will miss October and November (the article states the first two months of the season) as a result of it. I hope he makes a proper and perhaps a faster than expected recovery.
As far as who will play at right wing with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac, assuming the two will be part of the same line, the options are as follows:
1. Utility forward Sergei Brylin fills in for most of the time. He's filled in larger roles before (e.g. centering the first line after Scott Gomez' groin injury last season), but he doesn't have the offensive talent to make the line work as a full scoring line. I don't think this would be a good option.
2. Sign a free agent to fill that role. This is an even worse idea with far too many risks (Peter Forsberg will cost a lot of money for a part of the season, will Teemu Selanne return and to a team that isn't in Anaheim) and too few good options for a scoring line. No.
3. Go with someone new. This looks like the most likely option as the Devils do have some prospects at right wing available. David Clarkson plays like Randy McKay and impressed in a few games last season, his time may be now. The best offensive prospect in the Devils' system is also an option, Nicklas Bergfors. This could be an opportunity for him to show why the Devils made him their first round pick in 2005. Barry Tallackson could also have a concievable shot as a power forward. It could be somebody else who has escaped my mind at this juncture. Basically, the favorites as I understand it are Clarkson and Bergfors. I would imagine whoever performs better in training camp will get the spot at least to start the season.
The Devils have just started their second preseason game, at Boston against the Bruins. Best of luck to the Devils and to Brent Sutter for making all of it come together.
Labels: 2008 Preseason, Devils Issues
# posted by John Fischer @ 6:59 PM 0 comments 
