ESPN.com: NHL - Users: Despite losses, Devils should be back on top

With his team only one win away from the Stanley Cup, New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello seems to be taking an 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' philosophy in the offseason. Thus far, Lamoriello has only acquired one player, defenseman Tommy Albelin, while losing star winger Alexander Mogilny and defenseman Sean O'Donnell to free agency. Will the Devils lose out to teams with deeper pockets or is Lou's strategy going to work like it has in the past?

Here are your thoughts on what the Devils need for next season:

Money is not the only tool for success
Here we go again. Lamoriello spends no money in the offseason and once again the Devils will challenge in the East. It is hard to watch the Flyers and Maple Leafs spend as much as they do to challenge the Devils, but did they really close the gap that much? Lamoriello knows the playoffs are the time to shine, and the regular season means very little. I expect him to get some of the young players involved and go after a scorer at the trading deadline (can anyone say Bill Guerin?). Also, the Devils have many of their own players to sign over the next two years (Bobby Holik, Petr Sykora, Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens), and I would rather pay them the money they deserve than bring in some old, hired gun looking for a Cup the easy way (i.e. Jeremy Roenick).

Carl
Allenhurst, N.J.

Mogilny loss could shift Devils' style
Losing Alexander Mogilny may be a potential mistake for the Devils, one distinctly different from previous years when high-priced free agents were let go (Doug Gilmour, et al). Mogilny's mere presence on the ice was something goaltenders had to respect and defenders had to defend. I have no doubt some youngsters can come in and fill the void, but strategically it could change the way teams play the Devils. Defensively, I think there will be a lot of pressure on Colin White to mature and play a solid game. He has great potential, but he was not very good in the playoffs (taking dumb penalties, bad coverage). If he improves his play, the losses of Ken Sutton and Sean O'Donnell won't hurt as much.

Kevin
Chicago

	“	Another two solid defensemen and a quality scorer will be plugged into the system, and the Devils' machine will continue to roll. ”
		— Brady, Downingtown, Pa.

Devils' system breeds winning
The Devils are still the best team in the East. The reason is that they have more depth than other teams.They can go four lines deep and get production out of all of their players. The Devils are not about one player like some of the other teams in the league. They win because of their system and because Lou Lamoriello always seems to find the right role players to help them make the finals. Until the Devils have been dethroned, they still have to be considered the favorite to win the East again.

Eric
Edison, N.J.

N.J. should dominate weak conference
You can't lose somebody like Alexander Mogilny and not have it effect your team. New Jersey certainly has plenty of offensive depth -- not to mention that most of it is young -- but a lack of scoring did N.J. in during the finals. Sean O'Donnell also was a contributor who hasn't been replaced. Fortunately for New Jersey, the Eastern Conference probably won't offer up any teams that overmatch them, although it will be tougher this time around. With head coach Larry Robinson working his magic behind the bench and the core of talent on this team, N.J. should be just as strong out of the East this year.

Andrew
Dallas

New Jersey now low on talent
I think what the Devils have done this summer is terrible. There will come a point where the upcoming talent is not going to be good enough (ahem, Tampa Bay). What they need to do is trade Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, Bobby Holik and Brian Rafalski to some team like, oh, I don't know, the Blackhawks, for guys like Ryan VandenBussche, Jamie Allison and the rights to Jean-Yves Leroux. That'll show the league that Lou means business!

Steve
Chicago

	“	Mogilny's mere presence on the ice was something goaltenders had to respect and defenders had to defend. ”
		— Kevin, Chicago

One more star brings Cup back
I think the New Jersey Devils are still one of the top three teams in the league, regardless of their lack of activity in the market. The Rangers have shown that spending money doesn't always lead to success. The Devils maintain their team chemistry, which is important in team sports such as hockey. In addition, the Devils still have the top line in the league. I think that they just need to acquire one more role player/leader like a Claude Lemeiux to steer them in the right direction when things don't go so well. I see the Devils reclaiming the Stanley Cup this year.

Nam
Randolph, N.J.

Lou's decisions are not to be questioned
Lou Lamoriello is the best GM in professional sports. What he has been able to do in recruiting talent speaks volumes about his ability to build a dominant club. The Devils will continue to move forward because their depth is amazing. There may be a lack of so-called star power, but if you look at the numbers that have been put up by their 'no-name' players (Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, Sergei Brylin, etc.), they have plenty of fire power. This is definitely not the score early, trap often team that won the 1995 Stanley Cup, but they are still extremely solid defensively. Larry Robinson has been able to take a club that was falling to pieces in the waning months of the 1999-2000 season, and rebuild it to a Cup-winning squad. His leadership and experience is respected in the locker room, and the team continues to benefit from his wisdom. The Devils have always been a team built of interchangeable parts, and the departure of Alexander Mogilny, Ken Sutton, and Sean O'Donnell will have the same effect as the departures of Vladimir Malakhov and Claude Lemeiux -- none. Another two solid defensemen and a quality scorer will be plugged into the system, and the Devils' machine will continue to roll.

Brady
Downingtown, Pa.

Scoring fuel drained after offseason losses
Losing Alexander Mogilny is going to hurt New Jersey a lot worse than they may think. Aside from him, they really only have the Elias-Sykora-Arnott line that can score. Others can score, but not having a second solid scoring line is going to put a lot of pressure on the first line, and Arnott proved last year that he can't handle pressure. The defense still should be solid. They lost Sean O'Donnell, but he was a late season acquisition anyway, and he did nothing but hurt them in the playoffs with stupid penalties and dumb play. Losing Ken Sutton wasn't so good either, but then again it wasn't so bad. Tommy Albelin should be just as good. However, if Martin Brodeur plays like he did last year in the playoffs, look for Jersey to make a very quick exit next year.

Jeremy
Austin, Texas

	“	This happens every year -- a big name leaves, people blame Lou. Then what happens at the end of the season? With the exception of '96, the Devils are back at the top, ready to defend their turf. ”
		— John, Cedar Knolls, N.J.

Sick of success: A tribute
I'm sick and tired of the New Jersey Devils. I welcome anything and everything that would disrupt that organization. I appreciate their talent and the stifling effectiveness of their defensive system. They have some fine players and one of the best netminders in the game. Maximum bang for minimum buck ... again and again and again. And they play in front of a half empty building every night until March. Enough is enough. Things have gone their way for too long. It's time for some other teams to dominate in the Eastern Conference. Here's hoping for a miserable year in the Meadowlands!

Robb
Downingtown, Pa.

Offseason plan has worked before
People should get off Lou's back about not making any big signings, or the fact that he let Alexander Mogilny go. This happens every year -- a big name leaves, people blame Lou. Then what happens at the end of the season? With the exception of '96, the Devils are back at the top, ready to defend their turf. New Jersey has made it to the finals two consecutive years, and they did it without a big name. So why do they need one now? Lou needs to focus on giving Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur, Petr Sykora, and Scott Stevens the big money, not to sign someone like Brett Hull. Leave Lou and the Devils alone! They'll probably be back right where they were the last two seasons -- seriously threatening to take home Lord Stanley!