The New Jersey Devils have finally filled the head coaching vacancy with Jacques Lemaire taking a familiar spot behind the players bench. Too bad Lemaire didn’t bring a second line center along to the swamps, the team could seriously use one.
Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello let John Madden walk via free agency leaving the towering Lithuanian Dainius Zubrus the task of shutting down the other teams top offensive threats. This leaves the Devils with a familiar question.
A question that first arose after the team sent Jason Arnott to Texas and again when Scott Gomez decided to swim across the Hudson to play hockey. (Bad idea)
Who will center Patrick Elias?
We all thought the natural choice would be Brian Rolston. That was the original choice when Brian Rolston signed with the Devils. Brian Rolston was to center a line with Brian Gionta and Elias. Unfortunately for Rolston his ankle sprained, and he was never given the opportunity to regain form.
The main reason Rolston signed for big bucks was the 30 goal campaigns he put with the Minnesota Wild, with Lemaire as his head coach. Simply put, Rolston likes to play on the left wing and Lemaire has had success in doing so.
"We'll see how training camp goes, but most probably he'll be at wing," Lou Lamoriello said about Rolston.
This can mean a number of things. For one, prospect Nicklas Bergfors will have to wait longer for his spot while Lamoriello shops around for a center.
More likely, Devils fans won’t be asking who will center Patrick Elias but rather does Elias remember how to play the position himself?
Unless Elias completely fails during camp at center, the Devils will probably roll a line with Rolston on the left, Elias playing center and the rookie Bergfors on his right.
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