Look I know this summer hasn’t been a good market for D-men but can someone explain why former Devils defenseman Mike Mottau is still sitting at home without a contract?

This is a topic New Jersey players were discussing amongst themselves inside the Devils dressing room just the other day. After all it was Mottau who received the Devils player’s player of the year award last season voted on by his teammates. It won’t be long before a team either suffers an injury on the back end or realizes a young player they were hoping to give the job to just isn’t quite ready. The bottom line is Mottau will play NHL hockey somewhere this season.

A few things you may not know about Mike Mottau.

Team GP G A Pts PIM +/- Mins

NJD 09-10 79 2 16 18 41 +4 22:15

NJD 08-09 80 1 14 15 35 +24 17:47

NJD 07-08 76 4 13 17 48 -11 20:39

NHL Playoffs 17 2 4 6 0 -6 19:10

1. Ranked 2nd in the entire NHL in average shifts per game with 31.5 shifts per game

2. Ranked 3rd in the entire NHL in total shifts with 2,489 (1st Pronger- 2,552 2nd Bouwmeester- 2,516 3rd Mottau- 2,489 4th Marek Zidlicky- 2,476)

3. Ranks 15th overall among all NHL defensemen in +/- over the last 2 seasons with a +28 rating

4. Ranks 58th among all NHL defensemen in total minutes played over the last 3 seasons

5. Over the last 2 seasons has played more total minutes (3,180) then every NJD skater except Travis Zajac (3,186) over that time the team has earned the 2nd most regular season points in the Eastern Conference with 209 points (Washington was 1st with 229)

6. Over the last 3 seasons the team has averaged 103 pts per season earning 2 division titles and home ice in the playoffs each season. Martin Brodeur and the Devils won the 2010 Jennings trophy for fewest GA in the NHL

7. Versatile & Durable – Can play the PP and PK as well as playing the right or left side. Has averaged 78 games per season over the last 3 seasons

8. Character & Grit- Received New Jersey’s Players Player Award- voted on by his teammates. Link to fight with Sean Avery http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaJqI5XkiEk

• Veteran goaltender Manny Legace is still skating in Detroit waiting for the phone to ring. He has European options but is hopeful to land a job here first.
• There is discussion that the VS network could be changing their name once the merger with NBC is completed. Comcast owns VS and is in the process of taking over NBC.
• Donald Fehr told NHL agents several weeks ago at the agents meeting in Toronto that becoming the Executive Director of the NHLPA is not something he wants to do. He left baseball so he could retire and enjoy life pointing out that he didn’t have to leave baseball. But he is willing to do it on a short-term basis if they meet all of his requests including a reported $3 million dollar salary.
• Fehr biggest hurdle could be getting the players to rally around one another as it’s pretty obvious the union is fractured.
• Word is Blues D-man Alex Pietrangelo and Detroit D-man Brendan Smith were the two players playing in the Traverse City tourney who looked like they could step into the NHL right away.
• Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar and Minnesota Cody Almond were also very impressive.
• Former Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Johnson is patiently waiting for an NHL deal while skating and working out every day in Thunder Bay. Teams know they don’t have to worry about Johnson staying in shape.
• What will the New York Rangers do with D-man Wade Redden? This could be interesting.
• Is it strange for anyone else seeing ’92 birth year players participating in NHL training camps?
• Well known goalie coach Marc Champagne recently interviewed for the goaltending coaching opening in Moncton. Champagne worked with Jaroslav Halak and Bernier when he was with Lewiston.
• Analyst Pierre McGuire has selected Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak as the swing player for the central division in his Sports illustrated preview.
• Word is Halak’s playoff performance put more than $20 million dollars in the back pockets of the Montreal Owners last spring.