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Tuesday, March 13, 2001
Devils deal veteran Terreri in goalie swap
Associated Press
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The New Jersey Devils acquired John
Vanbiesbrouck from the New York Islanders in exchange for Chris
Terreri and a ninth-round draft pick in a trade of backup
goaltenders Monday.
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Mon., March 11
John Vanbiesbrouck has logged a lot of time on the Island, but he's still fresh and will be prepared to jump in at any moment to relieve Martin Brodeur. Lou Lamoriello knows Vanbiesbrouck from the World Cup and Olympic teams. He likes the presence Vanbiesbrouck brings to the locker room.
Pang's complete analysis
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The deal on the eve of the NHL trading deadline gives the Devils
a seasoned backup to Martin Brodeur with the playoffs just a month
away.
Terreri has been Brodeur's backup the past three seasons, and
has seen little action. He played in only 12 games each of the past
two seasons and 10 games this season, posting a 2-5-1 record with a
2.78 goals-against average.
Vanbiesbrouck, who played in the Stanley Cup finals with Florida
in 1996, appeared in 44 games with the Islanders, posting a 10-25-5
record with a 3.01 goals-against average and a .898 save
percentage.
New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello said the Devils want
to give Brodeur some rest in the final 14 games of the regular
season.
"I just felt it was better to have someone with more experience
as far as the games played this year, and also going into the
playoffs with that," he said. "And Chris has been somewhat
erratic. It's not a knock. It's not his fault. He has not played
much."
Brodeur, who has appeared in 61 of the Devils 68 games this
season, helped New Jersey win Stanley Cups in 1995 and last season.
However, his backup has rarely gotten work and that is a concern
heading into the playoffs. With Terreri, the level of play dropped
sharply.
Lamoriello said he wasn't making the trade as an insurance
policy.
"You are looking to put yourself in the best position to have
success and this gives us that. It gives us someone who has played
all year at quite a high level and some of his better games were
against the Devils. We feel he can go in there and play if
necessary."
Vanbiesbrouck had a 2.14 goals-against average in five games
against the Devils this season, including a 0-0 tie on Dec. 1 when
he stopped 26 shots. Two days later, the 19-year-veteran had 45
saves in a 1-1 tie with New Jersey.
Lamoriello spoke with Vanbiesbrouck on Monday.
"John knows exactly what his role will be," Lamoriello said.
"He knows Marty is our goaltender and he is ready to accept any
role we will give him to help us win."
Vanbiesbrouck and defenseman Scott Niedermayer, who remained in
New Jersey over the weekend while his wife gave birth, were taking
a flight to Phoenix on Monday to join the team.
Lamoriello said it was very difficult trading Terreri, a 13-year
veteran he coached at Providence.
"From a personal standpoint he has been a special person who
for a long time has given us a lot in a lot of areas," Lamoriello
said of Terreri. "He is a very close friend away from the game as
far as his family. This was a decision that was made with the head
and certainly not the heart."
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