Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part I

[JimEIV]

They were in the Stanley cup finals their first year as an organization.

Then stayed a cup contender since

Oh Ok I see what you mean.... I thought you were saying that because they missed the playoffs the year before they arrived overnight.

 

[Guttersniped]

We are on the stage of trading 10OA or Mercer or even 10oa+Mercer for Saros or Ullmark, 30-32yo goalies who are not playing playoff games and will be on the market next summer.
It’s a doom. Fans need better words than I have. Like My3sons said people don’t understand what I’m writing about often. Fans deserve someone better than me who has better words to explain the obvious things.

I’m going to be so pissy if we trade Mercer… the board has been warned.

 

[JimEIV]

We are on the stage of trading 10OA or Mercer or even 10oa+Mercer for Saros or Ullmark, 30-32yo goalies who are not playing playoff games and will be on the market next summer.
It’s a doom. Fans need better words than I have. Like My3sons said people don’t understand what I’m writing about often. Fans deserve someone better than me who has better words to explain the obvious things.

You do just fine. The message is the most important part not the grammar.

Keep doing what you're doing.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Wood can score the OT winner to clinch the cup and I still am glad they did not bring him back on that contract. Much like I still make the Zacha/Haula swap every day of the week.

Disagree here. I think Wood was severely missed this season. The Devils could have certainly used his speed, energy, and physical edge in the bottom 6 this season. I also think Wood could have been had by the Devils at a lesser contract prior to UFA. Something like, 4 years X 2.35 million AAV. I think if the Devils offered that in June, Wood would still be a Devil.

Luke and Nemec are reasons enough for me to be very excited about next year. I can’t wait to see how they look with Dougie there and still possibly another big add by Fitz.

I don’t think there are many huge moves that need to be made. The group just needs to grow together with a couple tweaks and adds.

I think this team needs a goaltender - Holtz for Markstrom

I think this team needs a top 6 forward - Bertuzzi? Toffoli? Arvidsson? Guentzel? Stephenson? Buchnevich? Ehlers?

I think this team needs a defensive LHD upgrade over Siegenthaler - Dillon? Zadorov? Fehervary? Middleton?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

This board is gonna be amazing next year when the slightly revamped team is still getting use to the new coaches system 20+ games in.

I think Woodcroft or Sullivan will have them ready from jump, bated breath with Berube

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Lol...the Florida team that had 92 points last year had 58 wins and 122 points in 2022...you make sound like it was a team that suddenly awakened to get to the finals.


Florida 122 + 92 + 110 the last 3 years

Us 63 + 112 + 81 in the last 3 years

Those two things are not alike.

and what did they win in 2021-22 exactly?

 

[Guadana]

I’m going to be so pissy if we trade Mercer… the board has been warned.

Im okay to trade 10OA, but it should be really good deal because often this type of deals are not good at all. Ullmark or Saros? May be I should relocate to NA and start trading career? If people are not ready to appreciate what they have, why can't I be the person who will help them part with what they value low?

Mercer trade is something more, I dont wanna dive into it. I think its a turned page for Fitz to trade him in the average deals like people are talking about.

 

[guitarguyvic]

We've already traded away so much of our middle six homegrown talent...I don't want our entire forward group outside of Nico Bratt and Jack to be guys that were brought in from outside the org...I think that's bad for the chemistry. I already think we went too far with it.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We've already traded away so much of our middle six homegrown talent...I don't want our entire forward group outside of Nico Bratt and Jack to be guys that were brought in from outside the org...I think that's bad for the chemistry. I already think we went too far with it.

like who?

Yegor Sharangovich?

Zetterlund we replaced with Meier. sooo?

I think this is next to meaningless.

 

[guitarguyvic]

like who?

Yegor Sharangovich?

Zetterlund we replaced with Meier. sooo?

I think this is next to meaningless.

We've lost Shara, Zetterlund, Wood, McLeod, Severson, Boqvist.

I understand not all of those were trades, several were inevitable, and even some like Severson I think we are better off without long-term. All I'm saying is that it's been a lot already, we should try to steer clear of willingly letting more go.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I tried to find some trade options for #10 pick. Some of these aren't probably available, and maybe I missed someone who is available.

Spoiler: Trade options

Anaheim: -
Boston: Ullmark (M-NTC)
Buffalo: -
Calgary: Markström (NMC), Weegar (NTC)
Carolina: -
Chicago: -
Colorado: Colton, Manson, Girard
Columbus: -
Dallas: -
Detroit: -
Edmonton: Kane
Florida: -
Los Angeles: -
Minnesota: Gustavsson
Montreal: Matheson
Nashville: Saros
NY Islanders: -
NY Rangers: -
Ottawa: Chychrun
Philadelphia: Farabee (?), Konecny (?)
Pittsburgh: Pettersson, Jarry
San Jose: -
Seattle: -
St. Louis: Buchnevich
Tampa Bay: -
Toronto: ?
Vancouver: Hronek (?)
Vegas: Theodore, McNabb, Roy
Washington: -
Winnipeg: Ehlers

Theodore is the only one I would trade #10 pick. Buchnevich is also interesting one, but I don’t want to pay him $8 million when he needs a new contract. Same thing with Saros. Chychrun isn’t good defensively, and Hronek is a RHD. I really like Pettersson but #10 is too much for him. Ullmark and Markström are too old, but I would consider Weegar although he is over 30. I don’t know what the Flyers do with Farabee and Konecny. The latter is really good, but they probably wouldn't trade him to the Devils.

 

[MartyOwns]

We've lost Shara, Zetterlund, Wood, McLeod, Severson, Boqvist.

I understand not all of those were trades, several were inevitable, and even some like Severson I think we are better off without long-term. All I'm saying is that it's been a lot already, we should try to steer clear of willingly letting more go.

shara: lateral move
zetterlund: upgraded
wood: not in a position to give out that sort of contract
mcleod: rapist
severson: see wood

why would we let that steer us from letting more expendable guys go? who cares about keeping chemistry outside the core?

 

[Rhodes 81]

You will find all my answers on this weak argument “time is now” in my previous post. If time is now we can spend cap now. Not 10oa pick for aged goalie. It’s not about patience it’s about good management.

I think people are missing that just because you make a pick instead of trading it doesn't mean that player isn't ammo for a trade a year from now. Prospects we acquired like Bahl and Foote were recent picks that were traded to us.

Maybe we draft Nygard and he doesn't play for us for 3 years, but that doesn't mean his presence isn't important in the math that lets us turn around and trade one of the few other legitimate prospects we have or future picks for an upgrade now.

I agree with you that it's probably better to make this pick than trade it straight up for a single player unless a true difference maker is the one coming back (though I disagree that goalies are exempt from that label).

 

[MartyOwns]

despite some questionable decisions he's made, i'm pretty sure fitz has enough brains to trade 10OA if the right offer is pitched to him. in 2027 we can take 40 seconds to lament about the absence of a rookie who would've put up 30 points for us in his first season as we prepare for another playoff run.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We've lost Shara, Zetterlund, Wood, McLeod, Severson, Boqvist.

I understand not all of those were trades, several were inevitable, and even some like Severson I think we are better off without long-term. All I'm saying is that it's been a lot already, we should try to steer clear of willingly letting more go.

you said we "traded away" bunch of home grown middle 6 talent. That was what I was responding to.

Wood is not a middle 6 winger, and was not traded.
McLeod started as a 4C this year, and was not traded. Whatever, f*** him.
Severson is not a winger period.
Boqvist is not a middle 6 winger, and was not traded.

Yes, I'd like to have Zetterlund back but again, he was replaced with Meier so who can complain there?

Sharangovich I really don't care about. He was the same guy in Calgary as he was here. Oh well.

Good teams lock in their studs and rotate around the depth players. Obviously, the guys that they had there in those spots this year weren't good enough. But they will address it this summer.

 

[Rhodes 81]

If we're throwing out names of interest I'll submit a few of my targets for the offseason:

I think Vegas is going to attempt to trade Karlsson so they can re-sign Marchessault and hang onto some of their depth pieces. Curious about thoughts on this. The assumption would be the cap space is the main asset for Vegas so he may be somewhat cheap from an asset standpoint, but there will be more teams in a position to take on the cap this year as compared to the last few.

Kulikov would be my target to split time with Bahl as the #6/7.

If Foegel becomes available, I would be willing to put ourselves in a bad cap position moving forward to get him signed. We can staple a first to Palat later if we need to.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If we're throwing out names of interest I'll submit a few of my targets for the offseason:

I think Vegas is going to attempt to trade Karlsson so they can re-sign Marchessault and hang onto some of their depth pieces. Curious about thoughts on this. The assumption would be the cap space is the main asset for Vegas so he may be somewhat cheap from an asset standpoint, but there will be more teams in a position to take on the cap this year as compared to the last few.

Kulikov would be my target to split time with Bahl as the #6/7.

If Foegel becomes available, I would be willing to put ourselves in a bad cap position moving forward to get him signed. We can staple a first to Palat later if we need to.

like a lot of these. Wonder if Vegas would consider a Holtz and a mid pick for Karlsson type deal if they really want Marchessault back that badly.

I also love Foegele. I would give him 4x4 or something like that. I think he would do wonders on Jack's wing.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

just looking at the best forwards on each of the remaining playoff teams. We'll leave Vegas out since they don't really have any homegrown players technically.

Florida- Tkachuk (not homegrown), Bennett (not homegrown), Barkov, Verhaege (not homegrown)
Rangers- Panarin (not homegrown), Zibanejad (not homegrown), Kreider, Trochek (not homegrown)
Dallas- Robertson, Pavelski (not homegrown), Hintz, Duchene (not homegrown)
Edmonton- McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman (not homegrown), RNH
Vancouver- JT Miller (not homegrown), Pettersson, Garland (not homegrown), Boeser
Carolina- Aho, Svech, Necas, Guentzel (not homegrown)

so really, Edmonton and Carolina are the only teams who have the majority of their top forwards all homegrown. I think that narrative doesn't really mean anything.

 

[Guadana]

I think people are missing that just because you make a pick instead of trading it doesn't mean that player isn't ammo for a trade a year from now. Prospects we acquired like Bahl and Foote were recent picks that were traded to us.

Maybe we draft Nygard and he doesn't play for us for 3 years, but that doesn't mean his presence isn't important in the math that lets us turn around and trade one of the few other legitimate prospects we have or future picks for an upgrade now.

I agree with you that it's probably better to make this pick than trade it straight up for a single player unless a true difference maker is the one coming back (though I disagree that goalies are exempt from that label).

Yeah. And overall talented players on ELC is the best way to fill stucked roster by the talent without hurting cap space or fixing one hole by creating another.

And like I said - outcome of this trades will be mostly more disappointing. This is what was happened before with other teams. I dont know why people close their eyes and minds because they want to compete now - it will hurt not "compete now" - go and trade other lower level prospects for longer term piece or later picks, go and sign players from the market.


It is some kind of obsession. Even with the actual history of bad trades of high picks, even with options on the market, even with the level of prospects like Catton/Helenius/Nygard/Buium/, even if with trade options for lower price - Devils traded Siegs and Marino for less, even with Devils long term holes, fans still want to trade the pick. Because "NOW".

This is an example of a good old experience with a child, where he is offered to eat a candy now or wait and eat two candies later. Some kids just cant wait. Open market exist, players from the trade will ask same money, they will eat cap hit a players from the market. And Devils are not the team under the cap problem now. Devils can sign player fro, the market, pick the player and grow him and than when he is ready - use him on ELC and on the bridge deals.
We have cap space, players have long window, we can fill cap by free agents and use more talents on ELC. Its a perfect scenario, we dont need to waste assets because our core have only few years and there are no space under the cap, situation is absolutely different.

So Fitz should just be smart and add more talent(as from the market, as from the draft) and kids should learn how to be patient.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

just looking at the best forwards on each of the remaining playoff teams. We'll leave Vegas out since they don't really have any homegrown players technically.

Florida- Tkachuk (not homegrown), Bennett (not homegrown), Barkov, Verhaege (not homegrown)
Rangers- Panarin (not homegrown), Zibanejad (not homegrown), Kreider, Trochek (not homegrown)
Dallas- Robertson, Pavelski (not homegrown), Hintz, Duchene (not homegrown)
Edmonton- McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman (not homegrown), RNH
Vancouver- JT Miller (not homegrown), Pettersson, Garland (not homegrown), Boeser
Carolina- Aho, Svech, Necas, Guentzel (not homegrown)

so really, Edmonton and Carolina are the only teams who have the majority of their top forwards all homegrown. I think that narrative doesn't really mean anything.

Just nitpicking but Johnston is already better than Duchene and Pavelski.

 

[My3Sons]

We are on the stage of trading 10OA or Mercer or even 10oa+Mercer for Saros or Ullmark, 30-32yo goalies who are not playing playoff games and will be on the market next summer.
It’s a doom. Fans need better words than I have. Like My3sons said people don’t understand what I’m writing about often. Fans deserve someone better than me who has better words to explain the obvious things.

I think you are pretty clear most of the time. Your English is the best. So distinct and unique. Anyone who can't understand you is probably just giving you a hard time.

 

[Mgd31]

despite some questionable decisions he's made, i'm pretty sure fitz has enough brains to trade 10OA if the right offer is pitched to him. in 2027 we can take 40 seconds to lament about the absence of a rookie who would've put up 30 points for us in his first season as we prepare for another playoff run.

You mean 40 pages*

 

[My3Sons]

You can’t be surprised about this lol.

Every player that leaves the Devils needs to turn to a pile of ash because if they do a single f***ing thing the weeping, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments begins.

No, that's just my wife when she realizes I'm home.

 

[devilsblood]

You mean 40 pages*

We'll make quick work of 40 pages.

 

[Forge]

Wild to me how many flames fans elsewhere think they are going to get 10 overall for markstrom