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Speculation: A 3rd line center to NJ

HugeInTheShire said:
Maybe they think that guy is Cody Glass. I just can't get behind trading away high picks or decent prospects for a 3C. If they get wingers for the top 6 all the Mercer/Palat/Haula guy can slot down where they belong.

Fitz should be bargain hunting bottom 6 guys and if he's trading away assets like Casey, Nemec or high draft picks there needs to be a legit top 6 winger, preferably one that shoots right coming the other way, not a 3C.
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I agree I wouldnt be moving quality assets.

However, a Mercer swap for more of a true 3C (with perhaps less upside) is what Id be entertaining if I was Fitzgerald. Hes our most coveted asset that isn't a draft pick or prospect.

Im not kicking him out the door either; Mercer provides great third line depth and Im happy to keep him. Realistically he is what gets us that 3C who can score at a similar clip but plays better defensively and in the dot, while the team we trade with gets a player they can slot up and down with higher upside
 
HugeInTheShire said:
Fitz should be bargain hunting bottom 6 guys and if he's trading away assets like Casey, Nemec or high draft picks there needs to be a legit top 6 winger, preferably one that shoots right coming the other way, not a 3C.
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Have him call the Isles or another team with a bottom 6 center on an expiring deal in 2026. I’m sure he can get one cheap instead of trying to overpay for a UFA in July.
 
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Ekiru said:
I agree I wouldnt be moving quality assets.

However, a Mercer swap for more of a true 3C (with perhaps less upside) is what Id be entertaining if I was Fitzgerald. Hes our most coveted asset that isn't a draft pick or prospect.

Im not kicking him out the door either; Mercer provides great third line depth and Im happy to keep him. Realistically he is what gets us that 3C who can score at a similar clip but plays better defensively and in the dot, while the team we trade with gets a player they can slot up and down with higher upside
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I wouldn't be opposed to a Mercer trade but I don't think they'd get a good enough player back to justify the swap. He's nothing more than a depth piece.
miscs75 said:
Have him call the Isles or another team with a bottom 6 center on an expiring deal in 2026. I’m sure he can get one cheap instead of trying to overpay for a UFA in July.
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Sure, I'd be fine with Pageau as a 3C as long as they aren't giving up premium assets for him. If the Islanders would take a 2nd with a small add for him @50% I'd be all over that.
 
HugeInTheShire said:
I wouldn't be opposed to a Mercer trade but I don't think they'd get a good enough player back to justify the swap. He's nothing more than a depth piece.

Sure, I'd be fine with Pageau as a 3C as long as they aren't giving up premium assets for him. If the Islanders would take a 2nd with a small add for him @50% I'd be all over that.
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Agree to disagree on Mercer being just a depth piece. 35-40pt players who arent ever hurt and are only turning 24 are worth something, especially when they have upside theyve proven before. Mercer feels like hes stalled with us
 
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HugeInTheShire said:
I wouldn't be opposed to a Mercer trade but I don't think they'd get a good enough player back to justify the swap. He's nothing more than a depth piece.

Sure, I'd be fine with Pageau as a 3C as long as they aren't giving up premium assets for him. If the Islanders would take a 2nd with a small add for him @50% I'd be all over that.
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I don’t think it would cost premium assets but the return won’t include a cap dump with more term. It would be similar to the deal you posted. Ideally even a 2nd and minor leaguer/C tier prospect to offset the body for a bid thing and help the Isles start to turnover the veterans on the roster for more youth.
 
Ekiru said:
Agree to disagree on Mercer being just a depth piece. 35-40pt players who arent ever hurt and are only turning 24 are worth something, especially when they have upside theyve proven before. Mercer feels like hes stalled with us
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Me calling him a depth piece isn't a knock on him, but a 35-40pt player is a depth player. I don't think anyone is calling, willing to give up a lot for him.
For this reason I'd be fine with keeping him and slotting him in with Jack and Bratt for one last attempt at jump starting his progress, but I just don't think he's got another gear offensively.
 
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miscs75 said:
I don’t think it would cost premium assets but the return won’t include a cap dump with more term. It would be similar to the deal you posted. Ideally even a 2nd and minor leaguer/C tier prospect to offset the body for a bid thing and help the Isles start to turnover the veterans on the roster for more youth.
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I'd do that for sure, they can sort out the cap even if that means buying out some of the deadweight
 
HugeInTheShire said:
Me calling him a depth piece isn't a knock on him, but a 35-40pt player is a depth player. I don't think anyone is calling, willing to give up a lot for him.
For this reason I'd be fine with keeping him and slotting him in with Jack and Bratt for one last attempt at jump starting his progress, but I just don't think he's got another gear offensively.
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Thats fair, and since I dont have literal examples I cant refute that a team wouldnt be calling on him. However, Im under the assumption there has gotta be a few teams who could use a slotting winger over a stagnant (positionally), older center.

Only time will tell and I wish I could say I trust Fitzgerald but.. not so sure lol
 
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HugeInTheShire said:
I'd do that for sure, they can sort out the cap even if that means buying out some of the deadweight
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I have a feeling someone might bet bought out this summer once they get a new front office and everything is examined. Either Engvall, Mayfield or Duclair bought out and then replaced with someone in the system. Start to shake up the roster a bit and see how to make improvements going forward.
 
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I'm not sure a combination of those assets listed are available for a 3c. Also, if money is a concern with UFA, or some of the players already mentioned, what 3c price range are you looking for?
 
Ekiru said:
Thats fair, and since I dont have literal examples I cant refute that a team wouldnt be calling on him. However, Im under the assumption there has gotta be a few teams who could use a slotting winger over a stagnant (positionally), older center.

Only time will tell and I wish I could say I trust Fitzgerald but.. not so sure lol
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I think Mercer will either be used as a piece in a big trade or retained, I can't see him being swapped for an aging 3C but it doesn't seem like Fitz knows what he's doing anyway so maybe he does it.
 
HugeInTheShire said:
Sure, I'd be fine with Pageau as a 3C as long as they aren't giving up premium assets for him. If the Islanders would take a 2nd with a small add for him @50% I'd be all over that.
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3c for 2.5 million for a full year would be reasonably pricey, I think. I think that the "small add" would probably be a solid, if unspectacular, prospect.

He's a true center....prices are always slightly inflated for those guys.

Protected 2026 first would also be on the table, I imagine.
 
Forge said:
3c for 2.5 million for a full year would be reasonably pricey, I think. I think that the "small add" would probably be a solid, if unspectacular, prospect.

He's a true center....prices are always slightly inflated for those guys.

Protected 2026 first would also be on the table, I imagine.
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I don't think the 1st should be on the table for a deal like this unless it's a 1-1 and even then I'd want some serious protection on it.
 
Seems like a spot for a wily vet like Phillip Danault if LA is interested in shuffling things and Danault is good with it. I would think there is a fair shot that NJ would not be one of his 10-team no trade list.
 
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HugeInTheShire said:
I don't think the 1st should be on the table for a deal like this unless it's a 1-1 and even then I'd want some serious protection on it.
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Yeah, I don't think they'd get much more with the first, but not atypical for the first to be on the table for that kind of player. Would probably be like top 10-12 protected.

If you do the second, it's going to have a reasonable prospect attached.

If we want a legit 3c, it's going to be more expensive than people want to play for the caliber of player when looked at in a vacuum. The scarcity drives the price.

Laughton was an extended rental, so Toronto got him for 1.5 years, but if you told me that Pageau at 50% in the off season got a similar return (Laughton + 4 + 6 for prospect plus 27 first) I wouldn't be surprised.
 
Forge said:
Yeah, I don't think they'd get much more with the first, but not atypical for the first to be on the table for that kind of player. Would probably be like top 10-12 protected.

If you do the second, it's going to have a reasonable prospect attached.

If we want a legit 3c, it's going to be more expensive than people want to play for the caliber of player when looked at in a vacuum. The scarcity drives the price.

Laughton was an extended rental, so Toronto got him for 1.5 years, but if you told me that Pageau at 50% in the off season got a similar return (Laughton + 4 + 6 for prospect plus 27 first) I wouldn't be surprised.
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I wouldn't be surprised either but I'd be unhappy if the Devils we're dropping a 1st for Pageau
 
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