Devils 2020-21 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part VIII

[LeedsMonster]

Pesce is probably similar in value to Laine for Carolina or Nylander for Toronto. This is really, really bad for the Canes and they have no reason to give him up, especially with the contract he is on.

Ok. Not great at valuing players lol. Thanks for the input

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

NJ Nino Neiderreiter, Pesce

Car Boqvuist, 3rd


How far off am I?

extremely

Pesce is very, very good. There is no way Carolina ever does that.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I would like Nino though. Especially if they were just dumping him.

 

[Forge]

I would like Nino though. Especially if they were just dumping him.

I will take him if they are taking some money back at this point. I loved the idea of taking him on while we were also getting Bean to lessen the cost. If they will take Wood back so that I'm ostensibly only paying Nino 2.5 for the next two or whatever, I fully support it.

 

[Nubmer6]

Someone seems to have posted a summary of our season last year

 

[hidek91]

He was a valuable player for the best team in the NHL and has solidified himself as a legit top 4 defenseman and a really good shutdown player at only 23. In his first two seasons in the NHL he was given top 4 minutes on a championship contender and in his rookie season he was given a larger role than Sergachev was in his sophomore season.

I think that using the term "top 4" is manipulation when talking about #4D who was quite clearly behind top 3. And for this #4D role he had to battle with Luke Schenn (league minimum player), Bogosian (league minimum player), Shattenkirk (bad defensively), Jan Rutta (depth player).

I do agree he's good, just not a key player yet (that would be Hedman, McD, Sergachev on that defence).

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I will take him if they are taking some money back at this point. I loved the idea of taking him on while we were also getting Bean to lessen the cost. If they will take Wood back so that I'm ostensibly only paying Nino 2.5 for the next two or whatever, I fully support it.

Bratt-Nico-Gusev
Johnsson-Jack-Palmieri
Boqvist-Zacha-Nino
Kuokkanen-Zajac-Merkley

Not terrible. Maybe add another veteran wing.

 

[glenwo2]

Someone seems to have posted a summary of our season last year

"Ice Resurfacer"? They don't call it a Zamboni anymore?

BTW, was the guy still driving the Zamboni?

If he was, that was incredibly ballsy.

 

[Hisch13r]

No he isn't. He is on a steep decline. If he were still useful, someone would have taken him for literally free. No one did.

5v5 P/60 over the last 4 seasons.
19-20: 1.8
18-19: 1.92
17-18: 1.79
16-17: 1.74

xGF% over the last 4 seasons
19-20: 53.86%
18-19: 51.28%
17-18: 51.47%
16-17: 49.09%

Corsi% is basically the same as his xGF

GF% over the last 4 seasons
19-20: 65.98%
18-19: 57.47%
17-18: 53.45%
16-17: 47.99%

So uhhhh.... Where's that decline?

 

[My3Sons]

Someone seems to have posted a summary of our season last year

That driver is incredibly brave or completely out of touch with reality.

 

[JimEIV]

Bratt-Nico-Gusev
Johnsson-Jack-Palmieri
Boqvist-Zacha-Nino
Kuokkanen-Zajac-Merkley

Not terrible. Maybe add another veteran wing.

Half of those players we don't even know if they are NHL capable? I guess you can say fourth line who cares...But Jack hasn't shown anywhere near that he is capable of being a top 6 center and Boqvist has shown even less. Boqvist hasn't even had a good showing in the AHL.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

5v5 P/60 over the last 4 seasons.
19-20: 1.8
18-19: 1.92
17-18: 1.79
16-17: 1.74

xGF% over the last 4 seasons
19-20: 53.86%
18-19: 51.28%
17-18: 51.47%
16-17: 49.09%

Corsi% is basically the same as his xGF

GF% over the last 4 seasons
19-20: 65.98%
18-19: 57.47%
17-18: 53.45%
16-17: 47.99%

So uhhhh.... Where's that decline?

if he is so great, why did no teams take him on last week when they could have had him for literally free?

Also, do you think that playing in Tampa inflates a players numbers?

Lastly, what type of contract do you think he'd get if he was UFA right now?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Half of those players we don't even know if they are NHL capable? I guess you say fourth line who cares...But Jack hasn't shown anywhere near that he is capable of being a top 6 center and Boqvist has shown even less. Boqvist hasn't even had a good showing in the AHL.

Which is why I said we should add a forward. Those guys are going to be given chances, we’re not clogging our roster with multiple free agents. Ideally Boqvist and Kuokkanen are battling for one spot.

 

[Nocashstyle]

"Ice Resurfacer"? They don't call it a Zamboni anymore?

BTW, was the guy still driving the Zamboni?

If he was, that was incredibly ballsy.

I think Zamboni tried to make it publicly clear that this was not an actual name brand Zamboni.

 

[JimEIV]

Which is why I said we should add a forward. Those guys are going to be given chances, we’re not clogging our roster with multiple free agents. Ideally Boqvist and Kuokkanen are battling for one spot.

I think we're in for a year definitely, maybe two of having a few players going up and down. Guys like Boqvist, Bahl, Foote, maybe even Smith may need quite a bit more seasoning in the AHL. I think Kuokkanen is the most ready, just my opinion.

Edit: I'd also like to see Bastian get a shot at the 4th RW role over Merkely...Just not all that high on Nick.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I think we're in for a year definitely, maybe two of having a few players going up and down. Guys like Boqvist, Bahl, Foote, maybe even Smith may need quite a bit more seasoning in the AHL. I think Kuokkanen is the most ready, just my opinion.

Edit: I'd also like to see Bastian get a shot at the 4th RW role over Merkely...Just not all that high on Nick.

I forgot Bastian. I think he has a good shot at making the team actually, I like him. There’s probably gonna be some random guy none of us are talking about that emerges. That seems to happen a lot.

 

[Guttersniped]

"Ice Resurfacer"? They don't call it a Zamboni anymore?

BTW, was the guy still driving the Zamboni?

If he was, that was incredibly ballsy.

FYI, Zamboni was the name of the inventor and the original company that made ice resurfacers starting in the 50s. Their brand name became the name for it, like Kleenex or Q-tips, but other companies also make them now.

 

[Triumph]

Merkley has been a far better player in the AHL and would have to have a disastrous camp to go down before Bastian. The good news is that Merkley was not paid a minimum salary which may keep some teams from plucking him off waivers but I would not want to risk him on there.

 

[Zippy316]

Half of those players we don't even know if they are NHL capable? I guess you can say fourth line who cares...But Jack hasn't shown anywhere near that he is capable of being a top 6 center and Boqvist has shown even less. Boqvist hasn't even had a good showing in the AHL.

We’re not winning the cup next year.

Goal should be development of Hughes and Hischier first and foremost. Hughes with solid, reliable established players will be a big part of that. Hischier should be getting top line minutes with a chance to drive his own line his way and not just serve as a safety valve to Hall.

Bottom six should be very young, but at least it’ll have Zajac and Zacha and Wood there to give them a few established NHLers. Let the rest of the kids fill in the gaps and possibly add one more veteran depth forward down the line but that should be a PTO addition.

Same thing can be said on the back end just change Severson for Hischier and Smith for Hughes.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Half of those players we don't even know if they are NHL capable? I guess you can say fourth line who cares...But Jack hasn't shown anywhere near that he is capable of being a top 6 center and Boqvist has shown even less. Boqvist hasn't even had a good showing in the AHL.

I don't think Fitz is done adding pieces, frankly. Of the three names you bolded, I think Kuokkanen has the greatest likelihood of starting in the NHL next season. He's the ripest of the bunch, and Zajac immediately took him under his wing following the Vatanen trade. They'll be great together on the fourth line next year.

Boqvist is an interesting case, especially now that Nolan Foote is Devils property. Kuokkanen, too, to an extent. I know Fitz loves Boqvist, but I also wonder if he'll be shopped. He could be an attractive ELC option for a cap-strapped team that unfortunately needs to dump a good player for cap purposes.

I also hear that his brother's organization is officially rebuilding... under the direction of an incompetent moron...

 

[JimEIV]

We’re not winning the cup next year.

Goal should be development of Hughes and Hischier first and foremost. Hughes with solid, reliable established players will be a big part of that. Hischier should be getting top line minutes with a chance to drive his own line his way and not just serve as a safety valve to Hall.

Bottom six should be very young, but at least it’ll have Zajac and Zacha and Wood there to give them a few established NHLers. Let the rest of the kids fill in the gaps and possibly add one more veteran depth forward down the line but that should be a PTO addition.

Same thing can be said on the back end just change Severson for Hischier and Smith for Hughes.

I don't necessarily disagree with anything here...But in terms of development, I think throwing a kid into a position he is clearly not ready for does more to hurt development than does to help. I think having Boqvist in the NHL for 35 games last year was just dumb to be honest. I think he got nothing out of it and it probably created more uncertainty in his game.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I think Kuokkanen gets a long look....partly because of the expansion draft next year. He would need to be protected and I am not sure how many actual decent pieces we will have available, so they might want to see if he is worthy. Not to mention, he doesn't have much else to prove in the AHL.

as it stands now, our forward protection list is pretty thin....especially if Palms/Zajac are gone. Remember, Hughes and Gusev are both exempt.

 

[MauDevils]

I'd also like to see Bastian get a shot at the 4th RW role over Merkely...Just not all that high on Nick.

I thought Merkley looked great up until that pretty gruesome injury.

 

[JimEIV]

I don't think Fitz is done adding pieces, frankly. Of the three names you bolded, I think Kuokkanen has the greatest likelihood of starting in the NHL next season. He's the ripest of the bunch, and Zajac immediately took him under his wing following the Vatanen trade. They'll be great together on the fourth line next year.

Boqvist is an interesting case, especially now that Nolan Foote is Devils property. Kuokkanen, too, to an extent. I know Fitz loves Boqvist, but I also wonder if he'll be shopped. He could be an attractive ELC option for a cap-strapped team that unfortunately needs to dump a good player for cap purposes.

I also hear that his brother's organization is officially rebuilding... under the direction of an incompetent moron...

I didn't know Tom had a brother in the NHL?

 

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

I didn't know Tom had a brother in the NHL?

Adam B