Devils 2021-22 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XII

[TrufleShufle]

I don't get how anyone could've had an issue with Bastian last year. He even had pretty good numbers for a 4th liner.

It's not really that anyone had an actual issue with him. Someone said they were worried about losing Bastian, people agreed, it was talked about for more than one page, so obviously someone has to come in and let everyone know he is not the most important part of the team. People say, they know but he still helps and can be a part of the future, this gets countered with so you think he is better than Hughes? No, but he helps, then comes stats on how he is decent, that makes the other person double down and now go into how useless he is and that people are trying to say he the most important player.

Basic HF slippery slope stuff. Most arguing here is people defending ideas they don't even have.

 

[hidek91]

A little off-topic but we have representatives of all 3 of those groups here so I found it appropriate to paste it here:

 

[Zippy316]

A hip injury on a goalie is a bad sign. I'm assuming the worst about Wood but I'm not optimistic, and even if he's fully healthy he's not going to play at this level for long, since his game is physical and speed-focused.

He’s probably looking at a one year show me deal since he’s an RFA coming off a hip injury.

Probably the best for both parties. Devils get a motivated Wood for a year looking to maximize what will likely be his biggest contract for cheap. At worst, he regresses down to a fourth line depth piece. At best, he has a great year for cheap.

 

[My3Sons]

He’s probably looking at a one year show me deal since he’s an RFA coming off a hip injury.

Probably the best for both parties. Devils get a motivated Wood for a year looking to maximize what will likely be his biggest contract for cheap. At worst, he regresses down to a fourth line depth piece. At best, he has a great year for cheap.

What's his qualifying offer? That probably plays a role in the discussions.

 

[Zippy316]

What's his qualifying offer? That probably plays a role in the discussions.

Based on CapFriendly, it’s 3.5 million.

 

[My3Sons]

Based on CapFriendly, it’s 3.5 million.

I imagine they offer that but I'm not sure how much more they offer or for how long. Maybe he comes back before the end of the season and gets in a few games to show he can still play at the level he's achieved and they can go from there.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I was one of the guys who wanted Nate protected, but the guy I was leaving exposed was Kuok.

That was me too. The argument was that Bastian's skillset was a heck of alot more unique and more attuned to what we needed than Kuok. I think we have three or four Kuoks in the system right now.

 

[StevenToddIves]

That was me too. The argument was that Bastian's skillset was a heck of alot more unique and more attuned to what we needed than Kuok. I think we have three or four Kuoks in the system right now.

I agree that Nate Bastian is a less common and better player than Kuokkanen. The Devils got extremely lucky that Seattle blew it and waived him so early in the season. Bastian has made a big difference on -- predictably -- the 4th line and -- surprisingly -- on the power play unit.

 

[FooteBahl]

That was me too. The argument was that Bastian's skillset was a heck of alot more unique and more attuned to what we needed than Kuok. I think we have three or four Kuoks in the system right now.

That was 100% my train of thought also. Where I was wrong is thinking that Foote, Holtz or Clarke was going to replace Kuok—so it worked out the best way possible…I guess. Lol

 

[Hisch13r]

I still can't wrap my head around Bratt's career. I'm almost certain he's the only 6th round pick (taken in his true DY so not like Alfie or something) to make the NHL in their D+2 and he immediately came in and was pretty good for a rookie before he hit the rookie wall. His on ice impacts weren't all that good his rookie year. His sophomore year comes and while his defensive impacts aren't there his on ice offensive impact was good and he produced at a 1st line 5v5 rate (52nd in the league) with a 53 pt pace. Then his 3rd year hits and his defensive impacts also explode. Still producing at a 1st line 5v5 rate (59th) but his overall production takes a hit (only because he couldn't buy 2nd assists that year and only had 2). Stellar on ice impacts continue through last season, 5v5 production took a bit of a hit to 94th in the league (he couldn't buy a goal) and another 53 pt pace season. Then we obviously get to this season where he's legitimately ELITE. 14th best 5v5 pt rate, 77 pt pace, and the 4th best ES xG impact in the league. He 100% deserved to be drafted far higher than the 6th round. His DY and D-1 production was scarily similar to that of Filip Forsberg who was looked at a potential top 3 pick who ended up slipping to just outside the top 10

 

[Triumph]

I still can't wrap my head around Bratt's career. I'm almost certain he's the only 6th round pick (taken in his true DY so not like Alfie or something) to make the NHL in their D+2 and he immediately came in and was pretty good for a rookie before he hit the rookie wall. His on ice impacts weren't all that good his rookie year. His sophomore year comes and while his defensive impacts aren't there his on ice offensive impact was good and he produced at a 1st line 5v5 rate (52nd in the league) with a 53 pt pace. Then his 3rd year hits and his defensive impacts also explode. Still producing at a 1st line 5v5 rate (59th) but his overall production takes a hit (only because he couldn't buy 2nd assists that year and only had 2). Stellar on ice impacts continue through last season, 5v5 production took a bit of a hit to 94th in the league (he couldn't buy a goal) and another 53 pt pace season. Then we obviously get to this season where he's legitimately ELITE. 14th best 5v5 pt rate, 77 pt pace, and the 4th best ES xG impact in the league. He 100% deserved to be drafted far higher than the 6th round. His DY and D-1 production was scarily similar to that of Filip Forsberg who was looked at a potential top 3 pick who ended up slipping to just outside the top 10

I believe it was written somewhere that the Devils were going to take him in the 5th round but decided they needed to take a defenseman, and then he was still there in the 6th. Still, he was ticketed for junior hockey in 2017 - he just had an incredible jump in skill between 2016-17 and 2017-18 and has continued to go up from there.

 

[glenwo2]

Where has ZBC gone

I'm very concerned now.

I hope ZBC is alright.

 

[FooteBahl]

I still can't wrap my head around Bratt's career. I'm almost certain he's the only 6th round pick (taken in his true DY so not like Alfie or something) to make the NHL in their D+2 and he immediately came in and was pretty good for a rookie before he hit the rookie wall. His on ice impacts weren't all that good his rookie year. His sophomore year comes and while his defensive impacts aren't there his on ice offensive impact was good and he produced at a 1st line 5v5 rate (52nd in the league) with a 53 pt pace. Then his 3rd year hits and his defensive impacts also explode. Still producing at a 1st line 5v5 rate (59th) but his overall production takes a hit (only because he couldn't buy 2nd assists that year and only had 2). Stellar on ice impacts continue through last season, 5v5 production took a bit of a hit to 94th in the league (he couldn't buy a goal) and another 53 pt pace season. Then we obviously get to this season where he's legitimately ELITE. 14th best 5v5 pt rate, 77 pt pace, and the 4th best ES xG impact in the league. He 100% deserved to be drafted far higher than the 6th round. His DY and D-1 production was scarily similar to that of Filip Forsberg who was looked at a potential top 3 pick who ended up slipping to just outside the top 10

So what this means is Connor McDavid wears Jesper Bratt PJ’s?

 

[devilsblood]

I believe it was written somewhere that the Devils were going to take him in the 5th round but decided they needed to take a defenseman, and then he was still there in the 6th. Still, he was ticketed for junior hockey in 2017 - he just had an incredible jump in skill between 2016-17 and 2017-18 and has continued to go up from there.

I've pointed this out before, but in 14-15 he outproduced team mate Alex Nylander on their AIK Jr team.

The next year Nyander was in the OHL and put up over a ppg, while Bratt played in the Swe-1 league and put up pretty modest #'s. Nylander was then drafted top 10, while Bratt went in the 6th round.

I don't think there was a huge jump in skill from Bratt, he just took a more difficult and less highlighted route to the NHL draft. And the NHL missed it.

 

[Triumph]

I've pointed this out before, but in 14-15 he outproduced team mate Alex Nylander on their AIK Jr team.

The next year Nyander was in the OHL and put up over a ppg, while Bratt played in the Swe-1 league and put up pretty modest #'s. Nylander was then drafted top 10, while Bratt went in the 6th round.

I don't think there was a huge jump in skill from Bratt, he just took a more difficult and less highlighted route to the NHL draft. And the NHL missed it.

Bratt put up unimpressive D+1 numbers too. Again, he was going to go play in junior hockey, probably a slight step down in skill from the Swedish 2nd division. He went from 7th in scoring on a Swedish 2nd division team to 5th in scoring on an NHL team. How is that not a gigantic leap?

 

[Buck Dancer]

Are we playing today?

 

[NjDevsRR]

I got a new one for @Bleedred

 

[RangerDoggo]

 

[Devils731]

 

[Devs3cups]

Hmmmm. Not sure I like White on waivers. Wait and see I guess.

 

[Triumph]

White on waivers is fine. He's very unlikely to be claimed - as COVID-19 seems to have peaked in the NHL, teams are getting healthy and don't have room for extra bodies.

 

[OmNomNom]

Bad idea, I think he's really good honestly.

Is it a move we had to make?

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Bad idea, I think he's really good honestly.

Is it a move we had to make?

No.

1. He was called up on 1/08, so it hasn't been 30 days/10 games.
2. He was an emergency loan for Hamilton.
3. Studenic could have been sent to taxi or Utica, also being an emergency loan (although CapFriendly has changed that status, but they haven't updated the Covid protocol non-roster list and Greer hasn't made it to IR yet).

edit: 1. Cumulative days are over 30 (I'm not counting games)

11/06/2021

Up/Down

Utica Comets

New Jersey Devils

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

12/04/2021

Up/Down

New Jersey Devils

Utica Comets

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

01/08/2022

Up/Down

Utica Comets

New Jersey Devils

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[AfroThunder396]

I'd like to keep White, but losing him isn't the end of the world. We have plenty of potential LHD and White's ceiling isn't anything higher than what we've already seen.

 

[devilsblood]

Bratt put up unimpressive D+1 numbers too. Again, he was going to go play in junior hockey, probably a slight step down in skill from the Swedish 2nd division. He went from 7th in scoring on a Swedish 2nd division team to 5th in scoring on an NHL team. How is that not a gigantic leap?

But is that a jump in skill? Or a jump in opportunity? Do we know what kind of minutes he was getting in his draft and D+1 years? And maybe he fed off that opportunity in NJ.

And I do think what was really impressive in his rookie year, especially early, was his effort level. So did he feed off the oppurtunity, feed off the energy of a young exciting team and came out flying? That's what it looked like to me, a guy being shot out of a cannon. Perhaps after being couped up in limited opportunity back in Sweden he was bursting at the seams. I think the fact that he hit a wall later in the year plays into the idea that he was just playing at very high effort level.

Given his year in the Swedish Juniors where he outproduced a future top 10 pick, I think the skill was always there, the NHL just missed it. And maybe he should not have been a 1st rounder, but 6th round? Nah, the NHL whiffed.