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

[Spoiled Bratt]

Anything on Holtz? I googled it and saw an article from a week ago saying the Devils hope to get him some games in this year.

Let’s not rush this kid, please. I’d keep him away from this dumpster fire for the remainder of this season and give him all the playing time he needs in the minors next year.

 

[devilsblood]

Let’s not rush this kid, please. I’d keep him away from this dumpster fire for the remainder of this season and give him all the playing time he needs in the minors next year.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, a couple games won't hurt anybody.

Plus, put him with Hughes or Nico, and he'll be in a good spot. I agree don't put him with Johnsson or Merk, or Studs.

As per the minors, our AHL squad has been abysmal for as long as the NHL squad has. Not sure if that is the ideal place for these guys to develop either.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, a couple games won't hurt anybody.

Plus, put him with Hughes or Nico, and he'll be in a good spot. I agree don't put him with Johnsson or Merk, or Studs.

As per the minors, our AHL squad has been abysmal for as long as the NHL squad has. Not sure if that is the ideal place for these guys to develop either.

Bing was having a great second half to their season last year before the pandemic cut it short.

I wouldn't call this year a season. It's glorified scrimmages to keep guys in shape.

 

[Unknown Caller]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, a couple games won't hurt anybody.

Plus, put him with Hughes or Nico, and he'll be in a good spot. I agree don't put him with Johnsson or Merk, or Studs.

As per the minors, our AHL squad has been abysmal for as long as the NHL squad has. Not sure if that is the ideal place for these guys to develop either.

He also had a very rough go of it in Djurgardens. I would love for the Devils to get him over just for development purposes and to let him start adapting to life over here in general.

And let’s be honest, a 19 year old kid is just going to be thrilled to be around the NHL. He won’t care about wins or losses right now.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I would give Holtz like 1-3 games with the big club this year just so he can get his first NHL game and one big boy paycheck under his belt. His ELC would slide and then I'd have him spend essentially all of next season in the AHL.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, a couple games won't hurt anybody.

Plus, put him with Hughes or Nico, and he'll be in a good spot. I agree don't put him with Johnsson or Merk, or Studs.

As per the minors, our AHL squad has been abysmal for as long as the NHL squad has. Not sure if that is the ideal place for these guys to develop either.

I’m really not a fan of just dropping a prospect in the top #6 without earning it. I’m sure the other players on our team will be thrilled to see this kid, out of nowhere, get the playing time they’ve been working for the last couple of months.

Let’s make our kids earn their role and not just hand them a free pass because they were picked 7th overall.

 

[devilsblood]

I would give Holtz like 1-3 games with the big club this year just so he can get his first NHL game and one big boy paycheck under his belt. His ELC would slide and then I'd have him spend essentially all of next season in the AHL.

I'd be willing to give him more then 3 this year if he looks OK.

I'm also willing to leave the door open for next year. He was a high pick, he's a talented player, he has a skill we need, we can put him with Hughes.

If he's not ready then sure AHL, but I'd like to see how he looks first.

 

[devilsblood]

I’m really not a fan of just dropping a prospect in the top #6 without earning it. I’m sure the other players on our team will be thrilled to see this kid, out of nowhere, get the playing time they’ve been working for the last couple of months.

Let’s make our kids earn their role and not just hand them a free pass because they were picked 7th overall.

Which other players are we talking? Merkley? Johnsson? Tyce and his 5 games? Studs and his 3 games?

The legit only guys who you could possibly be talking about are Wood McLeod and Bastian, and I can pick that concern apart from a few different angles, but I would think those guys want to be together at this point. They play the same style, they are effective, why mess with it?

So your concern here doesn't have much merit.

 

[Billdo]

Its the fact that youre skipping over his brother for a ever so slightly better or worse prospect, when if you do that it shows you gave absolutely no f***s that Luke is his brother

Honestly, they shouldn't.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I must be speaking Spanish. Jacks opinion on this doesnt matter.

Its the fact that youre skipping over his brother for a ever so slightly better or worse prospect, when if you do that it shows you gave absolutely no f***s that Luke is his brother

so Yes, if were top-4 and let Luke go by us, Jack will most certainly hold disdain for Fitzgerald not believing in his brother.

its called human nature, I know thats a shock for some that these arent AI on NHL 21

I 100% get what you are saying, if it's a coin flip between the 2 of them, you absolutely lean towards his brother. But the disconnect is I think people are worried if you start thinking like that you might just lean too far that way and pick Luke over a player who is much better.

The debate becomes, how much better does the player need to be to be picked over Luke and it gets really messy.

It's not one of those things you can plan for with out having some massive debate about stuff we don't' know. We need to know where we pick, who's on the board and whatever else is needed to make the choice come draft day.

If it makes sense, it would absolutely be a great thing to get his brother here for a number of reasons, but we need to see how things play out before the debate makes sense to have.

 

[TheDuke93]

Honestly, they shouldn't.

Wait is this a no they shouldn't skip over him or no they shouldn't care?

 

[devilsblood]

Honestly, they shouldn't.

If it matters to Jack, and I imagine it does, then they should.

 

[MartyOwns]

If it matters to Jack, and I imagine it does, then they should.

why? what are some possible scenarios if he was angry we didn't draft luke?

 

[devilsblood]

why? what are some possible scenarios if he was angry we didn't draft luke?

See Scott Niedermayer.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m really not a fan of just dropping a prospect in the top #6 without earning it. I’m sure the other players on our team will be thrilled to see this kid, out of nowhere, get the playing time they’ve been working for the last couple of months.

Let’s make our kids earn their role and not just hand them a free pass because they were picked 7th overall.

Who has been working for the last couple of months to get top 6 playing time? None of these calls up or even rookies we’ve had up all year are even good enough to play in the top-6, other than Sharangovich and maybe Kuokkanen, who have been playing in the top-6. Everybody else has a 3rd line ceiling at the best, if not a 4th line ceiling.

it’s really gonna hurt Boqvist, Maltsev, McLeod, Bastian, Thompson, Studenic and Merkley’s feelings if Holtz comes in and gets top-6 playing time? Then they need to be better, but they’re not. Some of them have been fine in a very reduced role, but they can all go cry about it if Holtz gets more opportunities than them and they have a problem with it.

 

[TheDuke93]

Who has been working for the last couple of months to get top 6 playing time? None of these calls up or even rookies we’ve had up all year are even good enough to play in the top-6, other than Sharangovich and maybe Kuokkanen, who have been playing in the top-6. Everybody else has a 3rd line ceiling at the best, if not a 4th line ceiling.

I think you could make an argument Kuokkanen can but he really REALLY needs to figure out how to his the net lol.

 

[devilsblood]

We are a fanbase that bemoans the fact that the Rag's have the inherent benefits of players that want to play for them. Not only do we not get star players to come here via ufa, we have seen numerous star players leave via UFA, we have even seen one HOF player leave, in part at least, to go play with his brother. On the one hand drafting Luke, could lead to both players wanting to play here their entire careers. This reverses a trend we as an organization have been battling our entire existence. On the other hand it could plant the seed, that in 8-9 years from now has Jack looking at going to play in Vancouver or wherever Luke ends up.

If Jack wasn't showing himself to be a legit superstar center piece, this would carry less weight. But he is the clear #1 core piece we have right now. We are building around him. It has to be a consideration.

 

[TheDuke93]

We are a fanbase that bemoans the fact that the Rag's have the inherent benefits of players that want to play for them. Not only do we not get star players to come here via ufa, we have seen numerous star players leave via UFA, we have even seen one HOF leave, in part at least, to go play with his brother. On the one hand drafting Luke, could lead to both players wanting to play here their entire careers. This reverses a trend we as an organization have been battling our entire existence. On the other hand it could plant the seed, that in 8-9 years from now has Jack looking at going to play in Vancouver or wherever Luke ends up.

If Jack wasn't showing himself to be a legit superstar center piece, this would carry less weight. But he is the clear #1 core piece we have right now. We are building around him. It has to be a consideration.

Or alternatively, Lou doesn't nickel and dime Nieds and gives him the contract he asked for and he resigns.

 

[devilsblood]

Or alternatively, Lou doesn't nickel and dime Nieds and gives him the contract he asked for and he resigns.

Like I said, in part at least.

Nied's went and signed with the team his brother was playing with. Then won another cup, and a Norris trophy.

Sedin twins wanted to play together. Stahl brothers.

Tavares and Toronto. Panarin and NY. Fox and NY. Guys have reasons for wanting to go play for certain teams. Brotherhood is definitely one of them. We could factor that in here.

 

[MartyOwns]

See Scott Niedermayer.

the 2 situations could not be more different

 

[TheDuke93]

Like I said, in part at least.

Nied's went and signed with the team his brother was playing with. Then won another cup, and a Norris trophy.

Sedin twins wanted to play together. Stahl brothers.

Tavares and Toronto. Panarin and NY. Fox and NY. Guys have reasons for wanting to go play for certain teams. Brotherhood is definitely one of them. We could factor that in here.

He didn't leave because of his brother, he left because of Lou. His brother just made it easier knowing where to sign.

 

[devilsblood]

the 2 situations could not be more different

Sure it could, they could not be brothers. That would be way more different.

 

[MartyOwns]

Sure it could, they could not be brothers. That would be way more different.

fair enough

 

[devilsblood]

He didn't leave because of his brother, he left because of Lou. His brother just made it easier knowing where to sign.

Scott Niedermayer joins Anaheim | CBC Sports

Niedermayer reportedly rejected a more lucrative offer from the Devils, but wanted to team up in the NHL with younger brother Rob, who re-signed with Anaheim for four years and $8 million US.
"Since I was 16 and he was 15, we've been apart," Scott explained. "But now we can be together again.
"I was probably the happiest guy around," added Rob.

 

[devilsblood]

I'll admit I've always argued Nied's left in part because he wanted to play a more open style, but he did go sign where his brother played. It absolutely factored into his decision.