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

[Devils731]

And it stayed off forever?

I don't buy it.

I think they’ve likely mostly recovered from Covid.

Now they’ve been playing under a brutal schedule with no rest or practice ever since Covid. I do think that is affecting them.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

And it stayed off forever?

I don't buy it.

This is a young team, they aren't robots. Playing 4 games in 7 nights for the ENTIRE season with next to no practice time is going to show.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

even their non-Murray goalies have like a .900 SV%...big whoop. Not to mention they are stuck with that Murray contract now.

They have 6 players with 20 or more points. The Devils have 5 and thats without their best player for 90% of the year.

Hogberg has almost been as bad as Murray, he's probably out of the NHL after this year. Other goalies have been solid.

Those 6 players are:

Tkachuk, Chabot, Brown, Batherson, Norris, Stutzle

Bolded players are comparable or better than whoever you'd compare to on the Devils roster. Batherson and Norris look to be legit young talents. Their prospect pool is probably better than NJ's as well, depending on how much you think Mercer has improved his stock. The Senators biggest problem is bad management + cheap ownership, but in terms of talent, in particular young talent under 24 which is all anyone cares about anymore, they are ahead of NJ.

Murray albatross sucks, but you shouldn't merely rank teams based on how many bad contracts they have. The idea that once you get a bad contract it's game over for you is silly, look at the bad contracts we've been carrying in NJ and shrugging about.

 

[MartyOwns]

it would be a nice change of pace to not rush a prospect due to organizational need. when holtz gets here, he should be in the bottom 6 so he can get acclimated without worrying about putting up points. could be 2 years, who knows

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

1st line in the AHL seems like a perfect place for Holtz for most of next season. And Mercer can play in the AHL too, right? They can play on the same line then.

 

[TheDuke93]

And it stayed off forever?

I don't buy it.

Man Glen must be really down. Is it because Bratt is hurt?

 

[Clam Jensen]

I mean the big turning point for the Devils was when everyone got COVID. They were playing well (even though PP and PK sucked) but once they came back from COVID everyone’s performance were off.

The condensed schedule and lack of practices has killed the too, among other things.

 

[TheDuke93]

1st line in the AHL seems like a perfect place for Holtz for most of next season. And Mercer can play in the AHL too, right? They can play on the same line then.

They both play RW so I would expect them to be split up unless they want Mercer at C for the future but I am lukewarm on that.

 

[NJDevs26]

I definitely think we're closer to the team we saw for the first 10 games than the last 30. No doubt this team has plenty of issues, but there're just no pronouncements anyone can make about what we are based on this janky season. None.

I don’t entirely buy that but that’s based mostly on the lack of a track record for most of this roster and a poor recent one organizationally. I acknowledge there’s a possibility that the break and the schedule severely hampered this team but we won’t know how much so till next year, if at all. It obviously didn’t help but there’s a distinct possibility we would have been awful regardless.

If they come out guns blazing for more than ten games next year then obviously this season was more about COVID and the division heavy schedule than the team still being losers. I’ll be happy to eat my cynicism if that happens. If they come out as the hopeless sad sacks they’ve been lately again next year, similar to last year before that and the year before that, then we’ll know the schedule and stuff was just an excuse.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

1st line in the AHL seems like a perfect place for Holtz for most of next season. And Mercer can play in the AHL too, right? They can play on the same line then.

Absolutely! Have them spend a full year in the minors and like @MartyOwns said, plug them in the bottom #6 and make them earn top line minutes.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

One or both of them could absolutely light it up in camp and make the team. But it’s probably best to get at least some time in the minors.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I don’t entirely buy that but that’s based mostly on the lack of a track record for most of this roster and a poor recent one organizationally. I acknowledge there’s a possibility that the break and the schedule severely hampered this team but we won’t know how much so till next year, if at all. If they come out guns blazing for more than ten games then obviously this season was more about COVID than the team being losers. If they come out as the hopeless sad sacks they’ve been lately then we’ll know the schedule and stuff was just an excuse.

Well, the thrust of my point was more so that we won't really know either way until next season. But I just don't see any way that the confluence of things that happened to this team this season (COVID, schedule, injuries, practice time, etc.) hasn't had some level of negative impact. How much that is and how many wins that equates to is anyone's guess, but I definitely lean towards the pace and cohesion of play we saw early than the drek we've seen since.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

One or both of them could absolutely light it up in camp and make the team. But it’s probably best to get at least some time in the minors.

We’re getting high picks with upside, so why would we rush them for a role they should work for. Even if they light it up at camp, are they ready for a gruelling 82 game schedule, I doubt it.

Let’s take our time and do this right. The last thing I want is for our kids to light it up early, hit a wall and be bounced around the lineup with the possible healthy scratch here and there.

Let these kids learn the pro game in NA and take it from there. Holtz didn’t crush anything this year despite playing in a pro league and Mercer never played in the pros.

 

[glenwo2]

I think they’ve likely mostly recovered from Covid.

Now they’ve been playing under a brutal schedule with no rest or practice ever since Covid. I do think that is affecting them.

That makes more sense.

No Practices (and days off) have killed them this year.

 

[glenwo2]

Man Glen must be really down. Is it because Bratt is hurt?

No. It's because Matt Tennyson isn't here.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I fully expect Foote to make the team out of camp next year. I also think one of Holtz or Mercer will force their way onto the roster in camp, more likely Mercer. His game will translate better to the NHL and I think he's the more polished of the two. His fundamentals are excellent and he plays a sound up-tempo game in all three zones.

I think Holtz certainly has the talent to make the coaching staff consider it but I really, really don't think he's ready for it. I want him to spend a full year or close to it in the AHL.

I really want Tyce and Maltsev to start in the AHL next year as well, they have obvious upside but it's clear both have significant work to do in order to clean up their games. We don't really have a choice but to play them right now but I'd rather have them get more seasoning.

 

[mtnet]

I was happy with the Mercer pick, glad to see he's had a noticeably good year. The NHL is a whole other level but he could bring a lot to the table for this team, and I hope to see him on our opening night roster next season.

 

[My3Sons]

I wonder if the lack of contract for Holtz at this point is a sticking point with a European assignment clause. Similar to Boquist, Holtz may want to either play in the NHL or the SHL.

 

[Darkauron]

Foote is definely going to be in the NHL next season, and I can see Mercer as well tho some time in the ahl would be fine. I dont see Holtz playing in the NHL next season. A full AHL season for players like him is more important

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I was happy with the Mercer pick, glad to see he's had a noticeably good year. The NHL is a whole other level but he could bring a lot to the table for this team, and I hope to see him on our opening night roster next season.

Mercer will get every chance to make the opening lineup I think, and it really depends on how many veterans Fitz adds in the offseason and puts in his way.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

If Mercer turns out to be one of those super skilled grinders I'm all for it. Holtz can be the perimeter guy with that shot of his and ability to find open spaces. Mercer will be the workhorse down low in the dirty areas like Parise. We can honestly use both of those player types on the current roster.

 

[Camille the Eel]

meanwhile on the current swoon, don’t underestimate the effect of losing Zacha. He was very important to driving whatever play was happening. And minus Zajac and Palms and Bratt too last game. That was 4 of our maybe top 6 or 7 gone right there all of a sudden. And that’s how we look.

Any book on how much longer we get shut out? Even money at least another period and maybe two.

 

[Triumph]

I wonder if the lack of contract for Holtz at this point is a sticking point with a European assignment clause. Similar to Boquist, Holtz may want to either play in the NHL or the SHL.

I believe that individual contract European assignment clauses are mandated by the SHL-NHL transfer agreement, and I don't think 1st round picks out of the SHL can have them. Someone on here said that, and I'm struggling to think of SHL 1st rounders who signed and then went back (this year an obvious exception). I don't think Josefson and Tedenby had them. Hampus Lindholm signed and played in the AHL first, Filip Forsberg didn't go back to Sweden, but these are players who came out of the second-tier league. Nylander split his D1 season between Sweden and the AHL - I suspect he came to North America after the WJCs, and then never returned. Eriksson Ek signed after the draft, stayed in Sweden for a year, then in his D2 season he started in Minnesota, was sent back to Sweden, and then returned to the NHL to finish out the year.

So it does seem to vary with the individual, but I don't think Holtz returning to Sweden would be at all good for his development.

 

[Billdo]

meanwhile on the current swoon, don’t underestimate the effect of losing Zacha. He was very important to driving whatever play was happening. And minus Zajac and Palms and Bratt too last game. That was 4 of our maybe top 6 or 7 gone right there all of a sudden. And that’s how we look.

Any book on how much longer we get shut out? Even money at least another period and maybe two.

Losing your best player hurts no matter who else is on the team...

 

[mtnet]

At any rate, with where the team finds itself again, no use rushing the up and comers next year.

As it stands though, not a whole lot left on the roster to block a rookie from possibly making the team out of camp.

Fitz will need to try and acquire some veterans obviously, team looks like a daycare. I like seeing the kids play but the team is kind of rudderless without some steadying influence in the lineup.