Confirmed with Link: Devils acquire Meier (50% retained) and four others from the Sharks for 2023 1st, conditional 2024 1st, Mukhamadullin, Okhotiuk, Zetterlund & Johnsson

[TF1970]

The last paragraph is what makes this deal so sweet to me. They kept Holtz/Casey/Vilen/Grits on top of the 3 core studs who were never moving. We have been accruing pieces for years now and Fitz leveraged them masterfully when the literal missing piece became available.

I keep forgetting about Vilen in all of this - definitely seems like he has potential to become a solid D down the road.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Meier and Bratt are not UFAs.

Thank you. I was misinformed. My fault for not doing the proper research.

 

[Devs3cups]

I’m very confused, is Meier RFA or UFA? I understood him to be UFA?

Meier and Bratt are both RFA’s. No need to worry a whole lot about them.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Meier is a RFA with 10m qualifying offer.

So he must be qualified $10 mil minimum? Thanks

 

[Nubmer6]

I’m very confused, is Meier RFA or UFA? I understood him to be UFA?

RFA with a qualifying offer of 10M

 

[Hisch13r]

I’ll be eased about losing Zetterlund if you get Holtz to become what Holtz can and you keep Tatar around. If that happens you’ve got an absolutely loaded top 6 and Tatar as an upgrade over Zetterlund in the bottom 6.

 

[Triumph]

Is it that shocking though? Vegas moved Krebs and Tuch for Eichel, Erik Brannstrom got moved for Mark Stone, Loui Eriksson brought back Tyler Seguin (depending on how you view that trade). Some of that is just Vegas being super aggressive, but it isn't that unprecedented for a player of Mercer's caliber to get moved in a deal like this. The Devils were on board with moving the Nemec pick for Tkachuk just a few months ago.

None of these trades line up with the deal in question. This Meier trade is a quasi-rental because his RFA rights just are not worth very much. Brannstrom was a mid 1st round pick but had no NHL experience; he is in no way comparable to Dawson Mercer in value.

 

[Nubmer6]

I’ll be eased about losing Zetterlund if you get Holtz to become what Holtz can and you keep Tatar around. If that happens you’ve got an absolutely loaded top 6 and Tatar as an upgrade over Zetterlund in the bottom 6.

Top 6? More like top 9.

 

[Hisch13r]

Top 6? More like top 9.

lol Well yeah

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I’ll be eased about losing Zetterlund if you get Holtz to become what Holtz can and you keep Tatar around. If that happens you’ve got an absolutely loaded top 6 and Tatar as an upgrade over Zetterlund in the bottom 6.

There’s the Graeme Clarke wildcard too. He’s still probably a long shot to be anything, but that’s some impressive AHL production. His path maybe got a little easier with Z going out, though idk if he can ever cut it in a checking role.

 

[Devs3cups]

So he must be qualified $10 mil minimum? Thanks

He’ll get signed to an extension though, not really worried about that. Fitz wouldn’t have made the move if he wasn’t extremely confident.

 

[Unknown Caller]

None of these trades line up with the deal in question. This Meier trade is a quasi-rental because his RFA rights just are not worth very much. Brannstrom was a mid 1st round pick but had no NHL experience; he is in no way comparable to Dawson Mercer in value.

When Erik Brannstrom was moved he was a massive prospect. Probably more value than Mercer. When the trade went down, Brannstrom was the #19 prospect in hockey right next to Jordan Kyrou and ahead of guys like Boldy, Cozens, Ty Smith, Bouchard, Adam Boqvist, Adam Fox, and K'Andre Miller, just to name a few.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don't think Fitzgerald is done yet, folks. I can see Severson being moved and a more D-first guy brought in, like a Schenn or Bortuzzo. Just my gut feeling, along with a growing knowledge of what Tom Fitzgerald likes.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

There’s the Graeme Clarke wildcard too. He’s still probably a long shot to be anything, but that’s some impressive AHL production. His path maybe got a little easier with Z going out, though idk if he can ever cut it in a checking role.

Definitely not but I do think Clarke is someone to keep an eye on. He's crushing it in Utica and arguably plays the same way that Ruff likes his forwards to with high pace and speed. Said it before but he could've made this year's NJ team imo with how he looked in preseason.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't even like Sevs that much, but if they trade him and bring in Luke Schenn I will be PISSED

 

[Hisch13r]

When Erik Brannstrom was moved he was a massive prospect. Probably more value than Mercer. When the trade went down, Brannstrom was the #19 prospect in hockey right next to Jordan Kyrou and ahead of guys like Boldy, Cozens, Ty Smith, Bouchard, Adam Boqvist, Adam Fox, and K'Andre Miller, just to name a few.

lol Abssolutely no shot Brannstrom had more value then than Mercer does now

I don't even like Sevs that much, but if they trade him and bring in Luke Schenn I will be PISSED

I'm not going to concern myself over things that will never happen.

 

[Nubmer6]

I don't think Fitzgerald is done yet, folks. I can see Severson being moved and a more D-first guy brought in, like a Schenn or Bortuzzo. Just my gut feeling, along with a growing knowledge of what Tom Fitzgerald likes.

I see a defensive RHD brought in for depth, but I don't see Severson being moved unless it's a Knock Your Socks Off offer.

 

[OmNomNom]

I don't think Fitzgerald is done yet, folks. I can see Severson being moved and a more D-first guy brought in, like a Schenn or Bortuzzo. Just my gut feeling, along with a growing knowledge of what Tom Fitzgerald likes.

same thought - as much as i'd love to upgrade 7D slot, doesn't matter if we want to experiment with Luke/Nemec.

i don't know how sending sevo would work, unless we added. he's a UFA, and sellers don't get any benefit from acquiring him. unless there's a non-rival team that need a mobile D-man and have a backlog of stay-at-homes?

 

[StevenToddIves]

I see a defensive RHD brought in for depth, but I don't see Severson being moved unless it's a Knock Your Socks Off offer.

How tight are these socks you speak of?

 

[Nubmer6]

How tight are these socks you speak of?

Compression socks.

 

[Hisch13r]

I don't think Fitzgerald is done yet, folks. I can see Severson being moved and a more D-first guy brought in, like a Schenn or Bortuzzo. Just my gut feeling, along with a growing knowledge of what Tom Fitzgerald likes.

He's not stupid.

 

[Guttersniped]

So he must be qualified $10 mil minimum? Thanks

If he signs for one season, yes.

His agent basically leaked to the press that he’s open to signing long term for less (presumably ~9m) in order to get teams interested.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Meier and Bratt are not UFAs.

Been told. Thanks!

 

[Unknown Caller]

lol Abssolutely no shot Brannstrom had more value then than Mercer does now



I'm not going to concern myself over things that will never happen.

You obviously don't realize the Brannstrom hype in hindsight and how highly regarded he was when he was moved. People were legitimately comparing him to Erik Karlsson. We also tend to overvalue Mercer because we're attached to him. I love the player, but you have to be realistic. Some treat him like he's just a cut below Jack and Bratt.

My point is moving a guy like Mercer for a player of Meier's caliber isn't that outrageous. He just happens to be a fan favorite and on an absolute heater right now. Being cost controlled for the time being helps as well.

 

[OmNomNom]