Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2026-27 offseason part III

[Devils Trap]

It's not bad, except for his salary asks which will put us right back to where we were before.

It also sucks because it would eat up all the trade chips we have left since Fitzgerald and his shit drafting and trading and signings left the cupboard bare.

Agree BUT you then have Jason Robertson who is a 45 goal / 95 point guy

 

[forceten]

Agree BUT you then have Jason Robertson who is a 45 goal / 95 point guy

Oh, for sure. But would you say Kaprizov's contract is hampering Minnesota's roster construction? I thought it was, and if so...

Also that production is AMAZING and I think his talent will shine anywhere. I don't know that he will reach those exact numbers if the team around him is mid.

 

[Devils Trap]

Oh, for sure. But would you say Kaprizov's contract is hampering Minnesota's roster construction? I thought it was, and if so...

Also that production is AMAZING and I think his talent will shine anywhere. I don't know that he will reach those exact numbers if the team around him is mid.

Probably ? But we will reach the point where the elite players will command that level of money.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Agree BUT you then have Jason Robertson who is a 45 goal / 95 point guy

On Dallas. Potentially not where he goes next.

I’m not entirely convinced Robertson would be as productive here. If we want to go back to being successful, we need to start generating more again via speed and off the rush like a few years ago. Robertson isn’t exactly quick. He excels down low

 

[dzubrus8]

I suspect folks will disagree but I wouldn’t mind taking a chance on Laine. He can’t command much more than the league minimum at this point. If only he could stay healthy….

If Florida winds up landing Hellebuyck, they’ll have to shed more salary. I wonder if Verhaeghe could be available at 7m AAV. Of course there’s the Sunny connection with Zito….

We’re seeing this with Nashville acquiring Drury and Colton within two weeks of poaching Colorado’s GM. Wonder who those guys would be for Mehta. Rodriguez and Verhaeghe both interesting

 

[Devils Trap]

On Dallas. Potentially not where he goes next.

I’m not entirely convinced Robertson would be as productive here. If we want to go back to being successful, we need to start generating more again via speed and off the rush like a few years ago. Robertson isn’t exactly quick. He excels down low

Fair, its certainly a risk but eventually we need to take a chance at 1. Jrob may be too pricey to take that risk

 

[forceten]

Probably ? But we will reach the point where the elite players will command that level of money.

So frustrating. Especially for us -- if we had Carolina's cap it would be different but we don't.

I think I'd prefer guys that understand that the money has to be spread around to win, and care about winning over maximum earnings.

They can defer bonuses. They can invest this shit and in 20 years it's doubled 2-3 times. They'll never want for anything in life. But it will always disappoint them to never win...

 

[Devils Trap]

So frustrating. Especially for us -- if we had Carolina's cap it would be different but we don't.

I think I'd prefer guys that understand that the money has to be spread around to win, and care about winning over maximum earnings.

They can defer bonuses. They can invest this shit and in 20 years it's doubled 2-3 times. They'll never want for anything in life. But it will always disappoint them to never win...

Tbh we are lucky with timing cause the Jack / Jesper deals are incredible for the next 5 years. We need to take advantage of them and build around it

 

[Nocashstyle]

Fair, its certainly a risk but eventually we need to take a chance at 1. Jrob may be too pricey to take that risk

Yeah, don’t get me wrong, it would certainly be better to have Jason Robertson in the lineup than not…that would be incredible. But if we’re looking at 14mil, that’s where the risk/reward is too extreme for my tastes.

 

[forceten]

Tbh we are lucky with timing cause the Jack / Jesper deals are incredible for the next 5 years. We need to take advantage of them and build around it

Yes. If we can jettison more of the dead weight, that would make me feel better.

Markstrom, Dillon (I love his off-ice intangibles), Bjugstad, probably Noesen, maybe Kovasevic.

It would then take work to replace them because we have nobody up front in the system. I'm actually fine with Daws/Allen for now. Defense I'd love to see Casey get a shot. There's Edwards, Vilen, and Silayev who seem to still be legitimate prospects too.

 

[longislanddevil]

Everybody seems to want to go to like 3-4 teams lately and we're not one of them, so I'm not getting my hopes too high this summer. We cleared the logjam at RD, it sounds like Nico and Grits will get signed, which needed to happen. It sounds like Sunny is at least trying to move Fitz's albatross Markstrom. I'm not going to hold that against him if he can't move him. It is kind of frustrating to see a team like Washington, a direct competitor, taking big swings while we're not really doing much so far. But, it is June 24th, so there's still plenty of offseason left.

I can understand not wanting to get in the business of handing out an 8 year contract to a 30 year old Tuch (I do like the player). I’ll remain patient but not acquiring Kyrou has bugged me. The crux of the deal was 16OA and McMichael being shipped to St Louis. 12OA and Mercer seems awfully comparable. Then again, the Blues were interested in a center and we know Mercer doesn’t truly fit the bill. I would have added a little more if necessary. Kyrou would have been a great fit for Jack and Bratt.

I don’t envy Sunny’s position. There are so many moving parts and if he truly doesn’t know if Quinn is coming here (now or later), it gets complicated. Can we afford to go big on Robertson? Would we be able to still afford Quinn in this scenario by moving Dougie? Would Werenski be a target if Quinn wasn’t in play? All of these NTCs are also highly problematic. Fitzgerald really was an imbecile and there’s a lot of clean-up tho be done.

 

[JrFischer54]

I don't think this roster can be all that good, especially the lower end. I'm expecting a few good changes, but nothing groundbreaking.

thank you for not drinking the kool-aid pineapple slices! people wanting to run it back with the same group that haven't had it all together since 4 years ago is comical.

 

[JrFischer54]

Agree BUT you then have Jason Robertson who is a 45 goal / 95 point guy

nico 13 million or robertson 14 million

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[Devils Trap]

nico 13 million or robertson 14 million

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Nico easily

 

[forceten]

nico 13 million or robertson 14 million

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Nico, because:

1. $1m in that scenario actually matters
2. Center vs Wing
3. Defense / matchups

But it's a fair question

 

[Devs3cups]

thank you for not drinking the kool-aid pineapple slices! people wanting to run it back with the same group that haven't had it all together since 4 years ago is comical.

Oh, just to be clear, I have no issue with the top guys, I wasn’t clear with my initial post but cleared it up afterwards. I do think the bottom of the lineup and supporting cast is lacking though. The bottom-6 needs major help. I’d also like more offense coming from the defense.

 

[UncleJunior]

Make it happen. Trade and sign the superstar in Jason Robertson, worry about the depth pieces later.

 

[devsfan8]

I think Knies or Dorofoyev are more realistic possibilities then Robertson. But obviously if we can get Jason Ro you do it.

 

[Devils Trap]

Do it Sunny, forget Jrob

 

[Elias2626]

It's time to **** or get off the pot with this team.

If Quinn is re-signing in MIN, we have a 2-3 year window to become a bonafide contender. Stockpiling draft picks in 2026/2027/2028 won't help us if Jack leaving or failure to trend significantly upward trigger a 2029/2030 rebuild.

Use the assets to acquire talent, with or without Quinn. Have to go for it. The teams who've had success (FLA, VGK, CAR, TB, even COL and DAL) have made big swings. The Devils are on a 3-year clock. They'll have plenty to sell-off in 2028/2029/2030 to recoup assets if the big swings don't work out.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Fitting a $14M player is going to require major surgery that may be difficult thanks to Tommy Fitz giving everyone except Mercer an NTC

 

[JrFischer54]

Oh, just to be clear, I have no issue with the top guys, I wasn’t clear with my initial post but cleared it up afterwards. I do think the bottom of the lineup and supporting cast is lacking though. The bottom-6 needs major help. I’d also like more offense coming from the defense.

the bottom 6 is more then enough for this team. mercer brown glass cotter nosen if healthy thats plenty fine.

 

[Devils Trap]

the bottom 6 is more then enough for this team. mercer brown glass cotter nosen if healthy thats plenty fine.

Not even close. This is why they will never win. That depth stinks

CAR had Ehlers on their 3rd line, VGK had Hertl on their 3rd line. Our depth is no where near good enough. Brown and Glass are good, build around them

 

[Devils Army]

Not sure what you could possibly mean because they’ve fully made 8 first round picks in their 9 years in the league (mind you 3 were in their first).

And none stayed in their organization longer than like 6 months

 

[JrFischer54]

Not even close. This is why they will never win. That depth stinks

CAR had Ehlers on their 3rd line, VGK had Hertl on their 3rd line. Our depth is no where near good enough. Brown and Glass are good, build around them

so that will be the excuse this year if/when this team falters and the top guys mail it in. the bottom 6 to each their own