I'm just frustrated and sick of losing.
Sunny was in Florida. Florida flipped the narrative with one trade. One trade set the dominos tumbling and now they are unstoppable. Like Vegas, they missed the playoffs one year and instead of going back into the draft and making value plays and worrying about the cap they doubled down. Just like Vegas did the summer they missed the playoffs.
Sunny came from that culture. I want him to bring it here.
I'd have really wonder about the possibility of replicating things that happened in Florida.
For one, they may have some advantages as a location that New Jersey doesn't, which may give them more opportunity. Can't say that for sure, but it's possible and I want to acknowledge it .
Also, they seem to just be better at developing guys. Whatever reason it is...they get people, they get better. Could be the player environment, the coaches...I dunno...but a frequent refrain in looking at their acquisitions is that these people weren't in "great" standing when Florida got them. The devils trade for people and in a couple of big cases, that certainly hasn't been the case.
But that said....just thinking back to some of their moves......I mean, the level at which they knocked those out of the park is going to be really difficult to do again.
Forsling was a waiver claim....one of the greatest in history. Mason Marchment was basically an AHL trade who started putting up 40+ points. . They signed Verhaege as a 25 year old with 13 career points for just above the league minimum and he turned into a 40 goal scorer. That would be like the Devils signing Cole Schwindt this off season and him turning into a 40 goal scorer. Nobody would even think about that if the devils signed Schwindt in two weeks. We'd all just be like "whatever". but Florida a lot of moves like this that helped build the team they are.
They traded a second and prospect for Sam Bennett who was largely a flop in Calgary. His point production was lagging behind what we've gotten from Mercer at the same age. They picked up Montour on the scap heap. Same for OEL and rehabbed him. Mikkola was an add in on the Tank trade who had mostly been a third pairing guy and now plays a lot of minutes (and super important minutes in the playoffs) for Florida. Eetu was a 22 year old former second round pick who had yet to become an NHL regular. I think he was like the third piece of that trade (behind Haula and Wallmark) and turned into a very useful middle sixer.
Reinhart was a good player who became a great one on the better team.
Florida bought quite a few penny stocks that ended up blowing up, which I really think is just a difficult path to follow, but keep that in mind when the Devils make super small moves that we don't really give a second thought to. Or try to buy low on failed vets that we wouldn't want anything to do with as fans.
