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

[Devils Trap]

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

The top guys dominate their minutes, not worried about them

 

[JrFischer54]

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.

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lets restock the prospect pool with the 27 and 28 picks that are top 10 protected and work on building out the bottom 6

 

[JrFischer54]

The top guys dominate their minutes, not worried about them

yeah true dominated to another lotto draw in the spring.

 

[BostonDevil]

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

I agree but come at it from a different angle. The bottom 6 sucks because we have bottom 6 guys playing in our top 6 and the trickle down makes it worse.

Brown/Mercer/Grits need to be the 3rd line.

 

[Devils Trap]

yeah true dominated to another lotto draw in the spring.

Yea cause the depth guys + goaltending sucked. Just fixed that and we are fine as contenders

If Jack stays healthy our terrible team plays out to like 110 points. Unlucky, if he stays healthy we are easily a 2nd round playoff team

 

[UncleJunior]

Yea cause the depth guys + goaltending sucked. Just fixed that and we are fine as contenders

I like the top guys. But outside of Jack, they weren't good enough last year. Not even close

 

[Devils Trap]

I like the top guys. But outside of Jack, they weren't good enough last year. Not even close

Large part of that is Jack going down hurt and the Keefe system. Plus Nico is anchored with Dawson Mercer

 

[thebeernerd]

I trust Sunny to fill out the depth. That's only one issue. The top guys have talent and produce but are mentally weak and can't play out of a slump to save their lives. It's a shitty culture here. Deny it all you want but our locker room gets real friggin' dark when it faces any adversity. We're not the Rangers but as soon as we hit one road block this season, it might get to that point.

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lets restock the prospect pool with the 27 and 28 picks that are top 10 protected and work on building out the bottom 6

I want one of those picks traded for players. Or one great player.

 

[MartyOwns]

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.

yes to all that. and, i’ll just add, quinn can go f*** himself on top of it.

 

[MartyOwns]

I trust Sunny to fill out the depth. That's only one issue. The top guys have talent and produce but are mentally weak and can't play out of a slump to save their lives. It's a shitty culture here. Deny it all you want but our locker room gets real friggin' dark when it faces any adversity. We're not the Rangers but as soon as we hit one road block this season, it might get to that point.

i agree, but to me it’s not about depth. it’s about culture. as i said a few weeks ago, the biggest change sunny can make is how our guys compete. we can make the playoffs right now with the team we have, but the culture needs to change.

 

[JrFischer54]

I trust Sunny to fill out the depth. That's only one issue. The top guys have talent and produce but are mentally weak and can't play out of a slump to save their lives. It's a shitty culture here. Deny it all you want but our locker room gets real friggin' dark when it faces any adversity. We're not the Rangers but as soon as we hit one road block this season, it might get to that point.

I want one of those picks traded for players. Or one great player.

jack missed what 20 games? that sank the season

bratt nico timo the foundational "leaders" the top guys on this team couldn't tread water for 20 games until jack got back. then when he did come back it was jack show and everyone else was stuck in mud.

 

[TrufleShufle]

yeah true dominated to another lotto draw in the spring.

The top 6 didn't play up to the level we wanted this year, a lot on them a lot on other factors.

A good bottom 6 allows the top 6 to take a night off. If you score watch a lot, you will see many games where there is a few goals scored, a lot of time those goals are coming from the same 3-6 guys (both G&A.) Sometimes its the top lines, some times its the 3rd or 4th just going nuts out of no where.

Some players match up really well against others and some terribly. A coach sees that and keeps deploying those match ups leading to a lot of those types of games.

When you have a bottom 6 that is universally unreliable, you only have your top 6 filled with phillips head screw drivers, but for those cases where all you need is a big flat head, that game is usually a loss.

 

[thebeernerd]

i agree, but to me it’s not about depth. it’s about culture. as i said a few weeks ago, the biggest change sunny can make is how our guys compete. we can make the playoffs right now with the team we have, but the culture needs to change.

You're right, the unfortunate fact is that it will take time and these players are shell shocked to their core. 3-4 years is doable but I'm also confident that we'll find some way to eat shit.

 

[JrFischer54]

The top 6 didn't play up to the level we wanted this year, a lot on them a lot on other factors.

A good bottom 6 allows the top 6 to take a night off. If you score watch a lot, you will see many games where there is a few goals scored, a lot of time those goals are coming from the same 3-6 guys (both G&A.) Sometimes its the top lines, some times its the 3rd or 4th just going nuts out of no where.

Some players match up really well against others and some terribly. A coach sees that and keeps deploying those match ups leading to a lot of those types of games.

When you have a bottom 6 that is universally unreliable, you only have your top 6 filled with phillips head screw drivers, but for those cases where all you need is a big flat head, that game is usually a loss.

bottom 6 brown 43pts mercer 42pt grits 31pt glass 26pt cotter 4th liner 15pts thats all acceptable for their roles on the bottom 6. 20 goals from mercer 18 from brown 19 from glass again thats all fine production from where they should be. all 3 of them are capable of doing 20 goals and 40-50pts.

 

[devilsblood]

The top guys dominate their minutes, not worried about them

Last year they didn't.

 

[Better Call Sal]

bottom 6 brown 43pts mercer 42pt grits 31pt glass 26pt cotter 4th liner 15pts thats all acceptable for their roles on the bottom 6. 20 goals from mercer 18 from brown 19 from glass again thats all fine production from where they should be. all 3 of them are capable of doing 20 goals and 40-50pts.

Brown and Mercer had the 5th and 6th most TOI for forwards on the team. By definition, they were top 6 players.

 

[devilsblood]

bottom 6 brown 43pts mercer 42pt grits 31pt glass 26pt cotter 4th liner 15pts thats all acceptable for their roles on the bottom 6. 20 goals from mercer 18 from brown 19 from glass again thats all fine production from where they should be. all 3 of them are capable of doing 20 goals and 40-50pts.

3rd line was very good.

4th line, including Cotter stunk.

Mercer was buoyed by a ton of eng's, though he did play tough minutes.

But I agree with your point that the top 6 needs to be better then they were last year.

And this includes Jack being healthy. Needs to happen.

 

[Devils Trap]

Last year they didn't.

I disagree, their Underlying's were fantastic with a bad PDO. That was Jesper Bratt's best ever season by advanced stats. That was one of the most dominant 5 on 5 chance creation years by Timo, but the end product wasnt there

The only down for Timo last year was his defense was pretty bad, hes usually passable defensively but he sucked defensivsly last year. My guess is due to quality of competition being with Nico but who knows

That will turn if they play like that again

 

[devilsblood]

Brown and Mercer had the 5th and 6th most TOI for forwards on the team. By definition, they were top 6 players.

ya, Mercer was top 6 all year. He's a guy, who if he is back, we need more offense from.

Brown was top 6 moreso in the 2nd half of the year. Was very good on the wing of a healthy Jack.

 

[Ripshot 43]

 

[Devils Trap]

ya, Mercer was top 6 all year. He's a guy, who if he is back, we need more offense from.

Brown was top 6 moreso in the 2nd half of the year. Was very good on the wing of a healthy Jack.

Apparently Jack asked f or Brown to play with him in the back half of the year. It was a request and it worked out. I wouldnt be surprised if we start with Brown on that line next year

The worry is, Brown's underlyings werent good. My guess is he was running on a luck streak and we should get another Top 6 guy

 

[UncleJunior]

Large part of that is Jack going down hurt and the Keefe system. Plus Nico is anchored with Dawson Mercer

Could be the case, sure. I don't disagree.

Nico and Timo need to be better period.

I have faith in Bratt/Nico rebounding. I'm not holding my breath with Timo.

 

[devilsblood]

I disagree, their Underlying's were fantastic with a bad PDO. That was Jesper Bratt's best ever season by advanced stats. That was one of the most dominant 5 on 5 chance creation years by Timo, but the end product wasnt there

The only down for Timo last year was his defense was pretty bad, hes usually passable defensively but he sucked defensivsly last year. My guess is due to quality of competition being with Nico but who knows

That will turn if they play like that again

Ya, on 2nd look,, I'll take an L here.

But our top 6 guys need to finish, to be considered dominant. Markstrom stunk and that drags down actual goals against, but goals for was not good enough from the group. And I'm not one to just write off a low shooting % as if they play no part in that.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Timo needs to finish

Bratt needs to take pucks to the net more

Nico needs less defensive zone responsibilities so he doesn’t get burned out as much

Jack needs to be healthy


Those are your issues for our top dogs.

 

[Devils Trap]

Ya, on 2nd look,, I'll take an L here.

But our top 6 guys need to finish, to be considered dominant. Markstrom stunk and that drags down actual goals against, but goals for was not good enough from the group. And I'm not one to just write off a low shooting % as if they play no part in that.

If it were to continue sure, but I think most of Bratt's went back to normal once Jack returned. Its clear they have amazing chemistry.

We need more goals from Timo, but I like how he played. He has to finish his chances but Ill take him over someone who cant create anything