Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - draft and FA edition

[NJDevs26]

So teams are going to take on Palat’s contract for two seasons without necessary compensation because they have cap space? As if they are forced to use it or can’t find better ways to allocate that space then take on Palat’s deal.

It's not even about the cap space entirely since some teams will have more than they know what to do with...you just aren't gonna find too many GM's that want to walk into an owner's office and justify paying a washed Palat $12 million for two years AND basically doing it for a peanuts return, not to mention ones he'll approve a move to. Most of the deals that have been traded are dead contracts that can be stashed on IR or phony baloney contracts with a cap hit of x and actual salary of x minus a few million.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Some teams do in fact have to use the cap space because there’s this thing called a salary cap floor that is required to be met

And those teams could easily reach that floor without taking on a bad contract for peanuts. Cap space can easily be weaponized and those teams would have leverage in trade talks, thinking the Devils would be able to get off that contract for a 2nd rounder or less is not realistic.

 

[Edmonton East]

How's about 2 cups, 50 playoff goals, and the ability to win board battles so well and score 15 still? You are confusing him being overpaid with him being useless. Paalt at 4 mill is different then Palat at 6 mill if we can retain a couple of mill.

Maybe SJ would be interested to name a few. Im not saying it would happen wothijt retention or attaching assets. But it's definitely possible.

No, being THAT overpaid at that age, with multiple years left, and at a non premium position or play style (like a declining Lucic or something who still had unique attributes) makes him useless.

He's a $3m player even with the cap increase to any half competent GM. I am so tired of this playoff shtick when he was on a stacked team/line and before the wheels fell off. Dude has predictably been ASS for 2 years now across multiple coaching staffs considering the cap hit.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Marchment and Suter in if we can move Dougie and Palat? That would be decent enough depth at forward if Gritsyuk is actually good.

 

[britdevil]

Thoughts on going big game hunting with something like this (this is a rough idea!!!)

To Anaheim
- Hamilton (9m)
- Palat (5m)
- 2nd rounder
- Lenni Hameenaho

To NJ
- Mason McTavish (new 6-7m contract??)

then

To Vancouver
- Nemec (.92m)
- Mercer (4m)
- 2026 First

To NJ
- Quinn Hughes (7.85m)

Sign
- Nikolaj Ehlers (for argument sake, say 9m)
- Resign Sprong (1.5m??)
- Resign Glass (1.5m??)
- Extend Luke Hughes (8m?)


Meier (8.8m) - Hughes (8m) - Sprong (1.5m)
Ehlers (9m) - Hichier (7.9m) - Bratt (7.9m)
Gritsyuk (.93m) - McTavish (6-7m?) - Noesen (2.8m)
Cotter (.8m) - Glass (1.5m) - Foote (.8m) (or the new guy)

Hughes (7.9m) - Siegenthaler (3.4m)
Hughes (8m) - Pesce (5.5m)
Dillon (3m) - Kovacevic (4m)

Markstrom (4.2m)
Dawes (.8m)

Rounding a couple numbers that 94m ish

Obviously that's a lot of big moves, very very unlikely. But one can dream right???

Personally,
- I think Hamilton is worth more than most seem to think on here, even with his cap hit.
- Dawes is more than okay as a backup (his numbers only get bad once he has to play 2-3+ games in a row). If he only needs to spot start here and there, his numbers (NHL) the past 2 seasons are good

Discontinue the lithium.

 

[Mgd31]

The Devils have 5 RWs - Bratt, Meier, Mercer, Gritsyuk, Noesen.

They really need to move Mercer

 

[Zippy316]

The Devils have 5 RWs - Bratt, Meier, Mercer, Gritsyuk, Noesen.

They really need to move Mercer

Bratt, Meier, and Gritsyuk can all play LW. Don’t see this as a real issue.

 

[thebeernerd]

My yearly post - done

At first I thought the same... I'm high on Nemec, but having both Hughes long term (assumed), Pesce another 5 years, and high hopes for Casey and Silayev as well as the other under contract at the moment, I don't think it hurts as much.
Obviously if you can do it without Nemec even better, but I would assume for Vancouver sake if they are losing Quinn then Nemec is a must in the deal. But.... surprise surprise, I am no NHL GM

The Canucks look like they’re pushing all their chips on the table during this offseason. They’re not trading Quinn if that’s true.

Thanks for the big swinging trade proposal though! See you next year!

 

[Zippy316]

On Palat, I doubt we’re able to move him for full cap relief.

I would be willing to move him for a guy like Tarasenko on a cheaper deal (1x4.75 vs Palat’s 2x6). Or move him for a worse contract for a 2/3 C we need (Compher and Copp are two options here).

I’m sure there’s other names around the league too (Kotkaniemi?), depending if he’d waive.

 

[devsfan8]

Bratt, Meier, and Gritsyuk can all play LW. Don’t see this as a real issue.

Meier should be on RW next season. He is more effective on the RW. But yes he can and did play LW with Mercer and Noesen.

 

[R8Devs]

The Devils have 5 RWs - Bratt, Meier, Mercer, Gritsyuk, Noesen.

They really need to move Mercer

lol I was thinking of Noesen+ to the Stars for Marchment. They get 1.75 of cap relief while also getting a serviceable winger. Noesen has an NTC but I doubt the stars are part of the 7 teams since he's from Texas

 

[Zacha37]

On Palat, I doubt we’re able to move him for full cap relief.

Not even for a 2nd? I believe we have 2 this year. I gladly would trade a 2nd to shed that money.

 

[Guttersniped]

The Devils have 5 RWs - Bratt, Meier, Mercer, Gritsyuk, Noesen.

They really need to move Mercer

 

[JimEIV]

Palat look immovable to me.

Stranger things have certainly happened, but it seems like a very big stretch that anyone would be interested in him at all.

 

[Guttersniped]

On Palat, I doubt we’re able to move him for full cap relief.

I would be willing to move him for a guy like Tarasenko on a cheaper deal (1x4.75 vs Palat’s 2x6). Or move him for a worse contract for a 2/3 C we need (Compher and Copp are two options here).

I’m sure there’s other names around the league too (Kotkaniemi?), depending if he’d waive.

Only way Palat goes away is us buying him out.

Haula was always an easy guy to move, people need to stop deluding themselves about a Palat trade.

 

[Guttersniped]

lol I was thinking of Noesen+ to the Stars for Marchment. They get 1.75 of cap relief while also getting a serviceable winger. Noesen has an NTC but I doubt the stars are part of the 7 teams since he's from Texas

Stars aren’t trading for a worse player just to get a measly 1.75m in cap space.

It’s been reported that any trades will be for cap space and “draft capital”, and they need a ton of the former.

We aren’t a potential trade partner for them unless another team is somehow involved.

 

[GeNeXt]

What's everyone using these days in terms of the new CapFriendly?

 

[britdevil]

What's everyone using these days in terms of the new CapFriendly?

https://capwages.com/teams/new_jersey_devils

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

What's everyone using these days in terms of the new CapFriendly?

CapWages | NHL Salary Cap Data

CapWages track real-time NHL salary cap data, player contracts & team cap space for 2025-26. Analyze cap hits, retained salaries, LTIR exceptions, and compliance buyouts with interactive tools.

capwages.com

 

[Triumph]

I still keep thinking about something like Palat to (team) with e.g. $1.5M retention for a late round pick, (team) retains on Palat and trades him to TB for 2 2nds or something, TB trades us Sheary, who we then buy out. This would get us ~$4M in cap space. It's a pipe dream but depending on how the floor is looking these days for some teams, it could be desirable. Obviously SJ can't do this until July 1 (and probably wouldn't do it) and Chicago already has a retention slot used on Jones.

 

[Guttersniped]

I still keep thinking about something like Palat to (team) with e.g. $1.5M retention for a late round pick, (team) retains on Palat and trades him to TB for 2 2nds or something, TB trades us Sheary, who we then buy out. This would get us $4M in cap space. It's a pipe dream but depending on how the floor is looking these days for some teams, it could be desirable. Obviously SJ can't do this until July 1 (and probably wouldn't do it) and Chicago already has a retention slot used on Jones.

Can you think of an example of a 3rd team retaining on a player for multiple seasons just for picks, in a trade that didn’t involve them dumping a player themselves? I can’t.

(Alas, the existing sites don’t have search features on trades like Cap Friendly did so I can’t look for one.)

Also, unless they’re completely blinded by nostalgia, I can’t think of a single reason for Tampa to want Palat back at any price.

I honestly don’t see a single argument for any team to want him. It’s bad if he‘s in your top six and he’s not a good bottom six player. He also grumbled when he got moved down and played with non-stars. Not particularly useful on special teams. Cooked, slow as f***.

The Haula trade made sense for Nashville. They needed center depth, particularly since they might trade ROR or Sissions. They can flip him at the TDL.

 

[BostonDevil]

What's everyone using these days in terms of the new CapFriendly?

https://puckpedia.com/

 

[Comparison Ford]

Palat look immovable to me.

Stranger things have certainly happened, but it seems like a very big stretch that anyone would be interested in him at all.

i agree, i also think our front office / coaching staff really like him. i don’t think he’s moving anywhere.

 

[Triumph]

Can you think of an example of a 3rd team retaining on a player for multiple seasons just for picks, in a trade that didn’t involve them dumping a player themselves? I can’t.

No, but I can't remember when the floor was this high either, and there's also fewer totally dead money contracts sloshing around, plus the teams that have them aren't willing to pay to get rid of them anymore. Philadelphia's not paying anybody to take Ryan Ellis. So if you can get substantial picks for acting as a go-between, maybe it's worth it, especially if the alternatives are acquiring a cap dump player you don't want or signing a UFA you don't necessarily want.

(Alas, the existing sites don’t have search features on trades like Cap Friendly did so I can’t look for one.)

Also, unless they’re completely blinded by nostalgia, I can’t think of a single reason for Tampa to want Palat back at any price.

I honestly don’t see a single argument for any team to want him. It’s bad if he‘s in your top six and he’s not a good bottom six player. He also grumbled when he got moved down and played with non-stars. Not particularly useful on special teams. Cooked, slow as f***.

Obviously this to me is a more likely stumbling block than no one wants to act as an intermediary for 2 years just for some picks - there isn't a great reason for Tampa to want Palat back, but nostalgia's a hell of a drug and they haven't gone anywhere in the playoffs the last 2 years. I just feel like they'd be the most likely team to want him since they remember when he was good.

 

[devilsblood]

My yearly post - done

At first I thought the same... I'm high on Nemec, but having both Hughes long term (assumed), Pesce another 5 years, and high hopes for Casey and Silayev as well as the other under contract at the moment, I don't think it hurts as much.
Obviously if you can do it without Nemec even better, but I would assume for Vancouver sake if they are losing Quinn then Nemec is a must in the deal. But.... surprise surprise, I am no NHL GM

My thought has been Silayev going to Van.