Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason edition

[NjDevsRR]

Chandler Stephenson

 

[thebeernerd]

Not a Bennett guy in free agency, personally. That feels like a grenade contract

Same here. The thing we have to understand is that with the cap going up, there will be a lot of stupid contracts handed out, especially since this isn't the greatest crop. Bennett will be one of them. Let him be someone else's regrettable decision.

Folks, it’s pretty simple. If we get Quinn this summer, Fitz secures his job for another 3 seasons. The first season we falter with Nico and Quinn on their big deals is when Fitz will get canned.

So is this an endorsement of getting Quinn now or not? Given your posting history I have to assume it isn't. I agree with that, actually, but more for "wait it out" purposes because you want the price to go down.

 

[thebeernerd]

Chandler Stephenson was a better fit and likely the better contract in a few seasons.

I can't even get mad at you for continuing to bring this up. It's extremely funny that you keep bringing up the second-worst contract handed out this past free agent window as something that we should have done, especially since you're one of the posters here that wants Fitzgerald out. I have my problems with how he's done things but this would make him an even worse GM than what some of you are making him out to be.

 

[theoptimist]

So is this an endorsement of getting Quinn now or not? Given your posting history I have to assume it isn't. I agree with that, actually, but more for "wait it out" purposes because you want the price to go down.

I want Quinn today. Two weeks ago I was on the equity for equity bandwagon, meaning I was only trading a contract we had equity in (Hamilton or another big contract) for Quinn. Today, I’ll actually trade Nemec just to have Quinn early.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I like the idea of Bennett more than the reality of him. We’re already strapped with some shitty contracts (which I know there are ways out of, don’t worry about my cap, etc), but he’s going to command money that I’m not comfortable giving someone with a career high of 51 pts and an injury history.

 

[theoptimist]

I can't even get mad at you for continuing to bring this up. It's extremely funny that you keep bringing up the second-worst contract handed out this past free agent window as something that we should have done, especially since you're one of the posters here that wants Fitzgerald out. I have my problems with how he's done things but this would make him an even worse GM than what some of you are making him out to be.

Free website statisticians are revered here unfortunately. They continue to bash us over the head with analytics they have no business using but the one player they stand firm about is Chandler Stephenson. There is a bias about paying bottom 6 guys among armchair GMs. People will scoff about $250K increase for Nate Bastian but I’ve seen posters okay with $1M discrepancies in contract projections for Luke Hughes.

“I’m okay with $8M-9M for Luke Hughes”

Another favorite is one poster trying to convince us that $8M for Jack Hughes and $6M for Palat is the same thing as $10M for Jack and $4M Palat. All this to validate the first-worst contract given out post-COVID. Chandler Stephenson is a bad contract? You wish it was.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I mean you’re not keeping Dougie or Casey if you get Quinn, so including them as part of the roster to complain about redundancy seems disingenuous.

Pretty wild that people are questioning the wisdom of adding a Norris caliber d-man.

Is this Norris-calibre line officially licensed? If I'm not mistaken Adam Fox and Charlie McAvoy are "Norris calibre" as well. Like Quinn they are sitting at home for the playoffs and none of them would fill the most pressing needs for New Jersey nor make the Devils any closer to competing for a Stanley Cup.

But sure another shiny toy in the vein of Jack, Luke, Timo or Dougie will placate a portion of the fanbase.

 

[NjDevsRR]

This discourse is WILD

 

[thebeernerd]

Even after the decent season Stephenson had, I'm not paying that amount of money and that term for a guy of his caliber. Remember the old Vine video where someone shouted out Andrew MacDonald's contract while running towards a bunch of geese that flew away as he got closer (6 years/$30 million)? That's potentially what we could be dealing with there. And the reason I put it as second-worst is because the Elias Lindholm contract is already at that point.

And yes, Luke Hughes gets $8-9 million next contract. He deserves it. You're cracking me up.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Chandler Stephenson is a bad contract? You wish it was.

yes.

happy to help!

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Is this Norris-calibre line officially licensed? If I'm not mistaken Adam Fox and Charlie McAvoy are "Norris calibre" as well. Like Quinn they are sitting at home for the playoffs and none of them would fill the most pressing needs for New Jersey nor make the Devils any closer to competing for a Stanley Cup.

But sure another shiny toy in the vein of Jack, Luke, Timo or Dougie will placate a portion of the fanbase.

I always love the "this player isn't playing in the playoffs anymore, so he must stink!" thought process. Charlie McAvoy has played in 91 playoff games already and he is 27 years old. Adam Fox has played in 46 playoff games at 27 years old. Sometimes really good players play for really bad teams, it happens. Is Kucherov a bad player by your metrics? He isnt playing in the playoffs anymore, of course.

I can't even imagine someone being MAD at potentially acquiring arguably the best DMan in the league, but here we are.

at least you are off the "Bratt is bad" bandwagon. Not sure which line of thinking is worse though.

 

[thebeernerd]

It's not Quinn's fault that he was drafted by the dumbest GM in recent memory and mostly left to rot because of his awful drafting and personnel decisions. You want to blame someone for that, blame Benning.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

@Jersey Fan 12 please enlighten us and let us know what you'd do this summer as GM of the New Jersey Devils. I want to hear your plan.

 

[Better Call Sal]

What drugs did some of you take this weekend?

 

[thebeernerd]

What drugs did some of you take this weekend?

Toddler ballet rehearsal.

 

[My3Sons]

What drugs did some of you take this weekend?

a statin and blood thinner.

 

[FooteBahl]

Toddler ballet rehearsal.

That certainly would explain it. I have a buddy whose daughter is in like 8 classes…dropped $1200+ on costumes.

 

[Better Call Sal]

a statin and blood thinner.

Feel you on the statin.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

View attachment 1034350

I would be down for sure

He’d be a pretty great fit for a couple years but there’s just too much downside to that contract on the back end for me. Maybe it’s worth it for the next 3-4 years, but the injuries and how that play style ages are a serious concern.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

a statin and blood thinner.

bourbon is a blood thinner...

Anyways - is Dougie still a Devil?

 

[njdevil26]

Re: Quinn

Of course I want him... BUT

When the Devils had a healthy D and had the same pairs every night for 3 months, they had one of if not the best D group/goalie combo in the league.

People are talking about Dougie's contract or Dillon being bad at points but the group as a whole was FANTASTIC to the point it's not even worthwhile to talk about changing the defense.

As far as trading for Quinn. Including Bratt, Hischer, Timo are non starters. Not even worth the discussion. Mercer... maybe.. but again who is going to play forward like someone else here said. The Devils have a great defense and Quinn would be a super luxury. It's a bad idea to gut the forward position which already needs additions just to add a super luxury.


No other team is going to trade for Quinn knowing he's going to end up in NJ.

Fitz should put Nemec on the table... Vancouver can add whatever non NHL prospect they want and draft picks... but THAT IS IT. It will get to a point where Vancouver will have to recoup some/any value and will make a deal. Otherwise he comes here as a FA.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I get the "but he is coming as a UFA!" stuff, but like, why should we wait 2 years? That is 2 prime years of our window that we could be contending.

 

[thebeernerd]

I get the "but he is coming as a UFA!" stuff, but like, why should we wait 2 years? That is 2 prime years of our window that we could be contending.

It's a tough balancing act that Fitz would have to get right. Trade for him too early and you risk losing pieces that will be regrettable looking back. Wait until UFA time and, like you said, you lose two years of window time.

I'm not opposed to getting him right now, but there needs to be players that are strictly off limits. As of now, I don't think we have any prospects that fit that mold, and if the Canucks are going to make such a drastic trade, I don't think they'd want any prospects in the first place. Picks, though, are another story.

 

[Smitty426]

Fitz should put Nemec on the table... Vancouver can add whatever non NHL prospect they want and draft picks... but THAT IS IT. It will get to a point where Vancouver will have to recoup some/any value and will make a deal. Otherwise he comes here as a FA.

IF people feel Nemec and Casey have equal value, wouldn't it be a better move to include Casy as the defender going back with addl pieces. Between Luke and Quinn potentially being on this team Casey is redundant. NVM the handiness, the types of defender needed with all these O-minded types

 

[FooteBahl]

I get the "but he is coming as a UFA!" stuff, but like, why should we wait 2 years? That is 2 prime years of our window that we could be contending.

100%. In two years our Captain will be nearing 29ish and looking to negotiate his third (and potentially last) contract. Bring his ass here now. Do it for Nico lol