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

[Billdo]

Palat cannot be in the top six next year. He drags every line down.

He drags down the other players not in the top 6 as well. 200+ mins with Mercer and even he had better numbers away from Palat. Palat cannot be on the team.

 

[Zippy316]

So in theory you’d run (im not adding possible future acquisitions yet)

Gritsyuk-Hischier-Meier
Palat-Hughes-Mercer
Bratt-Haula-Noesen
Cotter-Glass-Bastian

Even if you didn’t add anyone, which obviously wont happen, I think spacing out Bratt and Jack helps a ton. You can simply throw them together and run Mercer on his offside with Haula and Noesen when we really need them paired

Feels like Hamilton is going to be the guy to go. Odds are the Devils have to take a cap dump in return and I’m hoping they could get a useful forward like Marchment, Schenn, Copp, or Compher in return.

I see that cap dump as replacing Glass’ roster spot, unless he’s returning cheap. I would ideally like to see another center option and then a depth forward like Beauvillier/Mangiapane that might be able to third wheel in the top six and keep Palat in the bottom six.

If that’s the case, you’re looking at something like the below which has some good flexibility too:

Gritsyuk - Hischier - Meier
Palat - Hughes - Bratt
Noesen - 3C - Mercer
Cotter - Haula - XXXX

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Some 3C options you could move Mercer alone or in a package for (or get a package for):

Morgan Geekie
Ryan McLeod
Peyton Krebs
Cole Sillinger
Anton Lundell
Joel Eriksson-Ek
Shane Pinto
Ridley Greid
Barrett Hayton
Connor McMichael
Gabriel Vilardi

Pretty wide range in skill and archetypes there but all are RFAs or have contracts; didn’t include any UFAs or rentals

A lot of these are non-starters I think for the other team and the ones that are attainable have significant warts (Krebs) but I'm just guessing of course. Sillinger is potentially interesting I do admit.

I just think a lot of the discussion is predicated on the assumption that the trading partner doesn't realize what they are getting in Mercer and the team is gonna pull something over on them. The motivation is seller's remorse cause Mercer lost significant trade value, and the assumption is we can find some team willing to pay what Mercer was worth 2 years ago.

 

[guitarguyvic]

If Palat was “good enough” for the top line then Mercer is too. Keep him stapled next to Jack and Bratt to maximize his productivity.

Keep Nico and Meier together. See if Grits hacks it there, but acquire a middle six winger who could take his spot on that line if need be.

Acquire a center and winger for the third line.

Ideally get rid of at least one of Palat or Haula and relegate whoever remains to the fourth line. Worst case scenario if both stay they are both relegated to the fourth line.

The challenge here of course is can Fitz acquire actual good players to fill these roles under the team’s current cap and asset constraints? It’s a problem he created that now has to solve.

 

[Davegarri]

I think there's a good possibility Fitz offloads a lot of dead weight to make some needed additions. Dougie, Palat, Haula, and Mercer I could all see moved.

This frees up $22,150,000 to fill the remaining needs -

2 Top 6 wingers
Legit 3C
1 Bottom 6 winger
7th D Man

Bratt-Hughes-XXX
XXX-Hischier-Meier
Gritsyuk-XXX-Noesen
Cotter-Glass-XXX
MacD

Siegs-Pesce
Hughes-Kovacevic
Dillon-Nemec
XXX

Markstrom
Daws

Offload all of that and we may actually be able to make some strong signings this offseason. We could possibly fit Bennett and Ehlers, trade for Ross Colton or sign a 3C like Pius Suter, and then sign a cheap 4RW and 7D to round out the roster

 

[Better Call Sal]

What I've learned today in perusing Hockey Reference: Luke Hughes was born in Manchester, New Hampshire.

As such, he is already the 3rd highest scoring player from New Hampshire in NHL history, trailing two former Devils.

3. Luke Hughes - 93 points
2. Ben Lovejoy - 101 points
1. Deron Quint - 143 points

I think Luke won't take very long to climb this list.

 

[Edmonton East]

This keeps being discussed because one poster is dead set on arguing that not signing Chandler Stevenson was a huge error on Fitz’s part.

It’s nice that you think Stevenson would be hypothetically worth it if his salary was a couple million less a year.

That has nothing to do with reality though.

He wasn’t signing in NJ for 12.6-16.1 million less. Both Seattle and NJ were a non-playoff team with 81 points and NJ has a bigger tax hit.

Maybe some teams could have gotten him on a more team friendly deal but I don’t see why anyone thinks we would have.

And I don’t see him as an ideal 3C either, he’s really more of a scoring center, he’s below average defensively now.

Okay, but the people responding to the poster still advocating for Stephenson are saying he sucks and is worth below $4. Complete utter nonsense. That's obviously what I was responding to. Btw this is coming from fans of a team that paid the corpse of Haula over $3 and gave a winger $6 + NMC years earlier. But yea, totally reasonable to say a younger C averaging 60 points on a contender is only worth $4 or less years later..... give me a break.

Completely disagree that he isn't an ideal 3C and saying he's below average defensively is flat out stat watching garbage. He's been considered a strong PKer across multiple teams and coaching staffs....including Cup contenders and winners. Again, he's being forced too high up the lineup now with linemates that aren't top 6 player on any competitive team.

It seems quite a few folks here think that in an alternate reality where Tommy Fitz isn't an incompetent buffoon and can actually move trash overpays he handed out because he didn't also throw in NMCs.....that they still would balk at, say, 5 years $5m. Those folks are wrong and somehow still don't understand the importance of C depth and lineup versatility despite watching this very team get killed because of it year after year. Now, would I prefer an even stronger C with net front presence and more of a goal scorer? Of course. I also want a lambo.

 

[Triumph]

If Palat was “good enough” for the top line then Mercer is too. Keep him stapled next to Jack and Bratt to maximize his productivity.

Keep Nico and Meier together. See if Grits hacks it there, but acquire a middle six winger who could take his spot on that line if need be.

Acquire a center and winger for the third line.

Ideally get rid of at least one of Palat or Haula and relegate whoever remains to the fourth line. Worst case scenario if both stay they are both relegated to the fourth line.

The challenge here of course is can Fitz acquire actual good players to fill these roles under the team’s current cap and asset constraints? It’s a problem he created that now has to solve.

The Devils have had 3 coaches in the last 4 years, they've had Jack Bratt and Mercer for that time, and that line has never been used - I imagine it's the only combination of top 9 forwards that has received absolutely no run, they've played 20 minutes together in 4 years. Even Hischier-Bratt-Hughes got 36 minutes this past season 5v5. I don't think it will ever be used.

I also don't think that this is a problem Fitz has created. The Devils didn't 'give up' some 3rd line center that is now succeeding elsewhere, they might've had one in McLeod who was suspended. If you mean the drafting has created the problem, I'd maybe agree with that but that's still a rather abstract way of putting it.

 

[Edmonton East]

Chandler Stephenson sucks. Drags down all his linemates, does nothing well, and should be paying at least $2M of his salary to Mark Stone, the actually good player who made Stephenson look good.

There might be score effects in here, but the story that is told over the last 3 years with Vegas is very simple -

Stephenson xG with Stone: 52%
Stephenson xG without Stone: 44%
xG for Stone without Stephenson: 59%

Stephenson was a decent player once upon a time, he is not now.

The same Mark Stone that played 50% of the games (+ limited ice in many) when Stephenson was averaging 60point seasons for 3 years? What a ridiculous take. Yet another example of cherry picking "advanced" stats to fit a narrative.

Vegas/Stone LTIR cheating!!!! Yet he was also the sole reason Stephenson didn't suck. Yea, sure.

 

[Triumph]

Okay, but the people responding to the poster still advocating for Stephenson are saying he sucks and is worth below $4. Complete utter nonsense. That's obviously what I was responding to. Btw this is coming from fans of a team that paid the corpse of Haula over $3 and gave a winger $6 + NMC years earlier. But yea, totally reasonable to say a younger C averaging 60 points on a contender is only worth $4 or less years later..... give me a break.

He sucks and is bad. Definitely worth below $4M. Would never be paid that.

Completely disagree that he isn't an ideal 3C and saying he's below average defensively is flat out stat watching garbage. He's been considered a strong PKer across multiple teams and coaching staffs....including Cup contenders and winners. Again, he's being forced too high up the lineup now with linemates that aren't top 6 player on any competitive team.

His lines have been outshot in the playoffs consistently. His WOWYs are terrible across the board. Calling a player a strong PKer does not mean they are good defensively and vice versa. Bobby Holik is one of the greatest defensive forwards of all time, he didn't kill penalties in New Jersey.

Rob Niedermayer is a good comparable for what Stephenson does - just skates around out there, sometimes he makes a nice play, but he doesn't have the puck enough, and doesn't do enough with the puck when he has.

It seems quite a few folks here think that in an alternate reality where Tommy Fitz isn't an incompetent buffoon and can actually move trash overpays he handed out because he didn't also throw in NMCs.....that they still would balk at, say, 5 years $5m. Those folks are wrong and somehow still don't understand the importance of C depth and lineup versatility despite watching this very team get killed because of it year after year. Now, would I prefer an even stronger C with net front presence and more of a goal scorer? Of course. I also want a lambo.

C depth is important , but so is winger depth, which anyone who signed Chandler Stephenson to any sort of long-term deal would figure out - Chandler Stephenson needs incredible wing support to succeed.

 

[Triumph]

The same Mark Stone that played 50% of the games (+ limited ice in many) when Stephenson was averaging 60point seasons for 3 years? What a ridiculous take. Yet another example of cherry picking "advanced" stats to fit a narrative.

Points! OMG he scored points everyone, look out. So he was the least important part of the Vegas power play - he got some run on the second unit but clearly most of his ice time was with the first unit - and then his even strength points numbers nosedived in his final season in Vegas.

Never argued that Stephenson wasn't once a good player, but all the lights were flashing red on him in his final Vegas season.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't know what point totals from 2 and 3 years ago have to do with anything, and I don't know why people conflate being good on the PK as being good defensively. The two are not always the same thing.

Mercer is a good PKer, but is not particularly good defensively, for example.

 

[tailfins]

I'm not sure why we're continuing to discuss Stephenson. Unless it's just that everyone is bored?

Stephenson is one year into a seven year deal and has a full No Movement Clause for another three years.

Stephenson is a Kraken and that's extremely unlikely to change this year (or until his NMC expires).

 

[Triumph]

The last thing I'll say about Stephenson is that he was once a good player, and the Knights got him for a 5th round pick. The Devils should be looking for the next Chandler Stephenson.

 

[thebeernerd]

What I've learned today in perusing Hockey Reference: Luke Hughes was born in Manchester, New Hampshire.

As such, he is already the 3rd highest scoring player from New Hampshire in NHL history, trailing two former Devils.

3. Luke Hughes - 93 points
2. Ben Lovejoy - 101 points
1. Deron Quint - 143 points

I think Luke won't take very long to climb this list.

Get your Ben Lovejoy memes and shitposts in quickly, they won't be relevant for long.

Also Luke is "from" New Hampshire in the same way Quinn and Jack are "from" Orlando, I think they were just born wherever Jim was playing minor league hockey at the time. They're North American hockey nomads, setting up camp wherever he had a hockey job, while Ellen was doing sports broadcasting jobs up until the boys needed more focus in their training.

I'm not sure why we're continuing to discuss Stephenson. Unless it's just that everyone is bored?

No one:

Absolutely no one:

theoptimist: "Boy howdy we should have gotten Chandler Stephenson in free agency last offseason, he's better than whatever we've got now #FireFitz"

Everyone else: *shitposts a reply and moves on, or sincerely takes the bait and drags it for pages on end*

That's how it goes every time. I thought it was funny for a bit but I'm officially bored of it now.

 

[Edmonton East]

I'm not sure why we're continuing to discuss Stephenson. Unless it's just that everyone is bored?

Stephenson is one year into a seven year deal and has a full No Movement Clause for another three years.

Stephenson is a Kraken and that's extremely unlikely to change this year (or until his NMC expires).

I guess one poster keeps bringing him up regarding the Devs putrid C depth and then several folks try to claim Stephenson is some worthless, trash $2m player. Including a couple folks saying they wouldn't pay him $2 which is objectively hilarious and delusional.

How it's relevant in this thread is apparently a good portion of fans don't comprehend how costly a solid middle 6 C is gonna be. And, as i said last offseason, this team as structured isn't a contender without a legit 3C that can play up the lineup if needed. It's a requirement. Not a nice to have for this team.

If it was easy to acquire one, Fitz would have last season (maybe bad argument since Fitz is an idiot imo) and Stephenson wouldn't have gotten 6.2 over 7 and a NMC in general.

 

[Bad Goalie]

The deadline for Samu Salminen to sign is 8/15/26. He has played the past 3 seasons in the NCAA, the last at NCAA Denver where he put up 10G/18A/28iPts in 44GP. In his 3 seasons in college he has put up .58 PPG. Considering the fact that the letter C shows up in his position (C/LW) and the Devils selected him in the 3rd Round (#68 OA) is there any belief he will be signed?

Will the Devils invite him to camp and then make a decision based upon his performance?

I know his numbers aren't glossy, but he is 22. He has decent size at 6'2"/185. Taking a chance on any unsigned Center unless his numbers are pure s**t seems like a wise thing to do. An ELC contract is not a big price to pay. They could even try to get him to sign an AHL deal for the season with an NHL ELC as a carrot for a good season.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I think there's a good possibility Fitz offloads a lot of dead weight to make some needed additions. Dougie, Palat, Haula, and Mercer I could all see moved.

This frees up $22,150,000 to fill the remaining needs -

2 Top 6 wingers
Legit 3C
1 Bottom 6 winger
7th D Man

Bratt-Hughes-XXX
XXX-Hischier-Meier
Gritsyuk-XXX-Noesen
Cotter-Glass-XXX
MacD

Siegs-Pesce
Hughes-Kovacevic
Dillon-Nemec
XXX

Markstrom
Daws

Offload all of that and we may actually be able to make some strong signings this offseason. We could possibly fit Bennett and Ehlers, trade for Ross Colton or sign a 3C like Pius Suter, and then sign a cheap 4RW and 7D to round out the roster

This is what needs to happen but this seems awfully lofty for one off-season.

 

[My3Sons]

Get your Ben Lovejoy memes and shitposts in quickly, they won't be relevant for long.

Also Luke is "from" New Hampshire in the same way Quinn and Jack are "from" Orlando, I think they were just born wherever Jim was playing minor league hockey at the time. They're North American hockey nomads, setting up camp wherever he had a hockey job, while Ellen was doing sports broadcasting jobs up until the boys needed more focus in their training.

No one:

Absolutely no one:

theoptimist: "Boy howdy we should have gotten Chandler Stephenson in free agency last offseason, he's better than whatever we've got now #FireFitz"

Everyone else: *shitposts a reply and moves on, or sincerely takes the bait and drags it for pages on end*

That's how it goes every time. I thought it was funny for a bit but I'm officially bored of it now.

Ahem….

 

[My3Sons]

The deadline for Samu Salminen to sign is 8/15/26. He has played the past 3 seasons in the NCAA, the last at NCAA Denver where he put up 10G/18A/28iPts in 44GP. In his 3 seasons in college he has put up .58 PPG. Considering the fact that the letter C shows up in his position (C/LW) and the Devils selected him in the 3rd Round (#68 OA) is there any belief he will be signed?

Will the Devils invite him to camp and then make a decision based upon his performance?

I know his numbers aren't glossy, but he is 22. He has decent size at 6'2"/185. Taking a chance on any unsigned Center unless his numbers are pure s**t seems like a wise thing to do. An ELC contract is not a big price to pay. They could even try to get him to sign an AHL deal for the season with an NHL ELC as a carrot for a good season.

There is a video floating around where they covered some bits and pieces from the Devils draft that year. One scout excitedly referred to Salminen as “the first line center”. Fitz sort of noncommittally nodded and they picked Salminen. First highlights of him I saw and he moved slowly just no urgency. I was disappointed and he’s been underwhelming the few times I’ve watched him since then.

 

[Triumph]

The deadline for Samu Salminen to sign is 8/15/26. He has played the past 3 seasons in the NCAA, the last at NCAA Denver where he put up 10G/18A/28iPts in 44GP. In his 3 seasons in college he has put up .58 PPG. Considering the fact that the letter C shows up in his position (C/LW) and the Devils selected him in the 3rd Round (#68 OA) is there any belief he will be signed?

Will the Devils invite him to camp and then make a decision based upon his performance?

I know his numbers aren't glossy, but he is 22. He has decent size at 6'2"/185. Taking a chance on any unsigned Center unless his numbers are pure s**t seems like a wise thing to do. An ELC contract is not a big price to pay. They could even try to get him to sign an AHL deal for the season with an NHL ELC as a carrot for a good season.

The Devils will not be inviting Samu Salminen to camp because he is a college student and will almost certainly be enrolled in classes and taking part in practices for his college team. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't sign him at the end of his season.

 

[Brodeur]

3. Luke Hughes - 93 points
2. Ben Lovejoy - 101 points
1. Deron Quint - 143 points

Quint was notable for being one of the last active Winnipeg Jets 1.0 playing professionally. We got Quint at the 2000 deadline from Phoenix for Lyle Odelein. If you watch the 2000 championship DVD, Quint shows up on the bench for a moment during one of the montages. Looking at the game log and it looks like he was dressed in favor of Colin White initially. Quint was booted from the team before the end of the regular season; I think the rumor was that he showed up to practice hungover. After the season Lou jettisoned him to Columbus to eventually land Turner Stevenson.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Signing Bennett after signing Palat would be the equivalent of having stage 4 lung cancer, surviving somehow and then smoking a pack a day of cigarettes.

 

[JK3]

What is Luke going to get, 8-8.5? 12 mil with his extension and a decent 3C and 4RW is going to be tight. Fourth line guy will be cheap buy yeah that 3C. This doesn't account for the goalie situation, are we running with Markstrom and Daws? Daws is cheap.

Man are they really f***ed unless they move out somebody. I think Palat needs to go first. Not sure if they want to move Haula, he's pretty versatile. He did look much better when he came back at the end of the season. If they move out Dougie they probably should grab a stopgap RD. That will eat into the savings, they might have to retain to dump him too. Good luck Tommy!

 

[Better Call Sal]

What is Luke going to get, 8-8.5? 12 mil with his extension and a decent 3C and 4RW is going to be tight. Fourth line guy will be cheap buy yeah that 3C. This doesn't account for the goalie situation, are we running with Markstrom and Daws? Daws is cheap.

Man are they really f***ed unless they move out somebody. I think Palat needs to go first. Not sure if they want to move Haula, he's pretty versatile. He did look much better when he came back at the end of the season. If they move out Dougie they probably should grab a stopgap RD. That will eat into the savings, they might have to retain to dump him too. Good luck Tommy!

I think they have to give Daws a look as the backup to start. Maybe bring in a cheap veteran 3rd option in case, but the pickings look awfully slim out there in free agency.

I know everyone is going to cite the Vitek/Schmid argument again, but this team has some actual defensive depth and structure that should still help if Markstrom and Daws don't play up to par. The same cannot be said for Lindy's team in 23-24.

I still think they'll try to move on from Dougie this summer because of the sheer numbers game going on at the blueline. But with Kovacevic already confirming he won't be ready to start the year, they may be less inclined to do it now. I feel like Palat is going to be much tougher to move this year.

I still also selfishly want Dumoulin back.