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

[Bleedred]

It's interesting that I was always against the Palat deal, thought it was bad at the time of the signing, and caught a ton of flak for it. Now that's the consensus opinion.

I also was talking about exploring how to move Dougie's contract like a year and a half ago, to many people's chagrin. Now again, it seems that is a consensus position here.

So I'll say this: Don't sign Bennett.

I think a lot of people didn’t like the Palat contract and knew it would go bad at some point, but it wound up being pretty bad from the start. He’s (probably) not even gonna have one 40 point season as a Devil. He may have in his first season if he didn’t get injured and miss 30+ games.

But it feels like he’s been a year ahead of what we probably thought he’d be, as far as decline goes. I think year 3 was what we had hoped wouldn’t happen until year 4 of his deal. And it felt like a foregone conclusion that the last year of his deal would be bought out.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

It's interesting that I was always against the Palat deal, thought it was bad at the time of the signing, and caught a ton of flak for it. Now that's the consensus opinion.

I also was talking about exploring how to move Dougie's contract like a year and a half ago, to many people's chagrin. Now again, it seems that is a consensus position here.

So I'll say this: Don't sign Bennett.

I remember the board hating the Palat contract, especially cause it was the consolation prize for missing out on Gaudreau (RIP)...checking.....

Confirmed with Link: Thread 'Weekesbomb: Palat to NJ for five-year deal'

Jul 13, 2022

Well there's one way to keep the hounds at bay...I thought for sure the Islanders were getting him lol

• NJDevs26
• Replies: 1,184
• Forum: New Jersey Devils

• 

Well we were right at least

 

[My3Sons]

I never expected NJ to need the cap that badly when Palat was signed and I’m guessing Fitz didn’t see it either. If Palat was making $4.5 per it wouldn’t be the mess it is now. Hard to see any team adding him without retention or sending back an equally bad contract. NJ missed by about one season on the cap. They could buy out Palat after next season and almost certainly can trade Hamilton if he finishes next season healthy.

 

[bossram]

I think a lot of people didn’t like the Palat contract and knew it would go bad at some point, but it wound up being pretty bad from the start. He’s (probably) not even gonna have one 40 point season as a Devil. He may have in his first season if he didn’t get injured and miss 30+ games.

But it feels like he’s been a year ahead of what we probably thought he’d be, as far as decline goes. I think year 3 was what we had hoped wouldn’t happen until year 4 of his deal. And it felt like a foregone conclusion that the last year of his deal would be bought out.

I remember the board hating the Palat contract, especially cause it was the consolation prize for missing out on Gaudreau (RIP)...checking.....

Confirmed with Link: Thread 'Weekesbomb: Palat to NJ for five-year deal'

Jul 13, 2022

Well there's one way to keep the hounds at bay...I thought for sure the Islanders were getting him lol

• NJDevs26
• Replies: 1,184
• Forum: New Jersey Devils

• 

Well we were right at least

I don't really remember it like both of you. I was basically getting hate posts for saying the Palat deal was straight up very bad. Tons of flak. Of course I was proven correct though. At best I would say it was 50/50 in favour of the deal here.

He was 30 with an extensive injury history. The risk profile was high.

 

[Oneiro]

I don't really remember it like both of you. I was basically getting hate posts for saying the Palat deal was straight up very bad. Tons of flak. Of course I was proven correct though. At best I would say it was 50/50 in favour of the deal here.

He was 30 with an extensive injury history. The risk profile was high.

You're misremembering it. A ton of people, myself included, were not positive. Maybe open-minded but the risks were obvious to many. The move stylistically was correct - we needed his style of player but not at that part of the age curve. And many people have discussed moving Hamilton in the later years of his deal, pretty much since he was signed. I think @Hisch13r was one of them.

 

[Hisch13r]

You're misremembering it. A ton of people, myself included, were not positive. Maybe open-minded but the risks were obvious to many. The move stylistically was correct - we needed his style of player but not at that part of the age curve. And many people have discussed moving Hamilton in the later years of his deal, pretty much since he was signed. I think @Hisch13r was one of them.

I don't remember what the Palat split was for for and against it. There were definitely people on both sides. I've made my disdain for that contract well known since it was signed. Hell even before it was signed I was saying to avoid him lol. When it was signed I was saying please get off of it after 3 years and the NMC is up. My expectations for him were not super high and he still somehow managed to never even come close to hitting my relatively low bar. His last 3 years in TB he paced for 55 over 82. I figured we'd get like at least one 50ish pt pace year. Instead we got 38, 35, 29...

With Dougie I think I always said it was a deal that you'd likely be able to move in the later years. At the time though I might have thought it was a 10 team NTC not a 10 team trade which might have played into my thinking it was super movable. Now I could see it being a bit tricky because of the protections but still should be able to find some home. For a while I remember thinking he'd probably a good enough player to justify keeping him for his whole deal or at least until like the last year or 2. Still do think in a vacuum he'd probably be good enough to keep until the end. With our influx of RD talent though as well as the absolute void up front I've shifted over to the "you have to move him now" camp. Last summer I remember saying you could move him summer 2025 but maybe could keep him another year and move him summer 2026 instead. Kovacevic changed that calculation though. Now it has to be summer 2025.

 

[NJDevs26]

I don't really remember it like both of you. I was basically getting hate posts for saying the Palat deal was straight up very bad. Tons of flak. Of course I was proven correct though. At best I would say it was 50/50 in favour of the deal here.

He was 30 with an extensive injury history. The risk profile was high.

It’s been bad because we didn’t even get one good season from Palat, most of us thought you’d at least get two or three before he looked washed

 

[Emperoreddy]

The Devils will be one of the better teams in the East if they run it back mostly the same as last year. They won’t be doing that, but it’s true. Luke being what he was in the first half and Nemec being what he was in the playoffs would be about as big of a deal as any acquisition Fitz will make.

Fitz will make moves, but I think some of you are really missing just how much of the core is already in the building.

I think people are also missing that the teams around us are not world beaters and will not become ones in one offseason.

The Jackets and Rags might be a bit better but the Caps are going to be worse.

I would be a bit cranky if we only made around the margins moves, but its not going to stop us from having expectations to be a top 3 Metro team again with aspirations to win rounds in the Metro bracket.

Staying healthy is the single biggest question mark about this team

 

[NJDevs26]

Other teams won’t stay static either, I can’t assume the Metro will suck just because it did this year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Other teams won’t stay static either, I can’t assume the Metro will suck just because it did this year.

They have to work under the same cap as we do

Its not we have a tight cap and the rest of the league has no cap.

 

[woody footbreaker]

It's interesting that I was always against the Palat deal, thought it was bad at the time of the signing, and caught a ton of flak for it. Now that's the consensus opinion.

I also was talking about exploring how to move Dougie's contract like a year and a half ago, to many people's chagrin. Now again, it seems that is a consensus position here.

So I'll say this: Don't sign Bennett.

i didnt like the palat deal from zhe start e´nd said 2 season ago, he could necome a buyout candidate this offseason if we cant move him.
Same page with dougie, started when he got hurt last season and with luke on the horizon.

begging since the tdl a year ato bring in a quality C and at least replace mcleod. you wanted to sign guys like debrusk, foegele ...

honestly, i didnt like the tatar signing one bit, thinking that most likely we wouldnt get the player from 2yrs ago and that we wouödnt get a center.
yet, having to read a million times that we checked all the boxes and seeing fitz going after oldies like march and stamkos, i went as far to say that he is going to f""" the whole thing up and also got a ton of flak for it.

if i look at the 3c position, its pretty much what i would look to fill out the top6 too. the combo of size and speed being able to play c, i think the skill is already here, especially with grits coming in. signing another winger would be a luxury and could be done at the tdl much easier then bringing in another center

 

[Guttersniped]

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.

Palat signed his 5 year deal when he was 31 and it ends when he’s 35.

Stephenson signed his 7 year deal when he was 30 and it ends when he’s 37.

I don’t see how he’s “younger”.

You don’t like Haula and Palat? You wouldn’t like Stephenson just as much for most of a 7 year deal.

The Palat deal sucking doesn’t make Stephenson’s deal more appealing.

Haula has 1 year left on his deal, makes half as much and at least is useful on the PK.

3 seasons:

24-25 season:


3 seasons:

24-25:

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

meh, I doubt there is any major changes in the Metro next year.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are going to be really bad.

the Islanders and Columbus are kind of stuck in the land of mid

I guess you never know with the Rangers, but all their best players are old and their D really is not that good.

 

[Guttersniped]

meh, I doubt there is any major changes in the Metro next year.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are going to be really bad.

the Islanders and Columbus are kind of stuck in the land of mid

I guess you never know with the Rangers, but all their best players are old and their D really is not that good.

Columbus is pretty intriguing, they have a couple of their young players on cheap deals and a ton of cap space.

If Werenski can stay healthy I don’t see why they wouldn’t be better.

 

[HersheyBob27]

Sam Bennett is a good player, I think he's better in Florida than he would do elsewhere because their system is tailored made for a guy like him, the Devils don't need another Palat on their books which is what Bennett would be outside of Florida regardless of where he signs. You're paying for a guy's past not his future. But that's the nature of free agency. I much rather Fitz sign depth in UFA and scour the trade markets for the bigger pieces. Hell, I'd prefer an offer sheet to someone like Knies (Toronto would accept any contract in an offer sheet that Matt Knies signs) but the idea still stands. UFA deals almost never work out especially to guys like Bennett

Guys like bennett? What does this even mean. Bennett is a proven playoff performer who is a winner. Very few players like him

 

[Triumph]

meh, I doubt there is any major changes in the Metro next year.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are going to be really bad.

the Islanders and Columbus are kind of stuck in the land of mid

I guess you never know with the Rangers, but all their best players are old and their D really is not that good.

Columbus has a ton of cap space and a lot of decent young players. I'm not sure they can fix their goaltending this off-season but they can definitely improve a lot.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Guys like bennett? What does this even mean. Bennett is a proven playoff performer who is a winner. Very few players like him

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Guys like bennett? What does this even mean. Bennett is a proven playoff performer who is a winner. Very few players like him

The same garbage was spewed about Palat in 2022, pass.

 

[woody footbreaker]

The same garbage was spewed about Palat in 2022, pass.

complete different player, different position, different pace, different age, less of a byproduct of the players around him which probably was why a lot here didnt like the palat signing in the first place. lets just agree to disagree.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

complete different player, different position, different pace, different age, less of a byproduct of the players around him which probably was why a lot here didnt like the palat signing in the first place. lets just agree to disagree.

I think Palat was both a better player in the regular season and the playoffs than Sam Bennett.

 

[My3Sons]

I think Palat was both a better player in the regular season and the playoffs than Sam Bennett.

Meh neither is Ben Lovejoy

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

complete different player, different position, different pace, different age, less of a byproduct of the players around him which probably was why a lot here didnt like the palat signing in the first place. lets just agree to disagree.

Yes, he's going to get paid more on the basis of being a center with worse stats going against him in regards to aging. I LOVE SAM BENNETT AS A PLAYER, I think the contract is going to get is next level BAD. Both things can be true. In an offseason where we're looking to move Dougie and maybe Palat, it would be the ultimate 2 steps forward 1 step back. If the contract wasn't bad, then sure I'd love him but no shot Bennett doesn't try to cash in.

 

[woody footbreaker]

Yes, he's going to get paid more on the basis of being a center with worse stats going against him in regards to aging. I LOVE SAM BENNETT AS A PLAYER, I think the contract is going to get is next level BAD. Both things can be true. In an offseason where we're looking to move Dougie and maybe Palat, it would be the ultimate 2 steps forward 1 step back. If the contract wasn't bad, then sure I'd love him but no shot Bennett doesn't try to cash in.

how do you know his future stats? its really subjective, and we just have different views what kind of player he is going to be going forward and what contracts will look like in general. by far the best fa option for what the devils need imo

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

how do you know his future stats? its really subjective, and we just have different views what kind of player he is going to be going forward and what contracts will look like in general. by far the best fa option for what the devils need imo

He's not in Florida to be there for high point totals. He's there for above average 2C play mostly through his grit/toughness to play against. Similar to what Palat was in TB those years, when you pay those players a premium a UFA contract then you're also expecting points to go along with it. Bennett is going to get overpaid to the point where you expect 60+ point years when he's never DONE THAT ONCE IN HIS CAREER.

Not to mention, Florida pays guys less because of the non tax stuff. A matching contract from the Devils would be 2-3M more AAV.

Boeser at a cheaper rate, maybe Palmieri would make more sense through UFA. You don't build a team through UFA anyway like I've said all day today. Trades/offer sheet for your big pieces is always the route. UFA should be depth in the bottom 6.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

meh, I doubt there is any major changes in the Metro next year.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are going to be really bad.

the Islanders and Columbus are kind of stuck in the land of mid

I guess you never know with the Rangers, but all their best players are old and their D really is not that good.

Columbus will make the jump, I think Waddell makes the right moves to get them at least playoffs in. The Rags are overrated but people here will have PTSD here over the past decade but that defense is HORRENDOUS outside of Fox who's looked like a shell of himself lately too.