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

[HersheyBob27]

Nice fudging of the numbers lol, we signed Palat at 31 and Bennett will be 29 when he plays next year

And the point of the Palat/Bennett comparisons is that you're overpaying a good player on intangibles like he's a star, who plays a more physical game on and hoping he doesn't break down too soon into the deal. The fact he might have two more good years at the front end of his deal doesn't mean much when you're giving him seven years in all likelhood...so you're still getting Bennett's 31-36 years the same as you did Palat. Only difference is you're getting the 29-30 years, but it's gotta be the right team who's that close to winning and it's worth it to them and again you gotta hope he doesn't break down cause sometimes guys who play a physical game do hit a wall sooner.

He is a more...well rounded player sure, but that also means he'll get a bigger deal and be an even bigger albatross when the bottom falls out.

It’s a mute point anyways, Bennett would never sign here. When you draft as poorly as the devils do you have to overpay for players- clear and simple. Fitzy probably busy trying to complete his collection of hughes players. You guys are gonna lose it when quinn ends up in ranger uniform

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

They can, they just have to offload dougie and palat

With how much depth players go for in UFA, and how many this team needs...it's hard to see. They can't settle for lazar/dowling types in the bottom 6 just to get a "top" top 6 player.

Oh and they barely have any assets, so hard to see anything that route. It will be interesting

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Amazing hire, have heard great stuff about him and he is brilliant on the defensive / PK side of things

He will lead that side of the game for sure

wonder why they let go of McGill

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

It’s a mute point anyways, Bennett would never sign here. When you draft as poorly as the devils do you have to overpay for players- clear and simple. Fitzy probably busy trying to complete his collection of hughes players. You guys are gonna lose it when quinn ends up in ranger uniform

* moot point

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Yea, it's quite hilarious to see some folks think they could get Quinn Hughes for 2 years for a couple firsts and maybe a non blue chip prospect or something. Ridiculous really.

Two 1sts and Casey won't get it done either. I'll just go back to some variant of what I mentioned months ago. People will scream it's too much, but something like this is the only way it makes sense for both sides...not just HF Devs.

Quinn Hughes
Demko 50%+ retained

for

Nemec (maybe you can do Casey instead, but I doubt it)
Silayev (would be mostly set at LD anyway)
1st

Canucks roster is in rough shape with limited prospects. If Quinn actually does wanna play with his bros, they'd be wise to tank a year or 2 and hopefully expedite any rebuild with these pieces.

I would do this honestly. That's not that much for Quinn and we get Demko on top of that? I'd add a bit more to ship Casey instead of Nemec but yea

 

[Bcap88]

wonder why they let go of McGill

My guess is they went status quo cause Keefe got hired pretty late in the offseason.

He probably wants to start getting his guys in on staff

 

[Bleedred]

I think if we want Quinn this offseason, it has to start with Mercer, Nemec, 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick at the absolute very least. I'm still not sure that gets it done.

That’s probably fair.

People don’t wanna part with Nemec, but you absolutely do it for Quinn f***in Hughes.

If they want Casey instead then you give them Casey.

 

[Bleedred]

Yea, it's quite hilarious to see some folks think they could get Quinn Hughes for 2 years for a couple firsts and maybe a non blue chip prospect or something. Ridiculous really.

Two 1sts and Casey won't get it done either. I'll just go back to some variant of what I mentioned months ago. People will scream it's too much, but something like this is the only way it makes sense for both sides...not just HF Devs.

Quinn Hughes
Demko 50%+ retained

for

Nemec (maybe you can do Casey instead, but I doubt it)
Silayev (would be mostly set at LD anyway)
1st

Canucks roster is in rough shape with limited prospects. If Quinn actually does wanna play with his bros, they'd be wise to tank a year or 2 and hopefully expedite any rebuild with these pieces.

I don’t hate this.

I don’t really wanna lose both Nemec/Casey and Silayev, but I probably won’t hate it for Quinn Hughes.

I’m somehow intrigued by Demko. He’s always hurt and had a bad, but limited year, where he didn’t play a whole lot because he was injured for most of the year after ending last year injured.

He might enjoy a change of scenery and play better here, than with the team who hitched their wagon to Lankinen so quickly, where he’s already gonna be on the outs next year anyway.

We might even be able to get Demko for cheaper on his next deal, with both him and Markstrom being UFA’s, but Demko is just so hard to rely on for health reasons.

 

[devsfan8]

That’s probably fair.

People don’t wanna part with Nemec, but you absolutely do it for Quinn f***in Hughes.

If they want Casey instead then you give them Casey.

The lack of trust they have in Casey, it would not shock me if BOTH Nemec and Casey were included as well as Mercer and a 1st.

Silayev becomes the #1 defensive prospect in thos case

 

[Guadana]

He won't. Not int hat way. If he made a prospect / prospect swap on Nemec I wouldn't be blown away, but I think it has to be Dougie.

My guess is that if he does anything (I'm not convinced he will), Hamilton is the domino that falls.

If he wants to make legit changes to improve the team, it basically has to start with Dougie and that 9 million dollars. It's going to be very difficult to do much of anything if he's not off the books

I'm not saying this is what will going on. But I will not be surprised if the idea is to trade Nemec for a center for Fits and if that's an idea he is trying to work out than I think he and Grier will make a swap of Nemec for Smith where Grier will draft Frondell(overall Grier wants to be big too). I'm not saying that I want it, I'm not saying that I'm waiting for it, but if there is existing the idea for Fitz of trading Nemec for young center who is already capable of playing NHL role - that's one of the most realistic trade partners. They have a lot of great forwards - Celebrity, Smith,

Chernyshov, who was a great pick on the draft, have a better season than Sennecke, better two way game than Sennecke, better mobility than Sennecke, and would be awesome partner for Nico or Jack as top 10 pick, imagine drafting him in second round,

Eklund, Musty, they have two candidates for 3c-4c roles in Bystedt and Ostapchuk, they will draft Misa or Frondell most likely or Hagens who will be great addition to top 6. They need right defenseman where they have Dickinson and Mukhanadullin and other defensemen all of them are letty.

Buffalo looks like another real trade partner in this case. Dahlin, Power and Byram need their time on the power play, Samuelsson is left defenseman too and some part of the last season they played 6LD. They have different good young centers too.

 

[devilsfan950003]

There isn’t a trade NJ can make for Quinn that doesnt hamstring them longterm

Already short on assets that maintain a contender. Let him come for just cash or not at all.

Sentiment will cost us longevity. Itll happen naturally if he really wants it to

Everyone should stop trying to trade for Quinn. The Devils have two seasons to free up cap space to sign Quinn as a Free Agent. Don't empty out draft picks and prospects just to get him. Patience. End of story.

Now tell me how they can get rid of Palat's salary?

 

[Guadana]

Everyone should stop trying to trade for Quinn. The Devils have two seasons to free up cap space to sign Quinn as a Free Agent. Don't empty out draft picks and prospects just to get him. Patience. End of story.

Now tell me how they can get rid of Palat's salary?

Imagine sign him as a free agent.

Quinn-Pesce
Luke-Simon
Silayev-Casey

All of the young defenseman in their better shape, especially with Shaw.

It could be one of the best defensive cores in the history if everything would go in the right direction.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

"1st round pick, Mercer + Vilen…I make that deal all day." from this am.

so you just left out Dawson Mercer in your post, who makes up 1/3 of the deal?

seems like you're getting upset just to be upset.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Everyone should stop trying to trade for Quinn. The Devils have two seasons to free up cap space to sign Quinn as a Free Agent. Don't empty out draft picks and prospects just to get him. Patience. End of story.

Now tell me how they can get rid of Palat's salary?

if Quinn is realistically available and we can acquire him without trading anyone named Jack, Luke, NIco, or Jesper, it should be done. The window is NOW. Why wait 2 years? Things change a LOT in that time. Go for it, now.

 

[devilsblood]

if Quinn is realistically available and we can acquire him without trading anyone named Jack, Luke, NIco, or Jesper, it should be done. The window is NOW. Why wait 2 years? Things change a LOT in that time. Go for it, now.

Ya, if there is a chance to get him now, you don't wait two years.

Though I do agree with the theory that bringing in Foote keeps Quinn in Van for at least another year (or maybe tdl).

 

[devilsblood]

Everyone should stop trying to trade for Quinn. The Devils have two seasons to free up cap space to sign Quinn as a Free Agent. Don't empty out draft picks and prospects just to get him. Patience. End of story.

Now tell me how they can get rid of Palat's salary?

Include him in the trade for Quinn?

 

[NJDevs26]

if Quinn is realistically available and we can acquire him without trading anyone named Jack, Luke, NIco, or Jesper, it should be done. The window is NOW. Why wait 2 years? Things change a LOT in that time. Go for it, now.

I don’t disagree in general but you’d definitely have to overpay if anything to get Vancouver to cash out now.

There is the more likely option C - waiting 1 to 1.5 years until Vancouver actually does want to cash out then the question becomes how much do you pay for an extra playoff run and keeping him from being a rental on a competitor?

 

[HellOnIce]

so you just left out Dawson Mercer in your post, who makes up 1/3 of the deal?

seems like you're getting upset just to be upset.

Dawson's value is super meh

 

[devilsblood]

Imagine sign him as a free agent.

Quinn-Pesce
Luke-Simon
Silayev-Casey

All of the young defenseman in their better shape, especially with Shaw.

It could be one of the best defensive cores in the history if everything would go in the right direction.

Quinn has averaged 25 mpg over the past 4 seasons.

Luke is already at 21 mpg and that likely goes up.

There just isn't many minutes left for a 3rd pair lhd if Quinn was to be brought in. If we were to acquire Quinn, whether by trade or FA, I think Silayev is gone. Just too much value to be playing 3rd pair behind those 2 guys.

But waiting to sign Quinn, would allow us to trade Silayev for help else where.

Also don't see the point of keeping Casey around if Quinn is pp1, and either Luke or Nemec is pp2.

 

[Triumph]

There is absolutely no sense in trading for Quinn Hughes now, unless Vancouver would give us a discount, which they wouldn't.

 

[devilsblood]

There is absolutely no sense in trading for Quinn Hughes now, unless Vancouver would give us a discount, which they wouldn't.

Absolutely no sense in acquiring one of the best players in hockey? Sounds hyperbolic.

 

[thebeernerd]

Dawson's value is super meh

Never underestimate the stupidity of the average NHL GM.

Absolutely no sense in acquiring one of the best players in hockey? Sounds hyperbolic.

Unless we can move Dougie or another big-money anchor contract, we don't have the cap space to work this out. If Quinn wants to come here, there's no use in squandering our advantage when it comes to leverage by getting it done now. There's no harm in working the phones a couple times but the time to pull the trigger is months off.

 

[McDuffz88]

Listen I would love Quinn here as much as the next guy but I truly believe we're better off waiting until next year or doing the free agent route with him. Trading for him now will destroy our depth & leave us handcuffed for the year. 3c and top 6 winger is a priority. Quinn isn't that. Yeah we're getting the superior player but we need the depth. I would do a trade but if we have to do a trade where we give up a 1st, Nemec, Mercer, Silayev or Casey it's honestly a no for me. It's not because Quinn isn't worth it, it's because I know I can get him for free if patient enough. Why empty out your entire depth for something you can get for free with a little patience. Also besides all of this, we don't even need a defenseman right now. We have far bigger issues & I would rather focus on that. Let's say we trade for Quinn, now what? We're completely cap strapped & now have nothing to trade for the positions we actually need. How do you guys plan on getting a 3C? How do you plan on getting top 6 wingers? Let's be realistic here. If Quinn wasn't a Hughes brother we wouldn't be having this conversation. From a team perspective it makes 0 sense to trade for him. There's 0 world where we add Quinn, a 3rd line center and wingers in the same off season. It's literally impossible. So take your pick out of these 2 routes. 1) Pick Quinn and be guaranteed to be bounced again in the playoffs because we still have giant gaping holes throughout the forward corps or 2) Fill out the holes we need, land a 3c, get a scoring winger (while keeping our depth) and then get Quinn for free or after the roster is more balanced.

 

[devilsblood]

Unless we can move Dougie or another big-money anchor contract, we don't have the cap space to work this out. If Quinn wants to come here, there's no use in squandering our advantage when it comes to leverage by getting it done now. There's no harm in working the phones a couple times but the time to pull the trigger is months off.

Well yeah, whatever salary movement that would need to happen would need to happen.

By months off, do you mean 2-4? or 10?

But like I said somewhere above, I thought bringing in Foote signaled Van was bringing Quinn back for at least another year, so I don't really expect anything to happen.

But if Van was open to trading him, and maybe that time is near the next tdl, I think we would have to be in on it.

 

[Devils731]

Trading for Quinn and what the Devils should/would be willing to give up hinges on if Quinn wants to play with his brothers no matter what.

If Quinn doesn’t NEED to play with his brothers then this is all moot, the Devils have no additional leverage and Quinn likely never ends up with the right moment to join the Devils.

If Quinn does need to play with his brothers then the cost to acquire Quinn for the Devils rapidly decreases as time moves on. Right now the Devils would have to compete with all the other teams that would love 2 years of Quinn Hughes; next year the value to other teams will only be 1 year of Quinn Hughes which is literally half as valuable.

So for the Devils now, I would love to add Quinn now and have him for 2 years but if he’s going to come for just money in 2 years then I would want such a discount that other teams would likely be willing to trade more.

I know nobody likes to be patient but the Devils will be good with or without Quinn the next 2 years. The team 3 years from now may be mind bogglingly good if they keep all their assets and add Quinn for just money.

So yes, get Quinn if the price is at a discount but otherwise wait to get him for just money.