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

[Lou Bloom]

My guess is it's Dougie or neither.

Somebody is getting traded from the right side. It makes no sense to hold onto Hamilton, Pesce, Kovacevic, Nemec and Casey all on the right side when the team is lacking in forward talent.

If they are doing a long term deal with Luke, they simply don't have any money. 3-4 million for two forward spots.

Agreed, which is why they need cheap ELC production at forward which is something they could get back in a Nemec trade.

I also think people overestimate the player return on nemec. He could get a comparable prospect, but that comparable prospect has probably had trouble sticking in the NHL or has not been very good yet. So making that move and expecting that player to make a difference next year seems ill advised. I mean, if you are Detroit, would you even trade kasper for nemec? I'm not sure they would... And there are people in here who would hate that trade to begin with.

I'm very aware that Nemec's value has dropped. That doesn't mean they still can't get a quality young forward back though. Just because fans may have unrealistic expectations of Nemec's value doesn't mean there's not plenty of near NHL ready quality forward prospects that would be within Nemec's value range that can contribute this upcoming season and beyond.

Non elc 3c for nemec? I'm not sure where the money comes from unless they are super cheap.

Trading palat is harder than trading Dougie and buying him out is largely pointless.

You can move haula easily, but then you actually have to replace him.

If Fitz wants big changes, I don't know how it happens without moving Dougie .

Palat is unmoveable and Dougie isn't far off from being unmovable due to his contract, age, performance and NTC. If there's a trade that makes sense for Dougie then I'm fine with going that direction but I'm highly skeptical that move is out there.

It depends on what you mean by big changes. I think trading Mercer and Nemec to improve the forward depth would constitute a big change. The Devils are going to be tight with the cap this offseason but that doesn't mean that Fitz can't make smart, cheap acquisitions to improve the forward group.

 

[Forge]

Somebody is getting traded from the right side. It makes no sense to hold onto Hamilton, Pesce, Kovacevic, Nemec and Casey all on the right side when the team is lacking in forward talent.

Agreed, which is why they need cheap ELC production at forward which is something they could get back in a Nemec trade.

I'm very aware that Nemec's value has dropped. That doesn't mean they still can't get a quality young forward back though. Just because fans may have unrealistic expectations of Nemec's value doesn't mean there's not plenty of near NHL ready quality forward prospects that would be within Nemec's value range that can contribute this upcoming season and beyond.

Palat is unmoveable and Dougie isn't far off from being unmovable due to his contract, age, performance and NTC. If there's a trade that makes sense for Dougie then I'm fine with going that direction but I'm highly skeptical that move is out there.

It depends on what you mean by big changes. I think trading Mercer and Nemec to improve the forward depth would constitute a big change. The Devils are going to be tight with the cap this offseason but that doesn't mean that Fitz can't make smart, cheap acquisitions to improve the forward group.

I don't think it's going to be as hard to move Dougie as you think it is. Especially if the Devils are taking any sort of cap back in the deal.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I understand the aversion to wanting to slot Daws in as the backup, but I also don't know what people expect in that spot. Especially if we have to focus on other areas with the cap space we have. If Allen wants to come back, maybe? But depending on the cost, I could see them thanking him for his services and moving on. Free agency looks to be barren on the goaltending market. All I see are Samsonov, Georgiev and Vladar, none of whom are exactly inspiring.

Daws is 24, will be 25 in December. He isn't really just a "young" goalie anymore. He's been in the system for long enough that this is probably the best and only chance he has to secure the position here.

As far as the other spots in the system, Malek signed his ELC last year so I imagine he'd come over and play with Poulter in the AHL this year. Brennan seems to be ECHL fodder. And then everyone awaits Big Mike leaving BU behind. I don't know anything about the Finnish kid we drafted last year, though.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Allen is going to be the best goalie on the market. I highly doubt we'll be able to afford to keep him.

 

[Edmonton East]

I understand the aversion to wanting to slot Daws in as the backup, but I also don't know what people expect in that spot. Especially if we have to focus on other areas with the cap space we have. If Allen wants to come back, maybe? But depending on the cost, I could see them thanking him for his services and moving on. Free agency looks to be barren on the goaltending market. All I see are Samsonov, Georgiev and Vladar, none of whom are exactly inspiring.

Daws is 24, will be 25 in December. He isn't really just a "young" goalie anymore. He's been in the system for long enough that this is probably the best and only chance he has to secure the position here.

As far as the other spots in the system, Malek signed his ELC last year so I imagine he'd come over and play with Poulter in the AHL this year. Brennan seems to be ECHL fodder. And then everyone awaits Big Mike leaving BU behind. I don't know anything about the Finnish kid we drafted last year, though.

People wanna pretend the cap doesn't exist and/or they are ignorant to the fact the Devs will have barely any cap space post Luke extension. They have to roll with Daws and add someone that is inconsistent, but has shown flashes like Schmid for cheap $$$. They absolutely cannot spend $2.5m+ on a backup. If Markstrom goes down in season, figure it out then. Plus you would have cap relief to play with. But under pretty much no circumstance should a goalie like an Allen be added for a few million before the season starts. Too many more pressing needs and limited cap.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Daws has been not great as a backup. That's why he's a f***ing backup.

If he really sucks it up, call up poulter or Malek, who probably aren't going to be any better, but it could be a fun change of pace.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Allen is going to be the best goalie on the market. I highly doubt we'll be able to afford to keep him.

I agree.

I know people think this is a Vitek/Schmid 2.0 scenario, but Markstrom is a significantly better goalie and the team is playing a significantly more responsible game in their own zone.

I'm not as concerned about Daws being the backup here as some are. Yes, Markstrom is at an age where it could catch up to him at any time but there are very few sure bets in the league at the position anymore. Stuart Skinner is a Stanley Cup finalist for 2 years running. The volatility in the league is wild.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Daws has been not great as a backup. That's why he's a f***ing backup.

If he really sucks it up, call up poulter or Malek, who probably aren't going to be any better, but it could be a fun change of pace.

Small sample size, but I thought he played well this year in his stints. He laid an egg in Boston towards the end of the year, but every goalie has a pants shitting incident now and then.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Nico came in 4th for the Selke

 

[My3Sons]

Small sample size, but I thought he played well this year in his stints. He laid an egg in Boston towards the end of the year, but every goalie has a pants shitting incident now and then.

Small sample size but he was 3-1-0 with a shutout and .939 and 1.6 gas overall. He did well in his limited opportunity.

 

[Devilsfan992]

Nico came in 4th for the Selke

Barkov is so overrated. He missed 15 games, was a +1 on a Stanley Cup defending team, took 751 less faceoffs than Nico and only was 1% better than him and had another Selke candidate on his same team, line and power kill. Nico's usage was also much higher defensively, with a greater share of Defensive zone starts than offensive. Nico not getting in top 3 is disrespect.

 

[forceten]

Selke voting is ridiculous.

Daws is fine as a backup. It's time to see what we have in him. If he's .895+ he's fine in a backup capacity and akin to most backups in the league.

 

[Forge]

Damn, Nico wasn't even close to the top 3.

Kind of floored.

 

[Forge]

Wheeler didn't even have Nico top 5

 

[MasterofGrond]

I think if you're calling Barkov overrated based on +/- and faceoffs, you've maybe lost the plot. He's so f***ing good. His lines both score AND don't give up goals against. His impact is just this side of f***ing McDavid.

If you want to tear him down a little, the fact he plays with Reinhart (another excellent defensive player, which maybe makes him look even better) is where I would go with it.

But I wouldn't. I love Nico, I think he's great defensively, but Barkov really is next level.

 

[thebeernerd]

Allen is going to be the best goalie on the market. I highly doubt we'll be able to afford to keep him.

I don’t want what he’s going to get paid.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

plus/minus discussion in the year of our lord 2025?

gross.

 

[thebeernerd]

plus/minus discussion in the year of our lord 2025?

gross.

It’s useful in certain contexts. The context of “Barkov is bad defensively because of his +/-“ isn’t.

 

[theoptimist]

Yanni Gourde just signed a 6 year deal for less than $3M per.

I just want to be clear that this contract is NOT the market for 3Cs. Once again, it does NOT set the market for 3Cs. Obvious take before any free website statistician tells you otherwise.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I wonder what Marchment could get dealt for? Seems like a Tommy Fitz target.

 

[Brodeur]

Allen is going to be the best goalie on the market. I highly doubt we'll be able to afford to keep him.

Looks like a rough year to be a free agent goalie. Most teams aside from San Jose seemingly have their starter in place. Not sure how many teams would be willing to dole out a Laurent Broissoit (3.3 mil AAV) for a 1B / outright backup.

Calgary has one more cheap year of Dustin Wolf so they might be willing to give a higher AAV on a short term deal for a backup.

Probably a couple desirable backup spots in Florida and Vegas, but they probably won't be looking to break the bank. Seattle could be in the market for a backup if they buyout Grubauer.

ANA: Gibson - Dostal
CGY: Wolf - (Cooley?)
EDM: Skinner - Pickard
LAK: Kuemper - (Portillo?)
SEA: Daccord - Grubauer
SJS: - Askarov
VAN: Demko - Lankinen - Silovs
VGK: Hill -

ARZ: Vejmelka - Ingram
CHI: Knight - Brossoit - Soderblom
COL: Blackwood - Wedgewood
DAL: Oettinger - DeSmith
MIN: Gustavsson - (Wallstedt?)
NSH: Saros - Annunen
STL: Binnington - Hofer
WPG: Hellebucyk - Comrie

BOS: Swayman - Korpisalo
BUF: Luukkonen - (Levi?)
DET: Mrazek - Talbot
FLO: Bobrovsky -
MON: Montembeault - Dobes - Primeau?
OTT: Ullmark - (Merilainen?)
TBL: Vasilevskiy - Johansson
TOR: Stolarz - Woll

CAR: Andersen - Kochetkov
CLB: Merzlikins - Tarasov - Greaves
NJD: Markstrom - (Daws?)
NYI: Sorokin - Varlamov
NYR: Shesterkin - Quick
PHI: Ersson - Fedotov
PIT: Jarry - Nedeljkovic
WSH: Thompson - Lindgren

 

[RobertCalifornia]

My guess is Hamilton gets traded this summer

 

[MasterofGrond]

Philly desperately needs any goalie. I understand they have two under contract but both their guys are unplayable and they have cap. I could see them trying to get anybody with a pulse.

 

[NJDevs26]

I agree.

I know people think this is a Vitek/Schmid 2.0 scenario, but Markstrom is a significantly better goalie and the team is playing a significantly more responsible game in their own zone.

I'm not as concerned about Daws being the backup here as some are. Yes, Markstrom is at an age where it could catch up to him at any time but there are very few sure bets in the league at the position anymore. Stuart Skinner is a Stanley Cup finalist for 2 years running. The volatility in the league is wild.

It’s not that people are paranoid Markstrom will fall off per se, it’s that they’re paranoid (with reason) he gets injury problems at 37, so a backup might be more than a luxury…but I agree it’s time to fish or cut bait with Daws, he was fine in his limited games this year.

 

[bossram]

Barkov is so overrated. He missed 15 games, was a +1 on a Stanley Cup defending team, took 751 less faceoffs than Nico and only was 1% better than him and had another Selke candidate on his same team, line and power kill. Nico's usage was also much higher defensively, with a greater share of Defensive zone starts than offensive. Nico not getting in top 3 is disrespect.

It's 2025 man. We can make evaluations of players that don't involve a completely useless stat like plus/minus.

And we can also just be objective on occasion about other teams' players and not be butthurt. Barkov is the best two-way center in the game. He's the most important skater on a team that's gone to three straight Cup Finals. Let's be real. He's extremely good. C'mon man.

I think if you're calling Barkov overrated based on +/- and faceoffs, you've maybe lost the plot. He's so f***ing good. His lines both score AND don't give up goals against. His impact is just this side of f***ing McDavid.

If you want to tear him down a little, the fact he plays with Reinhart (another excellent defensive player, which maybe makes him look even better) is where I would go with it.

But I wouldn't. I love Nico, I think he's great defensively, but Barkov really is next level.

Bullseye.