Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part II

[SteveCangialosi123]

"Last year he was" -- every year of his career he's been a better player than dawson mercer lol cmon. You can argue age, you can argue contract/what they'll eventually get paid, but you cannot with a straight face make an argument that Dawson Mercer is as good of a hockey player as Martin Necas.

The regular old counting stats show it, the advanced stats certainly show it, and the fact that Dawson just put up 33 f***ing points as a 22 year old probably shows it too.

I can certainly argue that there wasn’t a huge gap between them in their respective age 20 and 21 seasons. Could fairly easily argue that Mercer accomplished more, actually. He wasn’t better last season, as I stated and stand by.

 

[MasterofGrond]

If there is anything the past 2 years have taught us as Devils fans, it's that if Brady Tkachuk is even the slightest bit available via trade, the Devils absolutely must be the team to acquire him. Overpay by 1000x times if you have to. The day Florida made the Matthew Tkachuk trade, the hockey world was glamouring about how well the Flames did on the return and how Calgary FLEECED Florida. What has happened since then? Florida goes to back to back Stanley Cup finals. Wins a Stanley Cup.

If I am Fitzgerald, I am calling Staios and offering this package for Brady Tkachuk right now.
- 10th overall pick
- John Marino OR Dougie Hamilton (if he'd waive)
- Seamus Casey
- Lenni Hameenaho
- Alexander Holtz
- 2026 1st round pick - Unprotected
- 2027 1st round pick - Unprotected

That is the type of massive overpayment it would likely take to land Brady Tkachuk. And I think it would absolutely be worth it. The type of lineup the Devils could assemble with the addition of Brady Tkachuk is tremendous. And that's just for this coming season. Next year (2025-26) the Devils will have the Kovalchuk penalty, some performance bonus carryovers off their books. As well as $4 million of increased salary cap space, and pretty much all of their important pieces locked up to contracts. The could then look to move Hamilton as his NMC turns to a modified NTC.

Tkachuk - Hughes - Mercer
Meier - Hischier - Bratt
Tatar - Haula - Palat
Foote - Lazar - Bastian
MacDermid

Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Hughes - Pesce
Hatakka - Nemec
DeSimone

Markstrom
Allen

Brady is not Matt

And even if he were, lmao at that package.

Brady would be the 5th best forward on the team, and you’re trying to trade 3 of the teams 4 best prospects, a 10th overall, a top 4 NHL defenseman, and two future unprotected firsts, ensuring the Devils have have no firsts at all for a 5 year period for him.

For a guy who has been a PPG player exactly one time, is notorious for playing f*** all defense, and who also takes a bunch of penalties.

Please tell me this is a bit. For anybody else I’d assume so, but…

 

[bossram]

Brady is not Matt

And even if he were, lmao at that package.

Brady would be the 5th best forward on the team, and you’re trying to trade 3 of the teams 4 best prospects, a 10th overall, a top 4 NHL defenseman, and two future unprotected firsts, ensuring the Devils have have no firsts at all for a 5 year period for him.

For a guy who has been a PPG player exactly one time, is notorious for playing f*** all defense, and who also takes a bunch of penalties.

Please tell me this is a bit. For anybody else I’d assume so, but…

Yep.

I like Brady as a player, but he is not some god tier player that will assure the Devils of the Cup.

He's the captain of a loser team and has some pretty terrible defensive habits. He's part of the culture there, which is a problem.

Yes, I would inquire if he were actually available. But not trading every asset on hand.

 

[MartyOwns]

tatar

 

[ndkjr70]

also, goes without saying -- I love Brady Tkachuk and would be fine with an overpayment, but THREE first round picks (including a top-10 pick), Dougie Hamilton, Alex Holtz, Seamus Casey, and Lenni Hameenaho is the type of package that could get Edmonton to listen on McDavid. Howling laughing at the thought of that being offered for a guy who's had 1 single point-per-game season in his NHL career.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I think Fitz isn’t leaving any stone left unturned, if you don’t have conversations you don’t know what’s available.

We've also clearly seen over the past few years that Fitz does not mind playing the media negotiation games. Perhaps he's had talks knowing it won't be accepted because we would have to blow Carolina out of the water to trade Necas in division, but for someone else that has been discussing a 10OA trade now they have to weight what they're offering against Necas.

The same thing could be going on with the Pesce talk as well. He puts info out that they're going to go hard after Pesce, the reporters check with Pesce's agent and get mutual interest, and run with it. Now the price could go down if there's another D he's offering to trade for.

Could be both of these things are related. You're asking me to add to 10OA for the D I want, but I could just sign Pesce and trade the pick for Necas so you need to adjust your demands.

 

[megajake]

I would love to move the 10th overall pick for a young top 6 forward, but Necas is tough because of his contract demands. If he wanted 6ish a year for 7-8 years I'd do it in a heartbeat though.

 

[CalamityX23]

As a player.. meh... i am about the speed but his price is a bit much considering we have some of our own... like someone mentioned, we can use our cap space to sign someone in an area of need and still draft our pick

no way we f***ing move the 10OA for a RFA considering we've aleady have some high price and soon to be extension eligible guys....

NOW a move for Necas for a future 2025 1st sounds more reasonable.... BUT NOOOOOOOOOO

Necas is due for a big contract soon. We can get a great forward who is not far from being NHL ready like MBN or Helenius. Cost control!! I like the player but don’t like the idea of trading 10OA for him.

this.... I pray Fitz is not f***ing throwing everything as a bandaide....

 

[Normal Devil]

I like Necas, but he doesn't have the controllable years that Fitz was looking for, He fits the age profile, and would be a good addition if not for the fact that he's eyeing a big contract. I take it Fitz isn't getting a lot of bites for players that fit his wish list criteria.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[Hisch13r]

Is Necas a better overall player than , say, Mercer ?

Right now considerably so. I can't see Mercer ever being as shit as he was last year again so I don't think the gap will be large enough to justify the contract gap between them.

 

[Triumph]

As a player.. meh... i am about the speed but his price is a bit much considering we have some of our own... like someone mentioned, we can use our cap space to sign someone in an area of need and still draft our pick

no way we f***ing move the 10OA for a RFA considering we've aleady have some high price and soon to be extension eligible guys....

NOW a move for Necas for a future 2025 1st sounds more reasonable.... BUT NOOOOOOOOOO

Carolina would hang up on that offer. Absolutely no way that they are trading Necas for anything where a 2025 NJD 1st round pick is the best thing in the deal.

 

[Hisch13r]

Carolina would hang up on that offer. Absolutely no way that they are trading Necas for anything where a 2025 NJD 1st round pick is the best thing in the deal.

We also literally just moved that for Markstrom lol

 

[Triumph]

I have no interest in Brady Tkachuk. Yes, he has some skills the Devils absolutely want, and that I want to see on the Devils. But he's a bulk shooter on a team that just paid a ton for a bulk shooter, and said bulk shooter does not work well with their best offensive center. They cannot risk having two highly-paid forwards who are suboptimal with Hughes.

We also literally just moved that for Markstrom lol

No, I understood that to be his point, that the Markstrom deal is stupid. But the 2025 1st isn't getting you anywhere for a guy like Necas.

 

[Hisch13r]

Necas makes way more sense for a team like Boston than us or Buffalo if he wants to play center so bad. Buffalo buying out Skinner to move their pick and replace him with younger Skinner would be so very funny though.

I have no interest in Brady Tkachuk. Yes, he has some skills the Devils absolutely want, and that I want to see on the Devils. But he's a bulk shooter on a team that just paid a ton for a bulk shooter, and said bulk shooter does not work well with their best offensive center. They cannot risk having two highly-paid forwards who are suboptimal with Hughes.



No, I understood that to be his point, that the Markstrom deal is stupid. But the 2025 1st isn't getting you anywhere for a guy like Necas.

I know. I'm also adding we literally couldn't even do that

 

[Stephen Gionta]

We've also clearly seen over the past few years that Fitz does not mind playing the media negotiation games. Perhaps he's had talks knowing it won't be accepted because we would have to blow Carolina out of the water to trade Necas in division, but for someone else that has been discussing a 10OA trade now they have to weight what they're offering against Necas.

The same thing could be going on with the Pesce talk as well. He puts info out that they're going to go hard after Pesce, the reporters check with Pesce's agent and get mutual interest, and run with it. Now the price could go down if there's another D he's offering to trade for.

Could be both of these things are related. You're asking me to add to 10OA for the D I want, but I could just sign Pesce and trade the pick for Necas so you need to adjust your demands.

Why would Fitzgerald want to give a reason for the team acquiring Necas to have to increase their offer though? That would be strenghtening the return for Carolian - a division rival, and team we are likely going to have to go through to advance in playoffs.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

If there is anything the past 2 years have taught us as Devils fans, it's that if Brady Tkachuk is even the slightest bit available via trade, the Devils absolutely must be the team to acquire him. Overpay by 1000x times if you have to. The day Florida made the Matthew Tkachuk trade, the hockey world was glamouring about how well the Flames did on the return and how Calgary FLEECED Florida. What has happened since then? Florida goes to back to back Stanley Cup finals. Wins a Stanley Cup.

If I am Fitzgerald, I am calling Staios and offering this package for Brady Tkachuk right now.
- 10th overall pick
- John Marino OR Dougie Hamilton (if he'd waive)
- Seamus Casey
- Lenni Hameenaho
- Alexander Holtz
- 2026 1st round pick - Unprotected
- 2027 1st round pick - Unprotected

That is the type of massive overpayment it would likely take to land Brady Tkachuk. And I think it would absolutely be worth it. The type of lineup the Devils could assemble with the addition of Brady Tkachuk is tremendous. And that's just for this coming season. Next year (2025-26) the Devils will have the Kovalchuk penalty, some performance bonus carryovers off their books. As well as $4 million of increased salary cap space, and pretty much all of their important pieces locked up to contracts. The could then look to move Hamilton as his NMC turns to a modified NTC.

Tkachuk - Hughes - Mercer
Meier - Hischier - Bratt
Tatar - Haula - Palat
Foote - Lazar - Bastian
MacDermid

Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Hughes - Pesce
Hatakka - Nemec
DeSimone

Markstrom
Allen

Holy hyperbole

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Holy hyperbole

Indeed.

 

[TrufleShufle]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806373636380442831

I don't see why everyone here wants to trade him so bad.

 

[forceten]

Hot Take Thursday at HFBoards!

 

[Mgd31]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806373636380442831

I don't see why everyone here wants to trade him so bad.

He was our healthiest and best overall player last year. He's been the most consistent player last 3 years.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Lawson Crouse would be the type of guy I’d look to target. Does stuff well that we don’t as a team, has a favorable contract for the next 3 seasons. Only problem is he is probably not going anywhere. Worthy of a top 10 pick? Don’t think so, but that contract is nice.

 

[CalamityX23]

We also literally just moved that for Markstrom lol

My BUT NOOOOO comment was in lieu of that. I was throwing shade at the Marsktrom trade(not a fan).... to me that would be a on table to move our future 1st for Necas rather than Markstrom.

 

[megajake]

Lawson Crouse would be the type of guy I’d look to target. Does stuff well that we don’t as a team, has a favorable contract for the next 3 seasons. Only problem is he is probably not going anywhere. Worthy of a top 10 pick? Don’t think so, but that contract is nice.

Can probably get Ross/Marchment for much cheaper

 

[Ripshot 43]

Hot Take Thursday at HFBoards!

Wait till you see what I have in mind for Friday!