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

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'll just never understand people that "fan" like that

if you dont think the team is in a 'contention window', Why watch? Why waste hours posting on this forum?

 

[Cheddabombs]

 

[MadDevil]

We're not in Cup or bust mode, but there should be some impetus on trying to compete while the kids are still on affordable deals. Besides, I seriously doubt Fitz is looking at it as our window to compete is 2-3 years from now. If he is he probably won't be here to see it. I also don't think we're that far away. It's easy after a season where pretty much everything went wrong to think they're a long way away, but I think a relatively healthy roster with goaltending that doesn't shit itself under a coach who has had a lot of regular season success and we're right back in the mix. Maybe not as a true Cup contender, but at least back on the right track.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't get advocating for a status quo approach with few, if any, roster changes or additions.

Either we aren't in a contention window, which means we should be more radically changing roster pieces to build a roster that can compete.

Or we are and we should aggressively be looking for pieces that fill holes.

I cant understand saying our star players are the guys but then balking at getting them the support pieces they need to succeed.

 

[JimEIV]

Throw caution to the wind and take as many stabs at a cup as you can.

Wasting star players prime years on good deals for more development years risks this theoretical window never opening at any point.

You make sound like it's a choice to compete or not...

We have no goaltender our defense is half kindergarteners and we have holes on just about every forward line.

This is going to need time no matter what we do...time to mature, time to gel, time to refine the lineup.

The roster isn't plug and play.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

You make sound like it's a choice to compete or not...

We have no goaltender our defense is half kindergarteners and we have holes on just about every forward line.

This is going to need time no matter what we do...time to mature, time to gel, time to refine the lineup.

The roster isn't plug and play.

its a good thing the season doesn't start for 4 more months then!

 

[My3Sons]

did this team not win 50+ games last year and a round of the playoffs...........?

so what are you saying, its gonna be another 3 years before they even START to compete?

yeah, that is nonsense. Full stop.

While most of the core is in place the complementary players have turned over quite a bit and in the salary cap league they are vital. I understand being cautious before seeing how the roster fills out. We know that the third and fourth lines were thrown into disarray last season by injury and *ahem* a "voluntary" leave of absence. Hopefully they stay healthy and add a couple of upgrades to the bottom six. That will help a bunch.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

While most of the core is in place the complementary players have turned over quite a bit and in the salary cap league they are vital. I understand being cautious before seeing how the roster fills out. We know that the third and fourth lines were thrown into disarray last season by injury and *ahem* a "voluntary" leave of absence. Hopefully they stay healthy and add a couple of upgrades to the bottom six. That will help a bunch.

the complementary players are the easiest to find. They are available in free agency literally every summer.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If we wait for complementary pieces to develop internally we might be waiting forever.

We can get those pieces now. Why would we wait until Nico, Luke, and Nemec are all on the cusp of needing new contracts?

 

[My3Sons]

the complementary players are the easiest to find. They are available in free agency literally every summer.

True, but last year they added mediocre players.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

We need him to not be ass. Guy has fallen off a cliff and should be ousted if he doesn’t look any better next year.

 

[My3Sons]

We need him to not be ass. Guy has fallen off a cliff and should be ousted if he doesn’t look any better next year.

The question is why does that happen at his age? He isn't some slug on the ice and he isn't a moron. Something strange is happening with him. Maybe he signed and stopped trying as hard?

 

[longislanddevil]

From Eric D's recent athletic article:

"There are four premium goaltenders to target in the offseason, and you could probably get any of the four for that No. 10 pick. Realistically, with a few restrictions and quibbles, their targets should be, in order: Jacob Markstrom of Calgary, Linus Ullmark of Boston, John Gibson of Anaheim and Juuse Saros of Nashville."

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I don't get advocating for a status quo approach with few, if any, roster changes or additions.

Either we aren't in a contention window, which means we should be more radically changing roster pieces to build a roster that can compete.

Or we are and we should aggressively be looking for pieces that fill holes.

I cant understand saying our star players are the guys but then balking at getting them the support pieces they need to succeed.

Literally the only thing anyone is balking at is MASSIVELY overpaying for a goalie that will only marginally improve the team, shorten the contention window and thus decrease our odds of winning a Cup. We all want the same thing, there just seems to be a difference in thinking as to whether "going for it" increases or decreases the odds of winning a Cup with this core.

 

[longislanddevil]

DeBrusk, Joshua, Trenin, Foegele….yes please.

Trade Targets
Ehlers: I read that while he has not demanded a trade out of Winnipeg, he’d prefer a change of scenery. Has only 1 year before becoming UFA.

Bennett: If Florida intends to keep Reinhart, they are going to have to shed salary. 1 year away from UFA. I was super impressed by this player in the Rangers series. There’s your 3C and one that would be amongst the tops in the league.

EDIT
Buchnevic: I didn’t realize just how good the 29 year old’s stats have been over the years. We are light at LW and would look awfully nice with Hughes. Once again, another player that is only one year away from UFA.

 

[JimEIV]

If we wait for complementary pieces to develop internally we might be waiting forever.

We can get those pieces now. Why would we wait until Nico, Luke, and Nemec are all on the cusp of needing new contracts?

It's more than complimentary pieces.
We need at least one top 6 forward, I personally think two. We've been talking about a winger for Jack since his rookie season we still don't have one

We need a goaltender...we added a goaltender every year since Fitz took over.... we're still looking.

We need much more grit and heavy players.... we've been saying this for each of the last 5 or 6 off seasons now and everyone talks about how easy it is to do...yet it hasn't happened. In fact losing Wood and McLeod has made a soft team even softer.

Luke and Nemec are simply going to need more time to become the players we need them to be.

It's not a choice. It's not just go out and get spare parts. The team needs essential components to compete.

 

[Emperoreddy]

The question is why does that happen at his age? He isn't some slug on the ice and he isn't a moron. Something strange is happening with him. Maybe he signed and stopped trying as hard?

Possible he simply isn't that good a player and overachiever in a career year and is regressing back to his mean ontop of being asked to play too high in the lineup

 

[Ripshot 43]

We do have a pretty barren cupboard. Outside of the top two under 21 defenseman, a bonafide under 25 superstar center, a 25 year old Selke caliber center, a 25 year old ppg winger, a 27 year old all star caliber winger, and a top pairing top 10 offensive defenseman we're pretty much screwed.

So, not a team full of generational talents?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It's more than complimentary pieces.
We need at least one top 6 forward, I personally think two. We've been talking about a winger for Jack since his rookie season we still don't have one

We need a goaltender...we added a goaltender every year since Fitz took over.... we're still looking.

We need much more grit and heavy players.... we've been saying this for each of the last 5 or 6 off seasons now and everyone talks about how easy it is to do...yet it hasn't happened. In fact losing Wood and McLeod has made a soft team even softer.

Luke and Nemec are simply going to need more time to become the players we need them to be.

It's not a choice. It's not just go out and get spare parts. The team needs essential components to compete.

I don't know how many times it needs to be said to you that Luke and NEmec this past year were better than Sevs and Graves were in 22-23. They are already legitimate top 4 DMen. at 20 years old.

They won 50+ games with this same core literally a year ago.

Don't you get tired of doing this?

 

[Forge]

I can't tell if dreger is being a Calgary homer or what, but seems like he believes the baseline for the Markstrom trade is 10 / markstrom (with retention) and move stuff around adjust accordingly

I can't wait for this to be done. Get it over so I either don't have to listen to craziness like 10 being traded for a 34 year old goalie or I can rip Fitz for doing it lol

*edit*

phone autocorrected Markstrom to marketing lol

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I can't tell if dreger is being a Calgary homer or what, but seems like he believes the baseline for the marketing trade is 10 / markstrom (with retention) and move stuff around adjust accordingly

I can't wait for this to be done. Get it over so I either don't have to listen to craziness like 10 being traded for a 34 year old goalie or I can rip Fitz for doing it lol

if he actually does that, I will be off the Fitz wagon...thats for sure. That can't be a thing that happens.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It's more than complimentary pieces.
We need at least one top 6 forward, I personally think two. We've been talking about a winger for Jack since his rookie season we still don't have one

We need a goaltender...we added a goaltender every year since Fitz took over.... we're still looking.

We need much more grit and heavy players.... we've been saying this for each of the last 5 or 6 off seasons now and everyone talks about how easy it is to do...yet it hasn't happened. In fact losing Wood and McLeod has made a soft team even softer.

Luke and Nemec are simply going to need more time to become the players we need them to be.

It's not a choice. It's not just go out and get spare parts. The team needs essential components to compete.

Jesper Bratt with Jack Hughes is one of the best duos in the league. Just stick another guy there that can do some other things and it’s an elite line. Nico has Meier. The big pieces are all clearly filled other than goalie. To keep with the Florida talk, we need an Evan Rodrigues level glue guy, or a Sam Bennett. Complementary pieces.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The hard reality (for some) is that this team is NOT that far away from being VERY good.

They have 2 unquestioned 1st line centers, with one of those being a legitimate superstar. They have a 40 goal power forward. They have another ppg winger.

They have the 2 best U-21 DMen in the sport. They have another legitimate top pairing DMan in Hamilton

They need a goalie. We all know this. They need another guy on the backend that can defend and kill penalties. We all know this. They need probably 2 middle 6 forwards. That really is NOT that much, and can easily be acquired all within the next few months. There are tons of teams who would kill to be in our position.

 

[Guttersniped]

You make sound like it's a choice to compete or not...

We have no goaltender our defense is half kindergarteners and we have holes on just about every forward line.

This is going to need time no matter what we do...time to mature, time to gel, time to refine the lineup.

The roster isn't plug and play.

Are people making me agree with Jim?



We made the playoffs once with this group and won 1 round.

We don’t even know what we have, what they can do, or what they need to get better.

I actually need to actually get to the competitive/ reliably making the playoffs part before I can jump to the Cup Contenders/ disappointed by playoff results part.

Playing better, maturing, making the playoffs are the next goals.

The hard reality (for some) is that this team is NOT that far away from being VERY good.

They have 2 unquestioned 1st line centers, with one of those being a legitimate superstar. They have a 40 goal power forward. They have another ppg winger.

They have the 2 best U-21 DMen in the sport. They have another legitimate top pairing DMan in Hamilton

They need a goalie. We all know this. They need another guy on the backend that can defend and kill penalties. We all know this. They need probably 2 middle 6 forwards. That really is NOT that much, and can easily be acquired all within the next few months. There are tons of teams who would kill to be in our position.

I think we have a lot of the pieces obviously, not sure all the additions are available right now.

You can’t just take whatever you can get now, so all those spots are filled up, because then you could be locked in with some weak ass shit with term.

I just want Fitz to be smart about team building rather than desperate. (And less of a blabber mouth.)

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Florida lost in the first round a few times, won a round, then made the finals back to back.

Vegas missed the playoffs the year before winning the cup, didn't they?

There is no real "path to being good". Every team is different.