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

[devilsblood]

I don't agree at all, I think Graves was bad and the general manager acknowledged that he did not live up to expectations. Contrarian GMs rarely last.

Karlsson and Letang are still performing at a high level. Graves's shot rate fell and they started using him less often as the season progressed. The reason a team signs a guy like Graves to a contract like that is that they think he can be used in a lot of different situations - if Graves cannot handle playing with either Karlsson or Letang, he's a big waste of money for Pittsburgh.

Again team construction.

We know Graves was good playing a heavily defensive oriented role with a defensive oriented partner last year in NJ.

Pitt, after those first 20 or so games used him tilted heavily towards defense.

If it was a bad signing it was because they expected something different than what he was.

As other posters have suggested, Brendan Dillion could be that. Would require a 3 year deal. Ideally we keep Siegs and add Dillion but I'm not sure that's cap responsible. In theory, Bahl could to take a step next season and become a reliable option on the PK and tougher 5-on-5 matchups.

The Siegenthaler-Dougie pairing worked until it didn't (they weren't great to start the season and were caught on several 2 on 1s). I noticed this pairing is the 'safe bet' people lean too but I'm not so sure I like them together anymore. I'm looking to upgrade on Siegenthaler OR add another defensemen (ie, Kulikov) to bump Bahl into #7 role.

Bahl actually played some pretty tough minutes this year. Just not a ton of them.

 

[EXTRAS]

What are people's guesses on a mercer contract? I feel like it could be all over the place.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

What are people's guesses on a mercer contract? I feel like it could be all over the place.

8 x $6m long term
Or
2 x $4m if they bridge

 

[tailfins]

As other posters have suggested, Brendan Dillion could be that. Would require a 3 year deal. Ideally we keep Siegs and add Dillion but I'm not sure that's cap responsible. In theory, Bahl could to take a step next season and become a reliable option on the PK and tougher 5-on-5 matchups.

The Siegenthaler-Dougie pairing worked until it didn't (they weren't great to start the season and were caught on several 2 on 1s). I noticed this pairing is the 'safe bet' people lean too but I'm not so sure I like them together anymore. I'm looking to upgrade on Siegenthaler OR add another defensemen (ie, Kulikov) to bump Bahl into #7 role.

Fair on the OR.

No way I’d trade Siegenthaler in order to sign Dillon, but I’m willing to believe that Dillon is an upgrade over Bahl today.

Not sure the Devils need to prioritize their 6/7 D, but I agree adding someone is probably necessary.

 

[Forge]

I think it’s going to be a 2nd and a 3rd but I also may be an idiot

This would feel more likely if we had a second round pick this year, but I think we are going to find out sooner or later.

I still think he's a devil

 

[glenwo2]

The Devils are already in win-now mode anyway and they can just re-address goaltending in 2 years when Markstrom’s deal expires. It’s not the worst scenario.

Not every deal has to be an 8 year solution.

Yeah true.

But Markstrom is more of a sure thing than Daws/Schmid who are both solid but a still a bit inconsistent.

Then again, friggin' Skinner is in the Finals so.....

 

[Goptor]

Yeah true.

But Markstrom is more of a sure thing than Daws/Schmid who are both solid but a still a bit inconsistent.

Then again, friggin' Skinner is in the Finals so.....

I would argue that Markstrom is inconsistent as well.

He can reliably play starter minutes though and Daws/Schmid have yet to take on that workload.

 

[MadDevil]

Wait, why are we bailing on Seigenthaler? Becuase he had a bad year?

Better bail on most of the team, they also had bad years.

I still want to see a healthy Siegs under a new coach/system before I'm ready to cut bait on him. His decline was so rapid I'm tempted to write it off as more of the anomaly than the norm. He's also so one dimensional that if he's struggling at that one dimension it's probably going to look even uglier.

 

[devilsblood]

8 x $6m long term
Or
2 x $4m if they bridge

$6m feels like a lot coming off a meh year.

I like his hustle, and he'll probably always have a good shooting % given his touch around the net, but he's not big, not a great skater, and doesn't get a lot of shots on net.

I think if you sign him long term now, it should be a lot lower then that. Especially after the hard ball we played with Bratt.

What are people's guesses on a mercer contract? I feel like it could be all over the place.

As noted above, I don't think you give him much at this point. Term at a cheap aav though would be cool though.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

$6m feels like a lot coming off a meh year.

I like his hustle, and he'll probably always have a good shooting % given his touch around the net, but he's not big, not a great skater, and doesn't get a lot of shots on net.

I think if you sign him long term now, it should be a lot lower then that. Especially after the hard ball we played with Bratt.

6 million dollars per year 3, 5, 8 years from now will be absolute peanuts relative to the cap. It’s almost certainly going to jump a number of times.

 

[devilsblood]

6 million dollars per year 3, 5, 8 years from now will be absolute peanuts relative to the cap. It’s almost certainly going to jump a number of times.

Same argument could have been said about Bratt last year, but Fitz still held the line.

8x6 at this point for Mercer doesn't make sense.

 

[Billdo]

I'm not sure Mercers worth a 8x6 deal yet.

 

[Darkauron]

I would not give mercer a 6 million a year deal yet.

 

[JimEIV]

Mercer's deal is going to fall in line with Jarvis and Lundell.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Same argument could have been said about Bratt last year, but Fitz still held the line.

8x6 at this point for Mercer doesn't make sense.

If you believe in the player, it’s clearly worth it.

I’ve already said before that I think I’d like to bridge him, but that was instead of some major investment. 6 million per year for 8 years isn’t a whole lot. 31 year old Palat got that with term in UFA a couple years ago, and Mercer already has more goals in a season than he ever had and more 20 goal seasons.

 

[SKNJD9]

F the Flames owner for nixing the Markstrom deal last season, a bidding war is not ideal.

If Toronto is willing to put their first on the table it becomes an interesting conversation for Fitz

Then we up what we're willing to give up and go after Saros/Askarov. I don't think Fitzy will get into much of a bidding war...if the price starts to teeter on the next tier of goalies he'll try and jump over everyone and work on that

 

[devilsblood]

If you believe in the player, it’s clearly worth it.

I’ve already said before that I think I’d like to bridge him, but that was instead of some major investment. 6 million per year for 8 years isn’t a whole lot. 31 year old Palat got that with term in UFA a couple years ago, and Mercer already has more goals in a season than he ever had and more 20 goal seasons.

2 time stanley cup champ, UFA Palat, is not comparable.

Again we played hardball with Bratt I highly doubt we are now going to be player friendly with Mercer.

 

[Forge]

The Ottawa Senators have studied Jacob Markstrom as an option for troubled goaltending

The Senators have been in heavy pursuit of a goalie.

ottawacitizen.com

Why do his sources always give some crazy high return expectations?

The belief is Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald is willing to offer up his No. 10 overall selection in the draft as part of a deal to acquire a goalie.

“If we feel it helps us now and in the foreseeable future, then, yes, I’m listening,” Fitzgerald told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale last Monday. “I haven’t gotten anything yet but the more I talk to teams, I say ‘Listen, I’m open to moving No. 10, but it’s going to have to be something (significant).'”

A league executive said they believe the Flames would likely be looking for a package that would include a first-round pick and high-end young prospect from the Senators in exchange Markstrom.

The Senators have the No. 7 and No. 25 overall selections in the draft so they’ll have no issue moving that portion of the ask. The issue is they don’t have a lot of young players in their system and don’t want to part with any that are currently on the roster.

“They want a lot in return,” a league executive said.

 

[Billdo]

If the 10th is included in any deal for Markstrom and it doesn't include max retention, their first, and something else I don't want it. Fitz cannot f*** this up.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

2 time stanley cup champ, UFA Palat, is not comparable.

Again we played hardball with Bratt I highly doubt we are now going to be player friendly with Mercer.

Obviously it’s not the same thing. But it’s just plainly true: you are not signing this player for 8 years for less than 6 million dollars. Will not happen.

 

[RSeen]

3 x $3.5M bridge for Mercer wouldn't be terrible IMO.

 

[Goptor]

Would Mercer even want to sign a long term deal?

Had an awful year which will cost him money. Better to just get back in there, get some playoff games in, and go for the big money later.

 

[NjDevsRR]

If the 10th is included in any deal for Markstrom and it doesn't include max retention, they're first, and something else I don't want it. Fitz cannot f*** this up.

Me outside Fitz’s window if that happens

 

[njdevils1982]

Me outside Fitz’s window if that happens

View attachment 881089

 

[glenwo2]

You at least got rid of the blender right

What did @Blender ever do to you?