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

[Captain3rdLine]

Kind of interesting in that, when we signed Palat, we were likely never going to use him on PP1, the PK, and probably not in the top 6 for much of the contract.

We paid that premium for his veteran presence and playoff experience.

I do think he was intended to mostly be a top 6 player for us. Spent a lot of time in Tampa’s top 6 alongside their top players.

 

[Guadana]

Debrusk was underwhelming until the last two seasons.

It would be nice to add an LW but adding a shutdown 3C with pop would be transformative.

We could have a functional 3rd line with Cirelli, allow Nico’s line to have more offensive focus.

“Same type of player production wise” except he isn’t a complimentary winger.

Edit: clarified which player was being discussed

I saw a lot of Cirelli talks. Bolts are trading him?

 

[Guttersniped]

I saw a lot of Cirelli talks. Bolts are trading him?

They’ll have to move salary out to keep Stamkos, but there’s a good chance he walks and that will solve the problem.

 

[longislanddevil]

He's a righty, not sure if he's played much on the left, but I doubt we'd target him and put him on his off hand.

Great point. We are definitely more set at RD.

 

[Forge]

They’ll have to move salary out to keep Stamkos, but there’s a good chance he walks and that will solve the problem.

I think we are finally going to get that stammer / Detroit pairing after all these years

 

[dgibb10]

Meh, on ice is skewed by the team. Carolina is all over the leader board. Boston probably is too. I bet Zacha grades out quite well.

Zacha grades out pretty poorly I'm pretty sure he ranks near the bottom of boston forwards in terms of xGoals% in each of the last 2 years

 

[theoptimist]

We do have lines because whatever lines Nico and Jack are not centering are your bottom 6 forwards (and is probably like that across the league). We know when both Nico and Jack are the lineup, the team performs much better. If one goes down with injury, who are you replacing them with temporarily and what are the implications further down the lineup? I’m good on Lazar/Nosek playing 3C (Haula moved to 2C in this scenario).

Palat-Haula-Mercer could be a great third line, but we’d have a top 6 LW spot to fill if Palat is not playing there. We’d look to trade/sign a player to fill that spot which adds to the salary cap (unless you think a rookie can jump in and play those meaningful minutes). I’d rather bump Palat up and maximize his potential there, and fill the 3LW with a 3-4M player. This is why contracts matter and impact your roster construction. Having Palat and DeBrusk at $6M each (both complementary players) is redundant and bad use of cap space when there are needs at the center and defense position.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We do have lines because whatever lines Nico and Jack are not centering are your bottom 6 forwards (and is probably like that across the league). We know when both Nico and Jack are the lineup, the team performs much better. If one goes down with injury, who are you replacing them with temporarily and what are the implications further down the lineup? I’m good on Lazar/Nosek playing 3C (Haula moved to 2C in this scenario).

Palat-Haula-Mercer could be a great third line, but we’d have a top 6 LW spot to fill if Palat is not playing there. We’d look to trade/sign a player to fill that spot which adds to the salary cap (unless you think a rookie can jump in and play those meaningful minutes). I’d rather bump Palat up and maximize his potential there, and fill the 3LW with a 3-4M player. This is why contracts matter and impact your roster construction. Having Palat and DeBrusk at $6M each (both complementary players) is redundant and bad use of cap space when there are needs at the center and defense position.

I just showed you that the Devils #3 forward and #9 forward essentially had the same ATOI last year. Now, I haven't researched other teams, but I would imagine its similar around the league as far as a "top 9" and "4th line" goes.

I want the best players possible. I don't want a "lesser player" just because he might be $1-2 million cheaper. I don't really care about the salary cap.

 

[MasterofGrond]

I just showed you that the Devils #3 forward and #9 forward essentially had the same ATOI last year. Now, I haven't researched other teams, but I would imagine its similar around the league as far as a "top 9" and "4th line" goes.

I want the best players possible. I don't want a "lesser player" just because he might be $1-2 million cheaper. I don't really care about the salary cap.

Then why go for Debrusk? Get guentzel who is Actually Good. Or duchene or marchessault or teravainen or Skjei who are difference makers on the ice.

yeah they’re older, but they’re significantly better players. If you’re gonna pay a guy 6M he should be worth it. Debrusk is just younger Palat.

 

[theoptimist]

I just showed you that the Devils #3 forward and #9 forward essentially had the same ATOI last year. Now, I haven't researched other teams, but I would imagine its similar around the league as far as a "top 9" and "4th line" goes.

I want the best players possible. I don't want a "lesser player" just because he might be $1-2 million cheaper. I don't really care about the salary cap.

And we didn't make the playoffs. Would be interesting to understand this league wide.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I just showed you that the Devils #3 forward and #9 forward essentially had the same ATOI last year. Now, I haven't researched other teams, but I would imagine its similar around the league as far as a "top 9" and "4th line" goes.

I just checked using your parameters on the last 4 teams in the playoffs. From #3 to #9:

Florida: 1 minute 10 seconds difference per game
Edmonton: About 3 minutes 45 seconds difference per game
Dallas: 1 minute 16 seconds per game
Rangers: 3 minutes 11 seconds per game

I think the Devils were doing it wrong last year.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Then why go for Debrusk? Get guentzel who is Actually Good. Or duchene or marchessault or teravainen or Skjei who are difference makers on the ice.

yeah they’re older, but they’re significantly better players. If you’re gonna pay a guy 6M he should be worth it. Debrusk is just younger Palat.

I mean sure yeah I'd take most of those guys you mentioned?

I just don't agree with that last part whatsoever.

I just checked using your parameters on the last 4 teams in the playoffs. From #3 to #9:

Florida: 1 minute 10 seconds difference per game
Edmonton: About 3 minutes 45 seconds difference per game
Dallas: 1 minute 16 seconds per game
Rangers: 3 minutes 11 seconds per game

I think the Devils were doing it wrong last year.

Interesting...I wonder how that differs from #4 to #9

 

[None Shall Pass]

Did all the playoff teams. The only one out of 16 who had a sub-1 minute difference the 3rd and 9th forward (Like us) is the Bruins, who (like us) also used 22 different forwards throughout the year. I can't speak to them, but with us, we lost Jack, Timo, and Nico at various points for decent time frames, as well as losing McLeod and Toffoli for good, elevating the TOI for 3rd and 4th liners.

I'd imagine in a healthier year our #3 TOI forward (Likely a Bratt or Nico) has much more TOI than a 3rd line wing.

 

[MB3]

I do not understand the enthusiasm for Debrusk. Not you, this is just a convenient moment for me to express what I think every time I see his name come up.

He’s been such a consistent disappointment in Boston. The equivalent of their Zacha. There’s hardly a Bruin fan who won’t be happy when he’s gone. Totally inconsistent player who disappears for long periods, strings of games on end, and then suddenly rushes the puck to the net, colliding with the goalie and everyone says “what a player.”

I want no part of him. No, no, no. Don’t let him within a hundred miles of Jersey. The buyers remorse will be huge with this guy. The leopard is not going to change its spots here.

I have no idea who you’re describing but it certainly isn’t Debrusk. He’s one of the best selling jerseys in Boston. He’s beloved lol.

 

[minibrodeur]

I like Debrusk but I think there's a good chance he gets more than 6 if he hits UFA. I think Fitz looks elsewhere if he asks for 7.

 

[SKNJD9]

Theres a decent amount of top 6 RW's available in UFA this yr, good if Fitzy can't trade for one ( his preferred method ) Might help keep Debrusk in the 4.5-5.5m range, yrs will be the bigger concern.

 

[Forge]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1802764659197403313

Tfp so blah

 

[glenwo2]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1802764659197403313

Tfp so blah

So basically we're linked to every Goaltender out there.

This is my shocked face -->

 

[Bleedred]

John Gibson f***ing sucks

He's a cyanide pill for Fitz. Acquiring him would just be throwing your hands up and saying I give up, fire the f*** out of me. Even the guys who run our goaltending department have to know better than that.

We can't afford to have him clogging up our books for 3 more years, even if they retain a good amount of it.

John Gibson isn't any good. Annually his backups play at least as well, if not marginally better than him. Albeit in fewer games.

This year I think Dostal actually played one or two more games than him, and performed a little bit better while playing that much of a workload.

So if John Gibson is sooooo good, then what the f*** is Dostal? ELITE?!

 

[Guadana]

John Gibson f***ing sucks

He's a cyanide pill for Fitz. Acquiring him would just be throwing your hands up and saying I give up, fire the f*** out of me. Even the guys who run our goaltending department have to know better than that.

We can't afford to have him clogging up our books for 3 more years, even if they retain a good amount of it.

John Gibson isn't any good. Annually his backups play at least as well, if not marginally better than him. Albeit in fewer games.

This year I think Dostal actually played one or two more games than him, and performed a little bit better while playing that much of a workload.

So if John Gibson is sooooo good, then what the f*** is Dostal? ELITE?!

I believe its typical lazy rumor. Gibson has mostly negative value with his salary. May be someone will ready to take him for minor compensation, but overall he is below average goalie now.

 

[Forge]

John Gibson f***ing sucks

He's a cyanide pill for Fitz. Acquiring him would just be throwing your hands up and saying I give up, fire the f*** out of me. Even the guys who run our goaltending department have to know better than that.

We can't afford to have him clogging up our books for 3 more years, even if they retain a good amount of it.

John Gibson isn't any good. Annually his backups play at least as well, if not marginally better than him. Albeit in fewer games.

This year I think Dostal actually played one or two more games than him, and performed a little bit better while playing that much of a workload.

So if John Gibson is sooooo good, then what the f*** is Dostal? ELITE?!

It's crazy that Gibson has maintained his rep over the years.

That said, wouldn't surprise me if Gibson is the end result of a sticking hard to your guns. If Fitz has a price tag he won't deviate from to acquire a goalie, wouldn't surprise me if Gibson is the only one that he can get in that range (obviously depends on what price point Fitz is willing to tolerate)

 

[Cheddabombs]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1802764659197403313

Tfp so blah

No link to McDavid? Interesting...

 

[Nubmer6]

No link to McDavid? Interesting...

The Oilers are still playing

 

[Bleedred]

It's crazy that Gibson has maintained his rep over the years.

That said, wouldn't surprise me if Gibson is the end result of a sticking hard to your guns. If Fitz has a price tag he won't deviate from to acquire a goalie, wouldn't surprise me if Gibson is the only one that he can get in that range (obviously depends on what price point Fitz is willing to tolerate)

I’d rather run it back with the Kahkonen/Allen tandem in that case.

Gibson probably isn’t even better than either of those guys.

I don’t see much of a difference in the three, other than is a gigantic has-been with that reputation, as you said. As well as being paid a whole lot more and having a longer contract length.

 

[Zippy316]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1802791516282274212

How will this work if the Devils technically open next season Oct 4 & 5 in Prague?

By all accounts those seem to be regular season games, so maybe the Devils main roster ships out after the Rangers game on the 30th?

Who is going to be left behind to play that Oct 3rd game against the Flyers?