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

[JimEIV]

So you think Bahl has top 4 potential? I certainly don’t.

So how do you interpret when Fitz said that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes last summer...

Doesn't that sound like they expected top 4 level play from Dman coming into the season with 66 NHL games?

Was he wrong then or now?

 

[Forge]

I'm thinking of changing my user name to "Not difficult to replace".

Does it fit?

You'd be extremely difficult to replace. There aren't many people who have the dedication to the schtick you do.

 

[AfroThunder396]

This is where you get into the deeply erroneous practice of assigning an opinion to 'the board'. I think on balance most people here would agree with the opinion I expressed on Bahl above, that he's no superstar but he has a future in the league and he's a decent player. But the fact that he has been traded away means that his upside to the Devils is gone, and that's a lot of what a young player is to fans here. Therefore, some people will be eager to say that he's irrelevant or doesn't matter, and I think that's what Nubmer6 was referring to seeing here.

Players like Bahl don't matter all that much, but it's more than nothing, and this is a nuance that's difficult to believe and/or express.

Of course Bahl doesn't suck in the way that someone like Mason Geertsen sucks. He's not literally a beer league player, he can play a regular shift in the NHL and provide some value. But it's not that difficult to find guys with a bottom pairing floor who can be situationally useful.

Bahl's play had clearly plateaued and he was making the same mistakes over and over again. Yes, he can get young and can polish up his game a bit. But right now he's JAG and we can bring in a different JAG to do what he did. What more nuance do we need?

 

[Guttersniped]

Was about to post this in the Markstrom thelread, but it seems to have been locked RIGHT as I hit the post button...

I agree with the trade, and if Bahl was necessary to get it done, so be it, but I'm not sure why everyone's so down on him.
The guy only played basically one and a half seasons, and big, shutdown defenders take time to develop. It's not like he isn't going to get better.

That being said, as @JimEIV has said, we had too many rookies and sophomores on the back end, so letting him go and replacing him with a vet shutdown D that's not Smith isn't the worst idea. We really do need to start filling LD pipeline though, after losing Bahl and Mukhamadulin and having guys like Vulojevic seemingly unable to take a
step.

I think losing Bahl sucks.

I don’t know if they keep Vulojevic, he might not get qualified and just wander off somewhere.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

So how do you interpret when Fitz said that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes last summer...

Doesn't that sound like they expected top 4 level play from Dman coming into the season with 66 NHL games?

Was he wrong then or now?

Did he say he would replace his minutes entirely or take some of them? Huge difference and I’m guessing he didn’t at any point say Bahl was a full replacement for Graves.

I don’t know what he thought entirely then or now but it’s possible he wasn’t wrong either. But I know how you like to spin things.


He also may just not have loved Bahl’s development this past season or just thought the Markstrom trade was worth it and Bahl was expendable and replaceable. Genuinely not sure what you’re trying to argue in that post.

 

[Camille the Eel]

The verdict on the Markstrom deal is going to depend on how he performs here. There’s little more to say now. Fitz seems either to think very highly of him, or at least that he is an upgrade at a position that’s been killing us and the best alternative we can get for 4 million a season.

 

[Guttersniped]

I really don't understand this organizations fascination for some players and hatred for others. Foote sucks. If he is a regular in the lineup, it's a problem.

I like Foote, I’m one of the weirdos, that sees an NHL player there. Injuries have blown up his career for years now though.

He had a window of opportunity last season and couldn’t stay healthy at any point, it’s hard to be optimistic that his back is going to hold up in the future.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

So how do you interpret when Fitz said that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes last summer...

Doesn't that sound like they expected top 4 level play from Dman coming into the season with 66 NHL games?

Was he wrong then or now?

Fitz gave him an opportunity and he did fine in those minutes. Some very smart people are even saying he turned himself into a premium asset. He then moved that premium asset for a goalie. Shrewd GMing.

 

[Emperoreddy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1804137202483621953

 

[JimEIV]

Did he say he would replace his minutes entirely or take some of them? Huge difference and I’m guessing he didn’t at any point say Bahl was a full replacement for Graves.

I don’t know what he thought entirely then or now but it’s possible he wasn’t wrong either. But I know how you like to spin things.


He also may just not have loved Bahl’s development this past season or just thought the Markstrom trade was worth it and Bahl was expendable and replaceable. Genuinely not sure what you’re trying to argue in that post.

He definitely did qualify it with "defensive" minutes. But what does that mean? PK for sure

The expectation was obviously for him to take on a much bigger role.

I don't think that was fair honestly.... Do you remember how badly Adam Larsson struggled in year 2 and 3.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1804137202483621953

All the good ones are Right handers.

 

[JimEIV]

Fitz gave him an opportunity and he did fine in those minutes. Some very smart people are even saying he turned himself into a premium asset. He then moved that premium asset for a goalie. Shrewd GMing.

Obtaining a 35 year old for 24 year old is shrewd in your book?

Burn that book

You'd be extremely difficult to replace. There aren't many people who have the dedication to the schtick you do.

The wild thing is there's not really a lot of schtick....you should hang out with me sometime... I'm super chill.... until I'm not.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

He definitely did qualify it with "defensive" minutes. But what does that mean? PK for sure

The expectation was obviously for him to take on a much bigger role.

I don't think that was fair honestly.... Do you remember how badly Adam Larsson struggled in year 2 and 3.

It means he’s gonna get more opportunity to show himself, nothing more. Again where’s the expectation for him to take on a much bigger role coming from. You’re just pulling stuff outta nowhere at this point. He played just under 17 and a half minutes per game last season. That’s nearly 3 and a half more minutes than the previous season. Almost like he was given more minutes and opportunity with Graves departure like I said but still wasn’t playing a top 4 role.

I remember Adam Larsson coming in as like a 19/20 year old and being considered a top prospect with significantly more potential.

 

[NJDevs26]

So how do you interpret when Fitz said that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes last summer...

Doesn't that sound like they expected top 4 level play from Dman coming into the season with 66 NHL games?

Was he wrong then or now?

Graves was not a top four here either really, at least not two years ago

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Obtaining a 35 year old for 24 year old is shrewd in your book?

At least we’re calling Bahl 24 now.

 

[JimEIV]

Graves was not a top four here either lol, at least not two years ago

Oh we're going to do this again? But now for Graves as opposed to Severson?

Graves was glued to Marino two years ago. If Graves wasn't top 4 neither was Marino.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I wish I had as little to do on a Friday as some of you did today.

 

[JimEIV]

I wish I had as little to do on a Friday as some of you did today.

I don't do anything.

 

[Forge]

Obtaining a 35 year old for 24 year old is shrewd in your book?

So would you never trade for a rental then?

I'm not saying you're trading for rentals is wrong or right....I don't generally love trading for rentals myself and I think that the league is getting somewhat better about it. But nhl teams move what they perceive to be lesser long term pieces for greater short term pieces all the time. Its one of the foundations of the trade deadline. This kind of comment is just so weird to me.

 

[JimEIV]

At least we’re calling Bahl 24 now.

He was 23 for all of last year...so when we talk about his season last year we say the 23 year old.

 

[Forge]

I wish I had as little to do on a Friday as some of you did today.

The GF took our son to Florida for a family birthday party for the week.

You better believe that 5 minutes after she told me, I took the entire damn week they were gone off from work. Don't go back until Thursday.

This is everything I had hoped it would be. I woke up at 10:30 am today. Ten freaking thirty

 

[NJDevs26]

Oh we're going to do this again? But now for Graves as opposed to Severson?

Graves was glued to Marino two years ago. If Graves wasn't top 4 neither was Marino.

By default he was the 2 LD, but he was fifth in even strength time and marginalized by the end of the playoffs

 

[MartyOwns]

So how do you interpret when Fitz said that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes last summer...

i’ve seen you post that a lot, so i’m assuming it happened. but i think you’re putting waaaay too much stock in those comments. it’s more likely that he was just reassuring fans that grave’s departure wouldn’t cripple the defense.

 

[JimEIV]

So would you never trade for a rental then?
.

You know the implementation here.

Rentals are for "the final pieces". We are a bottom 10 team that needs a quarter of our roster filled in...not one that needs the last piece or two.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

He was 23 for all of last year...so when we talk about his season last year we say the 23 year old.

You’ve been calling him 23 in the same posts as you call a guy who was 33 for over half of last season 35. You’ve been talking about trading a 23 year old for a 35 year old when one is closer to 33 than 35 and the other is 6 days away from being 24. Typical of you.

 

[JimEIV]

You’ve been calling him 23 in the same posts as you call a guy who was 33 for over half of last season 35. You’ve been talking about trading a 23 year old for a 35 year old when one is closer to 33 than 35 and the other is 6 days away from being 24. Typical of you.

Stop playing games ...go look how Hockey reference list them...

Last season was Markstrom's 34 year. This up coming hockey year is his 35.

Bahl 23 and up coming 24

It's not complicated. And it's a silly thing to be quibbling over