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

[britdevil]

A. Your picks now need to fill roles 5 years from now....

B. We aren't good enough or deep enough to be giving away picks.

C. Our prospect pool is empty.

You are acting like we are so close to the prize that it's time to throw caution to the wind ...we are not. We weren't in 2023 and we've taking a major step back since then.

A. That's what rounds 2-7 are for.

B. Debatable. Subjective. Also, how is trading for a needed asset "giving away"?

C. Tends to happen when players graduate.

I don't think we're particularly close no, but what's the point?? Cautious approach, hope for the best? Hoard prospects forever?

They've dished out tens of millions of dollars to a core of players, what the hell is the point if not to try and contend NOW?

 

[Forge]

Feel like there isn’t enough discussion on the UFA forward options

I feel like Fitz will be in on Trenin. Too much talk about him wanting to be less vanilla, wanting violence and edge, etc. Could also see him very much being in on Joshua.

Not sure what he does in the top 6. I think this a pretty interesting situation. I don't know if they are going big game hunting here.

I'm still interested in a guy like Sprong, I think and I wonder if Fitz would be interested in Mantha. I don't really have a ton of interest, though I understand the appeal.

Seems like Keefe wasn't a bertuzzi guy, so think we can rule him out.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm also not giving away the pick for a 32-year old defenseman either unless the guy's Chris Pronger 2.0 and will be elite for four-five years at least.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I feel like Fitz will be in on Trenin. Too much talk about him wanting to be less vanilla, wanting violence and edge, etc. Could also see him very much being in on Joshua.

Not sure what he does in the top 6. I think this a pretty interesting situation. I don't know if they are going big game hunting here.

I'm still interested in a guy like Sprong, I think and I wonder if Fitz would be interested in Mantha. I don't really have a ton of interest, though I understand the appeal.

Seems like Keefe wasn't a bertuzzi guy, so think we can rule him out.

Chandler Stephenson a no?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Give me Warren Foegele in UFA

 

[Forge]

Chandler Stephenson a no?

He's a really tough call. I do get it, but I do think that Stephenson has a high risk of being a grenade of a deal. Projection is like 5 years, 5.5 - 5.75 million.

There are never a lot of truly great options in UFA. They often come with so much risk for the money and term. My main goal is usually to try and avoid the true bombs. Stephenson is kind of right on that line for me.

I do like that his shots have remained fairly stable, but there was a bit of a drop this year which is a little bit of a concern because he the PP time even had a nominal increase and 2 years ago he didn't play on the PP at all. I think his defensive stuff is a little overstated. He plays a lot with Stone, so hard to say what is what there but his penalties have been flat which I like. Tells me he's not getting cooked at least.

 

[Guttersniped]

Jake Allen ideally isn't worth a 2 either but that's what we're gonna pay for him if Markstrom gets hurt or his game goes to hell...the goalie market SUCKS. It is what it is.

If we make the playoffs, and Allen plays 40 games, then he is worth that.

Montreal retained 50% on him, that adds to the cost.

A big reason for that condition on our 3rd is to prevent us from flipping Allen for a profit.

If we retained 50% on him he would be under 1m and we very likely could get a 2nd for him.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the Devils had a top 3 prospect pool not even 2 years ago. Essentially all of those players graduated or were traded for legit players. They are arguably the most talented 25 and under team in the entire NHL.

Yeah, the prospect pool isn't what it was. Of course. You don't WANT to have a consistently top end prospect pool because it probably means those guys aren't becoming good enough NHL players.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

He's a really tough call. I do get it, but I do think that Stephenson has a high risk of being a grenade of a deal. Projection is like 5 years, 5.5 - 5.75 million.

There are never a lot of truly great options in UFA. They often come with so much risk for the money and term. My main goal is usually to try and avoid the true bombs. Stephenson is kind of right on that line for me.

I do like that his shots have remained fairly stable, but there was a bit of a drop this year which is a little bit of a concern because he the PP time even had a nominal increase and 2 years ago he didn't play on the PP at all. I think his defensive stuff is a little overstated. He plays a lot with Stone, so hard to say what is what there but his penalties have been flat which I like. Tells me he's not getting cooked at least.

Stephenson will kinda depend on what they do at #10. If you draft a C/W guy like say Catton then there's no point in Stephenson. Go for Henrique in a return as a 3C, wait till Catton develops into that 3C or wing spot next to either Nico or Jack and you're cooking with grease. I think Jack will also move back to center next year. People are underrating the guy's injury this year to having a to sign a center in UFA

 

[NJDevs26]

the Devils had a top 3 prospect pool not even 2 years ago. Essentially all of those players graduated or were traded for legit players. They are arguably the most talented 25 and under team in the entire NHL.

Yeah, the prospect pool isn't what it was. Of course. You don't WANT to have a consistently top end prospect pool because it probably means those guys aren't becoming good enough NHL players.

Well more than that it means you're still getting ****ing high picks like this year. Pretty hard to have an elite prospect pool with just picks in the 20's and non firsts.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

the Devils had a top 3 prospect pool not even 2 years ago. Essentially all of those players graduated or were traded for legit players. They are arguably the most talented 25 and under team in the entire NHL.

Yeah, the prospect pool isn't what it was. Of course. You don't WANT to have a consistently top end prospect pool because it probably means those guys aren't becoming good enough NHL players.

Yeah, 100% this. You can't have both unless you make some insane Boston Celtics type trade (different sport obviously but similar thoughts) that you can compete and consistently pick top 3 due to other team's stupidity

 

[Guttersniped]

I feel like Fitz will be in on Trenin. Too much talk about him wanting to be less vanilla, wanting violence and edge, etc. Could also see him very much being in on Joshua.

Not sure what he does in the top 6. I think this a pretty interesting situation. I don't know if they are going big game hunting here.

I'm still interested in a guy like Sprong, I think and I wonder if Fitz would be interested in Mantha. I don't really have a ton of interest, though I understand the appeal.

Seems like Keefe wasn't a bertuzzi guy, so think we can rule him out.

Please not Mantha.

 

[beekay414]

the Devils had a top 3 prospect pool not even 2 years ago. Essentially all of those players graduated or were traded for legit players. They are arguably the most talented 25 and under team in the entire NHL.

Yeah, the prospect pool isn't what it was. Of course. You don't WANT to have a consistently top end prospect pool because it probably means those guys aren't becoming good enough NHL players.

I feel like context is just ignored here a lot or people are just blatantly disingenuous in their arguing for the sake of arguing or sticking to whatever schtick they have going. It kind of boggles my mind every time I come back here and read what I read. It makes engaging here hard tbh.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Stephenson will kinda depend on what they do at #10. If you draft a C/W guy like say Catton then there's no point in Stephenson. Go for Henrique in a return as a 3C, wait till Catton develops into that 3C or wing spot next to either Nico or Jack and you're cooking with grease. I think Jack will also move back to center next year. People are underrating the guy's injury this year to having a to sign a center in UFA

I wouldn’t factor that pick into that decision at all. Pick may not be playing for another 3 years and who knows how they turn out.

He's a really tough call. I do get it, but I do think that Stephenson has a high risk of being a grenade of a deal. Projection is like 5 years, 5.5 - 5.75 million.

There are never a lot of truly great options in UFA. They often come with so much risk for the money and term. My main goal is usually to try and avoid the true bombs. Stephenson is kind of right on that line for me.

I do like that his shots have remained fairly stable, but there was a bit of a drop this year which is a little bit of a concern because he the PP time even had a nominal increase and 2 years ago he didn't play on the PP at all. I think his defensive stuff is a little overstated. He plays a lot with Stone, so hard to say what is what there but his penalties have been flat which I like. Tells me he's not getting cooked at least.

I really like the speed he brings and he has some nice production. Think he could also possibly do the Haula role with Jack and take faceoffs or play center at times. Could be the kind of deal that sucks in the last couple years a bit but won’t be that big and it might be worth it.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Nico Hischier
Ty Smith (Became Marino)
Jack Hughes
Dawson Mercer, Alex Holtz, Shakir Mukhamadullin (Became Timo Meier)
Luke Hughes
Simon Nemec

I think we'll be ok to shop this years first Jim.

I agree if a deal worth chasing with some medium-term comes up and the 10th is involved - make it IMO

But I wouldnt want to shop it per say - this player could end up a great ELC for us when we actually need it

 

[Saugus]

Doesn’t matter that we didn’t have a first round pick last season. Lenni is first round value.

Mostly but he is actually panning out well so far.

 

[beekay414]

Doesn’t matter that we didn’t have a first round pick last season. Lenni is first round value.

Mostly but he is actually panning out well so far.

Or on the other end of the spectrum, what good is an extra 1st when you're taking Chase Stillman with that pick lol.

Just nail the picks you have. Obviously the earlier they are the easier it's supposed to be but there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I would love adding Yakov Trenin if we didn’t already have MacDermid and Foote.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

2 guys I’m very interested in are Brendan Dillon for our 3LD spot and Teddy Blueger for our 4C. I’d give them both 2 years at 2.5M and 1.5M respectively.

Dillon a big solid veteran D who would be nice alongside Nemec and for the PK. Blueger is supposedly solid defensively, good on the PK, and he brings some speed to our bottom 6 while not being too small.



In terms of our other forward options given we’ll need at least a couple more I’m unsure about aspects of a lot of them.

Some of the other names I’d consider. Stephenson, Debrusk, Wennberg, Trenin, Sprong.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm currently watching a 35, soon to be 36, year old goalie in the Stanley Cup finals.

I'm struggling to understand the mindset of prospect hoarding when NJ has a core that needs to be added to NOW, not five years from now.

Hell, if I'm Fitz and an NHL GM wants the 10th overall and they are offering up a veteran top 4 LD on draft day??? I'm making that deal.

I don’t want it off the table, but I think it’s gotta be for better than a top-4 defenseman.

Siegenthaler is a top-4 defenseman (assuming this year wasn’t the norm), Marino is a top-4 defenseman. I’d be pretty annoyed if we traded the 10th overall for a defenseman like those guys.

Top-2 defenseman? Yeah, I’d definitely trade it for that.

 

[Bleedred]

I would love adding Yakov Trenin if we didn’t already have MacDermid and Foote.

Trenin is better than both of those guys though. MacDermid sucks and Foote is just too much of an unknown right now. I’ve always liked him when he was called up though. He could very well wind up being better than Trenin.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Well considering this league is dumb and is gonna be have a shitshow of a week next week, just some thoughts on what I want the Devils to do:

1) Use #10 on MBN or a C/W prospect to alleviate the issues with Jack/Nico injuries/safe guard themselves in future years
2) LD trade or sign a guy like Zadorov granted it's not something stupid (it will be something dumb since it's UFA lmao). Also wouldn't opposed to a Siegs trade elsewhere to free up the cap for a dman + sign Zadorov and then get another depth LD. Nic Hague trade would also be cool
3) top 6 wing but I wouldn't mind a placeholder guy like a Sprong with Jack and then hope someone shakes free at the TDL that we can get before a run
4) Foegele/Henrique are at the top of my wishlist in UFA, would love to leave UFA with at least 1 of them

 

[Xirik]

Saskatoon boy.

Premium asset.

I hope that's a compliment as I was born there.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Trenin is better than both of those guys though. MacDermid sucks and Foote is just too much of an unknown right now. I’ve always liked him when he was called up though. He could very well wind up being better than Trenin.

I fully agree but those two guys are fully gonna be unfortunately pencilled into the roster and I don’t really want another big slow guy. Bastian too.


Also don’t think Foote will be better than Trenin but who knows.

 

[Bleedred]

Well considering this league is dumb and is gonna be have a shitshow of a week next week, just some thoughts on what I want the Devils to do:

1) Use #10 on MBN or a C/W prospect to alleviate the issues with Jack/Nico injuries/safe guard themselves in future years
2) LD trade or sign a guy like Zadorov granted it's not something stupid (it will be something dumb since it's UFA lmao). Also wouldn't opposed to a Siegs trade elsewhere to free up the cap for a dman + sign Zadorov and then get another depth LD. Nic Hague trade would also be cool
3) top 6 wing but I wouldn't mind a placeholder guy like a Sprong with Jack and then hope someone shakes free at the TDL that we can get before a run
4) Foegele/Henrique are at the top of my wishlist in UFA, would love to leave UFA with at least 1 of them

Who is MBN? I’m probably gonna feel pretty stupid for not getting that when you say who it is.