Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part III

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
Its a tough situation. Kovacevic has been too good to let go. Dougie has a 10 team trade list starting next year - moving him with 3 years left could also be challenging. Pesce is going nowhere.

I suspect its either Nemec or Kovacevic.
 
coming out of the lockout the 06, 07 and 08 seasons sucked to watch. played each team in division 8 times. it got old fast.
Yeah I agree at the time it did stink but I think it was just the wrong time to do. Game is totally different now faster more skilled and the playoffs not being divisional heavy at that time hurt it. If they are bent on keeping the schedule how it is then they should really reevaluate the spacing of the matchups at minimum. Hard for teams to make up ground on teams ahead of them if they are finished playing them.
 
Nemec is either going to have to become a regular next season or be traded while his value is still high. Something has to give. The rubber has to meet the road. He would be playing for most NHL teams but our defense is suddenly quite deep. Nobody could have seen Kovacevic emerge to play at such an elite level. If we are able to resign Kovacevic (and I hope we do at a reasonable price), there is simply no room for Nemec. I don’t see much of a choice but to part with Dougie. From a sheer monetary standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to keep him with Nemec waiting in the wings. Luke needs a new contract and Kovacevic will get a significant raise if we are able to retain him. I don’t think Dougie is completely cooked but how do we justify absorbing that 9 mil cap hit considering the set of circumstances? We can’t. The cap is going up but we may need to clear as much space as possible if there are some UFAs we want to sign or if a trade is made in the summer.

With the delta being 3 mil, it makes more sense to buyout Dougie than Palat. I’m not a fan of Palat but his play the last 15-20 games gives me a glimmer of hope (one that I had lost) that he at worst can be semi-useful in a bottom six role. I’m not crapping on Hamilton here. It’s just a matter of dollars and (common) sense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: My3Sons
With what cap space would we acquire Pettersson? Sounds like somebody is chumming the water.
Well it’s the team’s chance to right the wrong of drafting Hischier. They send him and Mercer to Vancouver for Pettersson. I mean what team wouldn’t want a prima Donna making that much to pout when things do t go his way?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guadana
Nemec is either going to have to become a regular next season or be traded while his value is still high. Something has to give. The rubber has to meet the road. He would be playing for most NHL teams but our defense is suddenly quite deep. Nobody could have seen Kovacevic emerge to play at such an elite level. If we are able to resign Kovacevic (and I hope we do at a reasonable price), there is simply no room for Nemec. I don’t see much of a choice but to part with Dougie. From a sheer monetary standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to keep him with Nemec waiting in the wings. Luke needs a new contract and Kovacevic will get a significant raise if we are able to retain him. I don’t think Dougie is completely cooked but how do we justify absorbing that 9 mil cap hit considering the set of circumstances? We can’t. The cap is going up but we may need to clear as much space as possible if there are some UFAs we want to sign or if a trade is made in the summer.

With the delta being 3 mil, it makes more sense to buyout Dougie than Palat. I’m not a fan of Palat but his play the last 15-20 games gives me a glimmer of hope (one that I had lost) that he at worst can be semi-useful in a bottom six role. I’m not crapping on Hamilton here. It’s just a matter of dollars and (common) sense.
"Buyout dougie"

is legitimately insane

It would save us:

200k next year (lol)
200k in 26-27 (lol)
4.5 mill in 27-28
and then cost us 800k for the 3 years after it
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guttersniped
And another

2 + 3

So hot.

6F8E303B-20A4-4BCA-9852-738E1B7EE9FF.jpeg
 
Its a tough situation. Kovacevic has been too good to let go. Dougie has a 10 team trade list starting next year - moving him with 3 years left could also be challenging. Pesce is going nowhere.

I suspect its either Nemec or Kovacevic.
I still think kovacevic being gone is the most likely situation, but I'm not completely convinced that Dougie is untradeable. I think they likely are just taking a mediocre player with a high multi year contract back.
 
Nemec is either going to have to become a regular next season or be traded while his value is still high. Something has to give. The rubber has to meet the road. He would be playing for most NHL teams but our defense is suddenly quite deep. Nobody could have seen Kovacevic emerge to play at such an elite level. If we are able to resign Kovacevic (and I hope we do at a reasonable price), there is simply no room for Nemec. I don’t see much of a choice but to part with Dougie. From a sheer monetary standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to keep him with Nemec waiting in the wings. Luke needs a new contract and Kovacevic will get a significant raise if we are able to retain him. I don’t think Dougie is completely cooked but how do we justify absorbing that 9 mil cap hit considering the set of circumstances? We can’t. The cap is going up but we may need to clear as much space as possible if there are some UFAs we want to sign or if a trade is made in the summer.

With the delta being 3 mil, it makes more sense to buyout Dougie than Palat. I’m not a fan of Palat but his play the last 15-20 games gives me a glimmer of hope (one that I had lost) that he at worst can be semi-useful in a bottom six role. I’m not crapping on Hamilton here. It’s just a matter of dollars and (common) sense.

Uh, there’s a buyout button on Puckpedia.

This is what Dougie’s buyout would be this off-season. It’s not feasible unless you’re ok with 8.8m dead cap space.

IMG_2383.jpeg

Big signing bonuses make a contract buyout proof, Hamilton’s can’t be bought out until his last season.

And even then it’s pretty meh, but we actually save some cap space at that point because he doesn’t have a signing bonus in his last year.
IMG_2385.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guadana
Pretty reasonable thing for Nemec to say. Isn’t asking for a trade yet but recognizes that he may have to at some point if he can’t clear the Devils RD logjam. We can’t reasonable expect a 2nd overall pick producing at this pace in the AHL to be content there until he’s 22 or 23.
 
No clue how you deal with this RD dilemma. Hamilton getting traded doesn’t seem very feasible even though it’s probably the most attractive option, And you don’t want to lose Kovacevic or Nemec but most likely are going to have to. I’ve bounced back and forth on this but trading Nemec is something we could really regret long-term.

Either way I think it has to be clearly resolved this offseason at the latest.
 
Pretty reasonable thing for Nemec to say. Isn’t asking for a trade yet but recognizes that he may have to at some point if he can’t clear the Devils RD logjam. We can’t reasonable expect a 2nd overall pick producing at this pace in the AHL to be content there until he’s 22 or 23.
Yeah, as long as he's not expecting the NHL gig this year and is okay with it coming next season, I think this is a non story. Something will give on the rhd front
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guttersniped
I think it depends on how legit they feel Kovacevic is. He'll be 28 at the start of next season, so is this the Kovacevic we can expect for the next 3-4 years (or longer)? And is that more valuable than a 21 year old #2 overall pick? I don't think moving Dougie is all that realistic this summer, and they just signed Pesce, so he's not going anywhere. There isn't an opening on the left side even if you wanted to move one of the RD over, unless they dump Dillon, which seems pretty unlikely.
 
I think it depends on how legit they feel Kovacevic is. He'll be 28 at the start of next season, so is this the Kovacevic we can expect for the next 3-4 years (or longer)? And is that more valuable than a 21 year old #2 overall pick? I don't think moving Dougie is all that realistic this summer, and they just signed Pesce, so he's not going anywhere. There isn't an opening on the left side even if you wanted to move one of the RD over, unless they dump Dillon, which seems pretty unlikely.
If you’re thinking about long-term and valuewise Nemec makes more sense to keep. He also can fetch much more as a trade piece.

But a GM in Fitzgerald’s position can’t afford to think too long-term at the cost of right now if he thinks Kovacevic is a crucial part of this teams immediate future and winning right now.
 
Yeah, as long as he's not expecting the NHL gig this year and is okay with it coming next season, I think this is a non story. Something will give on the rhd front
Well I think he was expecting the NHL gig and everyone and there mothers was expecting him to have it this season.

But in terms of the requesting a trade he clearly isn’t talking about this season as we’re already halfway through the season coming up on the deadline. That quote doesn’t sound like something that’s gonna change in the next few weeks. It will become a problem very quickly if it’s not dealt with and a full time NHL spot doesn’t happen for him at the start of next season. Which is very possible if we resign Kovacevic.

Very much like Nemec’s attitude with this compared to Jiricek who was displeased about not having a full time spot in his 2nd season post draft.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Forge
Nonono.
Let's trade 2nd overall defenseman for 3rd line center. We should believe that our panic was reasonable after post injury cold start of the young player who was good enough to play 17-19min in NHL as 19yo player. Even if reasonable price is late 1st, we need to cash on Nemec until he is cooked. His hot streak will end.

This drama on hfboards was really bad. I just hope that Fitz is smart and give a f and have a patient. He should understand how important to have so young and so talented player is for cup contender with so young Jack and Luke.
 
Nonono.
Let's trade 2nd overall defenseman for 3rd line center. We should believe that our panic was reasonable after post injury cold start of the young player who was good enough to play 17-19min in NHL as 19yo player. Even if reasonable price is late 1st, we need to cash on Nemec until he is cooked. His hot streak will end.

This drama on hfboards was really bad. I just hope that Fitz is smart and give a f and have a patient. He should understand how important to have so young and so talented player is for cup contender with so young Jack and Luke.
It’s not Fitz’s patience that is the problem here. It’s Nemec’s if we decide to keep Kovacevic.

Obviously still a long ways away but I really think some dumb GM overpays for Kovy in UFA
I don’t know about this because purely defensive defensmen tend to be underpaid and he doesn’t have a huge track record.
 
It’s not Fitz’s patience that is the problem here. It’s Nemec’s if we decide to keep Kovacevic.
Problem? Nemec's patience is NOT the problem if we will decide to keep him away from the roster with Kovacevic or not with his first season after the draft, with his second season after the draft and now with his third season after the draft. Fitz should manage it and if he will not and Nemec will ask the trade after being off the roster next season - its a Fitz's managing problem, its not a problem of Nemec's patience. His patience is great to not asking for a trade now.
 
Problem? Nemec's patience is NOT the problem if we will decide to keep him away from the roster with Kovacevic or not with his first season after the draft, with his second season after the draft and now with his third season after the draft. Fitz should manage it and if he will not and Nemec will ask the trade after being off the roster next season - its a Fitz's managing problem, its not a problem of Nemec's patience. His patience is great to not asking for a trade now.
As he himself said it’s too early for him to ask for a trade. I don’t even disagree with you and saying Nemec isn’t being patient enough but where in this is fitz’s patience an issue? I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about there. And do you think the Devils should let Kovacevic go then?

At the end of the day if Nemec asks for a trade it will be because fitz didn’t find room for him in the lineup and Nemec ran out o
 
As he himself said it’s too early for him to ask for a trade. I don’t even disagree with you and saying Nemec isn’t being patient enough but where in this is fitz’s patience an issue? I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about there. And do you think the Devils should let Kovacevic go then?

At the end of the day if Nemec asks for a trade it will be because fitz didn’t find room for him in the lineup and Nemec ran out o
I didn't say that Fitz has no patience, I said I hope he has it.
And of course I hope he will keep Kovacevic for reasonable price. I would prefer to keep both(over Hamilton). But saving Nemec is higher on my list of priorities than keeping Kovacevic. So its a managing problem for Fitz, but its his job. If he will make a trade ala Jiricek or for some 3rd line center - its a fail.
 
I didn't say that Fitz has no patience, I said I hope he has it.
And of course I hope he will keep Kovacevic for reasonable price. I would prefer to keep both(over Hamilton). But saving Nemec is higher on my list of priorities than keeping Kovacevic. So its a managing problem for Fitz, but its his job. If he will make a trade ala Jiricek or for some 3rd line center - its a fail.
I’m unsure of what Fitz’s patience has to do with this at all. Fitz being patient has no bearing on this or if anything could be bad if he’s too patient.

Getting rid of Hamilton isn’t very realistic. It’s most likely going to be Nemec or Kovacevic gone.
 

Ad

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad