Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - playoff edition

[NJDfan86]

Just wait for Quinn Hughes to become a UFA and sign him without having to give up assets. It’s as simple as that for me.

I’d like to have 2 more shots at the Stanley Cup if it were up to me.

 

[jkrdevil]

There is a strong chance Casey is nuevo Will Butcher.

 

[Killing Joke]

Tom shouldn’t wait on this. This off season we should try for him. Dougie, Silayev, Nemec, Casey, Mercer, a pick. Whatever, get him here.

A lot of shit can happen in two years waiting on him to become a free agent that could screw this up.

Quinn here helps a lot of weakness specifically puck moving and offense from the back end. He can generate without help he’s insane and right now actually better than Makar and has been for the last two years. He’s the best dman in the league and is a Hart candidate dman.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Tom shouldn’t wait on this. This off season we should try for him. Dougie, Silayev, Nemec, a pick. Get him here.

A lot of shit can happen in two years waiting on him to become a free agent that could screw this up.

That is what Fitz would do. Why the f*** should this team give any significant assets after a publicly made comment like that?

 

[NJDevs26]

Calling for a goalie change after a game we scored one goal and should have given up like six is certainly a choice

 

[Killing Joke]

That is what Fitz would do. Why the f*** should this team give any significant assets after a publicly made comment like that?

Because he’s literally better than all of the above and helps this team more than they do? They aren’t significant assests lol. Silayev is a prospect and has no room here with Quinn and Luke. Dougies money needs to be moved and Quinn is better. Nemec and Casey are meh. Mercer is meh. But they can hold some value.
Quinn helps this team become a cup contender.

This isn’t an overpayment in quality. Dougie and Silayev have the value here and the rest is quantity to add more for the eyes to make them feel like they’re full.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Jake Allen - 29 playoff games, Save Percentage (SV%): .924
Jacob Markström - 26 playoff games, Save Percentage (SV%): .911

Allen has played more and with better %. I've seen the same mistake tens of years, when teams stay with the losing goalie and never even trying the alternative.

Markström played well, it wasn't his fault, but loss is a loss. I just feel like it's wrong to go 0-4 without ever giving your other goalie a chance.

okay, 3 more playoff games. What about regular season games.....?

 

[thebeernerd]

Because he’s literally better than all of the above and helps this team more than they do? They aren’t significant assests lol. Silayev is a prospect and has no room here with Quinn and Luke. Dougies money needs to be moved and Quinn is better. Nemec and Casey are meh. Mercer is meh. But they can hold some value.
Quinn helps this team become a cup contender.

This isn’t an overpayment in quality. Dougie and Silayev have the value here and the rest is quantity to add more for the eyes to make them feel like they’re full.

Rutherford pissed away any leverage he might have had away with this comment. Should a trade go down, he will get whatever Fitz offers him and no more.

 

[Guadana]

Truly can't believe this was spoken. Canuck fans have to be in shambles

We dont need Luke, Quinn and Casey in the same roster. We need to develop Casey as much as we can, sign him on the bridge and deal him in the best deal. May be use him as a big part of Larkin deal if Detroit is interesting(im not so sure, Yzerman loves big mobile two way guys).

Or just trade Casey for Quinn now when the iron is hot.

 

[tailfins]

They need to cut bait with Palat way before Meier and anyone else. Starting the year with him not on this team should be the top priority.

We’re also paying too much for Dillon for the next two years and what he brings.

These are much bigger problems than Meier right now.

Also could afford to be out on the last year of Haula’s deal, but Palat is a much bigger deal and higher paid/one extra year of term.

Not only is Timo not the root of the issue (not even close to it), but he has shown he is plenty capable of dictating play while he is on the ice. And in addition to what has already been mentioned, he has a full NMC so the likelihood of this ever occurring is about as close to zero as you can imagine.

I'm not against cutting bait with Palat. But, I think ice time allocation is more important than salary allocation at the moment.

If you just look at ice time and results, where can the Devils improve?

Palat is way overpaid. Happy to dump him. But, Palat averaged 13:45 per game. Upgrading his spot in the lineup doesn't make that much impact.

Dillon is probably overpaid. But, he's also our #1 PK guy, and our PK was #2 in the league. Maybe you can pay less for what he brings, but it's hard to get more from that spot.

Meanwhile, Meier is nearly 18 min per night, but can't crack PP1, doesn't PK, and can't drive his own line. Timo was at his best putting up more than 300 shots per year in San Jose. That's just not happening in NJ.

Ideally, Timo's spot is filled either by someone who compliments what the Devils already have (e.g. Noesen but faster) or who drives their own line. Either of these should improve the offense. It's hard to keep Meier and bring in another top 6 wing. We saw this in 2023 - leading to Sharangoviich being scratched. We saw this in 2024 - leading to Toffoli being traded and not replaced (yes I know Fitz tried in UFA).

The other alternative is to keep Meier and upgrade 3C. But, then you're really hoping that the Devils a) improve their defense (when they're already third in the league) and/or b) have Nico take another step offensively. And/or c) that the 3C unlocks Meier - but then what's that say about Timo?

Meier has a full NMC. Like pretty much everyone dipshit Fitz hands a contract to.

Regardless, after the cap jumps this offseason, he's only slightly overpaid. He isn't in the top 5 of issues with this org. And even if you think he is....he isn't moveable for anything valuable since he'd be able to fully dictate trade.

Re: Meier and his NMC - that's right, it makes it much more difficult to move him. It's not impossible, but he'd have to clear it and that's a bigger challenge. You'd have to find something that's a win-win for both NHL clubs, and then also a win for the player.

Agree - which is why I also suggested trading Meier for futures and freeing up the roster and cap space. I understand it's still a tight needle to thread.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

suggesting Meier can't drive his own line is foolish. Did you even watch him the 2nd half of the season, or?

 

[NJDfan86]

Kudos to the JR for giving us Devils fans something to wash the taste of game after one.

 

[thebeernerd]

Kudos to the JR for giving us Devils fans something to wash the taste of game after one.

I joked about welcoming back Jim Benning, but this is an even dumber quote that breaks anti-tampering rules. I'd argue Benning was the dumbest NHL GM in recent memory, so that's not an easy feat.

 

[CalamityX23]

2027-28 Devils D:

Siegs - Q Hughes
L Hughes - Pesce
Silayev - Casey
Kovacevic

Move on from Dougie, Nemec, Dillon

That could be a crazy elite D core. Size, speed, offensive ability...

Yet our defense may be further away from an actual defense lol

 

[Devils731]

I feel like I’m taking crazy pills when so much talk is about next season.

Anyway, crappy game 1. This series is a lot about a battle of the tempos and the Devils did little to slow the game down.

I think the Devils need to risk exposing the slot to let the defenders be closer to the points and the boards. Carolina is too comfortable just moving the puck around the outside and firing away whenever they have a lane. I don’t think the Devils have the team speed to make this effective but conceding the point doesn’t look effective either.

Offensively, if the Devils could get the puck moving out of the zone quicker it would be great but I don’t think they can. Therefore they need to actually move even slower to help slow the game down. Too often last game the Devils had 1 guy skating alone out of the zone, who chips the puck in hard, and then can’t get to the puck on the forecheck before the puck was moving the other way. The forwards have to be closer to each other for the forechecking to be more effective and if they can’t do it at speed then they need to regroup and get in sync again.

Neither of these are “new” issues though so I’m not sure the coaches agree with my thoughts on solutions but we will see what adjustments are made in game 2. If I see the Devils either trying to slow the game down even more and do it or try to stretch Carolina out to get behind them, I’ll have some hope the Devils are trying to make effective changes.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

this notion that this core "can't fight through adversity" is kind of funny considering what they did 2 years ago in the playoffs vs the Rangers. Its like people just choose to ignore that series and how it transpired.

While I get that, that can't be this core's peak and every argument towards it. I'd argue them making the playoffs with the disaster they had this year with injuries and tragic play is a better sign since the depth is the reason why they only had 1 good month of hockey this year.

 

[Comparison Ford]

this Quinn to NJ thing is insane.

I think it would take Bratt tbh. Bratt + Nemec for Quinn as a start.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Tom shouldn’t wait on this. This off season we should try for him. Dougie, Silayev, Nemec, Casey, Mercer, a pick. Whatever, get him here.

A lot of shit can happen in two years waiting on him to become a free agent that could screw this up.

Quinn here helps a lot of weakness specifically puck moving and offense from the back end. He can generate without help he’s insane and right now actually better than Makar and has been for the last two years. He’s the best dman in the league and is a Hart candidate dman.

Usually I disagree with 99% of your posts but this is correct, you could use Nemec before his value plummets to hell as well.

 

[Devils731]

this Quinn to NJ thing is insane.

I think it would take Bratt tbh. Bratt + Nemec for Quinn as a start.

It’s not a normal trade if everyone think Quinn to the Devils is a foregone conclusion.

If that’s what the league thinks then you only need to offer enough to make Vancouver happy enough to move on from Quinn one year early rather than lose him next offseason.

So the amount Vancouver should expect would be significantly reduced.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

this Quinn to NJ thing is insane.

I think it would take Bratt tbh. Bratt + Nemec for Quinn as a start.

Lol Canucks have no leverage after what GMJR said today, no shot they get Bratt. If that's even floated then Fitz is a moron

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

this Quinn to NJ thing is insane.

I think it would take Bratt tbh. Bratt + Nemec for Quinn as a start.

No chance. We’d be idiots to do that rather than just wait for free agency. Forward group would be unimaginable levels of ass without Bratt.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

this Quinn to NJ thing is insane.

I think it would take Bratt tbh. Bratt + Nemec for Quinn as a start.

You give Rutherford too much credit. He's a fool when it comes to package values.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

While I get that, that can't be this core's peak and every argument towards it. I'd argue them making the playoffs with the disaster they had this year with injuries and tragic play is a better sign since the depth is the reason why they only had 1 good month of hockey this year.

Of course not. But to suggest they cant do it or haven't done it just isn't true.

 

[Guadana]

Go crazy. Lets offer Dougie, Mercer, Nemec, Casey and Hameenaho for Petterson and Quinn and call it a day. (its just a joke about something unreal).

 

[BostonDevil]

It’s not a normal trade if everyone think Quinn to the Devils is a foregone conclusion.

If that’s what the league thinks then you only need to offer enough to make Vancouver happy enough to move on from Quinn one year early rather than lose him next offseason.

So the amount Vancouver should expect would be significantly reduced.

Exactly - Quinn dictates where he goes.

Haula and Dillon. Done.