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

[MadDevil]

Palat is frustrating because a younger version of him would be a perfect fit for this team. Watching this broken down version of him is just sad.

Although I'm honestly more frustrated that Bratt again had a career year of production, and Nico scored a career high in goals...all for another early playoff exit. I guess we know how Leafs felt the last 5 years.

 

[My3Sons]

I can stomach Haula for another year at his number. Palat must go though. It’s time to spend time with the family, it’s over.

Haula is ok when he’s healthy which he wasn’t for most of this season.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Wait, we are allowed to not be ok with Palat anymore? What about the one goal he assisted on a couple years ago? Does nobody remember the assist?

 

[Emperoreddy]

Palat is frustrating because a younger version of him would be a perfect fit for this team. Watching this broken down version of him is just sad.

Although I'm honestly more frustrated that Bratt again had a career year of production, and Nico scored a career high in goals...all for another early playoff exit. I guess we know how Leafs felt the last 5 years.

If Haula and Palat still had anything in the tank, this is probably a different situation.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[RSeen]

fck it, trade Meier for Quinn. 1 for 1

Meier is negative value given his contract. Quinn is a top 2 Dman in the league - arguably #1.

 

[Edmonton East]

Saw some folks wanting Sam Bennett this offseason earlier. Nice to dream, but that ain't happening. He hasn't gotten a big pay day yet. If he doesn't take a Panthers discount at like 6 years X $6, he's getting 7 X $8+ minimum elsewhere. Who knows. With this cap jump and the center shortage, it could get real crazy.

Maybe Panthers do 8 X $6 even. Factoring in team competitiveness, weather, and taxes, Bennett would probably stay....unless Bennett & Co think the C market is gonna make him closer to $10 w/ term.

 

[Dialamo]

Just talking out of my ass here but I would love Sam Bennett as a move in the summer as a UFA.

With our luck, watch us sign him only to turn into Palat.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Meier is negative value given his contract. Quinn is a top 2 Dman in the league - arguably #1.

That's the point....Have you missed the news or something lol

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

With our luck, watch us sign him only to turn into Palat.

They have similarities. Meh reg season production (although I think Bennett has more) and good playoff production. Idk about giving what he will prob ask for though. Just too risky

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Saw some folks wanting Sam Bennett this offseason earlier. Nice to dream, but that ain't happening. He hasn't gotten a big pay day yet. If he doesn't take a Panthers discount at like 6 years X $6, he's getting 7 X $8+ minimum elsewhere. Who knows. With this cap jump and the center shortage, it could get real crazy.

Maybe Panthers do 8 X $6 even. Factoring in team competitiveness, weather, and taxes, Bennett would probably stay....unless Bennett & Co think the C market is gonna make him closer to $10 w/ term.

Palat, Hamliton, Haula should arguably all be off the roster in some way if the team is serious for next year. That's about 18-19M off the books which you can use on Bennett. Gritsyuk will come over and he'd be an ELC and then you let Nemec sink or swim full time or Casey steals his job in camp. Or one of them gets traded in the Quinn trade if the Devils would pull the trigger this summer and VAN rips the bandage off. There's A LOT of ways to improve this roster. The easiest one is what I just outlined.

Boeser or Palmieri seem like the other 2 options via UFA, Boeser scares me cause of the foot speed issue but he'd be the actual finisher we need in the top 6 to tie a bow on it and Palmieri scares me due to age a f*** ton and his streakiness we saw in NJ when he was here but we'll see.

 

[theoptimist]

I’m not interested in Kyle Palmieri or Taylor Hall or Will Butcher

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I simply do not care about the salary cap when it comes to good players

acquire and pay good players. Figure it out.

 

[MartyOwns]

Wait, we are allowed to not be ok with Palat anymore? What about the one goal he assisted on a couple years ago? Does nobody remember the assist?

Palat'sAssist. new username just dropped

 

[devilsblood]

I simply do not care about the salary cap when it comes to good players

acquire and pay good players. Figure it out.

Palat was a good player coming off an excellent playoffs when we signed him.

Hamilton was one of the top d-men in the league when we signed him.

Pesce is a good player.

We are not there yet, but I can foresee a time when the consensus on Timo is "that contract has to go"

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Palat was a good player coming off an excellent playoffs when we signed him.

Hamilton was one of the top d-men in the league when we signed him.

Pesce is a good player.

We are not there yet, but I can foresee a time when the consensus on Timo is "that contract has to go"

sure and when its time for any of those players (Palat first and foremost), you make it go away. Pay a pick or buy him out and move on. Other teams figure it out, Fitz can also.

I saw people worrying about "how could we pay Quinn Hughes!?!"....brother you attach a pick to Hamilton to make him go away if it comes to that. Easy peasy. Figure it out.

 

[devsfan8]

The salary cap is so easy to maneuver around these days. Any average GM can figure it out.

As far as next season (not to jump too far ahead but for me this doesn't change whether we are swept or come back and won in 6) the team has 12 signed forwards. There is absolutely no need for a shake up.



Tatar, Lazar, Bastian, Dowling and possibly Allen all let go via free agency.

Then this is your starting point before a single move.


Bratt-Hughes-Gritsyuk
Palat-Hischier-Meier
Haula-Glass-Mercer
Cotter-______-Noesen
MacDermid

Hughes-Pesce
Siegs-Kovacevic
Dullom-Hamilton
Dumolin

Markstrom
Daws

Luke will get a big contract. Nemec and Casey will be traded for forward help which will change up above. I do not see a huge splash in free agency as a necessity. I see trades more likely. Haula being waived is a possibility but I think they ride it out with him on his final contract year.

This assumes throwing Gritsyuk at the wolves will pan out for us.

I bring back Dumolin and have 7 defenseman.

I know I'm in the minority but with 5 signed and 6 soon to be signed Dmen through 2028, I think Both Casey and Nemec could be traded and we make Silayev our top prospect.

 

[JrFischer54]

Wait, we are allowed to not be ok with Palat anymore? What about the one goal he assisted on a couple years ago? Does nobody remember the assist?

that was one of the greatest assists in recent devils playoff history so i'll always remember it fondly and thank him for it what a play man. thats the type of player he was supposed to be here

 

[devilsblood]

I love Nico, but I haven't loved his 2 games thus far. I think, like many, that he has looked gassed at times. Even in game 1 there were times where it looked like he was dragging ass out there. We had a light schedule down the stretch and he was given a game off late in the reg season. But he's gassed in game 1 of the playoffs, wtf?!

But I am big on the "usage effect" so I took a look at his usage thus far.

He does lead the playoffs thus far in faceoffs taken, and with many of them vs a big guy like Staal that is taxing.

2nd in the league with 6:25 PK toi. Definitely taxing.

22nd in overall toi. This is about what I would expect from a top 2 way center.

His five 5v5 d-zone starts and 10 d-zone faceoffs are not especially high. But compared to Nate MacKinnon who has 12 O-zone starts, or Eichel's 11, Nico has just 4, so Nico is not getting the "easy" minutes the way some top guys are. Conversely Auston Matthews has just three o-zone starts and 8 d-zone starts. So Nico looks to be in the middle on this front in terms of this particular usage by teams top centers.


23 minutes 5v5, which is not a big deal, 80 something amongst fwd's, but again, 17 of those minutes are against Staal, who is a big guy and a possession beast, 16 of those minutes vs Slavin, another big guy, and another possession beast. And of Nico 5 d-zone starts, 4 have come against those two guys. And yet Nico has held his own possession wise (though less so in terms of shots where he is below water and is a -1 in terms of goals)

So I can't deny that Nico is playing tough minutes. And this is to be expected as he always is. Still, and I've thought this throughout the season. Nico needs better body language. He is the captain. He is the leader of this team. He needs to break away from the "hockey is painful" look that has become his trademark. I think it influences the team, and I think it has even influenced his game thus far.

Anyways I don't mean to come down on Nico, but with this series still within reach, I see this as a prime opportunity to change, to some extent, this aspect of his persona. Playoff hockey is different and I think this is where guys really learn to win in this league. And I think this is an area where Nico needs to adjust. Do I really expect it to change on dime? No not really, but I would like to see Nico enjoy the game more, I just don't see it as healthy for the game to be so grueling.

 

[devilsblood]

sure and when its time for any of those players (Palat first and foremost), you make it go away. Pay a pick or buy him out and move on. Other teams figure it out, Fitz can also.

I saw people worrying about "how could we pay Quinn Hughes!?!"....brother you attach a pick to Hamilton to make him go away if it comes to that. Easy peasy. Figure it out.

Giving up draft picks or buying guys out (which clogs up the cap for additional years) are things I'd rather not do.

But yeah, I think Quinn will be a Devil. I bet Quinn wants it to happen, and thus it will happen. Silayev+ after next season looks like a pretty reasonable trade. Hopefully we don't have to make too many other asset draining trades prior to clear up cap space.

 

[Homedresser]

I don’t know if I would go as far to say that we aren’t even close, but I absolutely feel like we are farther than the consensus here feels.

close to what is the question? Fringe playoff team or cup threat? They are no where near a legit cup threat.

 

[Devs3cups]

If you asked me in December if we would be the worst team in the playoffs I would’ve laughed. Yet here we are.

Fix the depth and we’d be a good team imo.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

If you asked me in December if we would be the worst team in the playoffs I would’ve laughed. Yet here we are.

Fix the depth and we’d be a good team imo.

I would’ve totally believed we’d be the worst team in the playoffs if you removed Jack Hughes and half the defense. Is there a team that wouldn’t be true for? I genuinely don’t think I see one in the playoffs that would look at all dangerous in a similar circumstance.

 

[Devs3cups]

I would’ve totally believed we’d be the worst team in the playoffs if you removed Jack Hughes and half the defense. Is there a team that wouldn’t be true for? I genuinely don’t think I see one in the playoffs that would look at all dangerous in a similar circumstance.

That goes into it though, everything was going smoothly in December, then it all came crumbling down, injuries included.

And yes, it’s absolutely fair to mention injuries, but it’s also fair to say that this team wad playing BAD hockey fully healthy since the Holiday break. I think depth is a (the) massive issue, the injuries just accentuate the problem.

 

[MB3]

go give marner a stupid contract. who cares if it makes our puppysh!t core poopy pants that he’s making more than they are. I have zero faith in fitz being able to trade for forwards, even less faith in this org being able to draft forwards. Go overpay him by $3m per year and figure it out.