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

[Richer's Ghost]

Canes are SO cooked now

We go from 2 1/2 lines of 4th liners to 4 full lines now.

The camp roster joke WAS A JOKE, not a request.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Folks like to cite their bad play with a healthy core in Jan Feb but that roster absolutely had the ability to right the ship and stabilize things. That fully healthy team definitely had at least another 3-5 wins in them which the current version could not get, even if they didn’t right the ship. I think folks here would be less paranoid if this team ended up around 100 pts and had a healthy core vs Canes. Good example is the Wild. Its a flawed team which went through the exact same trend as us this season. They lost two critical players and were even worse than us during that time. But they got healthy and are now at least in their series in round one. Wish that happened to us but it is what it is.

And no. This doesn’t excuse Fitz. The blame is all on him as to why he left this team with poor complimentary players and no depth. The onus is on him to find a winger for Jack and 3 better bottom 9 pieces that can move up and down the lineup for next season. The Palats, Lazars and Dowlings must be gone.

??? Hughes Bratt
??? Hischier Meier
??? Mercer Noesen
Cotter Haula ???

See no reason not to keep Glass. Grits is another question mark filled in. So two players, one a sure fire top 6 guy, then a middle 6 guy, ideally a center, and you convert Haula and Mercer to permanent wingers.

Maybe keep Sprong around as a 13th forward.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

This team currently is like a worse version of the pre-cup Panthers. We need our own Zito who can build proper depth and re-tool the culture with a Tkatchuk-like trade.

Easy.

Hamilton, Nemec, Palat, 2026 1st rounder to Vancouver for Quinn Hughes.

Mercer, Casey, Hameenaho, 2027 1st rounder to Ottawa for Brady Tkachuk.

 

[imMagnum]

I need to vent about Fitz. I've always loved how he addressed the media, but his talent evaluation and roster building skills have to be scrutinized heavily.

Summer of 2021, I and others were banging on the table here to draft Stankoven (or Morrow). Literally just had to watch any Kamloops game and you could see how much of a game breaker he was. Instead with all of Fitz's resources, he galaxy brained a Chase Stillman pick. But OK, whatever it's one 1st round draft pick and clearly he sees something we don't.

The next summer, we have the #2. We blew the Holtz pick two years earlier and this is our redemption pick. I watch every single Nemec WJC game and shared shift-by-shift analysis here. I watched multiple Nitra games and even more highlights. It truly blows my mind that an NHL front office analyzed Nemec and thought he was worth a top #5 pick. The dude had a 25+ second shift where he literally just stood like a statue in front of his net against Canada, Fitz was at that damn game, and still took him #2. Fitz then talked about Nemec's impact on offense. What in the world he saw I still have no idea. Nemec almost always launched an immediate wrister when the puck came on his stick as a junior. But OK, I'm just a random internet poster and Fitz surely has to see something with his numerous resources to justify Nemec at #2.

Now it's years later. Stillman isn't an NHLer while Stankoven is a fantastic player, torching us in the playoffs. Nemec still gives very little effort in the defensive end and can't stay in the lineup. Recently, my wife tells me Nemec scores. I'm like, "I bet it was a wrister from the point". And of course it was, because that's been Nemec's game since he played at Nitra.

I'm venting about this because these outcomes felt so obvious at the time but In Fitz We Trust. Add on our awful Meier and Palat contracts, our bottom half prospect pool even though we've had numerous top #7 picks, and very little depth, it should be absolutely fair to scrutinize Fitz.

Just had to put thoughts into words. /Rant

 

[dgibb10]

See no reason not to keep Glass. Grits is another question mark filled in. So two players, one a sure fire top 6 guy, then a middle 6 guy, ideally a center, and you convert Haula and Mercer to permanent wingers.

Maybe keep Sprong around as a 13th forward.

Here's what it likely looks like assuming nothing major occurs.

Palat if shipped out would likey be a similarly priced winger coming in.

Hamilton out would have the potential to shake things up majorly

 

[NJDevs26]

I mean he got hurt in February but whichever way you move the goalposts I guess.

Impossible, the team sucked so that also means every individual player had to suck lol

Exhibit A of that not being the case was Markstrom in Game #1

 

[Emperoreddy]

Here's what it likely looks like assuming nothing major occurs.

Palat if shipped out would likey be a similarly priced winger coming in.

Hamilton out would have the potential to shake things up majorly
View attachment 1021004

Have a hard time seeing them ship Dougie out unless its down to facilitate a Quinn trade.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I remain of the belief that the team would have broken out of its post-christmas slump and had a much better 2025 if the team remained healthy.

We also probably would have had a different trade deadline and in turn a different team playing Carolina

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

dump Palat and Haula. Pay a pick if you have to.

 

[dgibb10]

Have a hard time seeing them ship Dougie out unless its down to facilitate a Quinn trade.

I'd agree with that.

 

[CalamityX23]

Canes are SO cooked now

who among thee are the offensive weapon we desperately seek?!?!!??!

 

[Bleedred]

I don't think we can dump Dougie at this point, unless a player like him or better (Quinn Hughes) comes back in the deal.

The defense without Dougie will be one of the worst offense producing defenses we've seen in many years.

Having Luke makes it better than the pre-Zidlicky 11-12 Devils defense, but not much better.

Other than Luke the defense has 4 guys who are perennial 20 point or lesser defensemen.

 

[Emperoreddy]

What is Palat's situation. Does he move to a 10 team no trade this offseason and we need someone to basically eat two years? Doesn't seem impossible.

Haula should be easy to move on from, its only one year

 

[AfroThunder396]

I need to vent about Fitz. I've always loved how he addressed the media, but his talent evaluation and roster building skills have to be scrutinized heavily.

Summer of 2021, I and others were banging on the table here to draft Stankoven (or Morrow). Literally just had to watch any Kamloops game and you could see how much of a game breaker he was. Instead with all of Fitz's resources, he galaxy brained a Chase Stillman pick. But OK, whatever it's one 1st round draft pick and clearly he sees something we don't.

The next summer, we have the #2. We blew the Holtz pick two years earlier and this is our redemption pick. I watch every single Nemec WJC game and shared shift-by-shift analysis here. I watched multiple Nitra games and even more highlights. It truly blows my mind that an NHL front office analyzed Nemec and thought he was worth a top #5 pick. The dude had a 25+ second shift where he literally just stood like a statue in front of his net against Canada, Fitz was at that damn game, and still took him #2. Fitz then talked about Nemec's impact on offense. What in the world he saw I still have no idea. Nemec almost always launched an immediate wrister when the puck came on his stick as a junior. But OK, I'm just a random internet poster and Fitz surely has to see something with his numerous resources to justify Nemec at #2.

Now it's years later. Stillman isn't an NHLer while Stankoven is a fantastic player, torching us in the playoffs. Nemec still gives very little effort in the defensive end and can't stay in the lineup. Recently, my wife tells me Nemec scores. I'm like, "I bet it was a wrister from the point". And of course it was, because that's been Nemec's game since he played at Nitra.

I'm venting about this because these outcomes felt so obvious at the time but In Fitz We Trust. Add on our awful Meier and Palat contracts, our bottom half prospect pool even though we've had numerous top #7 picks, and very little depth, it should be absolutely fair to scrutinize Fitz.

Just had to put thoughts into words. /Rant

I think this is more of a scouting department issue. Paul Castron bought himself a lifetime pass by finding Bratt in the 6th round, but since then he hasn't really done much since. This is his 9th draft and it's pretty pathetic what we've gotten outside of the top-5 and REALLY bad what we've gotten after like pick ~20 or so.

Outside of Bratt - Casey, Boqvist, Zetterlund, Sharangovich, and Gritsyuk in nearly a decade is really, really bad especially considering the whiffs at the top of the draft on Holtz, Stillman, Smith, and likely Nemec.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Tatar, Bastian, and Lazar are all UFAs. Think its fairly easy for the team to just move on from those players.

Sprong might be worth keeping around since he will be cheap depth.

Let Foote go to free agency, not worth keeping in the organization. I think you bring Dowling back though.

I think you keep Glass.

You try to get Haula out and you try to get Palat out.

On D i would like to keep Dumo, but not sure how realistic that is. Teams who can offer him more ice time will be calling.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think this is more of a scouting department issue. Paul Castron bought himself a lifetime pass by finding Bratt in the 6th round, but since then he hasn't really done much since. This is his 9th draft and it's pretty pathetic what we've gotten outside of the top-5 and REALLY bad what we've gotten after like pick ~20 or so.

Bratt, Casey, Zetterlund, Sharangovich, and Gritsyuk in nearly a decade is really, really bad especially considering the whiffs at the top of the draft on Holtz, Stillman, Smith, and likely Nemec.

I won't stand for this Lenni erasure.

 

[MadDevil]

who among thee are the offensive weapon we desperately seek?!?!!??!

I was honestly unaware White was even back in the organization. I say put him in, just to hear Dano call him "Colin White" at some point.

 

[dgibb10]

Tatar, Bastian, and Lazar are all UFAs. Think its fairly easy for the team to just move on from those players.

Sprong might be worth keeping around since he will be cheap depth.

Let Foote go to free agency, not worth keeping in the organization. I think you bring Dowling back though.

I think you keep Glass.

You try to get Haula out and you try to get Palat out.

On D i would like to keep Dumo, but not sure how realistic that is. Teams who can offer him more ice time will be calling.

Where are you slotting dumo unless you're dumping dillon?

 

[Andre Palot]

Canes are SO cooked now

Mike Hardman sounds like a rejected Spice Channel extra.

 

[Guttersniped]

When did the Team Logos go away?

There’s a “Current State of HFBoards” thread on the main board but no discussion about that.

I did just discover this on that thread:


Really takes the fun out of Olli for me lol.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

2 out of the 3 of Palat Haula and Dougie have to go this summer. If all 3 go and Fitz somehow gets good additions then I'll be back on his back wagon but no shot that happens.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

When did the Team Logos go away?

There’s a “Current State of HFBoards” thread on the main board but no discussion about that.

I did just discover this on that thread:
View attachment 1021073

Really takes the fun out of Olli for me lol.

I assume we'll get the logos of the teams playing tonight lol

 

[Emperoreddy]

Idk, im really not too worried. Team needs goal, goals will be available. We play good defense already.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Sam Bennett or Boeser seem like the guy that Fitz would target. Boeser would be the Toffoli type again and Bennett would be the center/wing + playoff guy that Fitz creamed his pants for signing Palat to a 6Mx5. Issue with the latter is Bennett could easily fall off once he's off Florida.

 

[The Wumpus]

If people like Timo at 8.8 they're going to love Bennett at 8 or whatever he gets. FA is going to be nutty with the cap increase.