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

[dgibb10]

I’m not a GM so it’s not my job figuring out how to replace multiple star players value for next to nothing.

I'm sensing satire/sarcasm but I'm honestly not sure because I've genuinely heard this 100 times.


People complain.

I lay out the exact situation, show who is available, the assets, and the cap, and ask. Alright, well what DO you do, who DO you sign, who DO your trade for to replace jack.

And it's ALWAYS "well i'm not a GM that's not my job"

 

[NJDevs26]

People complain we have a bunch of AHL players on our back six, no help for the big three and conversely say there was no trade Fitz could have made that would have helped without pumping away our first-rounder or Lenni? Alrighty then.

Only one of those guys is playing because of Hughes' injury, they still needed guys even before that. Lou found all of CBGB during the season lol, Shero got Pat Maroon in 2018 for nothing and the dude was a key piece in getting us to the playoffs.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I haven't read what the rumored injury is, and I cant tell what happened when rewarching Dillon's injury.

 

[Cheddabombs]

4 new pages in like an hour, I thought for sure there was some breaking news. But it's just you hooligans going at it

 

[NJDevs26]

I would hate this.

4 mill in free cap for forwards AND a spot to play nemec falls into our lap and we decide to, get another dman with it?

What does Dillon have to do with Nemec? He's a LHD, Nemec's a RHD. The only way a spot opens up for Nemec is if your guy is traded and/or they play Pesce on his off side.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I would hate this.

4 mill in free cap for forwards AND a spot to play nemec falls into our lap and we decide to, get another dman with it?

Hamliton HAS to go in the summer, you can't have 18-19M on the right side of the defense especially Nemec has blossomed in the playoffs. It could literally be similar to what the Caps kids did last year and took it became rock stars this year. You have to go Pesce/Kovacevic/Nemec on the right side next year.

Dumo would be a good re-sign depending on the Dillon news.

 

[dgibb10]

We need another guy for the PK, and we need a left handed Dman. Nemec cant do either of those things.

I would move Pesce to the left.

I'd also suggest trying in the offseason to make one of Luke or Nemec into a PK asset. I know it's scary because they haven't done it at an elite level at the NHL left, but if you don't, you'll be in the same thing next year, where you NEED every other dman in your 6 to be a PK guy, and every single year beyond that. And even if they eventually need to be supplemented, having them gain that experience will provide dividends for decades down the line anytime a dman takes a penalty or a guy gets hurt.

I think you try and make another move for a Kovacevic type asset (not talking about finding another diamond in the rough who becomes a 20+ minute a night guy), but an undervalued guy with good PK results and some good underlyings.

And if none of Luke or Nemec can do it, and Hamilton (who has PKed in the past) really can't do it, then I think you make a move at the deadline for a guy (literally a dumo type acquisition)

Dumo probably will require a multi year commitment at a price tag you guys will be complaining about in a year or two.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I still do not for the life of me really understand the Kovacevic contract, unless the plan really is to trade Hamilton this summer

unless they've already made up their minds and will trade at least one of Nemec/Casey? But Nemec's play in the playoffs (hopefully) is giving them pause.

 

[dgibb10]

What does Dillon have to do with Nemec? He's a LHD, Nemec's a RHD. The only way a spot opens up for Nemec is if your guy is traded and/or they play Pesce on his off side.

I would play Pesce on the left side heading into next year.

Then, I'd move Hamilton after this coming year and sign Nemec to an extension (something around 5x6 I'd think) to replace him.

Then you move Pesce back, get a 1 year LHD (like the Ian Cole signing this past year) in UFA or short term rental or maybe Silayev is ready.

Then, after that year. Maybe quinn signs, maybe he doesn't. Silayev should definitely be over by then

 

[Jersey Fresh]

People complain we have a bunch of AHL players on our back six, no help for the big three and conversely say there was no trade Fitz could have made that would have helped without pumping away our first-rounder or Lenni? Alrighty then.

Only one of those guys is playing because of Hughes' injury, they still needed guys even before that. Lou found all of CBGB during the season lol, Shero got Pat Maroon in 2018 for nothing and the dude was a key piece in getting us to the playoffs.

No, no, no, you can't make that criticism because to make it, you'd clearly be intimating that you're expecting a Cup winning dynasty team without Jack Hughes.

 

[theoptimist]

Yeah I think the rumored severity of the Dillon injury makes resigning Dumo a lot more likely.

Just give him the 3 year deal. We will deal with cap problems later.

 

[Devils Trap]

I would play Pesce on the left side heading into next year

You cant just put a right Dman on the left side. Its plugging a square hole with a circle block. Its just not a logical thing to do

 

[Triumph]

People complain we have a bunch of AHL players on our back six, no help for the big three and conversely say there was no trade Fitz could have made that would have helped without pumping away our first-rounder or Lenni? Alrighty then.

Only one of those guys is playing because of Hughes' injury, they still needed guys even before that. Lou found all of CBGB during the season lol

The problem here is that people talk past one another about what the issue on the team is, and that is that it's two-fold -

A: They do not have enough 'top 9 quality' forwards

B: Their worst forward is probably pretty bad

Improving B is easy, but it doesn't really get you anywhere. If you replace Nate Bastian with a slightly better player, what's that really doing? Not a whole lot. It's not like the 4th line is a total wasteland - it's just not very good, and isn't going to score many goals, but with Tatar out there it won't necessarily collapse. So yeah, even though they brought in 2 forwards at the deadline and have put Lazar into the phantom zone (as he was truly their worst forward), the Devils are still going to have big issues down there. Cotter is the kind of player who makes offense for himself as is Sprong but that's it, it's just reliant on the big play. In an ideal world, Cotter is probably in the scratch suite for the playoffs, but the Devils absolutely cannot afford to take a guy out of the lineup who has his game-breaking ability, even if he has little else.

Improving A would've taken next year 1st, or Lenni, or at the very least the remaining 2nd and 3rd round picks the Devils have in this year's draft. The price for a reliable top 9 forward was around that amount.

 

[NJDfan86]

"Why doesn't fitz just build a team good enough to be a contender without Jack Hughes" is again the most insane take and unrealistic expectations of a GM you see here constantly

We have 5 goals in 4 games, the Canes haven’t trounced us at 5v5, and our PP has been abysmal - you don’t need to “replace” Jack, but not getting more serious about forward help took this team from in the mix to DOA.

It really wasn’t this hard to see this coming. Even in the beginning of the year with all our players healthy we were still drastically shooting below average.

 

[NJDevs26]

If Pesce's legit good on the left side I don't care about handedness, I think at times we do get caught up in handedness (exhibit A, Adam Oates with his power play, or even Timo here and there) but in general it's not ideal - particularly for a defenseman - and I'd need more info before just hoping that choice is a solution to anything.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

People complain we have a bunch of AHL players on our back six, no help for the big three and conversely say there was no trade Fitz could have made that would have helped without pumping away our first-rounder or Lenni? Alrighty then.

Only one of those guys is playing because of Hughes' injury, they still needed guys even before that. Lou found all of CBGB during the season lol, Shero got Pat Maroon in 2018 for nothing and the dude was a key piece in getting us to the playoffs.

When you have people here who were complaining that Fitz didn't use the cap space for guys like Dylan Cozens, etc then the argument loses its value.

Zetterlund was a trade he should've been in and he got rightfully roasted here for that but Zetterlund is also asking for 5-6M apparently which led to his departure from SJ. Maybe Kuzmenko? But who else out there is making a difference this round 1 that was traded? It's all elite guys and teams's core pieces making a difference.

Brandon Tanev got a second in this year's market, A GUY WITH 17 POINTS LMAO

 

[Devils Trap]

I still do not for the life of me really understand the Kovacevic contract, unless the plan really is to trade Hamilton this summer

unless they've already made up their minds and will trade at least one of Nemec/Casey? But Nemec's play in the playoffs (hopefully) is giving them pause.

I think its pretty certain one of Dougie / Nemec arent here.

 

[dgibb10]

You cant just put a right Dman on the left side. Its plugging a square hole with a circle block. Its just not a logical thing to do

I think you go into the year with that as a plan. If you make it clear, and give Pesce and the team time to prepare.

You can see how it plays out heading into the season. If it doesn't work, you adjust from there.

These aren't "hey Pesce you're on the left today". This is "hey pesce, we'd like to move you to the left side heading into next year to accomadate Nemec, and we'll work through that in training camp and preseason and get adjusted".

And if you get into preseason, and Pesce is a disaster on the left, you adjust from there. Try things when the stakes are low and you are able to adapt if things don't work out.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We have 5 goals in 4 games, the Canes haven’t trounced us at 5v5, and our PP has been abysmal - you don’t need to “replace” Jack, but not getting more serious about forward help took this team from in the mix to DOA.

so once Jack went out injured, you would have been good with shipping off major assets for a forward or two? Because I certainly would not have been.

 

[NJDfan86]

so once Jack went out injured, you would have been good with shipping off major assets for a forward or two? Because I certainly would not have been.

Yes, but I have beat that dead horse to death.

 

[guitarguyvic]

You absolutely have been indirectly hinting at that. Glad to see you walking back on it though.

Lmao…I have a litany of repeated posts talking about how awful our depth is, but yeah, somehow you’ve managed to completely avoid or ignore all those while spotting the ones where I point out our core isn’t as strong as other contenders and concluding that I’m “indirectly” saying they are “the problem”. That is some legendary bad faith engagement.

 

[NJDevs26]

I think you go into the year with that as a plan. If you make it clear, and give Pesce and the team time to prepare.

You can see how it plays out heading into the season. If it doesn't work, you adjust from there.

These aren't "hey Pesce you're on the left today". This is "hey pesce, we'd like to move you to the left side heading into next year to accomadate Nemec, and we'll work through that in training camp and preseason and get adjusted".

And if you get into preseason, and Pesce is a disaster on the left, you adjust from there. Try things when the stakes are low and you are able to adapt if things don't work out.

So basically you don’t even care if Pesce has done it before or how comfortable he was with it, your plan is just to hope he gets comfortable with it

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Ok then what's the trade you make trading major assets for a forward? You can't just say something and then not give names. People can say a guy like Kyrou but St Louis made a second half run to get close to the playoffs to keep their core. McTavish would've been Nemec+++ since Nemec's value dropped, you can probably make that trade now 1 for 1 more likely with the playoff Nemec has had.

You guys can't just say Fitz to do shit out of thin air lol. The one thing he's slightly good at is trading.

 

[dgibb10]

If Pesce's legit good on the left side I don't care about handedness, I think at times we do get caught up in handedness (exhibit A, Adam Oates with his power play, or even Timo here and there) but in general it's not ideal - particularly for a defenseman - and I'd need more info before just hoping that choice is a solution to anything.

And I'm not saying it's a guarantee. But I think it's something you can explore in the what, half a year until next season starts up.

And if it doesn't work, you make an adjustment.

Same with the forwards. You have a guy in gritysuk coming in who can very well be a top 6 guy who can really help.

But so much "we NEED to get these guys to improve in those slots RIGHT now, and we need to pay significantly to dump palat, and we need to ship out hamilton NOW to afford it".

But Gritysuk is never gonna be it if you never trust him or give him a shot to. It's literally the "you need experience to get hired for a job but you need a job to get experience".

If it doesn't work, you adapt.

 

[Mgd31]

I still do not for the life of me really understand the Kovacevic contract, unless the plan really is to trade Hamilton this summer

unless they've already made up their minds and will trade at least one of Nemec/Casey? But Nemec's play in the playoffs (hopefully) is giving them pause.

Trade Hamilton back to Carolina to replace Burns.