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

[glenwo2]

Each time I see the last name $uter, I think of Pari$e.

Even though Pius is of no relation to Ryan.....

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Dougie smiles when he loses. I can’t stand him

Weird thing to hate him. Vasilevskiy also smiled in handshake line. Must be a loser.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

And 135th in 5v5 goals.... call that what you want. It seems one dimensional to me.

Do you believe there is only two dimensions or something? Jesper Bratt does a lot of things few in the NHL can do, and only gets better. I bet on players like this to play into their mid 30s.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

Weird thing to hate him. Vasilevskiy also smiled in handshake line. Must be a loser.

Look, I don’t know Dougie of course, I just see what I see and hear from his interviews. He seems like a great chap. Doesn’t seem to me like he’s desperate to win. He seems comfortable, on the decline, injury prone, on way too high pay for what he will give moving forward. So ship him out with a smile ;-)

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

If people hate Bratt's playoffs then LOL @ when they see Ehlers, I like Ehlers too but just saying

Yea I don't get the fascination with Ehlers, dude is playoff ghost.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Quinn Hughes would be the best puck mover on the blue line and he’s not even close

Especially from a blue line that has close to zero puck movers which goes hand in hand with transition and 5 on 5 play

I would almost argue that fitz over corrected on defense and got to many of the same mold of defensemen

Dillon
Kovacevik
Pesce
Siegenthaler

Are all severely lacking in the mobility of the blue line

I dont think it was necessarily an over correction as much as luckily hitting on Mirco Muelleresque former high draft pick reclamation projects, while Casey and Nemec surprised him by not really being ready.

There's a pretty good puckmoving component to Nemec and Casey's a witch. Pesce and Dillon were absolutely necessary moves to a shit show blueline last year for stability sake.

He probably was thinking Hughes Hamilton Nemec/Casey coupled with Pesce Dillon Siegs as the plan.

I agree with your point tho, but I get a little ill at the idea of adding another fancy blueline piece when we are missing six players on the forward core and have at least eight solid dmen already.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

We need true top 6 talent because I don’t ever want to see people talk about Tatar-Nico-Mercer as an option ever again. Or Palat-Jack-Holtz (H20). Fortunately, Holtz was traded so that ended pretty soon.

The thing is, Tatar and Palat are barely 4th line players. Not sure that's the best example. People bitched about Noesen but players like him would be fine as stopgap wingers for nico/jack.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Yea I don't get the fascination with Ehlers, dude is playoff ghost.

He's one of those guys who occasionally looks real good while achieving nothing.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Nobody said a peep when Stefan 4th liner Noesen was playing in the top 6 and we were winning. Funny how that works.

Agreed. DIfference was special teams. Especially the Powerplay. He was non existent and Nemec was solid. I can not argue this logically.

He produced at a rate of a 3rd line player this season. Players like that in the top 6 is fine with the centers/wingers we have. But low tier 4th liners (Tatar/Palat) is not acceptable

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Why wait? At the age of 25 Quinn has 3 seasons of 75+ points from the blue line. That’s pretty much the total output of our third line. If we can get him now and somehow move Dougie’s contract, you have to do it. He’s arguably the best defenseman in the league and just happens to have his two baby brothers on the team. If you can get him for Nemec and a couple firsts, do it now. He’s instantly the best player on the team and only god knows what having him here can bring out of his brothers.

Shit, if we’re able to move Dougie we’ll be saving 1.15 million with Quinn. There will be money left over to fill out the bottom 6.

View attachment 1026571

Unfortunately, I think Fitz is thinking like you. God what a dumbass move that would be

 

[13BearerOfHope]

The thing is, Tatar and Palat are barely 4th line players. Not sure that's the best example. People bitched about Noesen but players like him would be fine as stopgap wingers for nico/jack.

Noesen, Haula and Palat belong. They add.
Tatar, Sprong, MacDermid, Lazar….I believe those are the people the coach was referring to in his interview after the OT loss in terms of people that need to be honest with themselves and evaluate why they haven’t had impact (or sth like that he said).

I’d keep Lazar and MacDermid as insurance in case we can’t flip 4-5 forwards

 

[FooteBahl]

Unfortunately, I think Fitz is thinking like you. God what a dumbass move that would be

The owners will probably be pushing it too just for marketing and TV exposure. 2 and a half good looking boys with skills for days…we’d get some winter classic games and many more national games.

 

[Billdo]

Unfortunately, I think Fitz is thinking like you. God what a dumbass move that would be

It worries me. This whole thing with all the Hughes' just worries me if we spend all these assets and money.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Crazy how Nico and Jack get flak for being small, when first of all it isn't even true for Nico and second the Devils are a positive team when they're on the ice. It's what happens when they aren't on the ice that's concerning and it's not to do with size but lack of talent.

I bet you it's because he's still listed at 174 pounds at a lot of places. He's 100% not that anymore. That was what he was when he was 18. He's at least 190+ now.

 

[theoptimist]

The thing is, Tatar and Palat are barely 4th line players. Not sure that's the best example. People bitched about Noesen but players like him would be fine as stopgap wingers for nico/jack.

Palat is a middle 6er and I think people are looking for cost savings. It doesn’t get much cheaper or better than Palat, unfortunately. Whatever guy we sign will be worse and whatever guy we trade for will costs assets. I’m fine with keeping him if we can get a sub-30 3C. Sub-30 because anything over is frankly too slow. Interestingly, he might look good on a line with Jack Roslovic and Jack Hughes.

I always thought Tatar was a locker room add. He’s probably a good solider but he’s the worst forward on this team.

 

[Guadana]

Not to mention, he had EIGHTY hits. To go along with 80 plus points. The only player in the league to do that. This team would be a complete disaster without Bratt and what he brings.

Jesper Bratt: 96 hits
Jack Hughes: 7 hits

Overall it’s crazy that we are talking about Bratt. He is literally one of the best forwards of the league with one of the cheapest deals. He should be one of the last players to argue about.

 

[devsfan8]

I think if Quinn joins this team, Luke would play RD, like he did in College.

In which case one of Nemec, Kovacevic, Pesce would be gone

He produced at a rate of a 3rd line player this season. Players like that in the top 6 is fine with the centers/wingers we have. But low tier 4th liners (Tatar/Palat) is not acceptable

Winning is what matters. We broke a franchise record with Tatar-Hischier-Mercer two years ago. Haula plays his best hockey on LW with Jack.
Sometimes lines just develop good chemistry. Jack Hughes and Bratt generate the offense, I'd rather put someone there that doesn't hold them back, but also contributes better on that line. Because all 3 names aren't top 6 players who cares. Podlozkin plays on the Oilers 2nd line. Holmberg on the Leafs 2nd line.

Name me a team in the entire league that has 6 legit defined TOP 6 forwards in there top 6?

You can't.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Still waiting for Jim to look up and tell me where his favorite player Brady Tkachuk ranked this year in 5 on 5 goals.

 

[guitarguyvic]

See this, especially the top 6...I agree with this 100%. I'd imagine most people would?

But here's my rub...those top two LW spots aren't "depth scoring"...those need to be primary scoring. At least one of them needs to be.

Maybe it's just semantics....but if guys like Noesen, Mercer, Cotter, Glass, Haula and Palat are your "depth scoring", I'm of the opinion that you are in pretty good shape...but we are asking for two of those guys to be in top 6 roles.... and then there's fit....if we need one or two LW for the top 6 Mercer and Noesen don't fit... so then your shifting players good players to fit in depth players that shouldn't be there in the first place.

I don't see a depth problem at all. I see a top 6 problem completely.

Those top six spots can be taken by “middle six” level players, they don’t have to be first line level players. That being said, at least one of them needs to be a f***ing natural goal scorer/sniper. We have too many playmakers who don’t know how to simply bury the puck when given the chance.

 

[devsfan8]

I think if Quinn joins this team, Luke would play RD, like he did in College.

In which case one of Nemec, Kovacevic, Pesce would be gone

Still waiting for Jim to look up and tell me where his favorite player Brady Tkachuk ranked this year in 5 on 5 goals.

Overall Tkachuk has 131 goals to 106 on the last 4 years. Not that overwhelmngly better.

Tkachuk has 280 points to Bratts 309.

Bratt has produced at a higher rate then Tkachuk in the last 4 seasons.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

meh.

 

[devilsblood]

Those top six spots can be taken by “middle six” level players, they don’t have to be first line level players. That being said, at least one of them needs to be a f***ing natural goal scorer/sniper. We have too many playmakers who don’t know how to simply bury the puck when given the chance.

Jack's a good goal scorer and a guy who likes to shoot a lot.

Nico has scored 30 in 2 of the last 3 seasons. Really if he and Jack could consistently play 82 games they'd likely have 30+ goals in each of the last 3 years.

Timo is more goal scorer(at least definitely more shooter) then playmaker as well.

Bratt is the lone guy who leans heavily toward playmaker.

Now I'm not looking to add guys who pass more then shoot, but I don't think the impetus should be on finding snipers, especially if it means said sniper is going to be a player lacking in other areas.

I feel finding more speed should be a focus.

 

[Nocashstyle]

meh.

I would be fine with him as a backup. I’m not sure who the answer for a starter would be by then, but I don’t think a 37 year old Markstrom should be that answer.

 

[devilsblood]

meh.

Ya, unless he wants to sign a one year extension at half his current aav I'd rather not.

 

[devilsblood]

Palat is a middle 6er and I think people are looking for cost savings. It doesn’t get much cheaper or better than Palat, unfortunately. Whatever guy we sign will be worse and whatever guy we trade for will costs assets. I’m fine with keeping him if we can get a sub-30 3C. Sub-30 because anything over is frankly too slow. Interestingly, he might look good on a line with Jack Roslovic and Jack Hughes.

I always thought Tatar was a locker room add. He’s probably a good solider but he’s the worst forward on this team.

We could definitely find a better player then Palat for less then $6 mil.

His production with Jack was OK, but he was a drag on that lines effectiveness. His production away from jack was abysmal.