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

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

You'd think one guy on the same team would vulture votes away from the other.

Kinda, but both are so f***ing good that I can understand it. They're both on the same line so it makes sense.

 

[FooteBahl]

Kinda, but both are so f***ing good that I can understand it. They're both on the same line so it makes sense.

Devils game up one less goal as a team and they have 2 players while we can’t even get Nico nominated?

 

[FinnishDevil]

Bennett is gonna get something crazy. Proven winner with a lot of grit that can play C. Played for Canada at the 4 Nations too. On his way to third straight great playoff run.

He has career high 51 points but GMs love this type of player so just watch someone offer him 8 million or something crazy. Or Florida gets him at a discount if he really wants to stay.

 

[thebeernerd]

Kinda, but both are so f***ing good that I can understand it. They're both on the same line so it makes sense.

If they're on the same line then I guess I can live with that. The confusing add is Cirelli. For a supposed reputation award, he doesn't have the line of work as Nico or Kopitar. What the hell is he here for?

Devils game up one less goal as a team and they have 2 players while we can’t even get Nico nominated?

We get more respect from outside observers than when I was growing up, but we still have a long way to go.

 

[theoptimist]

Like I said, that makes no difference to me. Any GM who knows how to do the job will find a way to make 2 or 3 mill appear on the cap

And Ehlers isn't getting 3 mill more more then 6.5 mil.

Tom, I’m sorry, I meant to say 2-3M for each contract. This brings us up to $17M sir, for both players. I’m not sure we can fit both Ehlers and Bennett without having to do major surgery to our roster sir.

Even if we trade Hamilton, I’m not sure we can fit both of them sir.

 

[forceten]

The discussion is good and there are truths on both sides of the argument.

We have a strong core - Hischier and Bratt are clearly elite if they carried space trash to the second and ninth best lines in hockey in the first round.

We also had kind of unbelievably bad injury luck this year.

Markstrom was hurt and in the games since his return he was sub-.900 and barely finished the season with .900 due to this. He was not this bad before and I am sure he is not 100%.

Our top six this year:

Hamilton - our best offensive D. Major injury, came back for playoffs not 100%
Siegenthaler - our best defensive D, major injury, came back for playoffs not 100%
L Hughes - wonderkid, got hurt and played hurt in second half at some point which affected his play and aggravated it so badly in playoffs he was shelved.
Pesce - emerged as a solid defender and… played hurt with an injury including playoffs.
Kovasevic - forced his way onto the team and lost his leg to an IED in playoffs
Dillon - I mean people thought he was dead.
Nemec - started the year hurt, hurt his feelings, came on in playoffs because my god someone had to

That’s just the defense.

Jack Hughes, the best player in hockey outside generational talents - gone to injury
Haula was injured and never regained form, probably is his twin brother Derik playing now

Even Hischier had injury time. Lazar is a fourth line energy guy but to be effective you need to be 100% AND HE WAS POPPING PILLS TO BE HERE.

Then the regressions …

That said, these people aren’t cutting it:

Haula
Palat
Bastian
Sprong
Glass (except as 4C)
Noesen (PP specialist? Not good on any line)
MacDermid
Tatar
Cotter (except on 4th line)

Mercer as a third liner is perfect. I agree he needs to engage physically more but 20-25-45 is fine. He’s young.

Meier is both an incredibly talented athlete and also incredibly low IQ. He rushes shots, doesn’t think or take that extra half second to ensure success. It’s why he isn’t a 40 goal scorer anymore. He has the opportunities he just fails to bury them.

J Hughes Hischier and Bratt are players any team in the league would take because they’re all elite.

So on offense I feel good about 4 or 5 players, depending on where Mercer and Meier slot. I have high hopes for Gritsyuk. Even then that’s only 6.

Glass and Cotter have speed and some skill to make a solid fourth line but we haven’t found the other winger they need - bastian and Noesen aren’t it.

Hameenaho and Squires probably aren’t ready. And for whatever reason Halonen doesn’t seem to get a shot on 4th line.

So we need 4-5 players for this roster - that’s a LOT to ask of the GM.

Quinn is an obvious get. Plus when you unite all three Hughes boys each of them get a permanent +5 bonus for competing the set

 

[glenwo2]

....

 

[glenwo2]

JimEIV's response :

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The Norris and Selke are always messed up.

The reality is the Selke is the best offensive forward who is also at least ok at defense. The Norris is the best offensive defenseman who is also ok at defense.

 

[My3Sons]

It’s pretty discouraging seeing so many people have Mercer as 1RW and Glass as their 3C. Have we not learned anything?

Fire HFboards.

It's a combination of cap and relatively small market to me. They would have to move Palat and/or Hamilton to make a big change and with NJ not a premier destination I just don't see Fitz playing hardball with anyone. You want guys to know if they sign they can count on the team. Not ideal but I just think that's how it ends up. We will see. If a team on either guy's trade list in willing to take them with no retention, great. But I'm skeptical it's that easy.

 

[glenwo2]

Something further to digest from this series.

In case you'd like to know the lowest, it was Cotter-Glass-Noesen.

Bratt making chicken salad out of chicken-"Rags Fans".

 

[Ekiru]

If they're on the same line then I guess I can live with that. The confusing add is Cirelli. For a supposed reputation award, he doesn't have the line of work as Nico or Kopitar. What the hell is he here for?

We get more respect from outside observers than when I was growing up, but we still have a long way to go.

Them being on the same line is even worse, actually; that means they shared the load defensively. Two separate centers can see a team's top-2 lines, which nowadays can be a McDavid and Draisaitl and so on

I dont dislike either player but they shouldn't have been nominated together

 

[Nocashstyle]

An entire generation has that fish’s voice permanently ingrained into their skulls haha

 

[Ekiru]

I believe it was mentioned within the last few days, but Mercer is probably our ticket to a 3C that can produce at a similar clip while being defensively responsible and above 50% in the dot

The team getting Mercer is wanting a winger they can slot up and down with higher upside and an 82-game engine. Maybe a middling pick going their way as well

Who that 3C is I dont even begin to know lol

 

[Bleedred]

Right now I'm skeptical NJ does much with the forward group. I don't see them able to move Palat or Haula.

Bratter Little J*zzy Mercer
Cotter Glass Noesen
Grits 3C Meier
Palat Haula TBD
MacDermid

Luke Pesce
Siegs Nemec
Dillon Hamilton
Casey (until Kovacevic returns)

I think we’ll move one of Palat/Haula or buyout. Not both of them. Just one.

Haula is easier to get rid of right now because he’s only got one year left.

Hamilton is probably here another year, but he could be traded this summer to Vancouver in the scenario Quinn comes this summer and not 1-2 years from now.

 

[Guadana]

Barkov and Reinhardt both great defensively, Barkov is the best. But there were many other players they could nominate with Barkov. League should admit how Jarvis is great as a player. Literally one of the best two way player on both ends of the ice. Steven should win scouts trophy for his focusing on Jarvis. This is exact of example of a player with 60+ points who will give you more than some 80+ points players.

 

[Guadana]

And people should slow down with Haula a little bit. He should be fourth line player but as a 4th liner he is good and he is a huge part of devils pk. His buy out isn’t the part of a “do it no matter what” plan. Bastian is important part of PK too. It would be okay to have Haula Glass Bastion 4th line. The question is third line center who is competent enough to play second line role if we are losing Jack or Nico. To make it happen we need more money than Haula and Bastian. We need to trade full Palat or at least retained Dougie away.

 

[JimEIV]

JimEIV's response :

Pretty accurate.

 

[NjDevsRR]

The reality is the Selke is the best offensive forward who is also at least ok at defense

That doesn’t explain the Cirelli nomination

 

[TheUnseenHand]

That doesn’t explain the Cirelli nomination

Oh no, that is explained by the braindead and openly biased nomination/voting committee.

 

[JimEIV]

I would run with Mercer as the 3C.

Let him get comfortable there. They really have been moving him around a lot the last couple/few years...sure it's been out of necessity but it would be nice to see him play a season at one position with relatively stable linemates

Cotter Mercer Noesen seems like a fine third line to me

Palat Haula Bastian or someone

Seems like a good bottom 6 to me.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Oh no, that is explained by the braindead and openly biased nomination committee.

Actually. Neither does it explain the Barkov or Bennet noms either. Nico outscored all three of these players, and in less games too.

Edit: Nvm on Barkov. He had more points in and around the same amount of games.

Barkov is the only one that makes sense here

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Actually. Neither does it explain the Barkov or Bennet noms either. Nico outscored all three of these players, and in less games too.

Yeah so it's the voting committee. They suck. They are basically the dops. They are biased and clueless.

 

[JimEIV]

Nico deserved a nomination more this year than last year...but it's a moot point. Barkov will win hands down

Edit I meant 2023.

 

[edevils]

Sprong, at league minimum, wouldnt be a good fit on the fourth line right wing on a two-way contract?

He sucks.