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

[Ekiru]

As I get older I find it harder to assume players ‘are what they are’; its very much case by case. And that goes for 20, 30, heck 35 year olds. Feels as though the term has either lost meaning or was always a gross-generalization

Anything from upside, to health, team makeup, etc etc… Far too much nuance to equate it to a simple ‘yes or no’. Then again, its all semantics, perhaps the definition truly lies with that who uses it

 

[Derps]

Since he's been in the league, only 3 guys on this team has produced more points than he has...

Bratt, Hughes, and Nico in that order.

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Mate those three are the only ones on the team that score period. For all the rightful crying you do about the lack of scoring on this team, this should not be a surprise. The bar is on the floor to be 4th in scoring.

He's also 100-150 points behind all 3 of those guys. His points per game production for guys with meaningful games played is 12th at .51, which puts him exactly equal with....

Pavel Zacha's last year here.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I just realized something: Paul Cotter is our new Miles Wood. Make of that what you will.

Miles Wood at 775K for another year is great. Miles Wood on a 6 year deal…not so much.

 

[JimEIV]

Mate those three are the only ones on the team that score period. For all the rightful crying you do about the lack of scoring on this team, this should not be a surprise. The bar is on the floor to be 4th in scoring.

He's also 100-150 points behind all 3 of those guys. His points per game production for guys with meaningful games played is 12th at .51, which puts him exactly equal with....

Pavel Zacha's last year here.

That's fine but you can't ignore that a lot of Mercer's time has been spent in a defensive role. Especially in the last two years....

put a guy that has literally played every single game that the franchise has had in the last 4 years in defensive role for half of his career then judge him by points per game? That's silly.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I'm not going to dive deeper into this discussion again, lord knows I did enough of it last year.

The situation with Mercer is, unfortunately, exactly the same as last year. He doesn't shoot enough. He doesn't drive the net enough. He doesn't win enough battles.

I still feel like there's more to him as a player that if he worked on any of these areas in any way, he would improve his scoring numbers that have now regressed for two straight seasons. I don't have a problem with him as much as many now do, but it's disappointing that his sophomore year seems more like the outlier rather than these past two seasons.

 

[MadDevil]

Complaining about Bratt while dying on the hill for Mercer is certainly a choice.

And I don't even mind Mercer as much as some. I've just lowered my expectations for him.

 

[JimEIV]

Complaining about Bratt while dying on the hill for Mercer is certainly a choice.

And I don't even mind Mercer as much as some. I've just lowered my expectations for him.

Since Dawson has been in the league both Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt have 7 more 5v5 goals than he does.

Nico has 5 fewer 5v5 goals than Dawson Mercer since his rookie season.

This is only 2022 through 2024.

Ah nevermind.. it was kicking out the 2025 season because I'm not s member.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Chill…..

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer should follow Jesper Bratt’s training program. Mercer was supposed to be a dogged forechecker, high motor energy guy. He should not be worse along the wall than Bratt

 

[RNCDevil]

Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer should follow Jesper Bratt’s training program. Mercer was supposed to be a dogged forechecker, high motor energy guy. He should not be worse along the wall than Bratt

I think that ship has sailed. Mercer is a reliable penalty killing third liner with nice hands, that doesn't finish, loses puck battles and overpasses. He's an NHLer and I'm happy he's a Devil, but he's just a complementary piece. He's not going to make a difference. Nico, Bratt, Jack, Timo are "special" on offense. Luke and Dougie are "special" on defense and then it's just depth. IF Casey, Nemec, or Silyev become "special" that could mean a lot. IF Gritty makes a difference shift after shift I think that could mean a lot for the 2025 Devils.

I don't think they are that far off but the depth on this team and the sluggishness when Luke is out is just really really bad.

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

Mercer is the bait that the GM should have used to shake up the chemistry this year. Mercer is now entering his 5th season in the NHL without any progress at all.

Again, the GM.....

 

[youryeah]

Mercer is now entering his 5th season in the NHL without any progress at all.

isn't that kinda on the player too?

 

[Hisch13r]

If Fitz wants to go the FA route to address goal scoring, Ryan Donato is out there. 3rd line C and an option to play RW. But after his career 30 goal season, I'd imagine he will get quite a pay day.

Donato has no business being a 3C. He's bad defensively, doesn't drive offense, and his production would be hampered in that role. If you get Donato it's to be a top 6 wing.

 

[Hisch13r]

Glass at 4C and nothing more. I don't know if I am that comfortable with Haula on L3 either.

That bottom 6 is trash still - we can't go in with that next season.

Haula's annoying because the start of the year and the end of the year he had 21 pts in 41 games. Then there's the gigantic 28 games scoreless stretch in the middle... One of those guys is perfectly fine being on your 3rd line. The other doesn't belong in the NHL. IF that middle portion of the year he was so bad because of the injury maybe you could take the risk on Haula as a 3rd line guy but I think that's only if you really bolster the rest of the forward group. I'd like to be able to slide Bratt down to the 3rd line and I think if you were in a position to do that maybe you could have Haula there.

 

[My3Sons]

As I get older I find it harder to assume players ‘are what they are’; its very much case by case. And that goes for 20, 30, heck 35 year olds. Feels as though the term has either lost meaning or was always a gross-generalization

Anything from upside, to health, team makeup, etc etc… Far too much nuance to equate it to a simple ‘yes or no’. Then again, its all semantics, perhaps the definition truly lies with that who uses it

As I get older I find it harder to chew solid food

 

[Hisch13r]

Something further to digest from this series.

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

Gimme 3rd line Bratt next year please. Trying to handle a team throwing Jack/Nico/Bratt at you all on different lines is a nightmare to try and stop.

 

[Hisch13r]

Ehlers strikes me as too similar to what we have in Jesper, akin to @JimEIV 's comments about the lack of ES scoring. Id rather not go that avenue, especially for a guy who plays smaller than his size

Bennett also doesnt score a ton ES, and has health issues, but hed cost less and I think could play psuedo-center with Jack and set PBs. Very hesitant because of his lack of ability to stay healthy, but.. maybe a risk I take.

Then again, we really dont have a bad contract after Dougie Haula Palat; id rather not sign another (and I dont include Timo lol, once hes on PP1 where he belongs we wont be saying that me thinks)

Ehlers is T16th in 5v5 P/60 the last 3 years with 2.44. Bratt's right below him with 2.43. Jack and Nico are down at 27 and 28 with 2.34 and 2.32. Not wanting Ehlers because he's too similar to Bratt and then citing f***ing ES scoring of all concerns is quite frankly insane. Ehlers is incredible and would do f***ing wonders for this team adding in essentially another Jack/Bratt type clone. The only issue with getting Ehlers will likely be that he should be getting PAID

 

[Hisch13r]

I just realized something: Paul Cotter is our new Miles Wood. Make of that what you will.

lol You just realized that? That was the joke the moment we got him.

 

[Hisch13r]

Cirelli's getting underrated here. He's incredible defensively and deserves the nod.

 

[JK3]

What do you guys think about Halonen? He had a really solid year, maybe he can add some speed and scoring pop to the bottom 6.

 

[MadDevil]

isn't that kinda on the player too?

Well you see if the organization would just stop jerking the kid around and sandbagging him at every turn...

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

What do you guys think about Halonen? He had a really solid year, maybe he can add some speed and scoring pop to the bottom 6.

I’d be fine with him replacing Bastian

 

[JimEIV]

As I get older I find it harder to chew solid food

Just drink cheap beer like I do.

 

[Ekiru]

Ehlers is T16th in 5v5 P/60 the last 3 years with 2.44. Bratt's right below him with 2.43. Jack and Nico are down at 27 and 28 with 2.34 and 2.32. Not wanting Ehlers because he's too similar to Bratt and then citing f***ing ES scoring of all concerns is quite frankly insane. Ehlers is incredible and would do f***ing wonders for this team adding in essentially another Jack/Bratt type clone. The only issue with getting Ehlers will likely be that he should be getting PAID

I was referring to even strength goals, where hes similarly ranked to Bratt and Meier (in his worst ES season).

And there certainly is credence in the theory of too many line cooks and not enough chefs

 

[devilsfan950003]

I’d be fine with him replacing Bastian

They shouldn't re-sign Bastian. There's a lot of UFA's in the bottom six. Let them all walk. Maybe Sprong? Glass is an RFA, I wouldn't make his qualifying offer. Not as a 4C. Try to sign him on a cheaper contract.