Value of: Devils off-season house cleaning

[Puckclektr]

Ty Smith just turned 22 and played just over 100 games. Not everyone defenseman is going to be Makar or Hughes.

 

[Zippy316]

I know Ty Smith took a step backwards points wise this year. Is their a reason why?

If the Habs trade Petry this off-season they will need someone to QB their power play.

He definitely had a sophomore slump. As an undersized and not particularly fast defender, he got a exposed a bit this season as teams are more familiar with him. Also doesn’t help that he had Hamilton/Severson taking offensive minutes away from him and the Devils didn’t have the right partner for him. All of our RD are more offensive which left him out to dry a few times and he’s not the kind of defender to put out fires.

Panthers might be able to work some magic on Ty Smith... Not sure what they'd trade for him though

That would be a good situation for him. A team with speed and size that can shelter his weaknesses. Devils main goal this off-season should be to get as we’ve been saying “interior forwards”. Guys who can work the boards, drive the net, and create space for our skilled guys.

Most likely scenario for the Devils would be Smith + forward (Kuokkanen, Tatar, Johnsson, or Zacha) for an improvement up front.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Most of the guys listed have very little value right now, trading Smith right now would be a mistake as his value is at an all time low. Wood and Blackwood would have value except they're both coming off missing most of the year with injuries therefore have very little value right now.

I can't see how the Devils will be able to acquire help via trade unless a cap strapped team needs to unload someone.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Rumors that Bruins had talks about Zacha ( possible Debrusk swap).

I'd say Debrusk's stock has raised a little bit, could see a deal with +'s on each side to even it out.

I'd be interested in something around Zacha and deBrusk, but I wouldn't want to add much more to Zacha to get that deal done.

Is there any situation which you'd take Matt Murray for Blackwood? I would think the sens add would have to be significant

Not really. The Devils have been burnt in consecutive years now with Crawford retiring and Bernier needing surgery. They can't put themselves in a position where they're praying for Murray to rebound. They need much more of a sure thing in net.

 

[ThankGord]

Something around Bertuzzi and Holtz? NJ gets grittier and Detroit reunites Raymond with his pal.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Something around Bertuzzi and Holtz? NJ gets grittier and Detroit reunites Raymond with his pal.

With the way the Devils and their fans jumped on Blackwood for his vaccination status I doubt they'd be okay with giving up their best prospect for an unvaccinated winger

 

[Torts]

I mentioned this in another thread and I know it's a tad off topic/fantasy GM for me but I feel some sort of a sign and trade with Nashville for Forsberg and trading for Gibson would be two moves this team would benefit from.

Of the list below I'd personally ok with any package going back minus Mercer and Holtz (wishful thinking)

Holtz
2022 1st
Mercer
Gritsyuk (very very under rated prospect)
Mukhamadoulin
Bahl / Okhotiuk (like to keep , fills a need if moving Smith )

 

[ThankGord]

With the way the Devils and their fans jumped on Blackwood for his vaccination status I doubt they'd be okay with giving up their best prospect for an unvaccinated winger

Just consider it extra grit

 

[Djp]

Ty Smith just turned 22 and played just over 100 games. Not everyone defenseman is going to be Makar or Hughes.

givennwhere he was drafted I didn’t have sch expectations on him.

i don’t follow NJ close enough to say the slump was due to situation usage change, partner change, responsibility change.

i woukdnt bethrowing him under the bus just yet.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Something around Bertuzzi and Holtz? NJ gets grittier and Detroit reunites Raymond with his pal.

I like Bertuzzi a lot - and he is definitely the type of player we should target this summer - but I can't pull trigger on that. Goalscoring is just as big a need as ruggedness.

givennwhere he was drafted I didn’t have sch expectations on him.

i don’t follow NJ close enough to say the slump was due to situation usage change, partner change, responsibility change.

i woukdnt bethrowing him under the bus just yet.

It'd be shortsighted to sell low on Smith. I'd move him for value, but we shouldn't be giving him away.

I'm much more interested in signing a guy like Lyubushkin, who fills the physicality need while also being an ideal partner for Smith. We don't have a complementary defenseman for Smith to play with, which is probably the root of his sophomore struggles this year.

 

[PullHard]

I think NJ should pony up multiple pieces mentioned in the OP for Chychrun

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I think NJ should pony up multiple pieces mentioned in the OP for Chychrun

Chychrun is great but he's another LHD with Siegenthaler, Graves and Smith already in the lineup and Hughes, Bahl, Mukhamadullin, Okhotyuk and Vukojevic all looking like they could be NHL players, it'd be tough justify adding another one when it's not filling a need.

 

[wonton15]

Zacha-Wood- Foote + first 2022 for Rantanen

This wouldn't even go through in NHL 22

 

[Drake1588]

There's a lot of bit parts with one undesirable year still under contract there. I don't expect there's much of a market. They might be able to dump Zacha for minimal return, but those guys probably fniish their contracts in NJ.

 

[Eggtimer]

Johnson is decent from a perspective of actual salary vs cap hit . He is still a decent player , just too soft and redundant on the Devils .
I can see a team wanting to reach the cap floor inquiring .
Zacha isn’t as bad as most Devils fan say he is . He is seen as a negative just because of his potential we thought he had plus has not reached. Still a decent player with some value .
Tatar on the other hand …. Not great for his cap hit . I think he is the hardest to move but only has one year left on his deal

 

[My3Sons]

NJ needs at least one goalie. One that can start 45 games and give NJ a decent chance to win them. That should be where any trade discussions start. Getting another winger or even a defender is great but a secondary issue at the moment.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Johnson is decent from a perspective of actual salary vs cap hit . He is still a decent player , just too soft and redundant on the Devils .
I can see a team wanting to reach the cap floor inquiring .
Zacha isn’t as bad as most Devils fan say he is . He is seen as a negative just because of his potential we thought he had plus has not reached. Still a decent player with some value .
Tatar on the other hand …. Not great for his cap hit . I think he is the hardest to move but only has one year left on his deal

Tatar makes 4 million a year and produced at almost half a PPG. It really isn't a terrible contract because he is signed for 1 more season. Tatar , Johnsson and Zacha are all just redundant pieces that don't do much for us. Tatar is the oldest but the best of 3 offensively.

Not many teams will have interest in these guys but at the trade deadline next year we can try to move them out if need be. They will gain interest , especially with salary retention. They would bring in 3rd/4th round picks 100% if a team really wants to load their offense up.

Hopefully Zetterlund and Foote replace these guys by next season. Zetterlund should be in the NHL next season as a full time player.

 

[Smitty426]

Ty Smith just turned 22 and played just over 100 games. Not everyone defenseman is going to be Makar or Hughes.

I just want last years Smith, he didnt even show half of that this year, lets be honest.

Post automatically merged: May 4, 2022

Chychrun is great but he's another LHD with Siegenthaler, Graves and Smith already in the lineup and Hughes, Bahl, Mukhamadullin, Okhotyuk and Vukojevic all looking like they could be NHL players, it'd be tough justify adding another one when it's not filling a need.

I agree. Chychrun was a def need at the start of the season but the emergence of Siegenthaler, potentailly going to top spot on left that allows Bahl and Okhotiuak to slot in. JC will command a large number based on 1 yr (2 seasons ago). With Luke coming in late next yr is it a total need? Top 4 D will be needed to contend though.