Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Nathan Bastian to a 2 year deal

[Its Always Sundstrom]

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[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

enjoy Seattle fella

 

[HBK27]

More than fair deal - hoping NJ can work out a minor side deal with Seattle to get them to take Butcher.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Love it. He plays an important role on the team. Hope he doesn't end up in Seattle.

 

[TrufleShufle]

You need star power to win just as you need guys like this. Hopefully he fills the Coleman hole eventually, does what's asked of him and does it well.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

This is bittersweet as he is almost certainly going to Seattle. That said, I wouldn't want to spend assets to stop Seattle from taking him either.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

He showed he's an NHL player last year, hope he succeeds wherever he ends up.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Should have signed him to a 1 year 3 million dollar deal, Seattle wouldn't take him at that $ LMAO
Enjoy Seattle fella

 

[My3Sons]

It surprised me that he ended up somewhat polarizing. He did a nice job this season. I expect he will be missed if he goes to SEA (which I think is likely) and NJ rolls Johnsson or Merkley out there with Wood and McLeod.

 

[MartyOwns]

he was part of arguably our most consistent line this year. i’d easily give seattle a 4th to have them take butcher instead. we need to have some sandpaper up front

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It surprised me that he ended up somewhat polarizing. He did a nice job this season. I expect he will be missed if he goes to SEA (which I think is likely) and NJ rolls Johnsson or Merkley out there with Wood and McLeod.

The only reason why he was polarizing I think was because a few people were making him out to be more than he is and saying crazy things like they'd rather keep him over a guy like Kuokkanen.

He is a fine 4th liner, and teams need that, but he isn't someone to lose sleep over if they lose him. You can find players in free agency that do what he does quite easily if necessary.

 

[My3Sons]

The only reason why he was polarizing I think was because a few people were making him out to be more than he is and saying crazy things like they'd rather keep him over a guy like Kuokkanen.

He is a fine 4th liner, and teams need that, but he isn't someone to lose sleep over if they lose him. You can find players in free agency that do what he does quite easily if necessary.

That last part I'm not sure about. Can you find guys his size and ability easily? To me he offers more than guys like Rooney and Hayden. I'm not sure where he fits in the NHL hierarchy but he's better than most fourth liners to me. Is he a legit third liner? Not yet, but I'd say that in a year or two he might be. I'd rather have Bastian than Merkley for example, but no, I don't think the team would be better served with Bastian over Kuokkanen. That said, I'd be ok with trading a fourth and a meh prospect or extra part player to keep him from SEA.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I like Nate Bastian but I won't lose sleep if Seattle takes him at all. He's a serviceable 4th liner but that's about it.
I'd rather lose Butcher or Mango but I don't really see Seattle going with either of those guys

 

[Devils731]

To me he offers more than guys like Rooney and Hayden.

Maybe in the future but I’d have to say I think 2 season ago Rooney was more effective than this season Bastion. At least, it’s be hard for me to say one was better than the other; Rooney even gives you some grit and I think his extra quickness allowed him to apply it more effectively.

I think Bastian will still improve a little so I think he tops out more slightly effective than Rooney but as of this second they’re almost a push, for me.

I still have trouble seeing Bastian as a difference maker on a good team without him getting quicker.

 

[Pitaya]

He showed he's an NHL player last year, hope he succeeds wherever he ends up.

He has?

not so sure about that

 

[SJinNewJersey]

He has?

not so sure about that

He may not be more than a 4th liner at this point, but that's an NHL player.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Add me to the group that would send Seattle a pick as a sweetener to take Butcher and keep Nate around.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

The only reason why he was polarizing I think was because a few people were making him out to be more than he is and saying crazy things like they'd rather keep him over a guy like Kuokkanen.

He is a fine 4th liner, and teams need that, but he isn't someone to lose sleep over if they lose him. You can find players in free agency that do what he does quite easily if necessary.

The question is..will they? They may very well think Johnsson fits that role just fine (which i highly disagree with).

 

[Goomba]

Add me to the group that would send Seattle a pick as a sweetener to take Butcher and keep Nate around.

Will Butcher sucks but were not a contender; im not paying real assets to move a shitty player when we dont need the cap or roster space

Nate Bastian is a nobody when discussing the extended future of this team; if he sticks around id be very shocked. He processes the game way too slowly

 

[StevenToddIves]

he was part of arguably our most consistent line this year. i’d easily give seattle a 4th to have them take butcher instead. we need to have some sandpaper up front

Agree 100%. Nathan Bastian is a very good 4th line asset for your team. Watching the 4 remaining NHL teams this post-season, it is not surprising to see all of them have strong 4th lines who can change the momentum and pop in the occasional goal. They're all good 4th lines.

The Devils clearly have the makings of this with McLeod and Bastian. The Devils do not need a 4th or 5th round pick nearly as much as they need some players with some intriguing dimensions in their bottom 6 -- and I'm saying this as a draft guy who loves his mid-round picks. I'd rather give the pick along with Johnsson than Butcher, as I feel Butcher has discernible trade value, and Johnsson does not.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Agree 100%. Nathan Bastian is a very good 4th line asset for your team. Watching the 4 remaining NHL teams this post-season, it is not surprising to see all of them have strong 4th lines who can change the momentum and pop in the occasional goal. They're all good 4th lines.

The Devils clearly have the makings of this with McLeod and Bastian. The Devils do not need a 4th or 5th round pick nearly as much as they need some players with some intriguing dimensions in their bottom 6 -- and I'm saying this as a draft guy who loves his mid-round picks. I'd rather give the pick along with Johnsson than Butcher, as I feel Butcher has discernible trade value, and Johnsson does not.

What do you mean by “your” team? Are you leaving us as a Devils fan STI?

 

[Billdo]

Agree 100%. Nathan Bastian is a very good 4th line asset for your team. Watching the 4 remaining NHL teams this post-season, it is not surprising to see all of them have strong 4th lines who can change the momentum and pop in the occasional goal. They're all good 4th lines.

The Devils clearly have the makings of this with McLeod and Bastian. The Devils do not need a 4th or 5th round pick nearly as much as they need some players with some intriguing dimensions in their bottom 6 -- and I'm saying this as a draft guy who loves his mid-round picks. I'd rather give the pick along with Johnsson than Butcher, as I feel Butcher has discernible trade value, and Johnsson does not.

You're like the Jim to Johnsson as he is to Jack, except not absurd. I love it.

 

[JimEIV]

You're like the Jim to Johnsson as he is to Jack, except not absurd. I love it.

$85,834 pay increase from his ElC. Does that fit in our cap structure?

 

[billingtons ghost]

The only reason why he was polarizing I think was because a few people were making him out to be more than he is and saying crazy things like they'd rather keep him over a guy like Kuokkanen.

He is a fine 4th liner, and teams need that, but he isn't someone to lose sleep over if they lose him. You can find players in free agency that do what he does quite easily if necessary.

Ok, I'll play. Here are the guys in the league within from the leader to within 20 hits of Bastian ( who had 136 on the season - as a comparable) figuring that is as close to a metric as we can get.


Archibald 192hits
Clutterbuck
Martin
Hathaway
Lowry
Crouse
Khaira*
Fischer
Reaves
Tanev
Lucic
Paquette*
DesLauriers
Carrier
Aube-Kubel
Byron
Cizikas* 112 hits


All under contract for next season except for *, all making more than 1m and some as much as 6m (lucic) many over 3.5m.

So - unless we somehow get Cizikas, Khaira, or Paquette- there isn't a replacement in UFA- and the youngest is 27, and we won't be able to sign him for 825k, so - what you say just basically isn't true at all.

Edit: and it is worth noting that alot of those guys factored greatly in their teams' playoff success. Hathaway, the identity line, Aube-Kubel and Reaves all have been their teams most impactful player at times.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Hits are one of the more meaningless stats in hockey. I don't care if a player has 0 hits or 300 hits.

When you have a lot of hits, it means you are chasing the puck a lot.