Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Tlusty to one-year one-way deal

[NJDevs26]

I'm fine with the signing, but how are "the kids" bad? You have some legitimate NHL talent coming through the pipeline, some who will be ready to contribute this season. The logic on this board is that someone is either a blue chip prospect or "really bad." No in between.

It's not that the kids are bad, it's that most of the ones we have are really a year or two away. I'm not a big fan of the ones likely to play this year (Matteau, Boucher) but the ones that might be farther off like Quenneville, Blandisi and to an extent Zacha are the more intriguing ones.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Do you think if someone scores a bunch in the AHL level they should end up on the 4th line given plug-in minutes to grind?

That's what Tim Sestito was there for. He wasn't playing quality minutes, just a warm body to prevent the other team from scoring.
If Whitney had Sestito's minutes, I doubt he could have done much with the linemates he had to work with. He did manage to score a goal but I bet if he was on a top 6 line he could have done something more.

Maybe if Whitney had been there instead of Sestito, they wouldn't have been "plug minutes." I don't want Whitney to get Sestito's minutes. I want(ed) Sestito off the team and Whitney playing somewhere that gives him an opportunity to shine. It's not an either/or situation. That's why I don't think Tlusty has much of an effect on any younger player's chances. If Tlusty plays, he's pushing the depth players down the lineup where they belong. They're the ones that are taking up kids' spots, not our actual, (somewhat) talented forwards.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

gotta love all the props all our junk AHL players get as if these guys are somehow wallowing away there and deserve to be in the NHL

there is a REASON most of them are there.

 

[MNDevilsfan]

No problem with this at all. Solid player, great deal, and if one or two of the young players play well enough to make the team I doubt signing Tlusty will keep them out of the lineup.

 

[MadDevil]

It's a 27 year old forward on a one year 800K contract. I'm not sure how anybody can complain about that, but then we are Devils fans. Somebody would complain if we won the Cup.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

gotta love all the props all our junk AHL players get as if these guys are somehow wallowing away there and deserve to be in the NHL

there is a REASON most of them are there.

I think it's unfair to our young players to not acknowledge that giving roster spots to almost literally worthless (aka no one wanted them for free at the deadline) forwards wasn't at least partially a factor why they never got more than a few consolation minutes here and there.

If the Devils had had more players like Tlusty (legit middle 6 forwards under 28), it wouldn't bother me so much. But for Whitney to never get a real shot while Ryder and Havlat and Zubrus and Tootoo and Sestito are the guys taking up space? That's just poor foresight, IMO.

And I don't like the "but those players were just there to play **** minutes" excuse. Those minutes are only **** because of who was playing them.

EDIT: And I'm not saying I completely disagree with you. If Whitney (or Sislo or Boucher or whoever) was an NHL player, normally we'd have expected to see something. But normally, one of the best players in the AHL under 24 gets more than 4 games and like 30 total NHL minutes in his lifetime, even if he's Gerbe-sized. The odds are overwhelmingly not in Whitney's favor that he had an NHL future. But I think he did everything he could to prove he deserved a shot. Then he got a contract and Deboer/Oates were all "nah nevermind."

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't disagree with you, but Joe Whitney is the definition of a AAAA player

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I don't disagree with you, but Joe Whitney is the definition of a AAAA player

Yeah I tried to address that in the edit. Definitely can't disagree that he's a shining example of a tweener. At the very least we can say we found the next Darren Haydar or Tim Stapleton.

 

[NJDevs26]

If you make Stephen Gionta look tall you gotta be REALLY special to get more than a cup of coffee at the NHL level.

 

[Desert Devil]

Apparently Tyler Kennedy is going to be given a tryout by us as well.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I like this signing, but I don't like the fact that it might mean the trade market is dry. Oh well.

 

[SeidoN]

wow. thats a really impressive deal. expected like 2yrs 2M. gotta give big props for Shero

 

[captainscott]

Shero giving that explanation when talking about the buyout of Zubrus was just a nice way of saying ''Zubrus doesn't belong in the NHL anymore. He's taking up a spot that someone else could be using, whether it's a youngster or a veteran that can contribute more. Zubrus no longer has the ability to effectively play in the NHL anymore'' and I'm sorry I have to trash the guy again but let's be serious, all of what I said was the gods honest truth and Ray isn't gonna say ''We're buying out Zubrus because he sucks''.

And while Tlusty is no youngster (but apparently Paul Thompson at the same age is to some people) he's still 10 years younger than Zubrus and I'd be willing to be much more effective.

adding another NHL caliber player is a good move. everyone knows there will be some injuries correct? there will be plenty of chances for a youngster or two to make this team even with this signing. elias is 39 he won't play 80 games, cammarleri won't play 80 games. etc etc.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's a 27 year old forward on a one year 800K contract. I'm not sure how anybody can complain about that, but then we are Devils fans. Somebody would complain if we won the Cup.

It's not really complaining as much as it is people being reactionary to disprove an agenda

-If we sign nobody it's OMGZ ownership's tanking, look at the Sixers!
-If we sign someone it's OMGZ see, Shero was lying and the kids are never going to play now!

As if more than one thing can't be true. They can't possibly sign someone to try to improve (marginally) now while still leaving room for people in the system to win jobs.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Some interesting info about/reactions on the Tlusty signing.

https://storify.com/Easy_Chowder/tlusty

 

[SeidoN]

Despite low ice times, Tlusty has 77 primary points the last 3 years. Ranks 130th on the list. He's a top 6 forward.

saw this on Twitter

 

[NJDevs26]

adding another NHL caliber player is a good move. everyone knows there will be some injuries correct? there will be plenty of chances for a youngster or two to make this team even with this signing. elias is 39 he won't play 80 games, cammarleri won't play 80 games. etc etc.

This is also a good point, as much as I don't want to acknowledge it

I mean Camm's usually good for missing 15-20 games a year and Patty well, he's the man but there's only one Jagr in terms of being an ironman no matter what age. You need 'some' depth and you still need to have flexibility to see what you have. This signing doesn't really push the needle to where we no longer have flexibility. If we signed him to a Brunner contract that'd be different cause then you're basically financially committed to a guy for at least a year plus no matter what.

 

[tycobb]

Shocked we were able to get him for so cheap. Last season he put pu 14g and 17a for 31 PTS with 16:01 ATOI.

31 PTS would have been #6 for us. Just behind Bernier (why did we just let him walk?) and ahead of Jagar(traded) and Zajac.

 

[tailfins]

Thank you, Ray!

This gives me hope that management hasn't abandoned those of us who want to see a competitive team this year.

It's a bargain basement deal, though, so hard to tell if it has any implications on future decisions. It could just be that, at this price / term, Ray couldn't pass him up.

 

[goonybird]

I don't disagree with you, but Joe Whitney is the definition of a AAAA player

just like St Louis!

 

[Billdo]

Shocked we were able to get him for so cheap. Last season he put pu 14g and 17a for 31 PTS with 16:01 ATOI.

31 PTS would have been #6 for us. Just behind Bernier (why did we just let him walk?) and ahead of Jagar(traded) and Zajac.

He will also play probably 2:45 to 3 mins more per game.

 

[MichaelJ]

saw this on Twitter

If he gets top6 minutes here, we could be looking at a 2nd rd pick at the deadline. He only garnered a 3rd last year, but with a practically non-existent cap hit and an improved season I could see him returning some value.

 

[MichaelJ]

I like this signing, but I don't like the fact that it might mean the trade market is dry. Oh well.

Maybe, maybe not. Teams are probably in a holding pattern until camp. I'm sure they want to see what they have before they make a deal. Shero probably is in the same boat.

 

[MadDevil]

I think Tlusty and Schlemko could turn out to be pretty good, cheap signings for us.

 

[NHL Fanatik*]

people calling him a plug; what if he shines? One season he had close to 40 points in 40something games IIRC, thats a very good pace.