Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Tomas Tatar - 2 years @ $4.5M AAV

[Nubmer6]

Nearly every "these guys will be great/awful together" take ends up being horribly wrong. Chemistry between players is a personal thing and not determined by attributes. You never know who is going to click with who until you put them together and see.

I totally agree about the importance of chemistry, however chemistry changes.

Early on I thought Zacha and Wood had chemistry... until the next season they didn't.

 

[MadDevil]

time will tell, I see both arguments to have merit, the team will play on the ice, not on paper

I was going to make a "Butcher looks like he's skating on paper" joke but he's not here anymore.

 

[Nubmer6]

Like I said, the "he sucks at the net front" thing is just inaccurate.

I think there's a difference in perception about being a good net-front presence. You can say a player is not good in front of the net because he doesn't have the size and can be pushed around, but we've also seen exceptions to that - for example Gionta used to set up shop there and scored a fair number of goals in the lower slot.

 

[JimEIV]

If Zacha is so reliant on Nico that he can't be away from him and stinks when he plays center, maybe he's not actually that good?

I think the larger point is being forced to play center. Which inevitably means out of the top 6...

This would be horrible if the case...

Zacha probably is the best pure shooter on the team... Although Id entertain an argument for Sharangovich, regardless that shooting ability should be utilized in our top 6 and on the PP in the most effective way possible...our biggest problem is goals in my opinion and Zacha's best attribute is his shooting ability... taking that and putting on the 3rd line at center hurts our team and wastes Zacha's best way to contribute.

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

I think the larger point is being forced to play center. Which inevitably means out of the top 6...

This would be horrible if the case...

Zacha probably is the best pure shooter on the team... Although Id entertain an argument for Sharangovich, regardless that shooting ability should be utilized in our top 6 and on the PP in the most effective way possible...our biggest problem is goals in my opinion and Zacha's best attribute is his shooting ability... taking that and putting on the 3rd line at center hurts our team and wastes Zacha's best way to contribute.

Yes, yes, let’s start the “who has the best shot” argument between Zacha and Rango…muahahahahaha…cough…cough…ha!

They both have great shots. Rango has that whippy, any angle, any time, anywhere shot that surprises the enemy at times. Whereas PZ seems to have that heavy snap that explodes of his stick and can also serve as the Sword of Omens with sight beyond sight.

Agreed both have great shots and they both need to be on PP1 and the other on PP2. Wouldn’t mind Rango getting more PK as well. I like the NJD tradition of having good shooters/O generators on the PK: Brown, Rolston, Madden, Rico, Coleman.

 

[JimEIV]

Yes, yes, let’s start the “who has the best shot” argument between Zacha and Rango…muahahahahaha…cough…cough…ha!

They both have great shots. Rango has that whippy, any angle, any time, anywhere shot that surprises the enemy at times. Whereas PZ seems to have that heavy snap that explodes of his stick and can also serve as the Sword of Omens with sight beyond sight.

Agreed both have great shots and they both need to be on PP1 and the other on PP2. Wouldn’t mind Rango getting more PK as well. I like the NJD tradition of having good shooters/O generators on the PK: Brown, Rolston, Madden, Rico, Coleman.

This post strangely had me wanting to take out my old Dungeons and Dragons books

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

This post strangely had we wanting to take out my old Dungeons and Dragons books

I get it. Zacha can be a bit of a 20 sided die.

 

[Nubmer6]

Wouldn’t mind Rango getting more PK as well. I like the NJD tradition of having good shooters/O generators on the PK: Brown, Rolston, Madden, Rico, Coleman.

Wait...

Brown as in DOUGIE BROWN?

That's just tearing open an old wound. Man I was pissed when we lost him

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

Wait...

Brown as in DOUGIE BROWN?

That's just tearing open an old wound. Man I was pissed when we lost him

Yes sir! Didn’t get why he was let go.

Anyone mention or have a clue of Tatar’s skating/speed?

 

[Nubmer6]

Yes sir! Didn’t get why he was let go.

Anyone mention or have a clue of Tatar’s skating/speed?

Mediocre, from what I've read.

 

[Hisch13r]

I think there's a difference in perception about being a good net-front presence. You can say a player is not good in front of the net because he doesn't have the size and can be pushed around, but we've also seen exceptions to that - for example Gionta used to set up shop there and scored a fair number of goals in the lower slot.

I think that soft Swede William Nylander led the league in net front goals in 19-20.

 

[britdevil]

Because this board is very smart

 

[Guadana]

Wait...

Brown as in DOUGIE BROWN?

That's just tearing open an old wound. Man I was pissed when we lost him

Do you remember how he score against us in very tight game time after time?
Found highlights.

this is a great game no matter how it did end.
One more pinch of salt on your wound.

 

[JimEIV]

I think that soft Swede William Nylander led the league in net front goals in 19-20.

As long as you have someone to do the heavy lifting and battling a little soft guy who has a knack for coming in late to clean up the garage can be extremely effective

Not saying that is what Nylander is or does (haven't watched him that closely) just speaking in general.

 

[Guttersniped]

Fans overseas will definitely do that. Czech vs. Slovak is always perceived as a rivalry, even when they play on the same team. (Hopefully, this doesn't affect the players themselves.)

If Studenic makes the teams then Zacha will be outnumbered, though Sharangovich will be given them both the finger.

That’s a joke btw, these guys are basically a box of kittens temperament-wise. This might need more a more fiery guy at some point but you have to really find the right guy there. (And don’t throw Matthew Tkachuk @ me, the possibilities of getting him have been recently discussed, lol)

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Zacha will be on wing for the PP which is where he's useful and where he scores anyways so what's the problem?

 

[Guttersniped]

Because this board is very smart and very aware of the decisions that are going to have to be made.

This board intuitively knows that Jack and Tatar are a horrible fit... And to get Tomas a prime LW offensive spot it probably comes at moving Zacha off of Nico's wing.

This conversation was people setting stage for what they know is about to come...

It probably means moving Zacha into less than ideal 3rd line center position and instead of blaming the unnecessary add of a redundant forward it'll be easier to just say Zacha sucks when he's forced to do the work at 3C.

This board is impressively preemptive.

I can’t even tell if you’re kidding here. “The board intuitively knows…?”

When did the “The board” become a unified force of thought? And plenty of people were peddling Zacha as our future 3C and as, the phrase that was the bane of my existence, “Zajac’s replacement” (oof), even though they were very different players their entire career. I know why people wanted that to be true but there wasn’t ever any sign that it was actually possible. So much for collective intuition.

And I’m missing why Tatar has already been booted from Jack’s wing and for who exactly. I don’t think it’s going to be for Koukkanen, he just doesn’t shoot the puck much, Tatar is a finisher and playmaker who could actually work well with Hughes.

Call me crazy, but rather than read the entrails of dead animal to divine how all the new players will fit in the line-up I’m going to wait until training camp and pre-season games to see how this all susses out.

If Zacha ends up in the 3C spot it’s likely because you need production from your 3C. That’s why it happened last season. That’s why I’m not sure McLeod/Boqvist is the plan (but probably is?). Lack of scoring would send Zacha to the third line. I’m not saying I approve or it’s a good plan or that will pay off but it won’t be Tatar’s fault.

Our bottom six has question marks with the loss of Bastian, Maltsev, Merkley and the earlier loss of Zajac. We do have a lot of forwards kicking around. I don’t know if we’ll randomly pick up a vet trade/late signing/pto or this it and the current guys will fill out the bottom six. Kuokanen in the bottom six could potentially improve it though.

The Oilers could write off their bottom six (in the regular season, in the playoffs their lack of depth killed them and did Holand try to address that this off-season) but I hear they got some guys who score a ton. Toronto is ridiculously top heavy and they still was trying to squeeze what scoring they could out of their bottom six with Kerfoot, Mikheyev, old stars and anything else cheap (Galchenyuk) they could stuff in there.

 

[Guttersniped]

If advanced stats say Zacha is ass , why does the team use him as much as they do and not look to trade him? Just an honest question . I’m sure the Devils analytic department can see what we see plus a ton more so why would they play him still if he is garbage?

When? Zacha played a lot early because someone has to.

He signed his 3 year/2.25m in the 2019 off-season. 2018-19 was his best season offensively before that and his special teams play was strong then.

And while his defense stats weren’t good the season before he signed (they had gotten worse from the season before) they took a freakish nosedive into the pits of hell in 2019-20. And it wasn’t just the team got worse, he was, along with Wood, near the bottom of the league. And he wasn’t a PK stud that season. And he shot worse. Still ok on the PP though.

So you ride it out in 2020-21. His offensive results were much better (yeah!). His defensive results were no longer in the pits of hell but not what could be described as good (uh… yeah…). His PK numbers were actually bad last season (I’m going to blame that on the overall PK situation and boldly predict those improve). Still solid on the PP.

And I’m talking about Zacha’s stats again. Shoot me and put me out of my misery.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Which then leads to the question, do you put Tatar in Bratt's spot so Zacha can stay with Nico? Would a Zacha/Hughes/Bratt line work?

Yea I have no idea. I image they will try Tatar with Jack at first. Hopefully their skill level will allow them to mesh together. Zacha/Nico/Bratt needs to be permanent.

 

[Eggtimer]

I’m just not sure what the lines will look like once Holtz Mercer Foote are ready . Problem is Zacha being most effective with Nico and Bratt and Shara being a waste it would seem on the third line ?

For this season I’d hope they go with Hughes with Tatar and Shara but not sure if that’s the optimal wing for those two . I think Tatar can play either wing ? What’s their preference for those two ?

 

[Hisch13r]

I’m just not sure what the lines will look like once Holtz Mercer Foote are ready . Problem is Zacha being most effective with Nico and Bratt . Not sure where to slot in Holtz ( hoping Jacks RW) but then where does Shara go ? Make a third line of Foote Boqvist Shara ? Mercer Hughes Holtz?

With the pieces we currently have now

Foote-Hughes-Holtz
Zacha-Hischier-Bratt
Kuokkanen-Mercer-Sharangovich

Obviously a lot will change and it won't shake out this way

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I’m just not sure what the lines will look like once Holtz Mercer Foote are ready . Problem is Zacha being most effective with Nico and Bratt and Shara being a waste it would seem on the third line ?

For this season I’d hope they go with Hughes with Tatar and Shara but not sure if that’s the optimal wing for those two . I think Tatar can play either wing ? What’s their preference for those two ?

As much as Glen will hate it, I don't think Bratt is a long-term fit here. But that's assuming our prospects pan out...which we all know how that goes...

Also don't think Zacha is a long-term fit either.

 

[Hisch13r]

As much as Glen will hate it, I don't think Bratt is a long-term fit here. But that's assuming our prospects pan out...which we all know how that goes...

Also don't think Zacha is a long-term fit either.

There are 2 prospects who project to be as good or better than Bratt. Holtz and Mercer. That's it. You're never going to get fair value for Bratt and he's a great player. There's NO reason he shouldn't be a part of the future. Zacha on the other hand...

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

There are 2 prospects who project to be as good or better than Bratt. Holtz and Mercer. That's it. You're never going to get fair value for Bratt and he's a great player. There's NO reason he shouldn't be a part of the future. Zacha on the other hand...

Sure, but this isn't a video game. You don't just plug in the best players possible. I'm just saying I don't see him being a fit with the players we got in the future. Anyways, this is offtopic.

 

[Hisch13r]

Sure, but this isn't a video game. You don't just plug in the best players possible. I'm just saying I don't see him being a fit with the players we got in the future. Anyways, this is offtopic.

I'll move it over to the team thread.