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

[Nubmer6]

I dunno if Fitz was planning on adding both Tatar and Tank. But the signing of Tatar might turn the pressure back on to Armstrong. I understand that he has "time" but he also knew he had a team in the Devils that he could get something out of so it allowed him to wait.

Now.... Fitz doesnt have to engage at all if he doesnt want and can even lower his price some. I have to imagine we are just about the only team willing to take on the whole hit. He went from losing all 7.5 to some if the deal isnt with the Devils.

Who knows if the Devils are still going to try and get Tank but its an interesting thought process IMO.

Well, I believe it was reported that he was trying to add Saad and Tarasenko. I figure Tatar is the Saad backup plan.

 

[jkrdevil]

That pizza looks like crap. Do they not know to make pizza in Montreal?

They named their big pizza place up there after the city of Boston…no, they don’t know how to make pizza.

 

[BurntToast]

I'm cautiously optimistic. Will Tatar give the Devils a potential 20-goal scorer in their top 6? Certainly. Will he make the Devils better on the PP? Also, yes. Is a 2 year deal a reasonable term, even though $4.5 million is a bit high? Sure.

But we're also talking about a player who was a consistent playoff scratch for not one but two straight teams under two different coaches for the playoffs. He's also pretty soft, and one of the Devils biggest problems in the top 6 is that it's too soft. The Devils have just become a more perimeter team with more problems getting second chances on rebounds and deflections in the crease. Tatar is very good in space, for certain, but more physical defenders have little trouble dispatching him from danger areas.

I like Tatar, and he's likely to fill the role which Andreas Johnsson failed miserably in last year and he is certainly a better option as he is far more skilled with a far higher hockey IQ. But there's several buts. If you replace Kuokkanen with Tatar on the top line, it's not a good idea. Jack Hughes played his best hockey of the season when playing alongside Sharangovich -- an excellent shooter and puck-hawk -- and Kuokkanen -- who excels at digging the pucks out of the corners and off the boards and crashes the net. Hughes benefits more from these players than perimeter scorers.

I'm more concerned that the Tatar signing signifies that Zacha will be slotted in as the third-line center with Tatar joining Jesper Bratt on Nico Hischier's wings. Again, this is a problem because, although Bratt is very competitive, you're surrounding Nico with two wingers incapable of winning corner or crease battles which Zacha is capable of winning. More importantly, Pavel Zacha has pretty much proven to be an excellent winger while being very mediocre at center.

Essentially, Tatar makes either of the Devils top 2 lines worse than they were last year, and the idea of Zacha slotting as 3C makes the Devils top 3 lines worse than last year.

This is not to say I'm completely correct in how the Devils plan to shuffle their top 9. If Tatar is on the 3rd line to start the season, I'm fine with the deal because he will certainly represent an upgrade there offensively, and he can slot up to the top 6 in case of injury. So, I don't dislike the deal, I'm just lukewarm to it because we're talking about a player on the other side of 30 who, although adding offense, does not really move the needle. Again, I feel Tatar will certainly help on the power play and on transition, and the reported 2 years at $4.5 million per is not a huge risk. But I do feel the need to state that replacing either Kuokkanen or Zacha in the Devils top 6 with Tatar represents a very likely downgrade.

Listen Linda, the Devils need players that can produce. We both know they got some “big bodied” prospects coming but nothing should be given for free. The goal is two fold, play more meaningful games (development) and give prospects more time if needed (development).

 

[Nubmer6]

That pizza looks like crap. Do they not know to make pizza in Montreal?

Ya. It has cheese curds instead of mozzarella and fries underneath.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

wonder what # he takes, since Boqvist already has #90

He wore #21 in Detroit which is obviously now open again

 

[Team Concept]

“Let them have their Ta-Tar sauce”.

-Monty Burns

 

[beekay414]

Tatar - Hughes - Sharangovich
Zacha - Hischier - Bratt
Johnsson - Boqvist/Mercer/UFA - Kuokkanen
Wood - McLeod - Zetterlund/Studenic/UFA

Graves - Hamilton
Smith - Severson
Siegenthaler - Subban

Blackwood - Bernier

 

[Oneiro]

Eating Montreal pizza is one of the worst mistakes I've ever made in my life. Top 25 life mistake, for sure.

 

[JrFischer54]

i dont know much about tatar but the fact that he would be playing top 6 mins just shows you how little talent we have up front. its a no brainer move and again its not going to prevent anyone below him from getting a shot. this board is funny sometimes with complaints.

 

[njdevil26]

They named their big pizza place up there after the city of Boston…no, they don’t know how to make pizza.

Pizza is definitely not Montreal's best food haha... but loving that city as much as I do, they have an amazing culinary scene and the bagels are legit. I know living in NJ/NY we have our nose up high about our bagels... but Montreal's are contenders. Plus with restaurants like Joe Beef, Liverpool House, Modavie, Damas, Tiradito, Da Emma... and so on. Seriously go see the Devils in Montreal and take a restaurant tour over the weekend.

 

[njdevil26]

Tatar - Hughes - Sharangovich
Zacha - Hischier - Bratt
Johnsson - Boqvist/Mercer/UFA - Kuokkanen
Wood - McLeod - Zetterlund/Studenic/UFA

Graves - Hamilton
Smith - Severson
Siegenthaler - Subban

Blackwood - Bernier

It's hard to put together a Devils lineup right now. we have ONE right handed forward on the big roster... McLeod. I am guessing Holtz and Mercer are getting legit shots.

Tatar-Hughes-Bratt
Sharangovich-Hischier-Mercer
Johsson-Zacha-Holtz
Wood-McLeod-Kuokkanen

No idea. haha

 

[The 29th Pick]

That pizza looks like crap. Do they not know to make pizza in Montreal?

doesn't Sheldon Souray and Marty own a Pizza joint in Montreal?

 

[Hisch13r]

Tatar - Hughes - Sharangovich
Zacha - Hischier - Bratt
Johnsson - Boqvist/Mercer/UFA - Kuokkanen
Wood - McLeod - Zetterlund/Studenic/UFA

Graves - Hamilton
Smith - Severson
Siegenthaler - Subban

Blackwood - Bernier

I love the defense and goaltending. Up front it's still very meh but Tatar helps out a lot

 

[DerekDevils30]

Tomas Tatar (#90) All 22 Goals of the 2019-20 NHL Season - YouTube

1:20 mark. Right in the crease baby. Like seeing that.

 

[Devs3cups]

Pizza is definitely not Montreal's best food haha... but loving that city as much as I do, they have an amazing culinary scene and the bagels are legit. I know living in NJ/NY we have our nose up high about our bagels... but Montreal's are contenders. Plus with restaurants like Joe Beef, Liverpool House, Modavie, Damas, Tiradito, Da Emma... and so on. Seriously go see the Devils in Montreal and take a restaurant tour over the weekend.

Quebec/Montreal’s specialty is definitely poutine. A few spots in both those cities have ridiculously good poutine. Worth a try, 100%.

Also, for those of you who are looking to travel eventually, I would 100% recommend going to visit Quebec City, even moreso than Montreal imo. The “Old Town” Quebec is seriously beautiful and fun to visit. Lots of history and the french architecture is beautiful.

 

[Saucerhead Tharpe]

Who wears 90? Boqvist or Tartar?

 

[NJDevs26]

This is a cool send off Tweet

 

[njdevil26]

Quebec/Montreal’s specialty is definitely poutine. A few spots in both those cities have ridiculously good poutine. Worth a try, 100%.

Yup my wife gets poutine almost every day when we are up there. I'm just not a fan of brown gravy. But in October/November we're going to go up, catch a Habs game... spend 3 days in MTL then take the train and dining car up to Quebec City and try a few restaurants up there. Haven't been to QC since 2015 when we saw Rammstein there.

 

[beekay414]

I love the defense and goaltending. Up front it's still very meh but Tatar helps out a lot

I'm not meh on the forwards at all but I'm also a big believer in Rango and think Kuokkanen is a stud and perfect for the 3rd line. If Boqvist/Mercer take control of 3C or we bring in a vet and Johnsson bounces back somewhat, we have a legit top 9.

My fear is, if we do end up getting another top 6 winger (Tank), we'll drop Zacha to 3C and that is no bueno for me. Would put a huge damper on the offseason if our plan is to put Zacha back on the dot. If we bump Rango to the 3rd line, and leave Zacha-Hischier-Bratt alone, I'd be good with it but I just have a feeling that Zacha is going to run 3C despite 6 years of proof that he's not a C.

 

[OmNomNom]

yall are shittin on pizza that looks like its from dominos as if you're beneath it :|

sometimes you just want garbage pizza

 

[Devs3cups]

Yup my wife gets poutine almost every day when we are up there. I'm just not a fan of brown gravy. But in October/November we're going to go up, catch a Habs game... spend 3 days in MTL then take the train and dining car up to Quebec City and try a few restaurants up there. Haven't been to QC since 2015 when we saw Rammstein there.

I’m actually from Quebec City, I know all about it, and I truly believe Quebec is superior to Montreal (little hometown bias but whatever hehe). If you need a few restaurant recommendations don’t hesitate!

 

[Devs3cups]

yall are shittin on pizza that looks like its from dominos as if you're beneath it :|

sometimes you just want garbage pizza

That’s a good point lol

 

[Hisch13r]

I'm not meh on the forwards at all but I'm also a big believer in Rango and think Kuokkanen is a stud and perfect for the 3rd line. If Boqvist/Mercer take control of 3C or we bring in a vet and Johnsson bounces back somewhat, we have a legit top 9.

My fear is, if we do end up getting another top 6 winger (Tank), we'll drop Zacha to 3C and that is no bueno for me. Would put a huge damper on the offseason if our plan is to put Zacha back on the dot. If we bump Rango to the 3rd line, and leave Zacha-Hischier-Bratt alone, I'd be good with it but I just have a feeling that Zacha is going to run 3C despite 6 years of proof that he's not a C.

Zacha at center to me is fine if you staple Bratt to him. Bratt has a similar impact that center vs wing does on him. Then you have Tatar, Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Tarasenko as the wings with Jack/Nico

 

[RSeen]

Tatar - Hughes - Sharangovich
Zacha - Hischier - Bratt
Johnsson - Boqvist/Mercer/UFA - Kuokkanen
Wood - McLeod - Zetterlund/Studenic/UFA

Graves - Hamilton
Smith - Severson
Siegenthaler - Subban

Blackwood - Bernier

Those seem pretty likely to me, though I may switch Kuokkanen and Zacha. I have more confidence in Kuok as a top 6 option than I do for Pavel.

Probably in an ideal world that winger position next to Hishier and Bratt is filled by someone better, but that could be one of our prospects in a year or two (Holtz, Mercer or Foote etc.).

 

[JimEIV]

doesn't Sheldon Souray and Marty own a Pizza joint in Montreal?

https://www.instagram.com/dailynhlfact/p/BsGpFMFAbNB/?hl=en

La Pizzeria etc