Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023-24 season part II

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Devils can’t trade their 2024 first anyway since it’s locked up in the trade with SJ; so I take that rumor of a bad deal with. Big grain of salt.

You could probably trade SJ a third round pick to take the condition off the trade and make it a 2nd round pick for sure but then it’s just more assets towards a bad idea.

well they COULD technically...it would just have to be the reverse conditions of what the SJ trade are I think?

 

[devilsblood]

I'm not trading that for a 34 year old UFA and a 34 year old goalie

Holtz and a first no less.

I know losing sucks but it shouldn’t turn fans into morons.

 

[Devils731]

well they COULD technically...it would just have to be the reverse conditions of what the SJ trade are I think?

Agreed. That’s still different than the rumor to me because there would be a chance they don’t get the 2024 first round pick.

To me, if I see someone trading the Devils 2024 first then I think they’re spitballing since it’s more complicated then just trading that pick.

 

[Patrik26]

Timo for Johnny Hockey...would you do it?

 

[Lou Bloom]

Agreed. That’s still different than the rumor to me because there would be a chance they don’t get the 2024 first round pick.

To me, if I see someone trading the Devils 2024 first then I think they’re spitballing since it’s more complicated then just trading that pick.

Even ignoring the protections I don't think the Devils' should be quick to trade that pick away. That pick is trending to be a lottery pick right now and the 2024 draft class has quite a few interesting players that will go in that late lottery area.

 

[Bone Density]

Keep it and get an Iginla, Greentree, Yakemchuk, etc, who will be on a cheap ELC and contribute for the next 10-15 years.

 

[Forge]

well they COULD technically...it would just have to be the reverse conditions of what the SJ trade are I think?

That is correct.

 

[Oneiro]

Issue with Ruff is that adversity lays bare the foundation of your team’s approach even if the overall excuse for not winning is fine.

I don’t see how this style, especially losing a lot of speed, makes sense if you want a cup.

 

[Maine Fan]

40 days tomorrow until the end of this season's trade deadline. Sellers, Buyers or Standing Pats?

Is there a goalie out there that can help us this season and on the playoffs that we can get?

Are there defensemen out there that can help us this season and during the playoffs that we can get?

Good luck Fitz

 

[Lou Bloom]

40 days tomorrow until the end of this season's trade deadline. Sellers, Buyers or Standing Pats?

Is there a goalie out there that can help us this season and on the playoffs that we can get?

Are there defensemen out there that can help us this season and during the playoffs that we can get?

Good luck Fitz

I wouldn't be in on any rentals. Either stand pat, or make a trade for a player with term.

 

[Maine Fan]

I wouldn't be in on any rentals. Either stand pat, or make a trade for a player with term.

why no rentals if they can help get us into the playoffs and keep us active in the second season?

 

[NjDevsRR]

Our trade acquisitions is, getting healthier

A healthy Jack Nosek and eventually Siegs is huge

 

[Maine Fan]

Our trade acquisitions is, getting healthier

A healthy Jack Nosek and eventually Siegs is huge

agree, do we need more?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I would try to find another Lazar type (bottom 6er that has some term) and maybe a goalie. But I wouldn't go crazy tbh unless they REALLY turn it around in the next few weeks.

 

[Lou Bloom]

why no rentals if they can help get us into the playoffs and keep us active in the second season?

Because the prospect depth is starting to become thin and this team hasn't shown the type of consistency to warrant taking a risk on rentals to make a playoff run. I'm also usually against the idea of rentals considering you're trading assets for potentially 20 games of a player that may not even have the time to gel with your lineup.

The Devils are a team with a core of talent built around players 25 or younger, there's no need to trade what can be future contributors down the line for a quarter of a season on a team that is currently not even in a playoff spot.

 

[My3Sons]

why no rentals if they can help get us into the playoffs and keep us active in the second season?

I don’t think it’s that you can’t add at the deadline but the team is out of a playoff spot so how much do you want to put into rentals? If some team wanted Stillman or another second tier prospect fine but I don’t think you want to move your first or next year’s first . Beyond that the team has so many holes right now where do you even add? A goalie would be nice but you are still down a first defense pairing . And unless Jack comes back at 100% it’s hard to see them having enough firepower to really contend as more than a bubble team where you likely just add a couple of depth guys for a couple of low round picks and hope for the best.

 

[MadDevil]

It depends on where the team is and how they look at the deadline. If they come out of the All-Star break strong I'd be more willing to add a rental. If they come out flat I'm not wasting assets on a team that isn't going anywhere. If your own captain saying he's embarrassed isn't enough to get your shit together I don't think adding a rental is going to do it.

 

[NjDevsRR]

agree, do we need more?

Depends how they look at the TDL

 

[Maine Fan]

I don’t think it’s that you can’t add at the deadline but the team is out of a playoff spot so how much do you want to put into rentals? If some team wanted Stillman or another second tier prospect fine but I don’t think you want to move your first or next year’s first . Beyond that the team has so many holes right now where do you even add? A goalie would be nice but you are still down a first defense pairing . And unless Jack comes back at 100% it’s hard to see them having enough firepower to really contend as more than a bubble team where you likely just add a couple of depth guys for a couple of low round picks and hope for the best.

you make a lot of good points, we do not know the health of our players. But assuming all is good, we need a goalie to make the playoffs, and we could use a strong D player to assist with the defensive weaknesses if we want to try to get into the playoffs. Anything can happen in the playoffs. If we don't make the second season again then Fitz might not be here to guide us.

 

[billingtons ghost]

It was the best of seasons, it was the worst of seasons. It was the season of speed, it was the season of sluggard. It was the epoch of Ruff's strength, it was the epoch of Ruff's failings. It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Lol. Well done
It's definitely trying fans' souls.

 

[My3Sons]

you make a lot of good points, we do not know the health of our players. But assuming all is good, we need a goalie to make the playoffs, and we could use a strong D player to assist with the defensive weaknesses if we want to try to get into the playoffs. Anything can happen in the playoffs. If we don't make the second season again then Fitz might not be here to guide us.

I don’t think anyone loses their job if this team fails to make the playoffs. The injuries and the loss of McLeod and Vanacek’s implosion are enough that I expect the entire management and coaching staff all return next season. Beyond that they are obviously happy with Fitz given the extension. I don’t see him on any sort of hot seat despite the struggles. This may be a spot where the analytics group backs Fitz sitting on his hands rather than adding given how the market for goalies is inflated

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[billingtons ghost]

I think I agree with most of the sentiment here.

There's been talk about conditioning. I think that's true .
There s talk that we're slower. Zetterlund, Shara, Tatar, Wood all has faults but straight ahead speed that stretches defenses wasn't a shortcoming as all four guys were breakaway candidates. Toffoli, Meier, etc are not.

Defensive steps back: I know I've banged the graves/sevs gong alot, but I think it's probably also a problem up front: none of the guys we lost were defensive standouts but Tatar had his best year defensively, and the rest seemed to know the system and had at least good defensive sticks or size.

Watching Stone play on Vegas made me think he is probably worth .50 GAA for a goalie a game, the way he cuts passes and takes away the ice... and really almost all of Florida's and Boston's team are in position all the time.

We played with more structure last year and got goals off of the turnovers and counterattacks and this year it's really all about us one of two guys trying to break in. We leave allot of pucks behind at the lines and our D is rarely ready to handle a counter attack.

It's really night and day from last year.

 

[Mgd31]

Have the Devils put you in a coma for the last 23 hours?

 

[None Shall Pass]

I'd like to get an LD with NHL experience, if we could. We need to start pushing Bahl and Luke down the lineup with Siegenthaler out, and when he comes back that will allow us to sit one of them for a game or two to watch and learn after they make another stupid pass. Plus when Smith returns that pushes him down the lineup too. Win-win.