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

[glenwo2]

Love some Arlette content

Arlette is tremendous.

 

[MasterofGrond]

My youngest loves roller coasters. We’ve been to Busch Gardens in Tampa and in Virginia. We’ve been to Six Flags in Arlington. We’ve been to Disney and universal. All lots of fun. We even went on a roller coaster in Hyde Park in London when we visited a few years ago. They had a German company set up a Christmas carnival there. I got a bit light headed on one of the bigger ones in Arlington. It had some heavy g forces.

Yeah I’ve been to basically every good coaster park in the US at this point. Need to build out my international checklist though.

My psychiatrist says my love of motorcycles and roller coasters is a symptom of adhd.

I say, gotta go fast.

 

[NJDevs26]

Important news.

Kids

 

[JimEIV]

Important news.

That's a long way to Uber....I guess they're not old enough to rent a car

 

[My3Sons]

That's a long way to Uber....I guess they're not old enough to rent a car

That’s a good point. They couldn’t rent a car as I understand it.

 

[Cheddabombs]

It's funny to picture everyone else on the team partying and drinking (except Dougie) over the break while Mercer and Holtz are in mickey mouse ears on roller coasters.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Ruff won't like it though, no fun allowed for Holtz. To the press box he goes

I seriously fear that is exactly what will happen when Jack Hughes is ready to return.

 

[Andre Palot]

That's a long way to Uber....I guess they're not old enough to rent a car

And expensive but I guess they don't have to worry about that

 

[StevenToddIves]

“Right now, I'd look at our top 7 as something like:
1 Casey
2 Gritsyuk
3 Vilen
4 Bardakov
5 Karpovich
6 Barabosha
7 Orlov”

Why you no like Lenni lol?

We can guess what his list will look like. (Yes, I have overthought this, don’t judge.)

Wheeler had a Top 100 for the 2023 Draft, Hameenaho (#53) & Squires (#90) were listed, while Karpovich was a HM (out of 27 players).

He had a Summer Top 50 Top Drafted Prospects in July 2023: Luke (#7), Nemec (#8), Holtz (#34), and both Casey & Mukhamadullin were HM (out of 77 players). So we have one left there, bit of a drop. (Unless he’s weird about Nemec.)

Orlov was his final cut last Feb. The other graduates could be replaced by some of his other HMs: Edwards, Malek & Schlaine. (And, uh, theoretically Salminen.)

Bardakov & Barabosha? I like Bardakov, and hope he signs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t on the list.

Barabosha seemingly isn’t the type of defenseman he goes for, but he had Misyul on his list every year somewhere.

Hell, in 2020 he said this about Zaitsev (#20):


Okhotiuk in 2022 (#14):


You have to find acceptance in your heart and overlook his boundless enthusiasm for tiny offensive defensemen that he says will perfect for a sheltered 2PP QB (which isn’t a thing anymore Scott).

Barabosha is being severely underrated by the prospect watchers, and I can't wait for him to come to North America in a few years and prove a lot of people wrong for overlooking him. He's a very good skater who dominates one-on-one battles, the boards and the crease. He's one of the most physical prospect defensemen around. Barabosha still needs to fine tune some of the positional aspects but he's actually good with the puck and shows above-average hockey sense, especially for the type of player he projects to.

Bardakov has the potential to be simply an outstanding bottom 6 NHLer. He's a two-way guy who plays with edge and can generate offense, especially down low.

I've been extremely impressed with Hameenaho's hockey sense and vision, and he plays with a ton of heart, which I love. If he can continue to improve his skating, I can certainly see him rocketing up the prospect rankings.

I try not to put down Scott Wheeler, because he's absolutely a good guy and I feel he really puts in the work. But some of his rankings... whoo boy. Sometimes I wonder if he factors in very important aspects like defensive play and compete level at all -- especially with defensemen. Some of the defensemen he's championed and ignored over the years are baffling. I recall debating him in 2020 on his far too low rankings of Sanderson (19!), Guhle (33) and Faber (not in his top 100) vs. his far too high rankings of Poirier, Andrae and Grans. I think the only time he ever got me actually upset was his complete dismissal of Brock Faber (one of my all-time draft day sleeper prospects, as you surely recall) as an NHL prospect, when he was literally superior to a guy like Grans or Andrae in every single box you could imagine to check off when scouting a hockey defenseman. (Poirier was different -- tons of physical ability but poor intangibles).

Anyway, I agree with you -- as usual -- that the NJ prospect pool is dropping. But I don't sweat this, as if you're counting under-23 talent, the Devils are fighting for the top spot in the NHL.

 

[Satans Hockey]

That’s a good point. They couldn’t rent a car as I understand it.

Budget always rents cars to under 25 year olds, it's like $25 extra a day.

 

[njdevils1982]

nm

 

[Satans Hockey]

Look at this madness, so happy I showed up earlier and got in rather quickly...

https://www.reddit.com/r/devils/s/ooneh8HmuA

 

[McDuffz88]

Look at this madness, so happy I showed up earlier and got in rather quickly...

https://www.reddit.com/r/devils/s/ooneh8HmuA

Somehow a Stadium Series Jersey appeared on the website today. I snagged it in 2 seconds. Unfortunately it's a fanatics. I'm not sure if it's going to fit me. I bought a couple. I wish it was Adidas. I'm real mad at myself that I had an Adidas one in my cart and didn't pull the trigger. What a regret.

 

[glenwo2]

Somehow a Stadium Series Jersey appeared on the website today. I snagged it in 2 seconds. Unfortunately it's a fanatics. I'm not sure if it's going to fit me. I bought a couple. I wish it was Adidas. I'm real mad at myself that I had an Adidas one in my cart and didn't pull the trigger. What a regret.

That's like having a game-winning goal on your hockey stick with an open net and missing.

 

[McDuffz88]

That's like having a game-winning goal on your hockey stick with an open net and missing.

I know tell me about it. I had a blank adidas customized to have Hughes with the A on it. Then I told myself ehh let me think about it. Came back it was gone. All day today I was scrambling to find one and can't. When the fanatics came up I jumped on it. I just wish it was the adidas. It's the jersey that got away. The white buffalo.....

 

[Brodeur]

Important news.

Team drops by Anaheim in a few weeks. They'd have a few days off between the previous game in San Jose. I had a silly thought about whether I could run into any players at Disneyland the day before. Maybe that thought wasn't totally off base...

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[mdj12784]

Am I the only one extremely concerned that our entire team relies on a single player to function? I mean, I've heard of one-line teams, but one-man teams?

100% we can’t be called a contender, if we live/die without one player, no matter how good.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

With Casey and 24 1st being at all time highs for value and Saros being on the relative cheap, I’m finally pro trade for him. With Hatakka looking quite good and Nemec, Hughes and Hamilton owning the PP the next 5 to 10 years what value does Casey bring to the team? A Sam Girard type?

 

[Guadana]

With Casey and 24 1st being at all time highs for value and Saros being on the relative cheap, I’m finally pro trade for him. With Hatakka looking quite good and Nemec, Hughes and Hamilton owning the PP the next 5 to 10 years what value does Casey bring to the team? A Sam Girard type?

Hatakka has nothing with Casey. Sam Girard has good value. Spurgeon has good value too.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Hatakka has nothing with Casey. Sam Girard has good value. Spurgeon has good value too.

If Hatakka can provide cheap value (I think he can), it allows us to move a higher profile prospect. You can’t just hoard your prospects without making a push to the next level, that’s how you waste a teams prime.

 

[Guadana]

If Hatakka can provide cheap value (I think he can), it allows us to move a higher profile prospect. You can’t just hoard your prospects without making a push to the next level, that’s how you waste a teams prime.

We don't have a lot of high value prospects. And we are not ready. Hamilton is movable after next year, Casey can easily be marinated in AHL. Devils should save him, Gritsyuk and may be/mostly Hameenaho.
We literally won against Colorado with VV but without Jack and Dougie. But Palat, Toffoli are not forever with us, Bahl isn't the real deal(at least now), even Hatakka has his own ups and downs. And Hamilton is very good player but his 9 mil under the cap is something we can move after next or next two years. And Casey is a perfect prospect to use as replacement and insurance- its not like this team is playing the full season with healthy starting roster.

If we could find a roster spot for Smith when 6 other defensemen were on the ice, I believe we will find a roster spot for more developed Casey with Nemec, Hamilton and Marino if Casey is ready and we need to.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

We don't have a lot of high value prospects. And we are not ready. Hamilton is movable after next year, Casey can easily be marinated in AHL. Devils should save him, Gritsyuk and may be/mostly Hameenaho.
We literally won against Colorado with VV but without Jack and Dougie. But Palat, Toffoli are not forever with us, Bahl isn't the real deal(at least now), even Hatakka has his own ups and downs. And Hamilton is very good player but his 9 mil under the cap is something we can move after next or next two years. And Casey is a perfect prospect to use as replacement and insurance- its not like this team is playing the full season with healthy starting roster.

If we could find a roster spot for Smith when 6 other defensemen were on the ice, I believe we will find a roster spot for more developed Casey with Nemec, Hamilton and Marino if Casey is ready and we need to.

NJ need to give up assets to get proven players, otherwise they will miss the playoffs with Vanacek and be in the same situation in the summer.

 

[Guadana]

NJ need to give up assets to get proven players, otherwise they will miss the playoffs with Vanacek and be in the same situation in the summer.

I think they can find normal second goalie who can help to make a life easier for VV. Or trade VV for one goalie and sign the other on the market. Teams are doing well with average goalies. It could be Ruff/Rogalski issue and no other goalie will help. Players like Casey should be save.
Its not a strong idea to have a duo of broken goalie who is under pressure because his backup is a young near rookie goalie.
VV and Stolarz/Kahkonen/Nedelkovic/DeSmith/Lankinen with Daws/Schmid as a third option will be better and will be enough. Or Vejmelka/Allen/Markstrom instead of Vitek with new backup and Daws/Schmid as a third option.

The situation for this team isn't about "Saros or missing the playoff". They had 19-7-2 with Nico and Jack on the ice this season even with our actual goaltending.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I think they can find normal second goalie who can help to make a life easier for VV. Or trade VV for one goalie and sign the other on the market. Teams are doing well with average goalies. It could be Ruff/Rogalski issue and no other goalie will help. Players like Casey should be save.
Its not a strong idea to have a duo of broken goalie who is under pressure because his backup is a young near rookie goalie.
VV and Stolarz/Kahkonen/Nedelkovic/DeSmith/Lankinen with Daws/Schmid as a third option will be better and will be enough. Or Vejmelka/Allen/Markstrom instead of Vitek with new backup and Daws/Schmid as a third option.

The situation for this team isn't about "Saros or missing the playoff". They had 19-7-2 with Nico and Jack on the ice this season even with our actual goaltending.

Well the GM disagrees with you