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

[Guadana]

Well the GM disagrees with you

Really? I see avs, caps, pens, black hawks, blues and knights won it with average goalies. I see some other teams are doing well it now. And I don’t see big goalie trades. Savior Adin Hill was traded for the fourth round pick.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Really? I see avs, caps, pens, black hawks, blues and knights won it with average goalies. I see some other teams are doing well it now. And I don’t see big goalie trades. Savior Adin Hill was traded for the fourth round pick.

If those teams had the cap and resources to get a top goaltender, they would.

 

[My3Sons]

If those teams had the cap and resources to get a top goaltender, they would.

It’s tough to advocate unloading the top of a thin prospect pool to try to scramble into the bottom end of the playoffs. Maybe when Jack comes back if they do go on a heater it won’t seem so pie in the sky.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

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?

You could make a legitimate argument for trading Hamilton and giving Miller a small extension. We’d probably have to retain a little bit to get any real value, but our cap situation would become much more flexible, plus a spot for Casey opens.

Dougie should still be good for the next couple years and I’m fine with keeping him, but this should be something Fitz considers.

 

[Guadana]

If those teams had the cap and resources to get a top goaltender, they would.

Vegas picked top center Eichel and backup goalie Hill.

like one great saying goes - if grandmom would have a d1ck, she would be a granddad.

 

[theoptimist]

I’d go right back to Vitek

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

 

[Triumph]

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?

Trading Hamilton is a much better solution than this. Casey's not at an all-time high for value - he's still just 2 years removed from being a 2nd round pick, it is just impossible for a player to escape that until he reaches the pros.

Worse still, what if Saros just does what he does now for Nashville, here? There's no guarantees. I would trade Casey for him, but not Casey and a 2024 1st.

 

[Unknown Caller]

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.

The goal is to win cups, not sneak into the playoffs. They don’t just need a “second goalie to Vanecek” they need a bonefide starter who won’t waste their window.

Nice that Vanecek had a nice performance or two, but the guy cannot be anywhere near the crease in a playoff game if we’re being serious.

Pay the price to get a real goalie.

 

[Clam Jensen]

View attachment 815868
View attachment 815869

Bro has been so solid. Great trade by Fitz. I can’t wait for one of his 200mph shots to go in.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The goal is to win cups, not sneak into the playoffs. They don’t just need a “second goalie to Vanecek” they need a bonefide starter who won’t waste their window.

Nice that Vanecek had a nice performance or two, but the guy cannot be anywhere near the crease in a playoff game if we’re being serious.

Pay the price to get a real goalie.

Which one? There is literally not a single real goalie available unless you consider Saros to really be available.

 

[forceten]

If those teams had the cap and resources to get a top goaltender, they would.

What goaltender? I'm not trading CASEY and a FIRST for an average goaltender. Vanacek himself was what, .920 last night and .905 over the last run of starts?

This is silly. Saros is too short. Unfortunately the right deal is not available right now, no matter how much we pay. That's also how teams blow their window - by making moves too quickly and draining assets too fast. See: Milbury, Michael.

 

[Guadana]

The goal is to win cups, not sneak into the playoffs. They don’t just need a “second goalie to Vanecek” they need a bonefide starter who won’t waste their window.

Nice that Vanecek had a nice performance or two, but the guy cannot be anywhere near the crease in a playoff game if we’re being serious.

Pay the price to get a real goalie.

avs, caps, pens, black hawks, blues and knights won it with average goalies.Savior Adin Hill was traded for the fourth round pick.

 

[JimEIV]

Playoffs are the only time I feel goaltending matters. It's when the margins become so thin that one or two events change an entire series...


With that in mind, thinking just goaltending, with 3 rookies in the lineup is just naive. Those tight margins will expose 3 rookie Dmen in the playoffs. This year is another building year. A learning year for Luke, Nemec and Bahl... whether you care to admit it or not goaltending isn't going to progress these players to level of championship, only time will.

We need to make the playoffs this year and let these guys see it up close and personal and accept the mistakes that they are going to inevitably make. That's part of the process...and goaltending is kind of irrelevant to that process.

 

[My3Sons]

Playoffs are the only time I feel goaltending matters. It's when the margins become so thin that one or two events change an entire series...


With that in mind, thinking just goaltending, with 3 rookies in the lineup is just naive. Those tight margins will expose 3 rookie Dmen in the playoffs. This year is another building year. A learning year for Luke, Nemec and Bahl... whether you care to admit it or not goaltending isn't going to progress these players to level of championship, only time will.

We need to make the playoffs this year and let these guys see it up close and personal and accept the mistakes that they are going to inevitably make. That's part of the process...and goaltending is kind of irrelevant to that process.

Now you can accept that young players grow and develop and that their mistakes and present level of play will improve and it's part of the process? Where was this guy when Jack was a disgrace?

 

[Bleedred]

Playoffs are the only time I feel goaltending matters. It's when the margins become so thin that one or two events change an entire series...


With that in mind, thinking just goaltending, with 3 rookies in the lineup is just naive. Those tight margins will expose 3 rookie Dmen in the playoffs. This year is another building year. A learning year for Luke, Nemec and Bahl... whether you care to admit it or not goaltending isn't going to progress these players to level of championship, only time will.

We need to make the playoffs this year and let these guys see it up close and personal and accept the mistakes that they are going to inevitably make. That's part of the process...and goaltending is kind of irrelevant to that process.

Like and Nemec have been good, but Bahl has been terrible and probably the worst regular we’ve had this season.

I don’t see him as a long term guy here. I never really did. I thought maybe after last year I could be wrong about that, but I doubt he’s here after next year when he needs a new contract.

Unless he’s REALLY good next year.

He’s not really worth more than what we’re paying him right now.

 

[JimEIV]

Now you can accept that young players grow and develop and that their mistakes and present level of play will improve and it's part of the process? Where was this guy when Jack was a disgrace?

Forwards aren't defenders.

 

[Darkauron]

I am not trading Casey. He is going to be amazing. Also we are not worth buying anything at this deadline with how we've been playing

 

[My3Sons]

Forwards aren't defenders.

Not sure I see the difference when we are talking about youth and inexperience but so be it.

 

[JimEIV]

Like and Nemec have been good, but Bahl has been terrible and probably the worst regular we’ve had this season.

I don’t see him as a long term guy here. I never really did. I thought maybe after last year I could be wrong about that, but I doubt he’s here after next year when he needs a new contract.

Unless he’s REALLY good next year.

He’s not really worth more than what we’re paying him right now.

If you don't see the mistakes, the hesitations and the flat out missed assignments Luke and Nemec make on a nightly basis I don't know what to tell you. But they will be magnified in the playoffs

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If you don't see the mistakes, the hesitations and the flat out missed assignments Luke and Nemec make on a nightly basis I don't know what to tell you. But they will be magnified in the playoffs

they have been our 2 best DMen this year and it isn't particularly close. I am way more worried about the other guys than those 2.

 

[Nocashstyle]

There’s no way the real John Marino wasn’t abducted by aliens this past offseason

 

[JimEIV]

There’s no way the real John Marino wasn’t abducted by aliens this past offseason

Unsettled pairings and playing a lot with rookies changes the dynamic quite a bit.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Hatakka is our new Ansi Salmela.

The Church of Hatakka is here...

 

[OmNomNom]

Playoffs are the only time I feel goaltending matters. It's when the margins become so thin that one or two events change an entire series...


With that in mind, thinking just goaltending, with 3 rookies in the lineup is just naive. Those tight margins will expose 3 rookie Dmen in the playoffs. This year is another building year. A learning year for Luke, Nemec and Bahl... whether you care to admit it or not goaltending isn't going to progress these players to level of championship, only time will.

We need to make the playoffs this year and let these guys see it up close and personal and accept the mistakes that they are going to inevitably make. That's part of the process...and goaltending is kind of irrelevant to that process.

i'm excited to see how jack, nico, bratt, and others (maybe vitek too?) react to the pace, now that they know what to expect