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

[Barry Tallackson]

which of my statements is not factually true?

 

[njdevil26]

The hard truths:
-We lost the Toffoli trade
-We lost the Timo trade
-Palat’s contract was a disaster the day it was signed
-Timo’s contract has negative value
-Jack Hughes is injury prone
-Nico is one concussion away from Nolan Patrick
-Our 4C is going to prison
-We have the worst goalie in the league

Did I miss anything?

Tyler leads the team in goals

Too early to say that. Timo has dealt with a bunch of injuries and poor deployment from Ruff.

Palat isn't bother me... especially when he's with Nico and Bratt and that line is cooking.

Timo again

He'll be fine

That's worrying a little too much

Good, F him.

Yes we do and Fitz needs to fix this right now. Goaltending is an emergency.

 

[My3Sons]

This board, for good reason, hates on the goalies but then ignores that the goalies undermine everything this team tries to do.

The "slow start" are often just soft goals against.


If the problem is the goalies, why does the team deserve the bad message?

It’s unfortunate but you win as a team and lose as a team. I wouldn’t keep Toffoli because they played hard. They fell short. Blame it on injuries or whatever makes you feel better. One problem is that Fitz apparently doesnt see Ruff as part of thr problem which will hamper them until they either structure the roster to better play his obtuse system or they move on from him to a coach that can better utilize the personnel. I have faith they will bounce back next season. But this season will either have recovered or likely can be written off at the TDL. If they are say four points or less out of a spot with a game in hand or so then in that narrow circumstance you could convince me that adding a goalie for a lower tier pick or prospect would be ok.

 

[longislanddevil]

Saros is still a .903 this year, which is better than .888 or whatever VV is right now. He's 6 years younger than Markstrom and 7 inches shorter at 5'11"

My concern with Saros is he’s UFA after next season. It would be disastrous to lose him after 1 year. I imagine Fitz would not make that trade unless he’s resigned.

 

[My3Sons]

which of my statements is not factually true?

Opinions aren’t facts. You used a bunch of subjective terms. They can be your truths but they don’t have to be anyone else’s truths.

 

[Barry Tallackson]

Tyler leads the team in goals

Too early to say that. Timo has dealt with a bunch of injuries and poor deployment from Ruff.

Palat isn't bother me... especially when he's with Nico and Bratt and that line is cooking.

Timo again

He'll be fine

That's worrying a little too much

Good, F him.

Yes we do and Fitz needs to fix this right now. Goaltending is an emergency.

Toffoli leads the team in goals? Great, he has one more than Sharangovich and is older, slower and a UFA

 

[devilsblood]

It’s unfortunate but you win as a team and lose as a team. I wouldn’t keep Toffoli because they played hard. They fell short. Blame it on injuries or whatever makes you feel better. One problem is that Fitz apparently doesnt see Ruff as part of thr problem which will hamper them until they either structure the roster to better play his obtuse system or they move on from him to a coach that can better utilize the personnel. I have faith they will bounce back next season. But this season will either have recovered or likely can be written off at the TDL. If they are say four points or less out of a spot with a game in hand or so then in that narrow circumstance you could convince me that adding a goalie for a lower tier pick or prospect would be ok.

Teams are made of individuals, and teams make decisions on individual players, trades are made, contracts are signed on individuals.

The problem is the goal tending. I'm not looking to make a bad trade for an older goalie with a big contract. But, assuming a good trade for good goalie is not realistic, I would absolutely make a trade for a nondescript goalie just to see if that goalie can prove to be a better backstop.

I've mentioned Kahkonnen a bunch. What would it take to get him? I really don't know, but say it cost a 3rd rounder and maybe one of the late rnd russian d-man we've recently drafted, I'd absolutely do that.

 

[My3Sons]

Teams are made of individuals, and teams make decisions on individual players, trades are made, contracts are signed on individuals.

The problem is the goal tending. I'm not looking to make a bad trade for an older goalie with a big contract. But, assuming a good trade for good goalie is not realistic, I would absolutely make a trade for a nondescript goalie just to see if that goalie can prove to be a better backstop.

I've mentioned Kahkonnen a bunch. What would it take to get him? I really don't know, but say it cost a 3rd rounder and maybe one of the late rnd russian d-man we've recently drafted, I'd absolutely do that.

Sure. That’s an easy thing to do. But if the team is floundering and they can clear maybe a first a third and a fourth for Toffoli Smith and Miller and use the third to land Kahknon that make more sense to me than letting them all play out their deals. My guess is most of thr players understand the reality of the lost season when it happens. Where they might have an issue is if Fitz doesn’t try for new goalie in the summer.

 

[Devils Trap]

Jesus f*** the block / ignore button is at an all time usage right now. Some of these reactionary takes are wild

Maybe the single worst post ive ever seen on this board in 14 years

 

[MadDevil]

Glad to see others have given up on the season, it was clear in December #barrywasright

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

which of my statements is not factually true?

The first 3 points are all stupid. Sharangovich is an average player that was irrelevant on the team last year. Toffoli is better, and it doesn’t even matter much if he walks. It’s not that hard to find a player like Yegor — decent scorer with terrible territorial numbers and zero physicality (7 hits on the year).

Timo is injured and we can’t judge anything yet, but sure, make up your mind already. Hatakka is also probably better than Okhotyuk which is just a funny minor part of the deal.

Palat is also having a very good year, and him making like 1.5 million more than I’d probably like him to has next to zero effect on the team right now. When it matters, we may be able to move him or buy him out. If we didn’t have him, he’d 100% be the type of player people would want on our team.

 

[MadDevil]

Isn't this the same guy who at multiple points this season has said he's done with this team?

 

[My3Sons]

The first 3 points are all stupid. Sharangovich is an average player that was irrelevant on the team last year. Toffoli is better, and it doesn’t even matter much if he walks. It’s not that hard to find a player like Yegor — decent scorer with terrible territorial numbers and zero physicality (7 hits on the year).

Timo is injured and we can’t judge anything yet, but sure, make up your mind already. Hatakka is also probably better than Okhotyuk which is just a funny minor part of the deal.

Palat is also having a very good year, and him making like 1.5 million more than I’d probably like him to has next to zero effect on the team right now. When it matters, we may be able to move him or buy him out. If we didn’t have him, he’d 100% be the type of player people would want on our team.

All good points but no reason to say someone else’s points are stupid. This has been an emotional season for many fans coming off last season and frustration gets the better of folks. They just want the team to be successful and are often at a loss when watching them. You offer great insights and are pretty level headed. You will be received better if you can offer a tough hand in a velvet glove.

 

[MadDevil]

Toffoli has one fewer point than Sharangovich in 3 less games played. Sure Shara is younger, but he's a streaky scorer (like many goal scorers). Nobody was singing his praises when he had like 2 goals in his first 15 or so games and Toffoli looked great with Jack and Bratt.

 

[Bleedred]

I think we just found out Ranger Doggo’s other account?

 

[Oneiro]

They turned over half the roster, half of the forwards were injured and/or criminals, the top pair have been out for most of the season, the defense is now 2/3rds kids and you have the worst goaltending in the league.

And they’re still close to a spot with a coach who’s never been able to win. It is a f***ing miracle honestly.

Seems sick to think this but it’s almost exciting to know what they’ll be soon.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

All good points but no reason to say someone else’s points are stupid. This has been an emotional season for many fans coming off last season and frustration gets the better of folks. They just want the team to be successful and are often at a loss when watching them. You offer great insights and are pretty level headed. You will be received better if you can offer a tough hand in a velvet glove.

He just wants a reaction. We have a name for those kinds of posters

 

[JrFischer54]

The hard truths:
-We lost the Toffoli trade
-We lost the Timo trade
-Palat’s contract was a disaster the day it was signed
-Timo’s contract has negative value
-Jack Hughes is injury prone
-Nico is one concussion away from Nolan Patrick
-Our 4C is going to prison
-We have the worst goalie in the league

Did I miss anything?

All that and somehow the team is still in a playoff chase.

 

[My3Sons]

Toffoli has one fewer point than Sharangovich in 3 less games played. Sure Shara is younger, but he's a streaky scorer (like many goal scorers). Nobody was singing his praises when he had like 2 goals in his first 15 or so games and Toffoli looked great with Jack and Bratt.

Like Zetterlund it’s likely Shara never gets the chance in NJ to play the extra minutes. He was the Calgary first line center last night. That’s not going to happen in NJ. I’m happy for Shara but if NJ has decent goaltending and is in a playoff spot and if Jack is healthy all season nobody would complain as you’ve noted.

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He just wants a reaction. We have a name for those kinds of posters

They are called Lovejoy supporters . I can’t stand them.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Jesus f*** the block / ignore button is at an all time usage right now. Some of these reactionary takes are wild

Maybe the single worst post ive ever seen on this board in 14 years

Honestly, part of me enjoys reading those posts. Because as much I let my fandom to this team emotionally drain me on a daily basis, I see posts like that and think “well, at least I can be objective and consider context, and I’m keeping my emotions in check much better than that person.”

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen people on here pining for a 47 year old goalie before and willing to pay whatever ridiculous price for him.

How long is this guy going to be around before he falls apart and we ship him to the glue factory?

Markstrom should be a decently-priced option; not buying the hype that hes returning a 1st+, but I could be wrong

 

[NjDevsRR]

Let him go.

 

[devilsblood]

Markstrom should be a decently-priced option; not buying the hype that hes returning a 1st+, but I could be wrong

I've been anti Markstrom given the rumored demands from Calgary. And my issues are his age, his contract, and, moreso earlier this year, his numbers from last year.

But aside from last year, he's been good for 8 years, including this year.

If you can get him without giving up Holtz, Casey or a first, then I'm definitely interested.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Can we give this guy an NHL deal?

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

The Calgary Flames executive I met back in Boston in November told me the Devils were interested in Markstrom but wouldn't pony up enough to get him. It sucks that it is clearly a weakness that is dragging this team down but at the same time there is no need to mortgage valuable assets for a goalie who might just wind up sucking behind this defense/Ruff. I'd just try to move Vitek for another goalie in a change of scenery deal. Gibson isn't worth the commitment with all those extra years same with Markstrom. I'd try for maybe Vejmelka or Kahkonnen or some other goalie just to see how they stick.

Can we give this guy an NHL deal?

He doesn't have a ton of experience but he is definitely flying under the radar for us. You never know long term what he can amount to. The kid is only 22 , very young .