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

[glenwo2]

This coverage still leaves guys wide open on the other side of the ice IF they can thread the needle with a cross ice pass.

threading the needle with opposing sticks all over the place is more easier said than done, though.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Hischier for Saros?

No one is seriously suggesting this - it's just my own musing. But, I might do that deal if I thought Mercer to step into Hischier's shoes.

 

[glenwo2]

I'm peddling Mercer to Boston on a razor scooter if we get Swayman. There's 3-4 untouchables on NJ, Jack Luke Nemec and Nico. Everyone else has a price, sorry

Bratt is one of the best players on this team and yet he's NOT one of your untouchables and is in the "everyone else has a price" zone?

WTF?

Did Jesper do something to offend you?

EDIT : Okay, It's apparent that you have me on ignore 'cause you should've responded by now. So why should I subject myself in reading your posts when that is how you feel about one of our best players? Goodbye. *click*

 

[guitarguyvic]

Issue is its a crap shoot. You don't know which unknown goalie is going to turn into a gem or is a pumpkin.

That level of uncertainty can tank seasons and cost people their jobs. You can't rely on that

But outside of a less than a handful of them, you don’t know what you’re getting. So you’re giving up a known commodity for an unknown. It makes no sense.

Look at Markstrom. Dude has had a completely up and down career. Now he’s about to be 34 years old, coming to a brand new team mid season. So you get rid of a young heart and soul player and make the skater group worse on the hopes that he will come in and be a difference maker at an advanced age? On a team sporting multiple rookies on D that’s not likely to win a cup this year anyway.

It makes zero sense.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I can’t believe we are back to talking about trading Mercer. The kid is young, cost controlled, is a consistent producer even with his step back this year, has a killer motor, already plays exactly the type of game championship teams need, and will likely become even better in the next couple of years.

There is no goalie in this league that is enough of a difference maker as a single piece to be worth sacrificing that much for. This is nothing but simplistic “shiny object” syndrome, and I certainly hope that Fitz doesn’t suddenly do a 180 in his philosophy and buy into it.

He’s not really cost controlled. He’s either getting a long term deal at a pretty big number or a bridge deal. He’s also having a rotten season and isn’t providing too much value. Still believe he’ll have a good career, but a Jesper Bratt-type talent he is not. Good motor, pretty good scorer, highly overrated defensively.

There are a number of goalies that I’d trade him for in a millisecond. Saros would just give me pause because of his own contract situation.

We also have a couple promising wings with ETAs not too far in the future (Lenni, Gritsyuk) plus our own RW that could easily give a larger role (Holtz). Plus a Toffoli extension which is very much up in the air becomes a thing that likely happens.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Always hated with a fiery passion seeing 2 defensemen in the same corner trying to dig out a puck.

 

[Andre Palot]

Yes I agree we should trade Nico.

Nico Daws

 

[guitarguyvic]

I can’t think of a single example of a team acquiring a goalie mid season and riding him to a deep run.

Splash deadline deals for skaters rarely work out as imagined, much less for a goalie.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Saros is the type of goalie that I'd actually be willing to pay up for. If you can get him in a 1 for 1 swap for Mercer I'd make that trade. The Devils have tons of offensive playmakers on their roster to make up for the loss of Mercer and Saros is the rare elite goaltender in today's NHL and is still only 28.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

There’s a lot about this team that is without precedent. I can’t recall a dominant team that set their franchise points record then break in 19 and 20 year old phenom dmen the next season. We are weirdly at the start of our window but also very much ready to do some damage because of where our stars are at in their careers.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

I'm talking about an individual and not the team. I suggest rereading what I said

"Players can have down years and still show growth in there game"

I get that you are defensive after the last couple pages but there is no need to bite my head off.

Not my intention sorry....Disagree that there is no growth in his game....In fact I think this year is a growth year for the whole team.....That's why I am against moves now and think the offseason is a better time to reassess the roster....

 

[guitarguyvic]

He’s not really cost controlled. He’s either getting a long term deal at a pretty big number or a bridge deal. He’s also having a rotten season and isn’t providing too much value. Still believe he’ll have a good career, but a Jesper Bratt-type talent he is not. Good motor, pretty good scorer, highly overrated defensively.

There are a number of goalies that I’d trade him for in a millisecond. Saros would just give me pause because of his own contract situation.

We also have a couple promising wings with ETAs not too far in the future (Lenni, Gritsyuk) plus our own RW that could easily give a larger role (Holtz). Plus a Toffoli extension which is very much up in the air becomes a thing that likely happens.

What goalie do you think we could fetch with Mercer that you think would be worth it?

There’s like four guys in the entire league that have been consistently good for more than a couple of years, and none of them are available, and even if they were they would cost even more than just Dawson.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

What goalie do you think we could fetch with Mercer that you think would be worth it?

There’s like four guys in the entire league that have been consistently good for more than a couple of years, and none of them are available, and even if they were they would cost even more than just Dawson.

Easy, Jeremy Swayman/Saros. I love Mercer as a player but this sensation of sports fans deeming good, not great, players untouchable is not good for roster building. EVERYONE has a price besides your superstars/youth who will turn into such.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

What goalie do you think we could fetch with Mercer that you think would be worth it?

There’s like four guys in the entire league that have been consistently good for more than a couple of years, and none of them are available, and even if they were they would cost even more than just Dawson.

Saros before this season has been insanely good and definitely worth it. All the other top guys aren’t available for a reason.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Hatakka not playing tonight for Utica, wasn’t injured the last game. Is a trade brewing?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Hatakka not playing tonight for Utica, wasn’t injured the last game. Is a trade brewing?

they're probably going to send Schmid back to down and bring Hatakka back up

 

[kiwidevil]

It's a monumental risk to assume/hope you can find an Adin Hill type situation. Especially as the longer you experiment with the idea, the more ELC's and prime years you burn.

And for all the "Vegas concept" in terms of success via goal tending, I'd imagine established goalies have had far more success overall in the playoffs(not just cup winners) vs unicorn situations like Vegas and the Blues.

It's just easier to remember who won the cup last, but easy to forget who Tampa has been rolling out for the last 8 years.

I also don't think we are going to be moving to a Defensive orientation, with heavy players, and cycle/board play system that protects inferior goalies unless we are trading away half the team we have now.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

they're probably going to send Schmid back to down and bring Hatakka back up

Disregard, I misscounted

 

[NJDevs26]

I can’t think of a single example of a team acquiring a goalie mid season and riding him to a deep run.

Splash deadline deals for skaters rarely work out as imagined, much less for a goalie.

Roloson at least, but that was nearly two decades ago

 

[JimEIV]

It's also a helluva lot easier to find a decent 40 game a year goalie than it is a top 6 forward. We went years and years waiting for decent forwards here... outside of drafting #1 overall our hit rate on forwards hasn't been spectacular over the last 24 years.

Parise, Zajac, Henrique...Bratt and Mercer? Potentially Holtz? 5 maybe 6 in a quarter of a century

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It's also a helluva lot easier to find a decent 40 game a year goalie than it is a top 6 forward. We went years and years waiting for decent forwards here... outside of drafting #1 overall our hit rate on forwards hasn't been spectacular over the last 24 years.

Parise, Zajac, Henrique...Bratt and Mercer? Potentially Holtz? 5 maybe 6 in a quarter of a century

no one is suggesting trading Mercer for a "decent 40 game a year goalie"

if he were to be traded for a goalie, it would be for a top goalie of the right age. I have no interest in trading him for Markstrom. But for Saros (with a reasonable extension)? Hell yeah I do that.

 

[NjDevsRR]

It's also a helluva lot easier to find a decent 40 game a year goalie than it is a top 6 forward. We went years and years waiting for decent forwards here... outside of drafting #1 overall our hit rate on forwards hasn't been spectacular over the last 24 years.

Parise, Zajac, Henrique...Bratt and Mercer? Potentially Holtz? 5 maybe 6 in a quarter of a century

Id put Coleman and Sharangovich in there

And I guess Zacha since he is a 1C elsewhere

 

[JimEIV]

Id put Coleman and Sharangovich in there

And I guess Zacha since he is a 1C elsewhere

Those are all pretty debatable. And I do like them all.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I can't think of many teams with goaltending as bad as ours that legit still had a chance for a playoff spot and run.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Looks like I'm retired too) I watched khl and some mhl guys, but not regularly and only them. I will watch some guys when we will getting closer to the draft, but I will not make a deep dive. I'm working on the big animation project now and investing all my free time in it)

Yeah, I have a novel coming out hopefully by the summer, so I feel your pain. Tiny indie press out of Austin, TX but it's better than nothing.

I'll message you about your project, I'd love to see your work.