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

[PizzaAndPucks]

Dawes is still a wildcard in a sense after seeing how Schmids game fell off a cliff this season but how he has played this season at times is very encouraging. He shouldn't be moved at all and needs to stick around atleast in a backup role.

Look at how much better the team looks when they play an actually decent defensive system and are healthy. It's our offense that has been lacking and the powerplay right now. You don't move young cheap talent to patch up your goaltending with a 34 year old goalie. That's a deal good enough to get a GM fired IMO.

This season is what it is at this point. If we make the playoffs it's probably as a wildcard team and the Rangers , Panthers or Bruins probably knock us out in the 1st round. If we move one our young players like Mercer , Holtz or Casey you need to get back a player in their prime with a new deal I'm the works like Meier.

 

[Devs3cups]

so a guy who has remained healthy and is on pace to net almost 40 goals is not a fit...the things i learn on this board are just incredible

I kind of get it though. He’s scoring and I appreciate it, but his speed (or huge lack thereof) is a detriment.

 

[Guadana]

I’ll say, except for Luke and Simon, I’ve absolutely hated this season. Can’t wait for it to end to keep it real with y’all.

Saw a 2022-2023 montage a few days ago and I almost shed a tear.

Cmon. cmon. Its fun to break records, but not every team are consistent to be in the top for every year after year. Especially with so many injuries. Vegas missed the playoff before winning the cup.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

My thought is if you want your top 6 to be fast attacking, quick transition, up tempo... Toffolli shouldn't be on your team.

It’s important for a team to be able to score in a variety of ways.

 

[JimEIV]

It’s important for a team to be able to score in a variety of ways.

Sure is. It's equally as important to have individual players that can score in a variety of ways. We don't have many of those.

 

[Nocashstyle]

My thought is if you want your top 6 to be fast attacking, quick transition, up tempo... Toffolli shouldn't be on your team.

Meh, I think the consequences of his slowness are somewhat overblown. And if our fanbase is gung ho about Holtz being a top 6 W moving forward, he’s not that dissimilar to Toffoli in a lot of ways.

His age and contract status give me a lot more pause than his current skillset.

 

[MartyOwns]

I kind of get it though. He’s scoring and I appreciate it, but his speed (or huge lack thereof) is a detriment.

maybe we can find someone faster with half the production. if a guy is scoring 35 goals making $4.2, i don’t really care how ‘slow’ he is

 

[JimEIV]

Meh, I think the consequences of his slowness are somewhat overblown. And if our fanbase is gung ho about Holtz being a top 6 W moving forward, he’s not that dissimilar to Toffoli in a lot of ways.

His age and contract status give me a lot more pause than his current skillset.

I'm not gungho on Holtz either. But he is a more valuable asset than a 34 year old goaltender in my opinion.

 

[Nocashstyle]

I'm not gungho on Holtz either. But he is a more valuable asset than a 34 year old goaltender in my opinion.

Fair enough

 

[Ripshot 43]

Mercer… the only guy who can stay healthy on the roster the last few years. Don’t trade our Ironman!

 

[StevensRocks]

The only possible trade where Mercer is a part of the deal includes Hanifin. He has also been outstanding this season — substantially better than Mercer, who has been fairly terrible. Still, don’t know if I want to give Hanifin the big extension. Don’t know if I’d give one to Mercer either.

Can't really afford him

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Jonathan Bernier was cooked at age 33 with the hip surgery. Markstrom is already 34. One bad injury to him and the trade pretty much blows up in your face while Seamus Casey becomes potentially a top pairing defensman for 7 years in Calgary while we get bounced in the 1st round even with Markstrom.

Defense and depth wins you Championships. No roster is perfect but the Devils with a new coach and some slight roster tweaking can be back on top of the standings next year. Fitzgerald can't make all these moves just to get desperate when there are other ways to improve the team.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I’m 70-30 that the supposed insider was bullshit

 

[Forge]

I’m 70-30 that the supposed insider was bullshit

Who can you trust if not randos on the web... Sad to see what the world has become

 

[Camille the Eel]

Have you seen what our goaltending has done to us this season. That’s why we are desperate

Sure. But I don’t think a 34 year old goalie with a history of injuries is the solution nor do I think maybe making the playoffs this year is worth mortgaging the farm for. With breaking in Nemec and Luke Hughes and weaknesses in the rest of the forward group (likely Meier is injured) we will remain a marginal bubble team even after adding a Markstrom.

Now if we are talking adding Tkachuk that’s a different conversation. But again not regarding this playoff year. But he would signal a restructuring that would alter the teams fundamental makeup.

 

[Bleedred]

We’ve been giving up more breakaways lately than we have since December.

Daws just hasn’t been allowing breakaway goals.

I don’t even think we’re playing much better defensively.

Last night we played worse than the Calgary game where Vitek allowed 3 bad goals and 4 in total.

We played really well against both Seattle and Nashville, but neither is even good enough to be considered a mediocre team.

I’ll be happy if I never have to see that coward Vitek play a single second here again. Can’t wait until this idiot is gone. Can’t stand this guy at all. He doesn’t even face the media and lets all the skaters come out and talk for him. Thank god one of them had the balls to come out and say on the ice “When we get saves we win”.

 

[DerekDevils30]

If the Markstrom rumours are bunk I’d be alright going after someone like Kahkonen from the Sharks. Watched him against the Jets the other night and was phenomenal. Big guy and positionally sound. UFA so wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.

 

[None Shall Pass]

We’ve been giving up more breakaways lately than we have since December.

Daws just hasn’t been allowing breakaway goals.

I don’t even think we’re playing much better defensively.

The thing about breakaways is that they start in the offensive or neutral zone. I think once a team enters our d-zone in the normal pace of play, we're playing a better, simpler scheme that has been helping our goaltenders out more; but, that won't help or hinder the amount of breakaways we give up.

 

[Triumph]

For better or worse, the timing of this trade would now just be awful, sending away a roster player before the outdoor game, plus you wouldn't even get Markstrom here in time for that game nor would you likely play him in it. So if this deal is going to still happen, I think Sunday is the day for it.

 

[My3Sons]

For better or worse, the timing of this trade would now just be awful, sending away a roster player before the outdoor game, plus you wouldn't even get Markstrom here in time for that game nor would you likely play him in it. So if this deal is going to still happen, I think Sunday is the day for it.

Except we both know if the roster player is Holtz that Ruff will pack him in a shipping box today and drop him off at the nearest Fed Ex before the deal is announced.

 

[JrFischer54]

My thought is if you want your top 6 to be fast attacking, quick transition, up tempo... Toffolli shouldn't be on your team.

Is there a young fast proven 30+ goal scorer that is available that will be cheapish

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I'd want Markstrom to be on a plane to NJ asap in case anything with the travel stuff occurs that he can get ahead of it and play v the Caps on Tuesday. We don't want a random Lazar thing to happen with him too

 

[JimEIV]

Is there a young fast proven 30+ goal scorer that is available that will be cheapish

Remember the guy that we traded for Toffolli?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Is there a young fast proven 30+ goal scorer that is available that will be cheapish

I'd keep the Sam Reinhart option open, he won't be cheap but he's a Toffoli with defense, maybe pray that Florida makes a long run in the playoffs and he tests UFA but Florida has every advantage from taxes/good team/good weather to entice him to stay over a place like NJ sadly

 

[Cheddabombs]

Waiting for my sources to confirm some news, standby folks