Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023 offseason part II

[Aurinko]

why do people just say these things willy nilly like this? They are not true.

losing Miles Wood is addition by subtraction. Even good teams and good GMs make bad moves.

Ok, show me a better 4th line then, or back up your claim.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

man, 11 goals for...excuse me how silly of me to not extol the virtues of that line

Miles Wood sucks. And we are a better team without him.

 

[Offseason Champs]

Ok, show me a better 4th line then, or back up your claim.

View attachment 725686

Pretty sure Mcleod and Bastian are the main reasons for that, sorry to say.

 

[JrFischer54]

people overblowing the impact a 4th line has on the game lol.

 

[forceten]

A healthy Miles Wood could be a net positive, but after the hip injury his speed and skating took a hit. His hockey IQ is not there though - those almost mandatory offensive-zone penalties hurt us on a number of occasions. I was a fan, but I'm not sad to see him go. That was a spot that needed improvement.

 

[FooteBahl]

You know you have to provide sources right?

Helle is thiiiiic

 

[Offseason Champs]

Colorado signing Wood to that contract is by far the most baffling thing not involving Ryan Reaves of this entire offseason so far.

 

[Triumph]

Ok, show me a better 4th line then, or back up your claim.

View attachment 725686

The reason why they had such a high goals percentage is their on-ice save percentage, which forwards don't have much control over, if any. So yeah, they were at 50% xG and 58% High-Danger Chances, both of which are solid numbers for a 4th line, but the reason why they were +6 in that time is that the goalies stopped 96.2% of the opposing shots.

 

[Devil X]

Colorado signing Wood to that contract is by far the most baffling thing not involving Ryan Reaves of this entire offseason so far.

He wont finish that deal in Colorado.

As i looked over some of those deals with term and low money, I think they will be extremely easy to move in the future. Wouldn't shock me 1 bit of those guys who got 6 7 8 year deals for 3.5 or lower get moved a couple times during those deals.

 

[minibrodeur]

I like Wood and I wish him all the best in Col. Now that we're spending to the cap we have to be really careful, from ensuring we can make improvements come deadline, sign next year's RFAs and replace injuries. His locker room experience is no longer needed, he regressed after the injury and priced himself out of NJ. Fitz likes Foote instead so count me in.

 

[Ripshot 43]

View attachment 725694
Helle is thiiiiic

I should’ve known better but

 

[FooteBahl]

Colorado signing Wood to that contract is by far the most baffling thing not involving Ryan Reaves of this entire offseason so far.

It’s the definition of “I don’t bet on myself” type of contract.

 

[Triumph]

It’s the definition of “I don’t bet on myself” type of contract.

If I just missed a full season and then ended my last season as a healthy scratch in half my team's playoff games, I probably wouldn't be betting on myself either.

 

[Forge]

We really only have about 1.5m in cap space once we re-sign Bahl and fill in the 23 man roster with our rookies.

That's a very reasonable amount to have going into the season.

Oh, if that's the case I could definitely see them sit tight and be done for the offseason

 

[Aurinko]

The reason why they had such a high goals percentage is their on-ice save percentage, which forwards don't have much control over, if any. So yeah, they were at 50% xG and 58% High-Danger Chances, both of which are solid numbers for a 4th line, but the reason why they were +6 in that time is that the goalies stopped 96.2% of the opposing shots.

Forwards can have control of the amount of high danger chances. The reason why Bergeron's lines have been on top of the goals% over a decade isn't as much the offensive side, but the fact that Bergeron makes sure that forwards play the right way.

I've followed a good 20 years purely defensive centers play. I don't care about points at all, all I care is the defensive sticks, rush coverage, back/forecheck of the forwards. Unlike other major sports, hockey is a team sport where the defensive coverage is much more important than what general fans belive. Teams with offensive minded star forwards often end up with situation where they are top heavy, and while the stars might be playing >50% hockey and outscoring some their defensive deficiencys, its not enough since they can't afford quality depth to do the same with bottom line players.

 

[Bleedred]

McLeod has officially become a player that sometimes people have extreme opinion of in either direction. There is not much middle ground with him.

There's people arguing that he's this defensive god that prevents a significant number of goals against from happening over an entire year, and then there's people that make him out to be not much different or better than someone like Stephen Gionta or god forbid Rod Pelley.

I prefer to take the middle ground with him.

 

[Blackjack]

Forwards can have control of the amount of high danger chances. The reason why Bergeron's lines have been on top of the goals% over a decade isn't as much the offensive side, but the fact that Bergeron makes sure that forwards play the right way.

In a conversation about Miles Wood, we are talking about Patrice Bergeron.

 

[Blackjack]

McLeod has officially become a player that sometimes people have extreme opinion of in either direction. There is not much middle ground with him.

There's people arguing that he's this defensive god that prevents a significant number of goals against from happening over an entire year, and then there's people that make him out to be not much different or better than someone like Stephen Gionta or god forbid Rod Pelley.

I prefer to take the middle ground with him.

As someone who has fallen into the latter camp for the most part, I think it was pretty clear that he took a step forward in the playoffs. If he maintains that level of play throughout the season, it will be a big improvement to our center depth.

 

[Nubmer6]

Oh, if that's the case I could definitely see them sit tight and be done for the offseason

Actually, on top of that, if were smart we'll leave room for performance bonuses. Luke and Nemec has a high possibility of hitting a bunch of them, and anything we can't pay for this year is applied against NEXT years cap, and I think we need as much as we can gather next year for Mercer and co.

 

[Aurinko]

In a conversation about Miles Wood, we are talking about Patrice Bergeron.

Someone brought up the high danger shots, which I think defensive minded lines are very much influencing and there it's very hard to prove otherwise in the Bergeron case. I could have brought in the Greenway - Erikson-Ek - Folingo who have been completely dominant in the past few years but general fans are not familiar with that line. While I haven't gone through Wood individual performance last year, I can still say he and his line played fierce forecheck and backcheck. The fact that they had such a good goals% is not coincidence, that line had the defensive dynamics correct with good faceoffs, good communication and guys who were willing to battle hard both ends of the ice.

 

[Nocashstyle]

McLeod has officially become a player that sometimes people have extreme opinion of in either direction. There is not much middle ground with him.

There's people arguing that he's this defensive god that prevents a significant number of goals against from happening over an entire year, and then there's people that make him out to be not much different or better than someone like Stephen Gionta or god forbid Rod Pelley.

I prefer to take the middle ground with him.

Exactly.

Overall, he’s probably a slightly better than average 4th liner who is absolutely elite in the faceoff dot.

His ability to win faceoffs is a big asset, but overall as a player, he’s not going to make or break the team.

I’d definitely rather have him on the roster than not though.

 

[Triumph]

Forwards can have control of the amount of high danger chances. The reason why Bergeron's lines have been on top of the goals% over a decade isn't as much the offensive side, but the fact that Bergeron makes sure that forwards play the right way.

They cannot have that much control. Absolutely nobody maintains an on-ice save percentage of 96%. Bergeron is a great defensive player, who has played almost exclusively in front of excellent goalies, on a team that overcounts shots against, and he has a 92.6% on-ice save percentage.

I've followed a good 20 years purely defensive centers play. I don't care about points at all, all I care is the defensive sticks, rush coverage, back/forecheck of the forwards. Unlike other major sports, hockey is a team sport where the defensive coverage is much more important than what general fans belive. Teams with offensive minded star forwards often end up with situation where they are top heavy, and while the stars might be playing >50% hockey and outscoring some their defensive deficiencys, its not enough since they can't afford quality depth to do the same with bottom line players.

The problem is that Miles Wood just doesn't fit into this calculus of defensive sticks/rush coverage/etc. I do not think he is strong defensively.

 

[Blackjack]

Actually, on top of that, if were smart we'll leave room for performance bonuses. Luke and Nemec has a high possibility of hitting a bunch of them, and anything we can't pay for this year is applied against NEXT years cap, and I think we need as much as we can gather next year for Mercer and co.

I just looked this up, and there are two types of bonuses that are available. “A” level are for pretty attainable things like (for a defenseman) scoring 10 goals or 25 assists as a defenseman, all rookie team, top four in ice time among the team’s defensemen.

“A” level bonuses are worth a maximum of $850k total.

“B” level bonuses are for things like being top 10 in the league in goals or assists, winning the Hart, Selke, Norris, Conn Smythe, etc.

If you hit any of the requirements, you get a flat $2 million, and you don’t get any more if you hit more than one.

We have $422,500 in carryover bonuses from last year, which I’m pretty sure went to Dawson Mercer. I think it’s pretty unlikely that Luke and Nemec combine for more than that.

 

[Guttersniped]

The way he left was wildly unprofessional tbh. He didn't know he had to speak? f*** off, he's done it every other year. He was told he wouldn't be back so he took his ball and went home. I liked Tatar and I wanted him back but he's an absolute ghost in the playoffs and we're a playoff team now.

Are people suggesting he didn’t know he had to speak? Lol

I’m actually touched that he was that emotional about not coming back, if that’s what he heard from Fitz. (And I assume it was that or a very vague maybe, but you go see what’s out there.)

He was all in on the team. I really liked having him here. I also assume he’s going to get more money than people think.

 

[Forge]

How are people feeling if this is the roster we go into the season with (assume Holtz and Foote take up spots 12 and 13 in the forward grourp)