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

[My3Sons]

The level he gets to will be really interesting. At the college level he is completely gamebreaking offensively. Maxing on all of the goals, primary assists, ixG, slot assists, and slot passes is unheard of. Him being quite literally off the chart good and being even better offensively than guys like Quinn and Luke at the college level could mean that even if he can’t reach the heights he’s hitting now he could still be a Quinn level player in the NHL despite the size and skating limitations since his starting point is so high. With no exaggeration those look like generational offensive Dman stats which he obviously won’t hit because of the skating and size limitations but he could still be elite offensively

So what do you do with a player like that on a decent but not great team at five on five? You want him playing thr puck in transition and offensively but he is going to be giving away something defensively. Deploying him will require some attention but the trade off is likely worth it. It will be interesting to see how he tops out.

 

[Hisch13r]

So what do you do with a player like that on a decent but not great team at five on five? You want him playing thr puck in transition and offensively but he is going to be giving away something defensively. Deploying him will require some attention but the trade off is likely worth it. It will be interesting to see how he tops out.

lol We'll probably get that question answered in a few years. Montreal to me looks to be tracking as a decent to good but not great team in the future. Montreal's probably going to be a good spot for him. I really like Reinbacher and he's going to be a perfect fit next to Hutson on a top pair if Huston really does hit. Then a Guhle-Barron middle pair could be really good and eat up a lot of difficult matchups

 

[Hisch13r]

Oh baby

 

[njdevils1982]

Oh baby

started watching and wondered who are all these guys on the ice....holy crap what a turnaround from jack's first season....only nico, bratt and mcleod are still on the team today

 

[Hisch13r]

started watching and wondered who are all these guys on the ice....holy crap what a turnaround from jack's first season....only nico, bratt and mcleod are still on the team today

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I don’t think he showed up in this one but I was watching a different video from years ago the other day and got jump scared by Tennyson.

 

[TrufleShufle]

started watching and wondered who are all these guys on the ice....holy crap what a turnaround from jack's first season....only nico, bratt and mcleod are still on the team today

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Yea was so surprised to see Vatenen, completely forgot he played during Jack's time. The pandemic seriously screwed up how I remember the last 3-5 years and who was on the team when.

 

[Devs3cups]

Yea was so surprised to see Vatenen, completely forgot he played during Jack's time. The pandemic seriously screwed up how I remember the last 3-5 years and who was on the team when.

Just seeing highlights without fans is just weird!

 

[Bleedred]

started watching and wondered who are all these guys on the ice....holy crap what a turnaround from jack's first season....only nico, bratt and mcleod are still on the team today

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LOL @ that list of goalies.

If you were making the shittiest team you could and got to pick three goalies for that team, those first three would be PERFECT for that shit ass/tanking team you were building.

Blackwood
Schneider (circa 2019-2020)
Domingue

Like, if we did a build the shittiest team you can with players that are still active (Schneider isn't signed anywhere for the coming year, but has not indicated he's retiring yet) as some kind of exercise on this board (like on the main board, not necessarily for the Devils) that would be a pretty impressive goalie threesome.

As long as there was an asterisk next to Schneider that it was twilight era Schneider, as Cory Schneider pre-Thanksgiving of 2016 was one of the best 3-5 goalies in the world. After that he fell off at 30 years old about as quickly as 37 year old Brodeur did around the turn of the 2010's decade.

And I realize Blackwood was solid that season, but overall he is not anywhere close to solid.

Someone could make that their 3 goalies without even realizing that all 3 of them were actually on the same team in the same season at one point.

 

[devilsblood]

LOL @ that list of goalies.

If you were making the shittiest team you could and got to pick three goalies for that team, those first three would be PERFECT for that shit ass/tanking team you were building.

Blackwood
Schneider (circa 2019-2020)
Domingue

Like, if we did a build the shittiest team you can with players that are still active (Schneider isn't signed anywhere for the coming year, but has not indicated he's retiring yet) as some kind of exercise on this board (like on the main board, not necessarily for the Devils) that would be a pretty impressive goalie threesome.

As long as there was an asterisk next to Schneider that it was twilight era Schneider, as Cory Schneider pre-Thanksgiving of 2016 was one of the best 3-5 goalies in the world. After that he fell off at 30 years old about as quickly as 37 year old Brodeur did around the turn of the 2010's decade.

And I realize Blackwood was solid that season, but overall he is not anywhere close to solid.

Someone could make that their 3 goalies without even realizing that all 3 of them were actually on the same team in the same season at one point.

Can't have it both ways regarding Schneider/Blackwood.

 

[Bleedred]

Can't have it both ways regarding Schneider/Blackwood.

Fair point, but Schneider was good for much longer than he was bad. Can't say that Blackwood was good for longer than he was bad. Not anymore.

 

[devilsblood]

Fair point, but Schneider was good for much longer than he was bad. Can't say that Blackwood was good for longer than he was bad. Not anymore.

No but he was pretty good that year, which is what you are talking about, the goalies on the team that year.

 

[Bleedred]

No but he was pretty good that year, which is what you are talking about, the goalies on the team that year.

Blackwood has been a poor goalie more years than not. The same can't be said for Schneider.

I suppose using twilight Schneider as part of the 3 headed monster of suck goalies would be akin to using twilight era Brodeur as part of your three.

 

[My3Sons]

Blackwood has been a poor goalie more years than not. The same can't be said for Schneider.

I suppose using twilight Schneider as part of the 3 headed monster of suck goalies would be akin to using twilight era Brodeur as part of your three.

I am still convinced that if Blackwood had gone to a team with the correct coach for him and was behind a stable veteran so he could have broken in as a backup while he honed his craft he’d have been a good if inconsistent goalie. Really a shame how it turned out for him.

 

[Bleedred]

I am still convinced that if Blackwood had gone to a team with the correct coach for him and was behind a stable veteran so he could have broken in as a backup while he honed his craft he’d have been a good if inconsistent goalie. Really a shame how it turned out for him.

I'm still skeptical, just because of his poor AHL resume. I think there's a pretty good chance he was never going to be particularly good after seeing how he fared down there (his first year there was okay, second was horrifically abysmal and third was just meh) years before poor NHL performance started to happen.

But there's one thing that I've constantly pointed out that I didn't agree with Fitz on and Brodeur/Clemmensen/goalie committee and that's the removal of Melanson as goalie coach. Rogalski may not be a bad goalie coach like I previously thought was possibly the case. Vitek didn't exactly take a step back under him and Schmid performed well when he wasn't an extremely raw and green rookie. But I always thought that was one coaching position that didn't need to be changed at the time. Blackwood was successful under Melanson, and he wasn't so successful before he got to the NHL to work with Melanson and hasn't been successful since Melanson. Melanson was hired pretty much to try and resurrect Cory after his first decline season, but Cory was shot due to a bad hip. Nothing more Melanson could do there. Kinkaid may have had his worst NHL season under Melanson, but he also had his best NHL season under Melanson the year before that. Kinkaid just hit his expiration date as an NHL goalie. That type of goalie doesn't have a particularly long shelf life in the NHL and Kinkaid reached it.

Fitz and Marty probably just wanted to hire their own guy.

 

[My3Sons]

I'm still skeptical, just because of his poor AHL resume. I think there's a pretty good chance he was never going to be particularly good after seeing how he fared down there (his first year there was okay, second was horrifically abysmal and third was just meh) years before poor NHL performance started to happen.

But there's one thing that I've constantly pointed out that I didn't agree with Fitz on and Brodeur/Clemmensen/goalie committee and that's the removal of Melanson as goalie coach. Rogalski may not be a bad goalie coach like I previously thought was possibly the case. Vitek didn't exactly take a step back under him and Schmid performed well when he wasn't an extremely raw and green rookie. But I always thought that was one coaching position that didn't need to be changed at the time. Blackwood was successful under Melanson, and he wasn't so successful before he got to the NHL to work with Melanson and hasn't been successful since Melanson. Melanson was hired pretty much to try and resurrect Cory after his first decline season, but Cory was shot due to a bad hip. Nothing more Melanson could do there. Kinkaid may have had his worst NHL season under Melanson, but he also had his best NHL season under Melanson the year before that. Kinkaid just hit his expiration date as an NHL goalie. That type of goalie doesn't have a particularly long shelf life in the NHL and Kinkaid reached it.

Fitz and Marty probably just wanted to hire their own guy.

I guess it is a function of how you see tools versus performance in thr development of a player. Some guys never put it together and some make it work to a decent degree and rarely you get a Josh Allen. Blackwood had every physical tool a goakie needs. His failings were mental/emotional and technical in terms of consistency. Coaching might have made him decent had he been coached properly. But I can certainly agree that you make a great point.

 

[The Wumpus]

Oh baby

Advice for anyone who doesn't feel like watching 50 minutes of this: just skip ahead to 1:19

 

[Emperoreddy]

Anytime a graphic of all times goalie wins pops up I remain in awe of Marty.

MAF has an insane amount of wins and still needs nearly another 150 to pass Marty.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Advice for anyone who doesn't feel like watching 50 minutes of this: just skip ahead to 1:19

That's Boston Bruins number 1 center Paval Zacha to you

 

[Xirik]

Devils Should Monitor Canadiens for Goalie Depth

I don't see it honestly, I don't think Schmid is going to go down to the AHL. We Got Kalgren and Brennan is 20 years old in late september so that means he can play in the AHL.

 

[Bleedred]

Devils Should Monitor Canadiens for Goalie Depth

I don't see it honestly, I don't think Schmid is going to go down to the AHL. We Got Kalgren and Brennan is 20 years old in late september so that means he can play in the AHL.

Gross

Allen is worthless and always has been. Had a few good seasons in his career, but has had a mediocre career. Pretty sure his cap hit is also too much for what he is. Not worth $3.5 million or close to $4 or whatever it is.

Montembeault just had an up season, after being bad every season before that in the NHL.

DeSmith is a goalie that I think could do well here.

 

[Guttersniped]

started watching and wondered who are all these guys on the ice....holy crap what a turnaround from jack's first season....only nico, bratt and mcleod are still on the team today

Honestly I had thought more of these guys had gone by the wayside but some are hanging in there. Good for them.

Played in the NHL in 22-23 & under contract (19/36)
Hischier
Bratt
Hughes
McLeod
Palmieri
Zacha
Coleman
Severson
Hall
Wood
Boqvist
Blackwood
Rooney
(1.3m baby!)
Lil’ Joey Anderson
(38 GP, signed 2-way w/ CHI, 475k salary)
Carrick
(He had 1 GP w/ BOS, they had 12 D play but whatever. Seattle signed him to a 2-way, 425k salary.)
Hayden
(Really? Ok, he had 7 GP with SEA & re-signed with them. Has a 2-way deal w/ 450k guaranteed min.)
Mermis
(That’s right, everyone’s fav Merman had 2 GP with the Wild and they only used 10 D. Re-signed with MIN & has a 2-way deal w/ 425k guaranteed min.)
Seney
(Quest for Stanley had 7 GP, and re-signed w/ CHI, getting a 1 year 2-way deal w/ a 500k guaranteed min.)
White
(46 GP with ANA, on the 2nd year of his two year 2-way deal, has a 300k guaranteed min.)

Played in NHL in 22-23 & UFA:
(1/36)
Simmonds (18 GP with the Leafs.)

Didn’t play in NHL in 22-23 but under contract with a NHL team:
(3/36)
Butcher: last in NHL 21-22
(7/3/23: 1 year 2-way deal, 425k salary, w/ PIT)
Jacobs: last in NHL 19-20
(7/1/23: 1 year 2-way deal, 350k salary, w/ STL)
Domingue: last in NHL 21-22
(7/13/22: 2 year 1-way min deal w/ NYR)

Gone Baby Gone
(13/36)
Gusev (KHL)
Zajac (retired)
Vatanen (NL)
Subban (retired)
Greene (retired)
Mueller (NL)
Kuokkanen (SHL *sob*)
Merkley (KHL)
Tennyson (UFA, had an AHL deal in 22-23)
Claesson (KHL)
Schneider (UFA, rumor “Europe”)
Street (DEL)
Senn (NL)

 

[Aurinko]

Gross

Allen is worthless and always has been. Had a few good seasons in his career, but has had a mediocre career. Pretty sure his cap hit is also too much for what he is. Not worth $3.5 million or close to $4 or whatever it is.

Montembeault just had an up season, after being bad every season before that in the NHL.

DeSmith is a goalie that I think could do well here.

I do disagree on Allen. The 2016-2017 playoffs he took single handly down the Wild, which actually had ridiculously good group and horrible leaking Dubnyk in their goal.

For this price I think Allen could the decent price low risk high reward option. There are not many this kind of goalies available: either they are regular season goalies or the price is insane, especially considering the risks with a goalie.

Habs might be able to retain part of the 3,8M salary and the Devils would have a solid veteran to support Akira & Vitek. Allen must have motivation, especially after the 2020-21 finals run, where he got to play exactly 0 games. Price was good then, he won games, but he didn't carry a whole serie like Allen has managed to do in the past.

 

[ZEBROA]

Will Holtz be on the lineup from start?

 

[Aurinko]

Will Holtz be on the lineup from start?

That should be quaranteed, unless preseason camp goes completely wrong.

 

[Hisch13r]

Will Holtz be on the lineup from start?

Probably should be