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

[JimEIV]

If the video shared over the summer is to be believed, it looks like he actually improved his skating a fair bit compared to last offseason when a similar video looked sort of clunky. He's no Bratt but if he's really gotten quicker and more agile it will help him with his off puck play. I'm sure some of it is lack of experience and until getting to the NHL he didn't really have to pay attention to off puck play. Even in the AHL he's a top producer. Hopefully he can produce enough to stick while he learns some of the NHL nuance.

Experience is definitely a huge factor and hopefully he can figure it out. My overall point really isn't about his chances of becoming an NHL player it was more of an objection to the idea that he didn't get a fair chance this season.

But on his chances...

I don't know if he has it, I haven't totally written him off but the sands in the hour glass are getting low.

 

[NJDevilsFan21]

I wonder if Tatar will be back on a 1 year for whatever cap scraps we have left (which maybe he would be fine with if he doesn't want to move) just in case Holtz doesn't work out. I've kind of lost track of who could otherwise take his place.

 

[JimEIV]

Don't know if this was talked about already but I found it interesting.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Don't know if this was talked about already but I found it interesting.

Was just about to post this. Also found some solid cliff notes on Reddit..
• ⁠Fitzy said Dawson Mercer pulled a “Jesper Bratt” at camp - “someone who comes to camp and you go ‘wow, we can’t send him down’”
• ⁠Fitzy identifies the pillars of the team as Jack, Nico, and Bratters. He used those three players as the basis of what team he was going to build around them. Expands to say that he sees Mercer and Holtz also becoming pillars moving forward.
• ⁠Fitzy wholeheartedly believes that Kevin Bahl can come in and give us the type of minutes Gravy gave us last season and the defensive work he did last season.
• ⁠And he thinks Luke Hughes can give the team the offense that Sevo provided.
• ⁠Fitzy confirms Vitek and Schmid are going to start the year together with a shared gameload.

 

[JimEIV]

Was just about to post this. Also found some solid cliff notes on Reddit..
• ⁠Fitzy said Dawson Mercer pulled a “Jesper Bratt” at camp - “someone who comes to camp and you go ‘wow, we can’t send him down’”
• ⁠Fitzy identifies the pillars of the team as Jack, Nico, and Bratters. He used those three players as the basis of what team he was going to build around them. Expands to say that he sees Mercer and Holtz also becoming pillars moving forward.
• ⁠Fitzy wholeheartedly believes that Kevin Bahl can come in and give us the type of minutes Gravy gave us last season and the defensive work he did last season.
• ⁠And he thinks Luke Hughes can give the team the offense that Sevo provided.
• ⁠Fitzy confirms Vitek and Schmid are going to start the year together with a shared gameload.

I was a little surprised when he said he felt Bahl could replace Graves minutes.

 

[Billdo]

I was a little surprised when he said he felt Bahl could replace Graves minutes.

I think Bahl certainly will provide more physical play but as we've discussed this defensive group could have some warts exposed at some point.

 

[Blackjack]

https://x.com/hey_itsem/status/1700238038008238544?s=46&t=2rZGkeMgWp-0DzkKO0bDSA

I think maybe she took some artistic license here as I remember Shesterkin facing the back of the goal while Haula did his wrist twirl celly, or maybe I’m wrong and this is based on an actual photograph or still.

Either way, holy god this is hilarious.

 

[Saugus]

Does anybody else find it absurd that YT thumbnails and teaser images for Fitz interviews almost always have that same damn picture of him in a plaid suit jacket?

This is the one I'm talking about:

Couldn't they use anything better? Dude looks like a f***ing used car salesman who just won the "Greater Cleveland Lemon-Pusher of the Year" award for the third year running.

 

[JimEIV]

I think Bahl certainly will provide more physical play but as we've discussed this defensive group could have some warts exposed at some point.

The issue is it's going to be a massive jump for Bahl to try and cover Graves minutes...at even Strength Bahl was 13:06 last season and Graves was 17:29. Shorthanded Graves was 2:24 and Bahl was 0:52

Those are pretty big gaps. I'm sure the Graves ES minutes will be more divided between Bahl and Luke...but that's not really what Fitz said in that podcast.

 

[Nubmer6]

The issue is it's going to be a massive jump for Bahl to try and cover Graves minutes...at even Strength Bahl was 13:06 last season and Graves was 17:29. Shorthanded Graves was 2:24 and Bahl was 0:52

Those are pretty big gaps. I'm sure the Graves minutes will be more divided between Bahl and Luke...but that's not really what Fitz said in that podcast.

I'm not sure he meant Bahl will be getting all his minutes. I think he was more saying Bahl can make up for the defense we lost in Graves, and Luke can make up for Severson's offense.

 

[Blackjack]

Does anybody else find it absurd that YT thumbnails and teaser images for Fitz interviews almost always have that same damn picture of him in a plaid suit jacket?

This is the one I'm talking about:

Couldn't they use anything better? Dude looks like a f***ing used car salesman who just won the "Greater Cleveland Lemon-Pusher of the Year" award for the third year running.

“What can I do to send you home with this lovely Sebring Convertible?”

 

[TrufleShufle]

I'm not sure he meant Bahl will be getting all his minutes. I think he was more saying Bahl can make up for the defense we lost in Graves, and Luke can make up for Severson's offense.

Yea this is the way I look at it and I bet Fitz does as well. Bahl will pick up and hopefully be better than the defensive side of Graves and Luke will do the same with the offensive side and Smith is knocked out. It should work out perfectly.

 

[JimEIV]

I'm not sure he meant Bahl will be getting all his minutes. I think he was more saying Bahl can make up for the defense we lost in Graves, and Luke can make up for Severson's offense.

It seems like a silly statement to me....Graves and Severson combined played about 37 minutes a game at Even strength last season.

Two kids with a combined 67 games worth of experience are going to replace those minutes? I mean, maybe that's the plan but it doesn't seem like a good one to me?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

 

[glenwo2]

Was just about to post this. Also found some solid cliff notes on Reddit..
• ⁠Fitzy said Dawson Mercer pulled a “Jesper Bratt” at camp - “someone who comes to camp and you go ‘wow, we can’t send him down’”
• ⁠Fitzy identifies the pillars of the team as Jack, Nico, and Bratters. He used those three players as the basis of what team he was going to build around them. Expands to say that he sees Mercer and Holtz also becoming pillars moving forward.
• ⁠Fitzy wholeheartedly believes that Kevin Bahl can come in and give us the type of minutes Gravy gave us last season and the defensive work he did last season.
• ⁠And he thinks Luke Hughes can give the team the offense that Sevo provided.
• ⁠Fitzy confirms Vitek and Schmid are going to start the year together with a shared gameload.

Bratt's come a long way from when I first created this Meme 4 years ago :

(and it aged very poorly... )

 

[Blackjack]

You know 67 games is a lot right?

 

[Nubmer6]

It seems like a silly statement to me....Graves and Severson combined played about 37 minutes a game at Even strength last season.

Two kids with a combined 67 games worth of experience are going to replace those minutes? I mean, maybe that's the plan but it doesn't seem like a good one to me?

Again, not the minutes, but the roles.

 

[Blackjack]

I’m not sure if Jasson Dominguez can replace Harrison Bader next year because Dominguez has only played six games.

 

[Oneiro]

It’s going to be a strange year. In fairness to all three of the young D coming in, both Graves and Severson had big gambler tendencies as well. It’s the resilience under pressure in the d zone that’s the question.

We’re probably gonna win a lot of games 5-3, 6-4, etc.

 

[JimEIV]

Again, not the minutes, but the roles.

Who's taking the minutes? Of course it's the minutes, there is no one else to take them on.

Hamilton, Siegenthaler and Marino can take on a bit more but these guys are already close to maxed out with Hamilton and Marino already at over 21 minutes ATOI a game and Siegenthaler over 20. Edit: But Hamilton and Marino don't really factor being Right handed and Luke and Bahl being left handed.

One of Bahl and Luke are going to have to play top 4 minutes, there is no way around it.

 

[Blackjack]

Who's taking the minutes? Of course it's the minutes, there is no one else to take them on.

Hamilton, Siegenthaler and Marino can take on a bit more but these guys are already close to maxed out with Hamilton and Marino already at over 21 minutes ATOI a game and Siegenthaler over 20.

One of Bahl and Luke are going to have to play top 4 minutes, there is no way around it.

A hockey game is 60 minutes, how much do you think top pairing defensemen play? I’m guessing it’s more than 20.

 

[JimEIV]

A hockey game is 60 minutes, how much do you think top pairing defensemen play? I’m guessing it’s more than 20.

Depends on the D core and how good your top Dmen are. Everyone's top pair is over 20 minutes though.

 

[njdevils1982]

“What can I do to send you home with this lovely Sebring Convertible?”

saw one on the road a couple of days ago....what an ugly ass car

 

[Saugus]

“What can I do to send you home with this lovely Sebring Convertible?”

No man, I'm talking even worse than that. Like a flame-decal PT Cruiser. Or a wood-paneled Pontiac Aztek.

That picture should be on those flyers you see on telephone poles in blighted neighborhoods that say "I Buy Houses for Cash, Call 1-800-OBV-SCAM".

 

[Billdo]

I'm not sure he meant Bahl will be getting all his minutes. I think he was more saying Bahl can make up for the defense we lost in Graves, and Luke can make up for Severson's offense.

That's what I assumed it meant.