Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2023 training camp edition

[JimEIV]

I wouldn't want to have to look at Brind'amour for a full season.

Dude always looks like he just sucked on a lemon.

 

[forceten]

I was afk for a few days and missed amazing food discussions. Also yay Holtz looking more ready.

 

[HBK27]

I don't expect Ruff to be the coach in 3 years, it's just the nature of the gig and he's also quite old. The team will likely face hardships/disappointments like all teams do, and there'll be a bad couple of weeks and the call will be made.

Ruff played 12 years in the NHL, was assistant coach for 7 years and this will be his 23rd season as a head coach. The guy has coached or played in something like 25,000 NHL games without winning a Cup - coming the closest with Buffalo in '99 and the Panthers in '96 (assistant) as both teams lost in the Finals. He also by all accounts is a genuinely nice guy. He would be the ultimate OGWAC story if he is somehow able to win it all with this team. I'd like to see him get a couple more cracks at it.

 

[Bleedred]

Three of the top coaches in the league work for you lol? Sullivan has 4 more years,

I don’t if Brind’Amour stylistically fits, you have to get the puck back a lot to their dump & chase. They have a pretty unique system.

There might be a slight chance Brid’Amour might become available after this year, it felt like the Canes grudgingly gave him a 3 year/1.8m deal in 2021 and that was pretty cheap.

He shapes their team identity so much it’s hard to imagine the team without him though it would be very counterproductive to let him go.

He wants more money next off-season. (Understandably.)

He’s gotta be looking around and see how Columbus just signed Babcock for $4 million a year and then the best one, Todd McLellan getting FIVE million per and going “Huh?”.

Once again, it’s time to remind everyone that Todd McLellan is the highest publicly listed salary on Capfriendly in the NHL! $100k grand more per than Laviolette and a full million more than Torts. How does this happen? And I’m pretty sure this is a contract that was given back in 2019! What the f***? The only thing higher than that was Babcock’s Toronto salary.

Mind you, not every coach’s salary is listed on here. Cooper and Sullivan being the two biggest names that are listed as “Unknown” on salary. It’s hard to believe both of them make less than McLellan. Bednar’s extension, which doesn’t kick in until 24-25 still is only listed at $4.75 million. So it’s possible Cooper and Sullivan make more. Sullivan was just extended a year ago, if I’m not mistaken, but I don’t think Cooper has re-upped since the Lightning won the two cups, so he probably does make under $5 million.

Once again, how the f*** does McLellan make $5 million per? Does Rob Blake just OVERPAY whoever he feels like overpaying? He also gave equipment assistant I mean goalie Cal Petersen over $5 million on a 3 year deal after proving absolutely nothing, just because he was supposed to be the heir to Quick and played solid in 40-something games before that.

If Fitz gave Blackwood that deal, who proved more than Petersen before his second deal, even if he had played decently on it, I think he may have been on the hot seat by now. He only got half as (roughly) much per year as Petersen with the same term from us back in 2020.

Rob Blake needs to make a pilgrimage to the mecca of Briere for getting him out of that stupid deal.

I wonder what he thinks he has to pay McLellan on his next deal to keep him around?

 

[Bleedred]

Correction - Cooper was given an extension through 24-25 back in July of 2021. So they had won both cups already. His deal was to expire after the 21-22 season and it was said Cooper was making between $3.5 and $4 million on his last deal, which expired in 2022.

So there’s a good chance he makes $5 million on his current deal.

 

[Guttersniped]

He’s gotta be looking around and see how Columbus just signed Babcock for $4 million a year and then the best one, Todd McLellan getting FIVE million per and going “Huh?”.

Once again, it’s time to remind everyone that Todd McLellan is the highest publicly listed salary on Capfriendly in the NHL! $100k grand more per than Laviolette and a full million more than Torts. How does this happen? And I’m pretty sure this is a contract that was given back in 2019! What the f***? The only thing higher than that was Babcock’s Toronto salary.

Mind you, not every coach’s salary is listed on here. Cooper and Sullivan being the two biggest names that are listed as “Unknown” on salary. It’s hard to believe both of them make less than McLellan. Bednar’s extension, which doesn’t kick in until 24-25 still is only listed at $4.75 million. So it’s possible Cooper and Sullivan make more. Sullivan was just extended a year ago, if I’m not mistaken, but I don’t think Cooper has re-upped since the Lightning won the two cups, so he probably does make under $5 million.

Once again, how the f*** does McLellan make $5 million per? Does Rob Blake just OVERPAY whoever he feels like overpaying? He also gave equipment assistant I mean goalie Cal Petersen over $5 million on a 3 year deal after proving absolutely nothing, just because he was supposed to be the heir to Quick and played solid in 40-something games before that.

If Fitz gave Blackwood that deal, who proved more than Petersen before his second deal, even if he had played decently on it, I think he may have been on the hot seat by now. He only got half as (roughly) much per year as Petersen with the same term from us back in 2020.

Rob Blake needs to make a pilgrimage to the mecca of Briere for getting him out of that stupid deal.

I wonder what he thinks he has to pay McLellan on his next deal to keep him around?

McLellen did get the Oilers out of the decade of darkness with a 103 point season in 2016-17.

They did plunge back into darkness for two more seasons, which is why he got fired, but it happened.

But 5m was market value for big coaching names pre-COVID.
Julian got 5 years/5m in 2017-18 from Montreal (and fired in the 4th season).
Trotz got 4 years/2018-19 from the NYI (and coached those).
Quenneville got 5 years/5.25m in 2019-20 from Florida (and he coached 7 games of the 3rd season).
Vigneault got 5 years/5m in 2019-20 from Philly (and was fired in the middle of the 3rd year.)
Krueger got 3 years/3.9m in 2019-29 from Buffalo (and fired in the 2nd season because he f***ing sucked).
After COVID, Laviolette got 3 years/4.9m in 2020-21 from Washington.

Brind’Amour has to make more than what Ralph f***ing Krueger made 4 years earlier or there’s no justice in this world.

 

[Guttersniped]

I wouldn't want to have to look at Brind'amour for a full season.

Dude always looks like he just sucked on a lemon.

We survived looking at the rat nest on Mark Recchi’s head, we can survive looking at the weird face of a good coach.

 

[njdevils1982]

We survived looking at the rat nest on Mark Recchi’s head, we can survive looking at the weird face of a good coach.

mark recchi and the exploding suit.....get a f***ing tailor if you can't dress yourself already....holy shit

 

[njdevils1982]

Ruff played 12 years in the NHL, was assistant coach for 7 years and this will be his 23rd season as a head coach. The guy has coached or played in something like 25,000 NHL games without winning a Cup - coming the closest with Buffalo in '99 and the Panthers in '96 (assistant) as both teams lost in the Finals. He also by all accounts is a genuinely nice guy. He would be the ultimate OGWAC story if he is somehow able to win it all with this team. I'd like to see him get a couple more cracks at it.

and here we are today with both buffalo and the panthers still waiting and waiting and waiting...and waiting. it's nice to see actually.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Three of the top coaches in the league work for you lol?

I don’t know if Brind’Amour stylistically fits, you have to get the puck back a lot to do their dump & chase. They have a pretty unique system.

There might be a slight chance Brid’Amour becomes available after this year, it felt like the Canes grudgingly gave him a 3 year/1.8m deal in 2021 and that was way cheap.

He shapes their team identity so much it’s hard to imagine the team without him and it would be very counterproductive to let him go obviously.

But he wants more money next off-season. (Understandably.)



Edit: wrote this quickly after traveling with no sleep so the lack of proofreading was extra-special and I didn’t even finish part of it lol.

I was not aware of the situation with him. I'd love him here.

 

[TBF1972]

Mercer's brother invited

finally somes news about the contract talks

 

[Bleedred]

McLellen did get the Oilers out of the decade of darkness with a 103 point season in 2016-17.

They did plunge back into darkness for two more seasons, which is why he got fired, but it happened.

But 5m was market value for big coaching names pre-COVID.
Julian got 5 years/5m in 2017-18 from Montreal (and fired in the 4th season).
Trotz got 4 years/2018-19 from the NYI (and coached those).
Quenneville got 5 years/5.25m in 2019-20 from Florida (and he coached 7 games of the 3rd season).
Vigneault got 5 years/5m in 2019-20 from Philly (and was fired in the middle of the 3rd year.)
Krueger got 3 years/3.9m in 2019-29 from Buffalo (and fired in the 2nd season because he f***ing sucked).
After COVID, Laviolette got 3 years/4.9m in 2020-21 from Washington.

Brind’Amour has to make more than what Ralph f***ing Krueger made 4 years earlier or there’s no justice in this world.

I certainly can see why several of these coaches would get the salary and terms they did. Julian, Trotz and Quenneville all won cups, and within the last decade of the time they were hired. Trotz was fresh off a cup win like literally a week before!

I still don’t get the McLellan salary. I understand why it would be higher than I think it should be, but $5 million? Ehhhh.

Krueger was probably the most overrated name on this website (not on this forum) before he got the Buffalo job. Every year people kept bringing him up, because the Oilers weren’t “THAT bad” under him and dat Team Europe tho!

 

[glenwo2]

Do you like it here in NJ Mercer?

This is amazing.

 

[glenwo2]

lol omg i'm dying

Lazar lmao

Lazar's response was great.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't expect Ruff to be the coach in 3 years, it's just the nature of the gig and he's also quite old. The team will likely face hardships/disappointments like all teams do, and there'll be a bad couple of weeks and the call will be made.

He's just 63.

 

[njdevils1982]

He's just 63.

"age is just a number" -lou lamoriello

-brian rolston


... -michael scott

 

[ninetyeight]

Any word if there are any red vs white team type of training camp scrimmages coming up (on yt/devils.nhl.com) this year? Or do I have to wait all the way till monday to see Devils hockey.

 

[Oneiro]

Three of the top coaches in the league work for you lol?

I don’t know if Brind’Amour stylistically fits, you have to get the puck back a lot to do their dump & chase. They have a pretty unique system.

There might be a slight chance Brid’Amour becomes available after this year, it felt like the Canes grudgingly gave him a 3 year/1.8m deal in 2021 and that was way cheap.

He shapes their team identity so much it’s hard to imagine the team without him and it would be very counterproductive to let him go obviously.

But he wants more money next off-season. (Understandably.)



Edit: wrote this quickly after traveling with no sleep so the lack of proofreading was extra-special and I didn’t even finish part of it lol.

They’re where they are because they’ve seen and caught the changes in the game clearly (and early) unlike Nashville, Minnesota and bunch of other franchises. But the defensive conscience of their teams is stronger than ours. Experience? Sure. And I bring those guys up because all coaches wear out their welcome and it would be nice to be ready when they’re available.

Brindamour isn’t a static entity. He comes here and he knows he’s got at least 4-5 guys who can fly. He would adjust. It’s the parts of the game that teams learn the hard way - this is the process I’d like to accelerate and which I have little faith in Ruff executing.

 

[britdevil]

Rod the Bod has been with Carolina since the turn of the century.

I don't see him leaving.

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[glenwo2]

Yep. Got to hit the ground running this season.

 

[Devils731]

Any word if there are any red vs white team type of training camp scrimmages coming up (on yt/devils.nhl.com) this year? Or do I have to wait all the way till monday to see Devils hockey.

In the past I believe we haven’t gotten a feed of the scrimmage but we do get updates from reporters and sometimes video of some moments.

 

[Hisch13r]

In the past I believe we haven’t gotten a feed of the scrimmage but we do get updates from reporters and sometimes video of some moments.

Pretty sure it’s been up the last few years

 

[AfroThunder396]

Lindy is the oldest active coach in the league.

He is also somehow the 10th longest tenured coach in the NHL. Apparently 19 teams have made a coaching change in the past 18 months, that seems like a lot to me.