Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason edition

[SKNJD9]

Fitzie's full comments are pretty spot on

Yeah the quotes don't do him justice I thought listening to the whole thing

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Sounds like Fitz just wants a bunch of yes men in the organization. Not what I wanted to hear. This almost reinforces that we are like a country club. No accountability, no one to push back & say you know what this is a horrible idea. If Fitz goes into next season with Ruff he will suffer the same fate as Shero. What a odd hill to die on seeing your so called "mentor" got fired for doing the same thing your doing now.

What? How do you take this from that at all. Having someone who thinks in a similar way to you doesn’t mean that at all. You literally just pulled that out of your ass. They fired Recchi and Nas so not sure how you can say there’s no accountability.
It actually just sounds like he still believes in Ruff and a lot of young stars do as well. It sounds like Hughes, Hischier, and Bratt all believe in and like Ruff and he’s clearly done a very good job with most of our young players. Which he has a reputation for.
You literally just made up a bunch of random things and spun it into “reinforcing” what you want to think.

There’s actually things he said that say the opposite. He’s calling Ruff his partner and basically saying they work together. Not like some coach who just does whatever he says. The part you’re pissed about is basically him just saying they have a similar vision and path for the team. You don’t want a coach and GM who are on different pages.

 

[Triumph]

Not thrilled with the prospect of Ruff coming back, but it should've been at least obvious that Fitzgerald values Ruff in a way that GMs don't often value coaches. They've got to switch up what they're doing in the defensive zone and hopefully Nasreddine's exit means that's possible. Please keep his penalty killing system in place, though. Whatever was done in 2021 was an absolute disaster.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I dunno. Ruff "Brought into be his partner" makes me feel almost like it's not his call to hire/fire him, and that they're both on the same level.

No that’s is almost certainly not true. He hired him but I think he’s just saying that more so in the sense that they work together and are building this together.
He literally said firing the other coaches was his decision.

 

[Nubmer6]

No that’s is almost certainly not true. He hired him but I think he’s just saying that more so in the sense that they work together and are building this together.
He literally said firing the other coaches was his decision.

I'm just saying it could be interpreted differently. Maybe this supports the whole "By committee" thing?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I'm just saying it could be interpreted differently. Maybe this supports the whole "By committee" thing?

Could be but it really wouldn’t make any sense. I think it is a by commitee thing but Fitz has the final say. Sounds like he just believes and likes to work with him.

That’s just never how it works though. The General manager as part of his job hires and fires staff. It seems very unlikely that Fitz wouldn’t be able to fire a coach he hired who has had terrible results.

 

[Mgd31]

Is the full presser out? I can't find it on the website for some reason.

 

[R8Devs]

Is the full presser out? I can't find it on the website for some reason.

 

[Mgd31]

Thank you my friend

 

[Eggtimer]

Every year we talk about moving our 1st for a young roster player who can help immediately, but I'll believe it when I see it. You've got to find a team who values your 1st as highly as they value the player you're giving up, which NHL general managers generally don't do.

I especially hope he's not thinking about moving a 1st for a goalie. I get that we've reached DEFCON 1 without goalie situation and that searching through the reject bin will continue to disappoint us. It's easy to say "f*** it, just pay the price and we won't have to worry about this ever again." But it would be horrendous asset management to trade a top-5 pick for a goalie unless it's one of like four guys in the league.

Only way I can see a GM give up a quality piece for the pick is if they need the cost certainty and cap savings and give up a good player that is jas an expensive cap hit or high qualifying offer to retain said player.
We are winning the draft lotto on May 10th so no l I wouldn’t trade the pick
If we pick 5/6/7 , amd Slafkovsky Jiricek Nemec are all gone , I’d move the pick for Hellebuyck. About the only goalie remotely “might” be available Id consider moving the pick for. Maybe we can add some thug and exchange picks so we’d get a 1sr round pick still and get a RHD from the next “tier”

 

[Oneiro]

"There are areas that have to grow and develop and that's something that Lindy and I had a very frank conversation about."

"We want to be the best. You just can't go from 0 to 60. I think we're growing but that being said, I have standards that I want everybody to adhere by. I want habits that are - we do things like blinking our eyelids in the game or in the boardroom."

"I want our team to play the right way. I want our team to play with certain details that I believe will push us in the right direction becoming that contending team we believe we're going to be. Playing with the same habits, not constant reminders. Some growth in understanding what their job is. Boxing out in front, the physical part, ending plays down low. If we don't do that, it doesn't matter what our goaltending looks like. So areas of the defense that I truly believe...I want to get bigger, I want to get more mobile, I want to be harder to play against...There's still growth that we need to do. Whether it's trusting their gaps and closing gaps quickly, closing down low, being detailed, stick details, things like that. That has to continue to evolve and improve. I like our defense, I like our size and our mobility. I like our makeup. But there is obviously room for improvement in all areas of our game."

"...Habits. Details. Those are things that extremely important to me for my team to play. [Ruff] knows exactly how I feel. Supporting him with people who have the same beliefs in those standards, details, habits."

Exactly what I wanted to hear. He sees it while acknowledging the offensive upside. Now don't f*** up the draft, Tom.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I wanted to comment on Vancouver's *very poor* decision not to keep Bruce Boudreau.

This guy is an outstanding coach, with a proven track record. It's my conviction the Devils would be foolish not to at least kick the tires on what it would take to get Boudreau to coach the 2022-23 team.

 

[StevenToddIves]

"There are areas that have to grow and develop and that's something that Lindy and I had a very frank conversation about."

"We want to be the best. You just can't go from 0 to 60. I think we're growing but that being said, I have standards that I want everybody to adhere by. I want habits that are - we do things like blinking our eyelids in the game or in the boardroom."

"I want our team to play the right way. I want our team to play with certain details that I believe will push us in the right direction becoming that contending team we believe we're going to be. Playing with the same habits, not constant reminders. Some growth in understanding what their job is. Boxing out in front, the physical part, ending plays down low. If we don't do that, it doesn't matter what our goaltending looks like. So areas of the defense that I truly believe...I want to get bigger, I want to get more mobile, I want to be harder to play against...There's still growth that we need to do. Whether it's trusting their gaps and closing gaps quickly, closing down low, being detailed, stick details, things like that. That has to continue to evolve and improve. I like our defense, I like our size and our mobility. I like our makeup. But there is obviously room for improvement in all areas of our game."

Exactly what I wanted to hear. He sees it while acknowledging the offensive upside. Now don't f*** up the draft, Tom.

Mr. Fitzgerald will have to alter his draft strategies of the past two years. There will be several players available all throughout the draft who can address the needs he himself has stated.

Jiricek would be the perfect pick in the 1st round. In the later rounds the Devils should be keying on prospects like Reid Schaefer, Noah Warren, Maveric Lamoureux, Kirill Dolzhenkov, Matyas Sapovaliv, Parker Bell, Brennan Ali and Liam Arnsby.

But we must draft with strategy and cohesion, no more gifting picks to individual scouts. There can be no more Baumgartner and Shlaine and Vilen and Hurtig picks.

 

[Oneiro]

Mr. Fitzgerald will have to alter his draft strategies of the past two years. There will be several players available all throughout the draft who can address the needs he himself has stated.

Jiricek would be the perfect pick in the 1st round. In the later rounds the Devils should be keying on prospects like Reid Schaefer, Noah Warren, Maveric Lamoureux, Kirill Dolzhenkov, Matyas Sapovaliv, Parker Bell, Brennan Ali and Liam Arnsby.

But we must draft with strategy and cohesion, no more gifting picks to individual scouts. There can be no more Baumgartner and Shlaine and Vilen and Hurtig picks.

Yeah, all I could think of was how much Jiricek fits the profile he discussed.

Also interesting how he talked about wanting Boqvist to be flexible re: wing vs. center. He seems to want to add a 3C.

 

[Mgd31]

Fitz sounds like a guy who is going to change up the forward group as much as he can. Says we have too much of the same players and need "heavier skill"

 

[Omar Little]

Fitz sounds like a guy who is going to change up the forward group as much as he can. Says we have too much of the same players and need "heavier skill"

That's why I think people who throw out names like Forsberg, Gaudreau, Fiala, etc. as being targets are delusional. Spending money on that type of player will not help this lineup.

We already have a couple of different versions of those types of players in Hughes and Bratt (and arguably similar style players in Boqvist, Tatar)

He also seemed to be pretty clear that Boqvist needs to be comfortable on the wing. It makes me think a 3C is on his target list for acquisition.

 

[FinnishDevil]

Scenarios I'd move the 1st.

Legit top line winger, "Tkachuk" type. Wouldnt hesitate at all for someone who is elite and comes with term and/or team control.

An absolute elite goalie with term, likely doesnt exist. Hellebuyck is closest comp but he has like what 2 years left? Would probably entertain flipping 1sts with WPG.

Dman that fits for what Fitz talked about earlier. These elite blueliners usually dont come available and the likes of Chychrun dont really push my buttons to move top-5 pick for.

In other words, I believe it when I see it. You have to get some really good value to be worth moving this pick.

 

[StevenToddIves]

The Shakir Mukhamadullin news is exceptionally good.

I think we also must address the fact this might also spell the end of the Ty Smith era in New Jersey. I can't see any way Smith can beat out the trio of Mukhamadullin, Okhotyuk and Bahl in camp next year. I've seen enough of those three players this year (including Mukhamadullin) to be confident they are all superior to Smith right now. Maybe Smith can regain his game and reach his potential somewhere else, but I can't see it being NJ, especially since not making the team out of camp will severely diminish Smith's trade value.

As for Mukhamadullin, we have a LD who adds mobility, physicality and excellence in one-on-one battles to the blueline. Mukhamadullin is also capable of high-end passes, both on the breakout and in the offensive zone. He features a bomb of a shot from the point, but he needs to learn to get it off better. Mukhamadullin is still a bit mistake prone, which would make him, in my mind, a likely candidate to at least begin next season in the AHL. But his passing vision, shooting and overall offensive upside is higher than Okhotyuk and Bahl, giving him higher upside in the long run.

 

[StevenToddIves]

That's why I think people who throw out names like Forsberg, Gaudreau, Fiala, etc. as being targets are delusional. Spending money on that type of player will not help this lineup.

We already have a couple of different versions of those types of players in Hughes and Bratt (and arguably similar style players in Boqvist, Tatar)

He also seemed to be pretty clear that Boqvist needs to be comfortable on the wing. It makes me think a 3C is on his target list for acquisition.

Nichushkin and Niederreiter should be the names we're throwing out there. Maybe Marchment. Definitely Lyubushkin to fill the hole on RD.

 

[R8Devs]

That's why I think people who throw out names like Forsberg, Gaudreau, Fiala, etc. as being targets are delusional. Spending money on that type of player will not help this lineup.

We already have a couple of different versions of those types of players in Hughes and Bratt (and arguably similar style players in Boqvist, Tatar)

He also seemed to be pretty clear that Boqvist needs to be comfortable on the wing. It makes me think a 3C is on his target list for acquisition.

those 3 would def help the lineup. it would basically ensure a high end winger on both of the top lines and help a lot when there are injury issues. Devils need a guy like Niederreiter/Nichuskin for sure but those 3 are the exceptions to the same type of player comment imo. It would obviously depend on the costs but those guys are not Tatar like additions, they are elite players.

 

[Oneiro]

"That snapshot of when we had all our players together at every single position - we were a hard team to play against. Other teams said that. We couldn't sustain that for obvious reasons and it's tough to say but I really believe in the stuff I talked about earlier, the habits, the standards that have to get better in practice that are like blinking your eyes, we do things on the ice in games that just happen. We have to get to that. I do think we are a better team than how we finished. The data tells us that - and I believe in that stuff - but we have to continue to play the right way. Details of our game that have to improve. I was very candid with Lindy yesterday and I'm not backing off them...I am looking to build a roster that can play any type of game. I am looking to build a roster that not only becomes a playoff team but can handle the wear and tear, the heaviness of a playoff series."

 

[Azathoth]

Not thrilled with the prospect of Ruff coming back, but it should've been at least obvious that Fitzgerald values Ruff in a way that GMs don't often value coaches. They've got to switch up what they're doing in the defensive zone and hopefully Nasreddine's exit means that's possible. Please keep his penalty killing system in place, though. Whatever was done in 2021 was an absolute disaster.

Did they run the same defensive scheme when Nas was under Hynes as they have under Ruff? I was wondering if the scheme was Nas' or if he was just implementing whatever strategy Ruff had in mind? So will the next assistant just be running the same (not so great) scheme?

 

[Eggtimer]

That's why I think people who throw out names like Forsberg, Gaudreau, Fiala, etc. as being targets are delusional. Spending money on that type of player will not help this lineup.

We already have a couple of different versions of those types of players in Hughes and Bratt (and arguably similar style players in Boqvist, Tatar)

He also seemed to be pretty clear that Boqvist needs to be comfortable on the wing. It makes me think a 3C is on his target list for acquisition.

Boqvist is best at C though. I think the team thinks the same as he was tried on the wing but has since been exclusively at C ?
Yes Forsberg Gaudreu Fiala are not the types we need. Of course they would be awesome to add , but we need players like Tkchuck , Wilson , Jeannot , rather than finesse players .
It will be interesting to see which direction they go and who they target .
A lot of what Fitz and Brodeur has said leads me to believe that we will add players that play a heavier game. Players that can handle a heavy fore-check etc .
Not sure they add a 3C . I’d say 3rd lie wingers and or a top 6 winger that helps create space for Nico Bratt Jack .

 

[RangerDoggo]

Did they run the same defensive scheme when Nas was under Hynes as they have under Ruff?

I'll give Ruff credit, they did not run the same "have the opponent play keepaway for a minute-plus" strategy under him like they did with Hynes.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I don't think it's a secret that the Devils need 1 more elite forward to go along with Hughes, Bratt, and Hischier.

I don't believe Holtz is going to be that player unfortunately.

I think Fitzgerald would be smart to put together some combination of these assets to acquire an elite 1st line winger. Holtz, Smith, 2022 1st, 2023 1st (top 5 protected), Mukhamadullin, Zacha, Foote, Boqvist, Johnsson, Tatar, Stillman, Graves.

1st tier targets: Matthew Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat, Kyle Connor, David Pastrnak.

2nd tier targets: Kevin Fiala, Nik Ehlers, Jake Guentzel, Timo Meier, William Nylander, Brock Boeser


Then the rest of the forward core can be filled out with guys that are "hard to play against"
- Marchment, Nichuskin, Garland, Copp, Bertuzzi - examples of guys that may be available this summer (via trade or UFA) that we should be targeting.