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

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Happy to see you back.

I feel I agree with what you say 90% of the time but have to disagree on the last point

and thats definitely fair. I am just growing tired of waiting to even be an average team...its really frustrating the hell out of me. And I am not saying to trade it for any random 30 year old, it obviously has to be the right deal.

 

[Triumph]

and thats definitely fair. I am just growing tired of waiting to even be an average team...its really frustrating the hell out of me. And I am not saying to trade it for any random 30 year old, it obviously has to be the right deal.

There is no deal. Why does anyone want the 2nd overall pick?

 

[McDuffz88]

There is no deal. Why does anyone want the 2nd overall pick?

There will be tons of teams who want the 2nd overall pick but no team is gonna offer us what we want for it. I only trade the pick if its for an impact now winger who brings something we don't have to the table aka Tkachuk but it's not realistic. If I'm Fitz I just take Slafkovsky & don't look back. From watching his footage he seems like he is relentless at protecting the puck which is a skill we sorely lack.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

delete

 

[JimEIV]

I guess one of our point leaders shouldn’t have gotten a shoulder injury or you should discover the concept of rates.

Huh? I was just pointing out that EVERY SINGLE playoff team had at least 1 80 point producer...5 of the 8 had multiple 80 point producers...12 80+ point producers in our conference is nuts

First, my only point is that is incredible.

Second, the First point has nothing to do with our "our point leaders"...I suppose it indirectly shows how far behind we are from other teams in a "top end" perspective...But that really wasn't the point...The point was scoring exploded this year.

Third, The "concept of Rates" don't get you to 80 points...It might be a nice talking point....But it is not 80 points - And staying healthy is part of that.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

There is no deal. Why does anyone want the 2nd overall pick?

My fantasy is Philly or Ottawa want to trade up from 5/7 for a guy and add a major piece(s) to do so. Both FOs are "dumb" so you can really get off imagining the mistakes they would make in such a scenario.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

and thats definitely fair. I am just growing tired of waiting to even be an average team...its really frustrating the hell out of me. And I am not saying to trade it for any random 30 year old, it obviously has to be the right deal.

Did you have anything in mind? It was hard enough to thread the needle on value when the pick was going to be 5OA, and I feel it's that much tougher now that we're at 2.

I have a very hard time passing up Slafkovsky's unique skillset.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Did you have anything in mind? It was hard enough to thread the needle on value when the pick was going to be 5OA, and I feel it's that much tougher now that we're at 2.

I have a very hard time passing up Slafkovsky's unique skillset.

I would monitor the Tkachuk situation in Calgary very closely...and if he won't sign longterm there, I would offer #2 + Holtz + whatever else (assuming he signs longterm in NJ)

 

[britdevil]

I would monitor the Tkachuk situation in Calgary very closely...and if he won't sign longterm there, I would offer #2 + Holtz + whatever else (assuming he signs longterm in NJ)

Ooof. I love Tkachuk, this would be a tough decision if this was the ask.

 

[Guttersniped]

Huh? I was just pointing out that EVERY SINGLE playoff team had at least 1 80 point producer...5 of the 8 had multiple 80 point producers...12 80+ point producers in our conference is nuts

First, my only point is that is incredible.

Second, the First point has nothing to do with our "our point leaders"...I suppose it indirectly shows how far behind we are from other teams in a "top end" perspective...But that really wasn't the point...The point was scoring exploded this year.

Third, The "concept of Rates" don't get you to 80 points...It might be a nice talking point....But it is not 80 points - And staying healthy is part of that.

Scoring is up. That’s true. We were 19th in GF/GP. Hopefully our guys stay healthy and we score more.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I would monitor the Tkachuk situation in Calgary very closely...and if he won't sign longterm there, I would offer #2 + Holtz + whatever else (assuming he signs longterm in NJ)

I'd offer one or the other (with additional ++s) but I'm not sending both the #2 AND Holtz to Calgary for Tkachuk**.

The more I think about it, the more I am in favor of sending the #2 pick to Florida for Knight. Doubt Florida does it though. (I'd love to send Holtz instead of the #2 pick, but I don't see Florida doing Knight for Holtz+)

 

[Guttersniped]

My fantasy is Philly or Ottawa want to trade up from 5/7 for a guy and add a major piece(s) to do so. Both FOs are "dumb" so you can really get off imagining the mistakes they would make in such a scenario.

Typically teams do a pick trades if they are trading their 1st too. Philly doesn’t have the picks to pull of the trade obviously so they’re they’re just going to draft with that pick. I don’t see what Philly player we would be trading for anyway.

Ottawa wants to speed up the process as much as we do, or even more, so they would presumably have zero interest in trading players or prospects further along for a higher pick. And the 7th pick is the worst case scenario for me.

The only trade that hypothetically could come out of nowhere is if Montreal takes Slafkovsky and then maybe Seattle does a pick trade to jump over Arizona to get Wright. That would assume we’re ok with taking whoever is left at 4th.

Seattle has four 2nds, we would just get picks from them. Then it would be up to Fitz to use the picks in some way. Unsigned RFAs should get 2nds in return, other than Tkachuk, who I very much doubt gets moved at the 2022 draft.

That would be an extraordinary occurrence, high picks like ours just don’t get moved.

Edit: And the more I thought about the hypothetical Seattle trade the less sense it made for them considering they’re trying to build up a barely existing prospect pool and therefore aren’t in a “Quality over Quantity” stage.

I don’t see Columbus giving up the #6 & #12 for the #2 either and they don’t have any early 2nds.

 

[youryeah]

people underrate matthew tkachuk. still think he signs long term in calgary tho. they really can't afford to lose him

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

people underrate matthew tkachuk. still think he signs long term in calgary tho. they really can't afford to lose him

I agree. I would offer any combination of our picks + prospects outside of Luke that they wanted to get him (assuming he signs in NJ of course)

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

people underrate matthew tkachuk. still think he signs long term in calgary tho. they really can't afford to lose him

He is most likely re signing in Calgary. It is also pure fantasy to think Calgary would have given up trying to sign Tkachuk by July 7. If someone wants to trade the 2nd pick for an extended Tkachuk it would have to be the team that gets the 2023 2nd pick

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I'd offer one or the other (with additional ++s) but I'm not sending both the #2 AND Holtz to Calgary for Tkachuk**.

The more I think about it, the more I am in favor of sending the #2 pick to Florida for Knight. Doubt Florida does it though. (I'd love to send Holtz instead of the #2 pick, but I don't see Florida doing Knight for Holtz+)

I think moving a number 2 pick for a goalie that has proven very little would be absolutely horrific.

 

[FooteBahl]

I think moving a number 2 pick for a goalie that has proven very little would be absolutely horrific.

I would only move that pick for Brodeur, Roy and Hasek in their primes

 

[Saugus]

I think moving a number 2 pick for a goalie that has proven very little would be absolutely horrific.

If our pick was lower, I would have considered sending it to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck. But not now. Now it's worth too much to trade.

My guess is we'll take either Slafkovsky or Jiricek, and address our other needs via a different method.

 

[Traitor Zach]

Calgary isn't trading him unless the haul is enormous.

The cost of trading for Tkachuk is even more costly for the team acquiring him in how it will change the construction and capacity of our team. If he wants a huge contract that will have cap implications rather quickly in next few yrs even with an increasing cap in a few years, and constrict the remaining moves/choices on defense/goaltending allocation. It is likely Calgary would require a player such as Bratt, not Holtz in any trade on top of the #2 and then something along the lines of a solid prospect.

Calgary would want to ensure their offensive power is not horribly diminished even if it's a different type of player that would require a sizable contract as well. They're not trading a top line forward unless they get NHL proven quality in return and a value on top for other moves. If you say no to Bratt, my guess is they'd ask for Luke Hughes as a centerpiece which would be a no-go for us, then maybe see if they would move needle into something like Severson plus #2, and Holtz, and honestly I'm really not sure they would do it.

 

[MadDevil]

IIRC the last time a top 5 pick was traded at or around the draft was 2008, and that was trading down from #5 to #7.

 

[Bleedred]

Was the most recent highest pick traded the one we used to get Schneider in 2013?

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Was the most recent highest pick traded the one we used to get Schneider in 2013?

i remember Rangers-Yotes in 2017 - 7th and DeAngelo for Stepan/Raanta.

 

[FooteBahl]

Honestly, what do you guys think we can get for the following players?
-Zacha
-Tatar
-Johnsson
-Kuok

I’m ready to clear house.

 

[Zippy316]

Honestly, what do you guys think we can get for the following players?
-Zacha
-Tatar
-Johnsson
-Kuok

I’m ready to clear house.

Zacha - 2nd from some time hoping he can be a center
Johnsson - 3rd or late 2nd
Tatar - For a similar expiring UFA with a high salary (Monahan would be a good example but he’s a shell of himself after injuries)
Kuok - #6 defender or equivalent value

If the Devils pick is Slafkovsky, I don’t see Tatar going anywhere. I’m hoping Zacha is gone for a second and Johnsson goes to Arizona/Ottawa after his July 1st bonus. I’d personally rather hold onto Kuokkanen and use him as the 13th forward.

 

[My3Sons]

Zacha - 2nd from some time hoping he can be a center
Johnsson - 3rd or late 2nd
Tatar - For a similar expiring UFA with a high salary (Monahan would be a good example but he’s a shell of himself after injuries)
Kuok - #6 defender or equivalent value

If the Devils pick is Slafkovsky, I don’t see Tatar going anywhere. I’m hoping Zacha is gone for a second and Johnsson goes to Arizona/Ottawa after his July 1st bonus. I’d personally rather hold onto Kuokkanen and use him as the 13th forward.

If NJ picks Slafkovsky it probably comes down to whether they think Slaf can play in the NHL next year as to what to do with Tatar. I don't see them giving Novak an extension just to room with Slaf. Beyond that I am skeptical any team wants to trade anything for Tatar anyway so he finishes out his contract in NJ.