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

[theoptimist]

Which 2C/3C are you trading for/signing? That is my immediate concern.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Could we bring Smith on as a coach? Does he intend to try to play elsewhere? I guess with the house up for sale he probably has a nod and wink deal already.

He's got another year or two cleaning up $1M paychecks to PK and be a vet if he wants 'em, I'm sure.

long as it's nowhere near my f***ing team

 

[Comparison Ford]

You dont know with Askarov yet on NHL level. No matter how Wallstedt and Askarov are talented, its really crazy to draft them by 7OA.
Its just the issue with Holtz. It would be better for scouts to understand what kind of problems they could face with players of Holtz profile. There were better options. We draft one by our 18th pick. May be by our 20th pick too.

thats fair. in my head we got 7OA talent in Mercer and 2nd round talent in our 18OA.

 

[SKNJD9]

He's got another year or two cleaning up $1M paychecks to PK and be a vet if he wants 'em, I'm sure.

long as it's nowhere near my f***ing team

Wouldn't be shocked at all if he ends up on a rebuilder like Chicago which would be hilarious after they made him public enemy #1

 

[Andre Palot]

I think this fanbase, along with other fans are wayyyy too hard on Holtz. He had 16 goals and 28 points and has been improving (albeit slowly) year to year.

I'm not concerned with his +/- because

1. +/- is a bullshit statistic
2. The team itself will be getting better this year and there will be more goal support.

I don't know why his trade stock is considered 'low' by outside fans, or even some of our fans. He is clearly getting better. If he ends up a 25-30 goal scorer, we should be tickled.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Which 2C/3C are you trading for/signing? That is my immediate concern.

I don’t see a huge need. Jack-Nico-Haula is very good. I’ll take a depth move for a 4C plus bring Nosek back.

 

[SansaStark]

I don’t see a huge need. Jack-Nico-Haula is very good. I’ll take a depth move for a 4C plus bring Nosek back.

It’s not good at all. There is one true center in that group. and those three played a lot of games together last year and it didn’t work out very well. Without McLeod we have no horses down the middle besides Nico. That group couldn’t even come remotely close to competing with the likes of the remaining playoff teams. They will get barreled over until they get a legitimate center to add. Center is by far the biggest need among the skater group, even larger than another LD.

 

[My3Sons]

It’s not good at all. There is one true center in that group. and those three played a lot of games together last year and it didn’t work out very well. Without McLeod we have no horses down the middle besides Nico. That group couldn’t even come remotely close to competing with the likes of the remaining playoff teams. They will get barreled over until they get a legitimate center to add. Center is by far the biggest need among the skater group, even larger than another LD.

And the only center they have is a 3C so NJ really needs a 1C and 2C

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It’s not good at all. There is one true center in that group. and those three played a lot of games together last year and it didn’t work out very well. Without McLeod we have no horses down the middle besides Nico. That group couldn’t even come remotely close to competing with the likes of the remaining playoff teams. They will get barreled over until they get a legitimate center to add. Center is by far the biggest need among the skater group, even larger than another LD.

It’s the best center depth in franchise history by a wide margin, in fact.

Also LOL at the laughable suggestion that they couldn’t compete with the Rangers when they LITERALLY OUSTED THEM LAST YEAR when healthy. What planet are you on?

 

[theoptimist]

I don’t see a huge need. Jack-Nico-Haula is very good. I’ll take a depth move for a 4C plus bring Nosek back.

Are you worried about any of these centers missing time? As a hypothetical, if Jack or Nico go down, are you bumping up Haula to 2C? Who then plays 3C?

 

[My3Sons]

Are you worried about any of these centers missing time? As a hypothetical, if Jack or Nico go down, are you bumping up Haula to 2C? Who then plays 3C?

Well if Jack goes down it’s obviously Nico

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Are you worried about any of these centers missing time? As a hypothetical, if Jack or Nico go down, are you bumping up Haula to 2C? Who then plays 3C?

I’m comfortable with Mercer sliding into C in a pinch if there are injuries. Bratt can drive play like a center and has done well with Mercer at C before.

Of course I would love to add someone like Cirelli if he was available to really bolster the depth. But there’s basically nothing out there in free agency that is appealing beyond some 4th line guys.

I remember the days of praying for a franchise center — now we have two.

 

[My3Sons]

I’m comfortable with Mercer sliding into C in a pinch if there are injuries. Bratt can drive play like a center and has done well with Mercer at C before.

Of course I would love to add someone like Cirelli if he was available to really bolster the depth. But there’s basically nothing out there in free agency that is appealing beyond some 4th line guys.

I remember the days of praying for a franchise center — now we have two.

Mercer isn’t a franchise center

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Mercer isn’t a franchise center

 

[BostonDevil]

Too quiet (I believe), Museums won't cut it (but that shot), YES.

I don't like Haula but if he's worth anything at all, it might be his experience

 

[theoptimist]

I’m comfortable with Mercer sliding into C in a pinch if there are injuries. Bratt can drive play like a center and has done well with Mercer at C before.

Of course I would love to add someone like Cirelli if he was available to really bolster the depth. But there’s basically nothing out there in free agency that is appealing beyond some 4th line guys.

I remember the days of praying for a franchise center — now we have two.

I like Cirelli too. I don't think Mercer is a center and I don't know what Bratt driving play like a center means. I still think adding another center should be a top priority. I don't want either of our franchise centers missing time to cause us to miss the playoffs again. Haula is not a second line center.

 

[MadDevil]

Are you worried about any of these centers missing time? As a hypothetical, if Jack or Nico go down, are you bumping up Haula to 2C? Who then plays 3C?

It's definitely a concern given Nico and Jack tend to get banged up at some point, but I think it's further down the list than some other needs. How much do you want to pay for a #3 center? Is it a bigger need than say getting a winger for Jack? Unless they move Bratt back with him and then go with a Nico/Timo duo as the building block of the other top line. Is it a bigger need than getting a goalie? Or trying to bring in a top 4 guy if Siegs doesn't rebound? You're not likely going to fix everything in one offseason.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I like Cirelli too. I don't think Mercer is a center and I don't know what Bratt driving play like a center means. I still think adding another center should be a top priority. I don't want either of our franchise centers missing time to cause us to miss the playoffs again. Haula is not a second line center.

Typically when you put a guy that is not suited at center at center, they don’t get the best of play. When Mercer played some C with Bratt and Johnsson of all people, they had 60% of expected goals. Jesper covers up booboos.

I don’t want Mercer at C, but he has had success when he was with our best winger.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It’s not good at all. There is one true center in that group. and those three played a lot of games together last year and it didn’t work out very well. Without McLeod we have no horses down the middle besides Nico. That group couldn’t even come remotely close to competing with the likes of the remaining playoff teams. They will get barreled over until they get a legitimate center to add. Center is by far the biggest need among the skater group, even larger than another LD.

Nonsense. Jack is a legitimate center and one of the best in the league.

They competed just fine (when healthy) against NYR last year, did they not?

why do some of the people here just feel the need to just say things that aren't true?

 

[theoptimist]

It's definitely a concern given Nico and Jack tend to get banged up at some point, but I think it's further down the list than some other needs. How much do you want to pay for a #3 center? Is it a bigger need than say getting a winger for Jack? Unless they move Bratt back with him and then go with a Nico/Timo duo as the building block of the other top line. Is it a bigger need than getting a goalie? Or trying to bring in a top 4 guy if Siegs doesn't rebound? You're not likely going to fix everything in one offseason.

You're spot on, it will be the price of a 3C that will be the obstruction. I'm used to seeing Hughes/Haula but maybe Keefe wants Jack to play his natural position more often which have Haula at 3C (my preferred slot for him). If they stick with Hughes/Haula then our 3C is....Lazar? Nosek? I don't like them there. Palat-Haula is a competent pair for the third line.

I don't want to consider an alternative for Siegenthaler in-season. I've seen enough and am ready to move on from the player, but if they bring him back then they're confident he'll bounce back. A left side of Hughes, Siegenthaler, Bahl to start the season is just not good enough IMO.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Center depth is our biggest issue after goaltending, and it's not particularly close.

We have two great centers in Nico and Hughes. Is Haula going to play center? Who knows.

We no longer have McLeod, who was a good bottom-6 center and only getting better. We have no AHL center depth. We have no prospect center depth. Mercer is awful at center and that experiment never needs to happen again.

Our center depth:
Nico / Jack
(A really long and deep hole)
Haula if the coach plays him there
Mercer (Barf)
Lazar

I've been beating this drum all offseason. We should re-sign Nosek on the cheap and grab a 3C somewhere (Trade? UFA?) and then draft centers. Especially since Jack and / or Nico will likely miss time next season by virtue of their existence.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I'm not really sure how you could have watched this season and not conclude we need someone else capable of playing C.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I'm not really sure how you could have watched this season and not conclude we need someone else capable of playing C.

Jack getting significantly injured is going to kill any season regardless of the depth we try to bring in at C. That just needs to not happen. We also had a problem with right handed dmen last year when Dougie went down and absolutely do not need a right handed dman — the depth is fine there. Dougie is also a guy depth is just not going to replace.

Sure, we could use a guy that can play center. If we added an actual impact player at C then we’d have the best center depth in the NHL. That would be nice, but is that the standard? 2 franchise Cs, a decent 3C, and an okay 4C in Nosek (if he’s brought back) plus Lazar that can play 4C is really a big problem? Seems like we’re checking most of the boxes already.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Id kick the tires on Roslovic

If he can come on a good contract, I would like that added C depth for bottom 6.

6’1” 200 lb depth center who can skate and pot some goals, also can PK. Also a right shot which is always nice.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

It’s not good at all. There is one true center in that group. and those three played a lot of games together last year and it didn’t work out very well. Without McLeod we have no horses down the middle besides Nico. That group couldn’t even come remotely close to competing with the likes of the remaining playoff teams. They will get barreled over until they get a legitimate center to add. Center is by far the biggest need among the skater group, even larger than another LD.

Haula absolutely body bagged the Rangers R1 (they're not much different than last year personnel wise, the coaching is where they differ this year) last year, Jack is one of the guys that Shesterkin has said is one of his rivals in the league player wise and he's incredible and Nico had Zibanejad on a missing persons report all of last year and it seems like Barkov is doing the exact same so I don't see why Nico wouldn't be able to repeat that.

Id kick the tires on Roslovic

If he can come on a good contract, I would like that added C depth for bottom 6.

6’1” 200 lb depth center who can skate and pot some goals, also can PK. Also a right shot which is always nice.

Pass, he's garbage. You're going to lose your mind with the amount of fly by's he does in game.