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

[OmNomNom]

Thing is, the core was mostly there when we no-showed and lost game after game to cream of the crap teams. Numbers are nice but Fitz needs to do a deep dive, you can’t just blame the coach when it was the same shit on two staffs although yes Fitz picked a horrible staff. I compare it to 2002 when Lou clearly saw the room wasn’t right and traded guys for non hockey reasons

yeah, yesterday i had the thought that our team doesn't have balls

sure, everyone loves the whole "nico is a leader by showing up on the ice", but sometimes i wish we had an angry freak like mackinnon who will hold people accountable. i don't get the sense that that's the case in the locker room (solely based on post-game interviews, as no one ever seems fired up at our crap performances)

but who really knows

 

[Better Call Sal]

Thing is, the core was mostly there when we no-showed and lost game after game to cream of the crap teams. Numbers are nice but Fitz needs to do a deep dive, you can’t just blame the coach when it was the same shit on two staffs although yes Fitz picked a horrible staff. I compare it to 2002 when Lou clearly saw the room wasn’t right and traded guys for non hockey reasons

The problem with that comparison was that you had a much more veteran-filled locker room and overall presence in 2002 and they had been fresh off back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. The bar had been raised significantly, and Lou had already canned Ftorek, Larry and eventually Constantine in that timeframe. The time for change to the core had to happen.

To me, it's extremely hard to not put weight into the fact of what this team dealt with over the course of the entire season. And unfortunately, the stubbornness that came from behind the bench to not mitigate those difficulties became too much.

It boils down to the next coaching hire. If we're getting disappointing performances with the new coach in place, the people banging the table for change will be pleased because we'll get it. But I have a hard time shaking up the core of this roster based on this past season and everything that came with it. I think it would be foolishly shortsighted.

 

[ndkjr70]

Palat “already being a bad hockey player” is fake news. Marino should have a nice bounce back season on a lower pairing.

But the rest I agree.

Is it fake news? In the context of being 40% of the way through a contract that's paying him $6m a year, missing 10+ games for the second consecutive year, and having a cumulative total of 54 points in nearly 2 full seasons of work...

I don't know what you call that, but it's not good. and I'm not holding my breath that it'll get better for his age 33-35 seasons. ew.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Is it fake news? In the context of being 40% of the way through a contract that's paying him $6m a year, missing 10+ games for the second consecutive year, and having a cumulative total of 54 points in nearly 2 full seasons of work...

I don't know what you call that, but it's not good. and I'm not holding my breath that it'll get better for his age 33-35 seasons. ew.

A bad hockey player doesn’t have the metrics he has.

Bad contract? Another debate. Bad player? Not even close.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Palat brings all the intangibles that many people claim our team lacks. The issue is his production doesn't equal his cap hit, and he hasn't been able to remain healthy in his first two years here.

I do think he is a valuable player for what we need, I just hope he can stay healthy and be a more consistent 3rd line presence rather than getting time in the top 6. Even so, he has shown he can go on stretches of really helping his line tilt the ice. He had a good showing with Nico and Timo when Timo started getting hot in early March.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Palat helped set up the biggest goal for this franchise in over a decade.

He should be a 3rd liner only, but people are really dramatic about his contract tbh. It isn't a huge deal.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Palat helped set up the biggest goal for this franchise in over a decade.

He should be a 3rd liner only, but people are really dramatic about his contract tbh. It isn't a huge deal.

I was thinking that Mercer Palat Nosek is going to be an expensive third line. Never mind Haula on the fourth.

 

[NJDfan86]

Palat helped set up the biggest goal for this franchise in over a decade.

He should be a 3rd liner only, but people are really dramatic about his contract tbh. It isn't a huge deal.

Palat as a second liner isn’t even that big of deal - if he is our 3rd line LW that’s just icing on the cake.

He isn’t on PP1 so I don’t know why people are crushing his box car stats - yea the salary isn’t great and he has durability issues but he is a strong player at 5v5.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I know many are reacting emotionally to what transpired this season, and can understand why. But I think when we look back on this season, we'll better appreciate how much adversity the team had to go through all season long. Fragile goaltending, poor coaching in hindsight, injury after injury to our top guys, he who shall not be named getting arrested midseason.

I get that it sucks in the moment. I feel the same way everyone else does. The consistent inconsistency all year was enough to drive a fan mad. But I remain steadfast in my belief that we have the right pieces in place, it's about finding those final ones to make it all come together.

I look forward to washing our hands clean of this season and moving into the offseason. My sincere hope is that this makes the core group hungrier knowing that despite all of the above, it was there for them to take up until the final week had they performed even slightly better. Even if their play didn't warrant it, they still were not far from being in the mix.

I'm totally with you in sentiment.

I would have been down if they just battled through, played good hockey, grew as a team and gained understanding of what it takes going forward.

None of that happened and we are faced with a new coach and a new system to learn and commit to.

I just wish there was a feeling of 'progress', bc right now, we are no closer to Holz or Mercer joining the core, and really only Nemec is the guy who grew, and maybe Bahl. You could say Luke, but we already saw him as ubertalented... It didn't look like his game grew into a steady NHL defenseman in his zone.

We enter next year wondering about Foote, and frighteningly really no one else in the system is a threat to make a splash on the team.

Our core did fine if last year is the ceiling, but Nico and Jack and Timo getting injured is troubling.

Our vets just got a year older and are less impactful than ever.

I am still super high on this team but the way this season has been ending begs the question of what is really coming next year.
My hope is a resolution for all of them to up their game and buy into the new coach's system

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Palat isn’t worth what he’s paid, but he’s far from a useless player. His defense and board play were top notch this year. I’ll be very glad we have him when we’re in the playoffs again next year.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Palat is the least of the Devils problems. He's great.

There's a reason his nickname in Tampa was "Playoff Palat"

We saw it last year, he was tremendous for us in the playoffs. He earned his $6 million salary last year in the playoffs alone

 

[HughesCorporation]

fait accompli

 

[Triumph]

Thing is, the core was mostly there when we no-showed and lost game after game to cream of the crap teams. Numbers are nice but Fitz needs to do a deep dive, you can’t just blame the coach when it was the same shit on two staffs although yes Fitz picked a horrible staff. I compare it to 2002 when Lou clearly saw the room wasn’t right and traded guys for non hockey reasons

Those players were traded for hockey reasons. No idea how you can call it 'non-hockey' reasons when both guys went way backwards. Anyway it's not 2002 anymore, so trading any of those 4 forwards makes no sense - you can't get an equal return.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

When a team played a 1-3-1 the Devils were completely neutralized. We had absolutely no counter to our transition game being shut down.

I'd argue that's more because Ruff doesn't know how to counter it, not because the team doesn't have the right roster.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

i dont know what he can do in the summer training differently is possible but he has to figure something out he can't keep getting his shoulders wrecked so easily

I don't think he can do anything? Isn't he gettng surgery

 

[Guttersniped]

I think the issue here was not getting the proper McLeod replacement if you had an inkling of what was gonna come with Team Canada. Getting Nosek to replace him if something did come down from that investigation is like putting a square peg in a round hole

The UFA center, as usual, was pretty bleak so I don’t know who you thought we were getting.

There are few nice depth signings here but it’s an extremely tough position to fill via UFA, maybe the most difficult.

Spoiler: These were the 2024 UFA Centers

(Age when contract ends in parentheses)
JT Compher (33) COL>DET 3 years/ 5.1m
Athletic Market Value: 3.7m
Ryan O’Reilly (36) TOR>NSH 4 years/ 4.5m
Athletic Market Value: 7.7m
Alex Kerfoot (30) TOR>ARI 2 years/ 3.5m
Athletic Market Value: NR
Lars Eller (36) COL>PIT 2 years/ 2.45m
Athletic Market Value: 3.1m
Nick Bjugstad (32) EDM>ARI 2 years/ 2.1m
Athletic Market Value: 4.8m
Noel Acciari (34) TOR>PIT 3 years/ 2m
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Morgan Geekie (26) SEA>BOS 2 years/ 2m
Athletic Market Value: 3.4m
Teddy Blueger (29) VGK>VAN 1 year/ 1.9m
Athletic Market Value: 4.6m
Pius Suter (29) DET>VAN 2 years/ 1.6m
Athletic Market Value: 5.4m
Ryan Poehling (27) MTL>PHI 1 year/ 1.4m
Athletic Market Value: 3.2m
Kevin Stenlund (27) WPG>FLA 1 year/ 1m
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Tomas Nosek (31) BOS>NJD 1 year/ 1m
Athletic Market Value: NR
Sam Steel (26) MIN>DAL 1 year/ 850k
Athletic Market Value: 2.4m
Luke Glendening (36) DAL>TBL 2 years/ 800k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Nick Bonino (35) PIT>NYR 1 year/ 800k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
(Contract was terminated)
Oskar Sundqvist (32) MIN>STL 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Ryan Carpenter (33) NYR>SJS 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Trevor Lewis (37) CGY>LAK 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: 1.2m
PE Bellemare (39) TBL>SEA 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: NR

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

• Alex Holtz usage was frustrating, but his production when he was being used was disappointing. Needed a step up from him and we really didn't get it (through his own fault or otherwise).

Is this really the case though? The guy has never really got a fair shot long-term. The second he makes a mistake, he gets benched. The brief time he gets minutes, he's expected to produce. Not to mention how many times he got benched after scoring and makes a small mistake. No one else gets treated like this. If I were him, I'd be pretty pissed off honestly.

He's still a younger player trying to adapt to the league, not some 10+ year veteran. I'd say with how little ice time he got, his production is quite good.

This is not to say I think he'll turn into a 50 goal scorer at his prime but I think he's really getting screwed over.

 

[MartyOwns]

i like the idea of palat, but if it was anybody else scoring 11 goals for $6 million you'd all want his head on a platter.

he was extremely useful in the playoffs, but if we're not in the playoffs he's just a passenger pulling his expensive pud.

 

[Guadana]

The UFA center, as usual, was pretty bleak so I don’t know who you thought we were getting.

There are few nice depth signings here but it’s an extremely tough position to fill via UFA, maybe the most difficult.

Spoiler: These were the 2024 UFA Centers

(Age when contract ends in parentheses)
JT Compher (33) COL>DET 3 years/ 5.1m
Athletic Market Value: 3.7m
Ryan O’Reilly (36) TOR>NSH 4 years/ 4.5m
Athletic Market Value: 7.7m
Alex Kerfoot (30) TOR>ARI 2 years/ 3.5m
Athletic Market Value: NR
Lars Eller (36) COL>PIT 2 years/ 2.45m
Athletic Market Value: 3.1m
Nick Bjugstad (32) EDM>ARI 2 years/ 2.1m
Athletic Market Value: 4.8m
Noel Acciari (34) TOR>PIT 3 years/ 2m
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Morgan Geekie (26) SEA>BOS 2 years/ 2m
Athletic Market Value: 3.4m
Teddy Blueger (29) VGK>VAN 1 year/ 1.9m
Athletic Market Value: 4.6m
Pius Suter (29) DET>VAN 2 years/ 1.6m
Athletic Market Value: 5.4m
Ryan Poehling (27) MTL>PHI 1 year/ 1.4m
Athletic Market Value: 3.2m
Kevin Stenlund (27) WPG>FLA 1 year/ 1m
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Tomas Nosek (31) BOS>NJD 1 year/ 1m
Athletic Market Value: NR
Sam Steel (26) MIN>DAL 1 year/ 850k
Athletic Market Value: 2.4m
Luke Glendening (36) DAL>TBL 2 years/ 800k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Nick Bonino (35) PIT>NYR 1 year/ 800k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
(Contract was terminated)
Oskar Sundqvist (32) MIN>STL 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Ryan Carpenter (33) NYR>SJS 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: 0.8m
Trevor Lewis (37) CGY>LAK 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: 1.2m
PE Bellemare (39) TBL>SEA 1 year/ 775k
Athletic Market Value: NR

I would sign Henrique, Nosek and Blackwell/Blueger - two or three players for 3C, 4C and 13F job. A couple of forechecking wingers like Noesen, Trenin, Joshua or Foegele.

It would be great to sign OReilly year ago, but may be he wanted to play for Nashville, doesn’t look like they offered crazy best deal.

 

[Devils Trap]

i like the idea of palat, but if it was anybody else scoring 11 goals for $6 million you'd all want his head on a platter.

he was extremely useful in the playoffs, but if we're not in the playoffs he's just a passenger pulling his expensive pud.

Look hes overpaid, prob by like 2 million. But he brings all these intangibles that everyone wants to get.
Hes by far the best player at winning board battles in our forward core and he was apart of a top 5 line in hockey (analytics wise) with Bratt and Nico, hell even Timo and Nico.

 

[Bleedred]

Palat is still good as of now, but I'm not sure how much longer he'll be good for. Hopefully still for next season and maybe for the year after that.

I suspect he'll be cap dumped by his final year.

 

[Zippy316]

I would sign Henrique, Nosek and Blackwell/Blueger - two or three players for 3C, 4C and 13F job. A couple of forechecking wingers like Noesen, Trenin, Joshua or Foegele.

It would be great to sign OReilly year ago, but may be he wanted to play for Nashville, doesn’t look like they offered crazy best deal.

I’d pass on Nosek. He clearly looks better lately, but probably best the team moves on.

Not even for the nostalgia, but I like Henrique for the versatile Haula role. Trenin for a bull-type forward in the bottom six. Then for the Tierney extra forward slot I’d love to see Duhaime, at least his speed could be a weapon.

 

[Guadana]

I’d pass on Nosek. He clearly looks better lately, but probably best the team moves on.

Not even for the nostalgia, but I like Henrique for the versatile Haula role. Trenin for a bull-type forward in the bottom six. Then for the Tierney extra forward slot I’d love to see Duhaime, at least his speed could be a weapon.

As 13F and insurance center I don’t see any problem with Nosek. We need more centers. Having 1C Nico, 2C Jack, (Haula on the wing), 3C Henrique, 4C Blackwell/Blueger, (Lazar on the wing), (Noesen as 13F) would be great center and forward depth. It’s not like we were the healthiest team in the last three years. So I don’t see a problem. I see benefits. From Noesen as 13 F.

Of course we need wingers, solid 2LHD and save money and assets for goalie without panic moves as trading expensive goalie. I’m not against to trade Markstrom or Saros but for reasonable price. Or be smarter and sign just good goalie for reasonable price.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

As 13F and insurance center I don’t see any problem with Nosek. We need more centers. Having 1C Nico, 2C Jack, (Haula on the wing), 3C Henrique, 4C Blackwell/Blueger, (Lazar on the wing), (Noesen as 13F) would be great center and forward depth. It’s not like we were the healthiest team in the last three years. So I don’t see a problem. I see benefits. From Noesen as 13 F.

Of course we need wingers, solid 2LHD and save money and assets for goalie without panic moves as trading expensive goalie. I’m not against to trade Markstrom or Saros but for reasonable price. Or be smarter and sign just good goalie for reasonable price.

Agree and at this point it does not seem like there will not be any good options at F for callups from Utica next year so we will need depth at C to start next season.

 

[My3Sons]

yeah, yesterday i had the thought that our team doesn't have balls

sure, everyone loves the whole "nico is a leader by showing up on the ice", but sometimes i wish we had an angry freak like mackinnon who will hold people accountable. i don't get the sense that that's the case in the locker room (solely based on post-game interviews, as no one ever seems fired up at our crap performances)

but who really knows

I don’t think that sort of thing really flies in today’s world. You think Jack is intimidated if MacKinnon yelled at him? You’d be better off with a salesman who can convince Jack that defense first would somehow work out better for him personally.