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

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

whatever GM gives Toffoli that projected contract should be shot

 

[MasterofGrond]

Full menu please

Full chart (50 players deep) is available here

 

[Guadana]

Full chart (50 players deep) is available here

I mean I would sign all four if its what we are looking for.

 

[Devs3cups]

I don’t think they’re going to mess around with Luke and Nemec at all. Get it done asap. The bridge game could be interesting, but if it’s possible they’re getting it done long term for both.

 

[njdevil26]

whatever GM gives Toffoli that projected contract should be shot

I think Toff's value took a hit. He looked painfully slow on the Devils then didn't do too much in Winnipeg.

Great guy and would be a top third line RW but the money he'll want/get offered doesn't match that for us.

 

[Dialamo]

whatever GM gives Toffoli that projected contract should be shot

I am totally on board with anyone else in the Metro division giving Toffoli that contract, preferably the Rags.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I wouldn’t mind adding a Bratt clone. Toffoli may have been a square peg in a round hole…this guy is not. No grit but a dynamic player. You can find grit, this is a much rarer skill set.

 

[Dialamo]

I wouldn’t mind adding a Bratt clone. Toffoli may have been a square peg in a round hole…this guy is not. No grit but a dynamic player. You can find grit, this is a much rarer skill set.

I don't know anything about his play, but I saw quite a few folks on the boards complaining he is a playoff no-show. What do you think about that?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I wouldn’t mind adding a Bratt clone. Toffoli may have been a square peg in a round hole…this guy is not. No grit but a dynamic player. You can find grit, this is a much rarer skill set.

Been a big fan of Ehlers, would love him for a Nico/Timo line.

Assuming it would look something like this:
Bratt-Jack-Holtz (if he somehow survives this offseason's chopping block)
Timo-Nico-Ehlers

You probably have to move the 10th overall or Mercer for the goalie move in that case if Holtz is still on the roster. Then you can realistically go out and get guys like Duclair/Sprong/etc to fix the bottom 6 and can be spot top 6 players if injuries occur. I also know you're a big Palat fan but I definitely think he needs to be in the bottom 6, at least to start the year

Looking at the full list of contract projections (which are not up to date, they're as of January it looks like), I'd be very interested in:

Dakota Joshua 3x3
Sean Monahan 3x2.9
Teddy Blueger 2x2.8
Jordan Martinook 2x2.8

But, I think all of these guys get more than those projections and/or don't leave.

Joshua would be number 1 on this list but I worry how he does away from Garland or any good line driver. You might have to force him with Jack + Bratt which isn't the end of the world but still would like a player who drives that line as well to those 2 guys. Monahan is really slow and would probably make us angry again with that facet of the game that the 23-24 Devils hurt us with. Martinook is a great option and just on the basis that the guy can't hurt us anymore in the playoffs lmao

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I don't know anything about his play, but I saw quite a few folks on the boards complaining he is a playoff no-show. What do you think about that?

His playoff numbers aren’t great but it seems like that entire Winnipeg team no shows every year.

His usage has always seemed strange given how productive he is. He’s only ever averaged over 18 minutes a game once.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I wouldn’t mind adding a Bratt clone. Toffoli may have been a square peg in a round hole…this guy is not. No grit but a dynamic player. You can find grit, this is a much rarer skill set.

Toughness crowd in shambles at the thought

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Been a big fan of Ehlers, would love him for a Nico/Timo line.

Assuming it would look something like this:
Bratt-Jack-Holtz (if he somehow survives this offseason's chopping block)
Timo-Nico-Ehlers

You probably have to move the 10th overall or Mercer for the goalie move in that case if Holtz is still on the roster. Then you can realistically go out and get guys like Duclair/Sprong/etc to fix the bottom 6 and can be spot top 6 players if injuries occur. I also know you're a big Palat fan but I definitely think he needs to be in the bottom 6, at least to start the year

Mercer-Hughes-Bratt
Ehlers-Nico-Timo
Trenin-Haula-Palat
Carrier-Lazar-Bastian/Nosek

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Toughness crowd in shambles at the thought

Maybe part of the reason I think so highly of him is because that mf spanks us. 10 goals in 16 games vs us.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Mercer-Hughes-Bratt
Ehlers-Nico-Timo
Trenin-Haula-Palat
Carrier-Lazar-Bastian/Nosek

Ya, oops. Brain fart on Timo not on the right side, I liked these lines though.

 

[Guttersniped]

I wouldn’t mind adding a Bratt clone. Toffoli may have been a square peg in a round hole…this guy is not. No grit but a dynamic player. You can find grit, this is a much rarer skill set.

His playoff numbers aren’t great but it seems like that entire Winnipeg team no shows every year.

His usage has always seemed strange given how productive he is. He’s only ever averaged over 18 minutes a game once.

There’s usually (some) reasons for it.

This year, it’s just how the Jets are built. He’s not on the PP1 and doesn’t PK.

They lean a lot on their top line and when healthy Connors played with Scheifele.

This is Rick Bowness so the Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton was a borderline 2nd line.

Their other scoring line was Ehlers and etc.

He was centered by Namestnikov then Monahan. Mostly played with Perfetti, then Toffoli.

The forward lines changed just about every game in the playoffs, which was a bad sign lol.

He’s had a tough time with injuries in the several of the seasons before playing 82 games this year.

He missed half of the season last year, and when he did play he was on a line with Wheeler and Namestnikov, poor guy lol.

 

[My3Sons]

Ya, oops. Brain fart on Timo not on the right side, I liked these lines though.

Maybe if you switch Haula and Hischier.

 

[theoptimist]

What athlete that you want will also sign a 1 year deal?

If you want them, so does the rest of the league. No agent should allow their client to sign a 1 year deal.

 

[bossram]

If they could poach Ehlers at a discount from WPG, absolutely do it. He would fit in well with the Devils' other forwards. However, the trade capital is probably better spent on the blueline, as the LD UFA market is bleak beyond Skjei (and that projected contract is digusting).

Lots of other UFA forwards I'd be interested, like Debrusk, Foegele, Trenin, Carrier, Joshua, etc.

 

[britdevil]

I don't know anything about his play, but I saw quite a few folks on the boards complaining he is a playoff no-show. What do you think about that?

4 goals in 37 playoff games.

f*** this guy. Not what we need at all.

 

[Alex NJD]

Like Ehlers and as others have pointed out he hasn't been dealt the best hands but Ehlers has 14 points in 37 playoff games (super unlucky 4 goals on 87 SOG). Meanwhile the other big names on WPG in that time: Connor 32 points in 45 games, Scheifele 38 points in 42 games, Wheeler 39 points in 44 games, Laine 16 points in 24 games, PLD 7 points in 12 games.

To be fair I think a lot of really good players benefit when they go from being "the guy" to being the 2nd option/supporting cast. Oshie had 9 points in 30 games for the Blues, went to the Caps and immediately put up 43 in 49 games the next 3 years. Seguin and Benn are definitely benefiting from Robertson/Hintz/Johnston/Heiskanen becoming the faces of the team. Ehlers could definitely benefit playing with Nico/Jack rather then Winnipeg's rotating door of 2Cs or no defense Scheifele and Connor.

That all said I'm not moving #10 overall for him, maybe the 2025 1st +

 

[MartyOwns]

4 goals in 37 playoff games.

f*** this guy. Not what we need at all.

that seems like a really odd reason to pass on a player.

 

[britdevil]

that seems like a really odd reason to pass on a player.

Ok?

If you need more reasons, there's the fact that he's too similar to Bratt and Jack. He's one year out from UFA. Will likely cost assets that would be better spent on goalies/defence....

But really, it's his worrying lack of playoff production that makes me want no part.

We already have Bratt and his 1 goal (EN) in 13 playoff games... Jus' saying.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

If Ehlers is traded I bet it'll be like the Dubois trade where the extension is agreed to ahead of time driving up the return, and the Jets want NHL talent signed to term in return. It would be like a bridged Mercer going the other way for an extended Ehlers I think.

 

[MadDevil]

No on Zadorov. Many reasons, main reason that I don't consider him a solid defender.

I liked the Miller trade and we should do something like that again. Reliable stop-gap guy. I don't know if Martinez or Tanev is that guy anymore but that sort of profile.

We shouldn't mess around with Luke or Nemec. Assume 8 on both. Another reason to try to draft a player with this top 10 pick.

Zadorov is overrated because he's big and can skate. To me he's like a bigger Ryan Graves that can occasionally throw a big hit. Not that we couldn't use that on defense, but not at free agent market price.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Ok?

If you need more reasons, there's the fact that he's too similar to Bratt and Jack. He's one year out from UFA. Will likely cost assets that would be better spent on goalies/defence....

But really, it's his worrying lack of playoff production that makes me want no part.

We already have Bratt and his 1 goal (EN) in 13 playoff games... Jus' saying.

I would take multiple more Jesper Bratts if I could clone the man. Terrific player, will have a number of great playoff runs in his career.

I’m so tired of judging players based on tiny samples of counting stats in the playoffs. Timo got blanked by Igor and was great in that series.