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

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I just need to know who we are saving this theoretical cap space for? Okay yeah, Luke and Nemec needs contracts within a few years....By then, the cap is likely $8-9 million higher which easily pays for at least one of those contracts by itself, without literally any other moves made. All 4 of our "big guns" are locked in longterm. Mercer should not get anything more than a realistic bridge deal. Who else needs a contract that we need to keep all this cap space open for?

 

[JrFischer54]

reading this board we aren't in an open window now? the team is very far from competing?

i mean someone should probably tell our gm this then since he went out and brought in timo and basically said its time to start winning and our time is now. so i dunno who i'm going to listen to but if you guys really dont think our time is now then they better figure out when it is and fast because times ticking on jacks sweetheart deal nico deal coming to an end in 3 years bratt team friendly deal just started. going by hf thinking our window is going to be the shortest window in the history of windows!

 

[Forge]

Does anyone have the projections from evolving hockey on the Mercer deal? I saw that they were starting to put those out a couple of days ago. I'm assuming Mercer gets a 2 year bridge so I'm thinking something like 3-3.5 million but wasn't sure how far that was off.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Holtz was one of the best goal scorers per minute in the league at even strength, playing most of his time with offensively challenged players.

You’re acting like he gots lots of time and couldn’t score in it when reality is he got little time and scored a bunch in it.

There’s a reason nobody is giving him time and great opportunities

 

[Captain3rdLine]

16g with very limited ice time is not producing? I get he's not a good player but he has produced...

16 goals while not being a good player isn’t gonna give him any trade value

 

[theoptimist]

I just need to know who we are saving this theoretical cap space for? Okay yeah, Luke and Nemec needs contracts within a few years....By then, the cap is likely $8-9 million higher which easily pays for at least one of those contracts by itself, without literally any other moves made. All 4 of our "big guns" are locked in longterm. Mercer should not get anything more than a realistic bridge deal. Who else needs a contract that we need to keep all this cap space open for?

Because the NHL went from “fast like Pittsburgh” to “heavy like Florida” in a handful of years. You want cap space all the time.

 

[Devils731]

There’s a reason nobody is giving him time and great opportunities

And it’s not for lack of offensive production, which is the statement people were having issue with.

Saying Holtz isn’t doing enough in other areas of the game that don’t show up as goals wouldn’t have gotten such push back.

The statement he doesn’t produce offense is obviously wrong though.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I don't necessarily think he is... this conversation started with me saying I thought he was bad for most of the year. I have been pro hanging onto Holtz and thought he wasn't afforded enough opportunity last year. This year is a different story. He got consistent games and couldn't sustain anything. He played very poorly.

Most players improve their puck battles (and get stronger) as they enter their primes. He's still a few years off of that which is why I think those factors could improve. If he does that, it could make him more effective as a forechecker and able to do enough to get by defensively. At that point, his vision, shot, and decent enough passing skills would be enough to make him valuable as a 2nd line PP specialist. That's what he needs to work on. Those are things Bratt has developed into being plus attributes over the past few years. Holtz works with Bratt in the offseason, so I have hope that it is possible for him. But I would cash out on the asset in a heartbeat as well.

I don’t know if there’s any basis to your

I don't necessarily think he is... this conversation started with me saying I thought he was bad for most of the year. I have been pro hanging onto Holtz and thought he wasn't afforded enough opportunity last year. This year is a different story. He got consistent games and couldn't sustain anything. He played very poorly.

Most players improve their puck battles (and get stronger) as they enter their primes. He's still a few years off of that which is why I think those factors could improve. If he does that, it could make him more effective as a forechecker and able to do enough to get by defensively. At that point, his vision, shot, and decent enough passing skills would be enough to make him valuable as a 2nd line PP specialist. That's what he needs to work on. Those are things Bratt has developed into being plus attributes over the past few years. Holtz works with Bratt in the offseason, so I have hope that it is possible for him. But I would cash out on the asset in a heartbeat as well.

I don’t know if there’s any actual basis to your most players improve their puck battles as they go theory. Also actually don’t think his issues with puck battles is his overall strength. I think it’s mostly his hands, edgework and footwork. I think he lacks in those areas and they hold him back when it’s comes to winning battles against skilled strong NHL players.

And it’s not for lack of offensive production, which is the statement people will having issue with.

Saying Holtz isn’t doing enough in other areas of the game that don’t show up as goals wouldn’t have gotten such push back.

The statement he doesn’t produce offense is obviously wrong though.

The whole limited minutes thing is irrelevant. If they thought more minutes would equal more production they would have given him more at times especially when guys were hurt and we were struggling for offense. I doubt they even felt he could keep up with our top players playing against top competition. He just isn’t a good enough player.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

We weren’t bad because we had Holtz over Zetterlund. The record would barely even change if you swapped guys. It’s all about the injuries. But please continue to be gravely concerned.

 

[JrFischer54]

rangers 6-0 in the playoffs
wood overtime playoff hero
lose the draft lotto
holtz booted off world team zutter given shot
reading on here we are far from competing and our window isn't open. possibly rebuild?

good lord!

the playoffs last year was like that scene in the perfect storm where they get a glimmer of sun rays right before they sink and die.

 

[JimEIV]

only one person is saying that and it’s mostly troll bait

Troll?

Which is the more realistic opion?

A. We are close to competing for a cup

B. We are nowhere near competing for a cup.

We just all gathered to watch pingpong balls for the 5th time in the last 6 years for christ sake and some people believe we are in a window to complete for a cup?

Delusional.

We don't even know what kind of system we'll be running next year and we are in a window to compete

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Because the NHL went from “fast like Pittsburgh” to “heavy like Florida” in a handful of years. You want cap space all the time.

what, exactly, has Florida won?

There isn't one way to win. You need a good combination of speed and size.

 

[NJDfan86]

Gotta say, I thought the Wood OT goal would be the lead doomer narrative this morning.

 

[Triumph]

I just can't understand how anyone can watch this team closely and conclude that they are an average goalie away from being significantly better, and that throwing away a top 10 pick for any such goalie that's realistically available is good use of assets.

Nobody wants to throw the pick away. I want to trade the pick and get something back for it in addition to a goalie. 10th overall for Vancouver's 1st and Markstrom, say. That's a fine trade. Drop down to the high 20s/low 30s while still getting a goaltender. I would not move the 10th overall pick for just Ullmark or just Markstrom.

Structured defense, board battles, physicality, physical and mental toughness, puck management...most of our skaters play these elements of the game like children. Average goaltending isn't doing shit without an improvement in these areas.

And this again is just pretending that goaltending doesn't exist. It's a real skill and some players have more of it than others. The Devils can fix the defense, but when the goalie is bad, it doesn't help the defense, either - teams can very easily overreact to goaltending issues, compounding them. The team's decision-making has to improve, but I just can't see overreacting like this to the 23-24 Devils.

 

[beekay414]

Oh yay, the people who were during the 2022-23 season are back to attempting at being the loudest doom and gloomers in the room again. Thrilling stuff. Back to my sabbatical.

 

[NJDevs26]

I mean the Devils BETTER be in a window to compete now, or they never will be. As cynical as I am about this team after last season, I do to an extent buy the 'Colorado had a bad year and Vegas missed the playoffs before winning a Cup' off-year narrative, for now.

But like I said before, next year is a big proving ground for this entire organization. If they miss the playoffs again, major changes have to be made across the board and almost nothing should be off the table. If they make the playoffs comfortably then at least this season was a one-off from that perspective, now just make moves to go forward and win.

 

[NJDfan86]

Troll?

Which is the more realistic opion?

A. We are close to competing for a cup

B. We are nowhere near competing for a cup.

We just all gathered to watch pingpong balls for the 5th time in the last 6 years for christ sake and some people believe we are in a window to complete for a cup?

Delusional.

We don't even know what kind of system we'll be running next year and we are in a window to compete

Fans only care about "systems" to use a copium for the players performance, there are plenty of systems that work just fine.

 

[NJDevs26]

Fans only care about "systems" to use a copium for the players performance, there are plenty of systems that work just fine.

While I agree, we certainly weren't running a system that worked or has been copied in a lot of places. Or at least one that didn't work without a deep veteran defense and loaded forward core.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Gotta say, I thought the Wood OT goal would be the lead doomer narrative this morning.

The Devils were holding him back. He blossomed into a 9 goal scorer in Colorado.

 

[NJDfan86]

While I agree, we certainly weren't running a system that worked or has been copied in a lot of places. Or at least one that didn't work without a deep veteran defense and loaded forward core.

It worked fine last year - if you stick with same style you will need to make some tweaks since teams make some adjustments as well but given the level of injuries this year I find it hard to place the blame there. A lot of teams actually made changes to their styles as well - Philly switched to a much more rush heavy offense this year.

Just don't think we had the horses - which is still a criticism of the coach as he should have adapted sooner.

 

[NJDevs26]

Honestly I think the whole board was united we didn't want to see a fourth liner signed to the contract Wood got lol, there were detractors and cynics on almost everything else that happened this offseason. So it'd be a little hypocritical to get whiny about Wood scoring one playoff goal now.

 

[Forge]

Troll?

Which is the more realistic opion?

A. We are close to competing for a cup

B. We are nowhere near competing for a cup.

We just all gathered to watch pingpong balls for the 5th time in the last 6 years for christ sake and some people believe we are in a window to complete for a cup?

Delusional.

We don't even know what kind of system we'll be running next year and we are in a window to compete

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I love bringing up 5 and 6 years ago when Timo, both Hughes, Hamilton weren't here and Bratt/Nico were infants

definitely fair to compare that to the last 2 years!

 

[Bad Goalie]

I'm not sure their waiver status, but I don't want young d-men like Vilen and Misyul watching games as a 7th.

Did Casey sign?

Would be shocked if Daws or Schmid were part of the NHL tandem to start next year.

Misyul and Vilen are waiver exempt and yes Casey signed 3-yr ELC.

 

[ZYXWVUT]

Wood can score the OT winner to clinch the cup and I still am glad they did not bring him back on that contract. Much like I still make the Zacha/Haula swap every day of the week.