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

[Captain3rdLine]

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.

Agree but I very much think we’re missing the speed and tenacity him and McLeod and to an extent Boqvist brought to our bottom 6.

I think our bottom 6 is significantly worse with guys like Nosek, Foote, MacDermid, Tierney, Holtz, and even Palat. Lazar brings a little bit of it thankfully but wish we’d never gotten rid of Boqvist at the very least and can find some speed for our bottom 6 this off-season

 

[MartyOwns]

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.

the best part about rebounding next season will be those crickets disappearing again

 

[theoptimist]

what, exactly, has Florida won?

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

Florida has made the playoffs 5 years in a row. I don’t think this team can win 5 games in a row. We’ll see what a new coach and improvements around the roster can do for us.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I’ll be honest, I’m probably less excited about this team and where we’re at than I’ve been in quite a while. We’re in a better position than most teams currently not contending but I’ve lost some confidence in the direction management has been trying to go and the culture of the team along with a couple other important aspects.

At this point I’m hoping we make some smart moves this off-season and then just as importantly some important players have rebound and breakout seasons.

Really think we need some speed and energy in our bottom 6 and maybe even youth but am very concerned Fitz is gonna go in the somewhat opposite direction and just look for size and veterans. Don’t think that’s gonna work.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Luke and Nemec are reasons enough for me to be very excited about next year. I can’t wait to see how they look with Dougie there and still possibly another big add by Fitz.

I don’t think there are many huge moves that need to be made. The group just needs to grow together with a couple tweaks and adds.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Luke and Nemec are reasons enough for me to be very excited about next year. I can’t wait to see how they look with Dougie there and still possibly another big add by Fitz.

I don’t think there are many huge moves that need to be made. The group just needs to grow together with a couple tweaks and adds.

Ya I doubt we see any major adds on D, 5 of our top 6 are probably locked in with Bahl there as a likely 6th. Given this how out D looks next season entirely depends on the development of Hughes and Nemec and whether Siegenthaler and Marino can have bounce back seasons. Have personally lost a lot of confidence in Siegs

 

[guitarguyvic]

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.



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.

Pretending goaltending doesn't exit and it's not a skill? That's a complete misunderstanding of what's being said. The reality is that there's only a fraction of a difference in skill between ~95% of the goalies in the league now. There's simply not enough of a differentiating factor between all these guys that makes it worth giving up significant assets for. You can give up that 10th overall for a d-man who would probably make more of a difference than any goalie that's realistically available, much less an aged one with just a couple of years left like Markstrom.

 

[JrFischer54]

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.

agree with this


trade the pick and help this core and this roster NOW. i dont care about cap space 5 years from now or whatever this kid will project to be 3-4 years from now. if they keep this pick then man i dunno what to think is going on with fitz

Florida has made the playoffs 5 years in a row. I don’t think this team can win 5 games in a row. We’ll see what a new coach and improvements around the roster can do for us.

man you might want to change your username lol

 

[guitarguyvic]

We are in a window to contend right now because of the age of the core that has been locked up. But that doesn't mean we are true contenders. You can use the injury crutch all you want, but the truth is that this team even without injuries was not gonna be anything better than a wildcard team this year, that was obvious from the first week of the season. There's tons a question marks - the potential reliance on D-men that may still be too young/inexperienced, the loss of speed in the bottom 6, the lack of physical pushback and two-way game from our forwards, the lack of structure and accountability, the goaltending.

This isn't to say Fitz can't fix/address these things, but to pretend that it's gonna be simple and as such this team is a definitive contender...yeah no, I need to see the actual fixes take place first.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

The whole contender/not a contender thing is fake. Just about every team in it is one terrible play away from having their chances of doing anything flushed in the toilet. If you’re a solid team with some star power, reasonably healthy, and have a goalie that has pedigree and/or is hot, you can win in a number of rounds in the playoffs.

Was the Florida team last year that was dead halfway through the year and finished with 92 points a contender? They were also a bounce away from losing in the 1st round 4-1.

 

[JimEIV]

The whole contender/not a contender thing is fake. Just about every team in it is one terrible play away from having their chances of doing anything flushed in the toilet. If you’re a solid team with some star power, reasonably healthy, and have a goalie that has pedigree and/or is hot, you can win in a number of rounds in the playoffs.

Was the Florida team last year that was dead halfway through the year and finished with 92 points a contender? They were also a bounce away from losing in the 1st round 4-1.

Lol...the Florida team that had 92 points last year had 58 wins and 122 points in 2022...you make sound like it was a team that suddenly awakened to get to the finals.


Florida 122 + 92 + 110 the last 3 years

Us 63 + 112 + 81 in the last 3 years

Those two things are not alike.

 

[beekay414]

Give it a friggin' rest. We get it.

 

[My3Sons]

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

You watched the "swarm" and honestly think the system is just copium? C'mon, you know that while there are multiple systems that work there are also systems that don't and systems that only suit certain rosters. You and I both know that if you have a bunch of smaller linebackers and no heavyweight on the defensive line and you run a 3-4 you are going to get killed. Similarly, if you play primarily zone coverage and cannot generate a pass rush with just the front four you are going to get killed. If you tried to play an NFL game without a dime package you would get killed. I think the system matters insofar as it has to be one that suits the roster and that the players can run without needing a slide rule or a laptop to make their in game decisions. If NJ can't play fast and confidently they will get killed as the roster is presently constituted.

 

[racamdim]

Lol...the Florida team that had 92 points last year had 58 wins and 122 points in 2022...you make sound like it was a team that suddenly awakened to get to the finals.


Florida 122 + 92 + 110 the last 3 years

Us 63 + 112 + 81 in the last 3 years

Those two things are not alike.

No. The proper comparison is

112+81+ ??

 

[Captain3rdLine]

What do we think of adding Zadorov on the back end? Probably not everyone’s favorite but I love me a big mobile dman. Would give us something like this

Siegenthaler Hamilton
Hughes Marino
Zadorov Nemec
Bahl

Certainly better than Smith.

Upfront I’d be looking at 2 of Stephenson, Sprong, Duclair, and Debrusk for our middle 6 and maybe one other 4th line energy guy.

Will say I haven’t looked too much at our financial situation at this point.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Lol...the Florida team that had 92 points last year had 58 wins and 122 points in 2022...you make sound like it was a team that suddenly awakened to get to the finals.


Florida 122 + 92 + 110 the last 3 years

Us 63 + 112 + 81 in the last 3 years

Those two things are not alike.

So they were a contender when they were a long shot to make the playoffs well into the season? Or did their contenderness kick in when they were down 3-1 to Boston? Sounds like a totally fake concept that is used to explain things after the fact. A bounce is the difference between going home in 5 games and going to the cup.

 

[Guttersniped]

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.

You can’t be surprised about this lol.

Every player that leaves the Devils needs to turn to a pile of ash because if they do a single f***ing thing the weeping, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments begins.

 

[JimEIV]

So they were a contender when they were a long shot to make the playoffs well into the season? Or did their contenderness kick in when they were down 3-1 to Boston? Sounds like a totally fake concept that is used to explain things after the fact. A bounce is the difference between going home in 5 games and going to the cup.

Sure...luck and matchups play a significant role in playoff success...and the best teams don't always win.... that's all a given.

But realistically, every year there are only about a half dozen teams that are serious threat to win the Cup.

And most teams don't just arrive to be one of those half dozen overnight it usually takes a few successful regular seasons before they get there.

 

[Bcap88]

Let’s wait till year 6 of all these long term deals to finally start to compete

The window will be open by then


lol

Sure...luck and matchups play a significant role in playoff success...and the best teams don't always win.... that's all a given.

But realistically, every year there are only about a half a dozen teams that a serious threat to win the Cup.

And most teams don't just arrive to be one of those half dozen overnight it usually takes a few successful regular seasons before they get there.

Vegas literally arrived over night

 

[kiwidevil]

This board is gonna be amazing next year when the slightly revamped team is still getting use to the new coaches system 20+ games in.

 

[Guadana]

I’m as patient of a fan as there is and I’ve agreed with being deliberate for a decade. But the time for waiting is over, and it’s time to make moves for “now”.

The Hischier/Jack/Bratt/Timo/Dougie core deserve 5-6 shots at a playoff run while they’re still in their prime. In 5 years, they’ll all be in their early to mid 30s (with the exception of Jack) and out of their prime contention window.

I’m not saying to throw away assets for stupid decisions, but the time is over for clutching every valuable pick and prospect.

You will find all my answers on this weak argument “time is now” in my previous post. If time is now we can spend cap now. Not 10oa pick for aged goalie. It’s not about patience it’s about good management.

 

[JimEIV]

Vegas literally arrived over night

They got to the Western Conference finals two out of the three years before they won the cup.

 

[Bcap88]

They got to the Western Conference finals two out of the three years before they won the cup.

They were in the Stanley cup finals their first year as an organization.

Then stayed a cup contender since

 

[Guadana]

Such beautiful words

We are on the stage of trading 10OA or Mercer or even 10oa+Mercer for Saros or Ullmark, 30-32yo goalies who are not playing playoff games and will be on the market next summer.
It’s a doom. Fans need better words than I have. Like My3sons said people don’t understand what I’m writing about often. Fans deserve someone better than me who has better words to explain the obvious things.

 

[Guttersniped]

Sure...luck and matchups play a significant role in playoff success...and the best teams don't always win.... that's all a given.

But realistically, every year there are only about a half a dozen teams that a serious threat to win the Cup.

And most teams don't just arrive to be one of those half dozen overnight it usually takes a few successful regular seasons before they get there.

I don’t even understand what’s being debated.

Sure, we need to start stringing together successful seasons. Cool, let’s do that.

Not sure how we can do something different exactly, if teams could just click their heels and teleport into the Finals they would.