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

[NjDevsRR]

Off to get a back massage cause I jacked up my back over the weekend. Hope I come back to some more positive news.

 

[dls]

Bratt asking for 6.5 on a 1 or 2 year deal is probably a lot more money than he would actually make on structed long term deal at 7.5 in the first year or two...

So he makes more in the short term and becomes a UFA right when the Cap is about to rise new levels...This is calculated.

And if that is true...

Hoping for the cheapest 1 year deal the arbiter is willing to award on Wednesday and then a trade Thursday.

hard to see fitz trade bratt, apparently bratt was a non-starter in the Tkachuk discussions, if that was the case then hard to see fitz do a 180 and then look at trade him for somebody other then Tkachuk who was clearly the token of fitz's eye since at least the draft, if not longer.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

So you do not want to make a long term commitment to the player. Penny pinch and you don’t get the player.

You should be happy with a 1 year deal if you actually think last year was a fluke. Not exactly sure how you can fluke into those dominant underlying numbers though.

Why the hell wouldn't you penny pinch? Go cheer for Dubas and thr Leafs if you want to write a blank check.

 

[MauDevils]

#Bratt4Meier

 

[njdevil26]

Off to get a back massage cause I jacked up my back over the weekend. Hope I come back to some more positive news.

View attachment 573972

I got a one hour Swedish massage at a pretty swanky place in Montreal a few weeks ago... and my neck went from never having any issues to now clicking when I look in any direction.

 

[JimEIV]

hard to see fitz trade bratt, apparently bratt was a non-starter in the Tkachuk discussions, if that was the case then hard to see fitz do a 180 and then look at trade him for somebody other then Tkachuk who was clearly the token of fitz's eye since at least the draft, if not longer.

You really have no other choice. This isn't a Fitz decision, Bratt is making the decision for him.

If this goes to arbitration and it's a 1 year deal...You have to trade him now so the receiving team has the opportunity to negotiate the last year of his RFA contract...Otherwise if you wait and see and prolong this to a 2nd year his value shrinks dramatically.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Why the hell wouldn't you penny pinch? Go cheer for Dubas and thr Leafs if you want to write a blank check.

Why? Because I actually believe in the player and if you get him for 8 on a long term deal, that will be a savings compared to what he’ll get in UFA. If you don’t believe in the player, fine. I do. He was our best player last season and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he is again.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Why? Because I actually believe in the player and if you get him for 8 on a long term deal, that will be a savings compared to what he’ll get in UFA. If you don’t believe in the player, fine. I do. He was our best player last season and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he is again.

I want him long term as well, not at 8 million though. I am happy a hair under 7 million per year.

 

[Homedresser]

Bratt asking for 6.5 on a 1 or 2 year deal is probably a lot more money than he would actually make on structured long term deal at 7.5 in the first year or two...

So he makes more in the short term and becomes a UFA right when the Cap is about to rise new levels...This is calculated.

And if that is true...

Hoping for the cheapest 1 year deal the arbiter is willing to award on Wednesday and then a trade Thursday.

No reason to trade him off this arb deal. This is the time for Fitz to be a pro GM. He has all the leverage. Let him play this year and prove last season wasn't an outlier. He has two years to go before he can just walk.

 

[McDuffz88]

Why? Because I actually believe in the player and if you get him for 8 on a long term deal, that will be a savings compared to what he’ll get in UFA. If you don’t believe in the player, fine. I do. He was our best player last season and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he is again.

I doubt it's about the money at this point. It's about the term. If was about the money then Bratt's camp would of contacted Fitz back after the long term deal was made to try & negotiate more money. The fact Bratt's side went dead silent shows he doesn't want that 7/8 year contract.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I want him long term as well, not at 8 million though. I am happy a hair under 7 million per year.

That is not a deal he should or will sign. So that means you do not really want the player on a long term deal.

 

[HersheyBob27]

Man why are we doing this too him. That’s a horse shit offer

Sounds about right at this point

 

[Nubmer6]

You really have no other choice. This isn't a Fitz decision, Bratt is making the decision for him.

If this goes to arbitration and it's a 1 year deal...You have to trade him now so the receiving team has the opportunity to negotiate the last year of his RFA contract...Otherwise if you wait and see and prolong this to a 2nd year his value shrinks dramatically.

No-one has cap space right now.

If you insist on trading him, it has to be either at the TDL or next off-season before everyone has set their rosters.

 

[McDuffz88]

No reason to trade him off this arb deal. This is the time for Fitz to be a pro GM. He has all the leverage. Let him play this year and prove last season wasn't an outlier. He has two years to go before he can just walk.

You don't trade him right this second but if it's a 1 year deal we must trade him by season end & there's no getting around that. We need to trade him while he still has atleast 1 year of RFA left if we want anything of value. Allow all teams to negotiate with his agent & offer him to the highest bidder aka Fiala/Tkachuk

 

[Normal Devil]

You really have no other choice. This isn't a Fitz decision, Bratt is making the decision for him.

If this goes to arbitration and it's a 1 year deal...You have to trade him now so the receiving team has the opportunity to negotiate the last year of his RFA contract...Otherwise if you wait and see and prolong this to a 2nd year his value shrinks dramatically.

I'd agree, and I think we are heading for a trade .. probably to Vancouver, and probably very soon.

 

[JimEIV]

I'd agree, and I think we are heading for a trade .. probably to Vancouver, and probably very soon.

That's rather specific

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

If I'm Fitz I make my push today for 8m x 8. Add clauses, go to mostly signing bonuses whatever you can do to get him to sign at that number. Going above that AAV on 8 years would actually now be difficult to fit in this year given the team's cap space.

Going to 9m x 8 or 10m x 8 could definitely pay off down the line, but so could giving him a one year deal and having him humbled by an injury or a cold streak next season. It's not a no brainer to me, but I could see it being a smart bet. I think 8m x 8 though is a clear win for NJ and I were to guess Bratt's not willing to do that so we're gonna end up at a 4 year deal that possibly means years 5-8+ are much more expensive.

 

[Normal Devil]

That's rather specific

I keep thinking Fitz wants Miller and/or Garland. Thinking Bratt, Severson and a 2023 2nd for Miller and Garland, or something along those lines.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

He doesn't want to sign long term at the lowest point of a COVID cap IMO. If the Cap goes up 4 million a year for the next 4 years, that is quite the paycheck at 28. It is a gamble on his part but one that could get him 11 years (4 + 7) at 9-10 million if all works out.

The cap isn’t going up 4M a year for the next 4. It’s still expected to stay somewhat flat for the next 2 I believe.

Also not sure how you got 9-10 million from that. Assuming he gets 5-7 million (likely closer to 5) over the next 3-4 years which is probably what he’s looking at and then afterwards if he maintains what he produced this season which is no guarantee at all he’s probably talking around 8M even with a significant cap rise.

Assuming Bratt kept up his current level of play I think he’d be looking at 7-7.5 over the next 11 years. But with that it would be better than him taking a 7 times 7 until he’s in his 30s and than hoping he’s maintained his game enough to get another big contract.

But then there’s always the risk of his production falling back closer to what it was before this season. In which case depending on what the devils are offering long-term he could be losing money. He could also improve still but it’s more likely his production falls off.

 

[Billdo]

I honestly am surprised that people want to just give Bratt a blank check coming off this season. His previous career high was 35 points. Nobody is at least even a tiny bit concerned with giving him max term and dollars?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

If I'm Fitz I make my push today for 8m x 8. Add clauses, go to mostly signing bonuses whatever you can do to get him to sign at that number. Going above that AAV on 8 years would actually now be difficult to fit in this year given the team's cap space.

Going to 9m x 8 or 10m x 8 could definitely pay off down the line, but so could giving him a one year deal and having him humbled by an injury or a cold streak next season. It's not a no brainer to me, but I could see it being a smart bet. I think 8m x 8 though is a clear win for NJ and I were to guess Bratt's not willing to do that so we're gonna end up at a 4 year deal that possibly means years 5-8+ are much more expensive.

No chance in hell he will or should be giving Bratt 8M.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

That is not a deal he should or will sign. So that means you do not really want the player on a long term deal.

That is a deal he could easily sign.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

That is not a deal he should or will sign. So that means you do not really want the player on a long term deal.

A long-term deal for Bratt at around 7M would be more than fair for him and something he should definitely consider taking. Otherwise he’s risking losing a lot of money.

 

[Triumph]

I honestly am surprised that people want to just give Bratt a blank check coming off this season. His previous career high was 35 points. Nobody is at least even a tiny bit concerned with giving him max term and dollars?

I'm not, no. His career high was 35 points because of injuries, bad luck, mediocre teammates, and COVID shortened seasons. He was fortunate this season at even strength but also unfortunate to play on an awful power play. He was the Devils' best forward this year and I don't think it was close.

 

[Homedresser]

If I'm Fitz I make my push today for 8m x 8. Add clauses, go to mostly signing bonuses whatever you can do to get him to sign at that number. Going above that AAV on 8 years would actually now be difficult to fit in this year given the team's cap space.

Going to 9m x 8 or 10m x 8 could definitely pay off down the line, but so could giving him a one year deal and having him humbled by an injury or a cold streak next season. It's not a no brainer to me, but I could see it being a smart bet. I think 8m x 8 though is a clear win for NJ and I were to guess Bratt's not willing to do that so we're gonna end up at a 4 year deal that possibly means years 5-8+ are much more expensive.

If I'm Fitz I make my push today for 8m x 8. Add clauses, go to mostly signing bonuses whatever you can do to get him to sign at that number. Going above that AAV on 8 years would actually now be difficult to fit in this year given the team's cap space.

Going to 9m x 8 or 10m x 8 could definitely pay off down the line, but so could giving him a one year deal and having him humbled by an injury or a cold streak next season. It's not a no brainer to me, but I could see it being a smart bet. I think 8m x 8 though is a clear win for NJ and I were to guess Bratt's not willing to do that so we're gonna end up at a 4 year deal that possibly means years 5-8+ are much more expe

I honestly am surprised that people want to just give Bratt a blank check coming off this season. His previous career high was 35 points. Nobody is at least even a tiny bit concerned with giving him max term and dollars?

I am.