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

[Zippy316]

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Hmm so Bernier comes back this year...Even if they want to waive him after his rehab stint do they have to make room for him then waive him or can they just waive him immediately without being cap compliant with his salary?

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

I was just thinking today about what the deal with McLeod was going to be.

 

[My3Sons]

If Bernier does come back it will make roster juggling and the cap messy. Hopefully some team decides they need Johnsson's salary to cap hit ratio once the season starts and the team can crate some space without too much in the way of gymnastics.

 

[Bleedred]

Hmm so Bernier comes back this year...Even if they want to waive him after his rehab stint do they have to make room for him then waive him or can they just waive him immediately without being cap compliant with his salary?

I'd be careful in being so quick to waive him.

While I don't expect him to be productive if he gets NHL games this year, there's always the chance he can come back and play fine, just like Francouz did for Colorado after almost 1.5 years with a DOUBLE hip surgery. And while it may seem like Francouz is much younger than Bernier (he's only been in the NHL for 3 years and half of them were spent on the shelf shut down with injury) he's really only 2 years younger.

Worst case scenario is Bernier is completely shot the same way Tuukka Rask was when he came back and played a handful of games last year and looked really bad while doing it and up and retired after a handful of games. He had the same injury and is a year and some change older than Bernier. Carey Price also looked completely unplayable when he finally got into a handful of games at the end of the season, though he had a different injury(ies).

Blackwood being back to pre-covid shutdown levels is really not nearly the given many people here assume it is and who knows how Vanecek will play if he's given a highly increased role here from what he was playing in Washington. That's IF they even allow him to take an expanded role here. Lindy Ruff should allow him to if he's outplaying Blackwood, if he really knows what's good for him and values his job. They've already hired his replacement and he's itching to take over after the first significant slump.

And then you also can't assume Blackwood won't re-aggravate something and end up back on the shelf either.

And Daws absolutely cannot play here this year. I don't even think he should get a call up at all, unless he really has to and hopefully he doesn't have to actually play if he does.

Bernier should be looked at as an insurance policy right now, even if the chances of him being a useful one are not all that high. I've said since he first got injured that he can't be relied upon to play games here this year or play a significant role or any kind of a role, but he also shouldn't be tossed in the trash either, with our still questionable goalie situation.

 

[My3Sons]

I'd be careful in being so quick to waive him.

While I don't expect him to be productive if he gets NHL games this year, there's always the chance he can come back and play fine, just like Francouz did for Colorado after almost 1.5 years with a DOUBLE hip surgery. And while it may seem like Francouz is much younger than Bernier (he's only been in the NHL for 3 years and half of them were spent on the shelf shut down with injury) he's really only 2 years younger.

Worst case scenario is Bernier is completely shot the same way Tuukka Rask was when he came back and played a handful of games last year and looked really bad while doing it and up and retired after a handful of games. He had the same injury and is a year and some change older than Bernier. Carey Price also looked completely unplayable when he finally got into a handful of games at the end of the season, though he had a different injury(ies).

Blackwood being back to pre-covid shutdown levels is really not nearly the given many people here assume it is and who knows how Vanecek will play if he's given a highly increased role here from what he was playing in Washington. That's IF they even allow him to take an expanded role here. Lindy Ruff should allow him to if he's outplaying Blackwood, if he really knows what's good for him and values his job. They've already hired his replacement and he's itching to take over after the first significant slump.

And then you also can't assume Blackwood won't re-aggravate something and end up back on the shelf either.

And Daws absolutely cannot play here this year. I don't even think he should get a call up at all, unless he really has to and hopefully he doesn't have to actually play if he does.

Bernier should be looked at as an insurance policy right now, even if the chances of him being a useful one are not all that high. I've said since he first got injured that he can't be relied upon to play games here this year or play a significant role or any kind of a role, but he also shouldn't be tossed in the trash either, with our still questionable goalie situation.

NJ could really use about $1.2 mil in cap space to allow for the roster juggling that will likely go on this season. How could they possibly find that?

 

[Killing Joke]

Absolutely pathetic McLeod was invited to camp given his deafening silence about actions that happened with that 2018 world junior team Canada had in London ON.

 

[My3Sons]

Absolutely pathetic McLeod was invited to camp given his deafening silence about actions that happened with that 2018 world junior team Canada had in London ON.

I don't think it's that simple. I don't think the NHLPA is ok with their player getting sent home for an indefinite period to await the eventual results of a third party investigation. For better or worse there has been nothing officially released and if the league isn't going to independently do anything he's presumed innocent until proven guilty (at least in the US I don't know how Canada works). I expect they will just hold their breath until the Hockey Canada investigation is completed.

 

[Killing Joke]

What we know is the nhlpa loves protecting those that commit sexual assault.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Who wore the A's last year? CapFriendly has Severson and Wood listed.

Given his experience, I wonder if Palat gets one?

On the 32 Thoughts podcast today, Jack was talking about the extra responsibility that comes with wearing the C that Nico has to deal with and it sounded like he was glad to not have to worry about it.

Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton wore A at times last season. Severson had the A all season.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Absolutely pathetic McLeod was invited to camp given his deafening silence about actions that happened with that 2018 world junior team Canada had in London ON.

I don’t personally think he has any obligation to discuss the situation and I am sure everyone is advising him not to talk. He would be insane to discuss it. Everything about his role if any in the 2018 events is rumor and innuendo and guilt by association at this point. We should suspend judgment I believe until more is known.

 

[Rynewed]

I do. With regard to Hamilton I think we gave him more money than he could turn down and Palat probably got more term from us than anyone else. We have to overpay for UFAs until we start winning.

Who doesnt have to overpay for UFAs?

The Rangers had to pay Panarin a ton, Maple Leafs gave Tavares a ton, and Gaudreau just got less than both four years later in Columbus.

I feel cities like NYC Toronto etc have to pay just as much or more but they probably get more chances to do so.

 

[Billdo]

Who doesnt have to overpay for UFAs?

The Rangers had to pay Panarin a ton, Maple Leafs gave Tavares a ton, and Gaudreau just got less than both four years later in Columbus.

I feel cities like NYC Toronto etc have to pay just as much or more but they probably get more chances to do so.

There's also a lot more guys who choose to go elsewhere which was my point. Sure NY had to pay a lot for Panarin but he wanted to go there, Tavares wanted to go there, Gaudreau apparently wanted to go to Columbus if we're to believe his words. NJ is probably in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of desired locations.

 

[Triumph]

There's also a lot more guys who choose to go elsewhere which was my point. Sure NY had to pay a lot for Panarin but he wanted to go there, Tavares wanted to go there, Gaudreau apparently wanted to go to Columbus if we're to believe his words. NJ is probably in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of desired locations.

I don't think it is, but it is in the bottom half, and I don't really care - the Devils have room for one more big acquisition for the foreseeable future, and it is unlikely to be a UFA

 

[Rynewed]

There's also a lot more guys who choose to go elsewhere which was my point. Sure NY had to pay a lot for Panarin but he wanted to go there, Tavares wanted to go there, Gaudreau apparently wanted to go to Columbus if we're to believe his words. NJ is probably in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of desired locations.

Counting aside the physical locations of NYC and Toronto and such, usually its the teams' allure that reels guys in more often than not; and I just dont see that much in hockey versus baseball or basketball

Now obviously guys choose these cities because of the actual cities. But considering they have so much money, I think they tend to look past the simple pleasures and dig deeper; where NJ probably ranks highly in a lot of ways for them.

Plus being good or bad is almost all of it I think. If Columbus or NY or Toronto were abysmal, they dont get any of the three I dont think. Unless its family related or a downswing of a career, I doubt that more than 5% of professional athletes would be willing to move somewhere they cant thrive as a team at.

As for the area Ive noticed, from my own conversations, that Europeans are usually shocked in a positive way by New Jersey (speaking mainly about Central) and outsiders from NA most often like it but arent exactly blown away. Plus I dont tend to talk to millionaires so that affects it big time lol.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

There's also a lot more guys who choose to go elsewhere which was my point. Sure NY had to pay a lot for Panarin but he wanted to go there, Tavares wanted to go there, Gaudreau apparently wanted to go to Columbus if we're to believe his words. NJ is probably in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of desired locations.

That is good for NJ. NYR and TML are not piling up the Cups with this big "advantage" they have bringing in UFAs.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I don’t personally think he has any obligation to discuss the situation and I am sure everyone is advising him not to talk. He would be insane to discuss it. Everything about his role if any in the 2018 events is rumor and innuendo and guilt by association at this point. We should suspend judgment I believe until more is known.

First day on the internet?

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't think it is, but it is in the bottom half, and I don't really care - the Devils have room for one more big acquisition for the foreseeable future, and it is unlikely to be a UFA

You think a big trade will happen at some point?

 

[glenwo2]

Regardless of what the outcome of that investigation reveals, McLeod is dead to me and has joined the ranks of Reid Boucher.

and that's all that will be said.

 

[Billdo]

Regardless of what the outcome of that investigation reveals, McLeod is dead to me and has joined the ranks of Reid Boucher.

and that's all that will be said.

Silence in this case is not golden that's for damn sure.

 

[My3Sons]

What we know is the nhlpa loves protecting those that commit sexual assault.

So you know what sexual assault was committed and by who? And it’s your call? You get to suspend contracts without any legal adjudication? I get your point and the system could be better but allegations are just that and everyone gets the benefits of equal protection and due process. It’s just the way it works in thr US.

Regardless of what the outcome of that investigation reveals, McLeod is dead to me and has joined the ranks of Reid Boucher.

and that's all that will be said.

So if he was completely exonerated he’s dead to you?

 

[Xirik]

Bleh, Kravtsov beat Gritsyuk for the last spot in the top 50 prospect poll. Gotta love them "meme" votes.

 

[My3Sons]

Bleh, Kravtsov beat Gritsyuk for the last spot in the top 50 prospect poll. Gotta love them "meme" votes.

Rangers prospect bump.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Yeah, look, McLeod not having said anything to this point comes across as pretty damning given the majority of the players have made statements themselves or through their representation.

That said, it doesn’t mean that the players who have made a comment are innocent simply for doing so. Until the details of what happened are put out there (if they ever are), we’re all just speculating. And jumping to those conclusions is not the greatest look either.

That’s the extent of the topic that I care to discuss until any more specifics come out. Now that said, I think McLeod showed last year he brings very little to the table and I wouldn’t be upset for him to be an extra forward this year if anything. I want Boqvist to get more time too.

 

[TrufleShufle]

So you know what sexual assault was committed and by who? And it’s your call? You get to suspend contracts without any legal adjudication? I get your point and the system could be better but allegations are just that and everyone gets the benefits of equal protection and due process. It’s just the way it works in thr US.


So if he was completely exonerated he’s dead to you?

You're just mad cuz everyone is trying to put you out of a job.