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

[Forge]

I agree that your proposed 4th line would be way better than what we had last year. I just think we're gonna see MacDermid a lot more than people think we are.

Rempe's stock seemed to take a hit at the end of the playoffs. I could easily see Rempe falling out of favor with the Rangers at some point this coming season and him heading back to Hartford at some point. Maybe that's when MacDermid will start to turn into an afterthought for us.

100%. Macdermid plays at least 40 games next year, I think

 

[Hisch13r]

If our defense ends up being a top 6 of

Siegenthaler- Hamilton
Hughes - Pesce
Dillon - Nemec

Can’t say enough how huge this would be with 2 defensive defensemen additions (that both play PK), a year of experience for our young studs in Luke and Simon and also a huge return with Dougie. Maybe the most important edition being a coaching change with a new strategy.

It's a great defense. I think it's probably better than the forwards. I don't think it's materially different than if that's Marino there instead of Pesce and we'd be able to use that extra cap to have been able to spend more on adding a better player up front than we'll be able to and the depth up front really really needs the help.

100%. Macdermid plays at least 40 games next year, I think

Keefe played Reaves 49 games soooooo yeah... We escaped Mason Geertsen for a year and a half but "Somehow Mason Geertsen returned"

 

[Classic Devil]

So what's with this Dillon speculation, and what can we expect from him if he is signed?

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’m not basing my opinion fully on STI’s ratings/rankings.

I’ve been looking for information on these guys, draft reviews and grades etc. If you find any hockey writers or draft guys that are particularly high on the Devils picks, let me know. I’ve not seen any. Someone mentioned Pronman, but he seems pretty lukewarm on most of the picks, he gave the draft an A- because we took Silayev, and he said he likes Yegorov, but I don’t like spending a 2nd on a goalie unless it’s a premiere prospect, which I don’t think Yegorov is.

I'm not a goalie expert, but everyone I've talked to on Yegorov seems to think he has NHL 1G upside, so I'm certainly down with the pick. And Silayev was just a monumental victory for the franchise going forward.

Yes, the Devils could have done better in rounds 3-6, but the top two picks more than make the day a win overall.

And your not basing your opinion fully on my rankings has caused me to drop you two slots in the STI HFBoards Devils Poster Rankings, to be released the day after my funeral.

 

[Guttersniped]

To go back to this, does anyone know what he actually said about Dillon?

This seems like a very strong statement by Novo so I’m wondering how much is actually behind the Dillon part of it.

Is it very likely we get him as in there’s already been discussion or are we just gonna target him?

I don’t Novo if is going on more than other insiders’ reporting.

He also thought there was “a strong chance” for us to trade for Necas at the draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don’t Novo is going on more than other insiders reporting.

He also thought there was “a strong chance” for us to trade for Necas at the draft.

Oh, you.

Don't bust my Pesce & Dillon pipe dreams.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Yeah, Novo just takes things that are said by insiders and frames them as imminent.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I don’t Novo is going on more than other insiders reporting.

He also thought there was “a strong chance” for us to trade for Necas at the draft.

Ya I think he’s doing a bit engagement farming by over exaggerating the possibilities of certain things others report.

The guy better be all but signed if you’re saying you’d be shocked if they don’t sign a UFA who will have a bunch of interest.

 

[Hisch13r]

So what's with this Dillon speculation, and what can we expect from him if he is signed?

Really strong defensively, really good PKer, going to be in the box a lot.

 

[Guttersniped]

What did people think of the Hayes, Sergachev, and Thompson trades? If I was omniscient those would’ve been trades I’d be looking at—

Hayes: 3rd line minutes, ok production, big center winger to play with Jack. Great on the dot this past year. Came with a 2nd in exchange for future considerations. 2 years left at $3.75. Pretty crazy I must be missing something here. Seems like ceiling is that 30+ goal scorer for Jacks wing and floor is 20-30 point slightly overpaid 3rd liner

Sergachev: top pairing defenseman, seems to be solid defensively. I would’ve considered one of the 25 2’s, Marino, and I guess Lenni (not sure who else in the system matches Geekie’s value. Then the 10th pick could’ve been used elsewhere. Would’ve given the stabilizing presence on the left side and they could’ve dumped Siegs and skip out on Silayev. It’s a tough contract though and I don’t know if they had the value to make it work

Thompson: seems like a solid goalie, not making much money. Went for a 3rd. Would’ve been my preferred backup over Allen or possibly the 1a in a 1a-1b situation with Allen (instead of the Markstrom trade)

Again, I don’t know if Fitz knew about these deals and in some cases I’m asking him to turn back time, but I’m curious what people thought of the players and the values it cost to get them.

Hayes is slow as f***.

Lenni does not remotely have Geekie’s value and a lot of Sergachev’s value is on the PP. Not a guy we needed at that price.

 

[Classic Devil]

So looking at our roster, it seems like we're missing 2D and 2F. We need a 2nd pairing RHD and a 2nd or 3rd pairing LHD. Pesce and Dillon would be the D, but that still leaves us missing the two forwards. Assuming Pesce and Dillon run is ~$10M combined, that leaves approx 7M for the two forward spots.

Stefan Noesen and Adam Henrique return? They kinda look like the right pieces for the right places.

 

[Comparison Ford]

Oh, you.

Don't bust my Pesce & Dillon pipe dreams.

you’re gonna be a happy man steve

 

[NjDevsRR]

you’re gonna be a happy man steve

 

[Hisch13r]

So looking at our roster, it seems like we're missing 2D and 2F. We need a 2nd pairing RHD and a 2nd or 3rd pairing LHD. Pesce and Dillon would be the D, but that still leaves us missing the two forwards. Assuming Pesce and Dillon run is ~$10M combined, that leaves approx 7M for the two forward spots.

Stefan Noesen and Adam Henrique return? They kinda look like the right pieces for the right places.

I think we'll have a little less than that. We have 19.8. Between Mercer, Pesce, Dillon I think we're loking at 13.5-14 mil. I think we'll have around 6-6.5 mil to spend. I also think we need 3 forwards rather than 2 but do agree they probably just go with 2 instead.

I'd like both of those guys. Would love Rico and I really want a 3rd liner with W/C versatility which he helps with. I also think we need a 4C. Lazar's not a 4C. He's a winger who can play center in a pinch but he shouldn't be the guy you rely on and even if he is we don't have a reliable backup option. It seems like they're going after a top 6er too so have to imagine that's costing a decent amount and the other forward option would have to be added with scraps

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

If our defense ends up being a top 6 of

Siegenthaler- Hamilton
Hughes - Pesce
Dillon - Nemec

Can’t say enough how huge this would be with 2 defensive defensemen additions (that both play PK), a year of experience for our young studs in Luke and Simon and also a huge return with Dougie. Maybe the most important edition being a coaching change with a new strategy.

There is no way Siegenthaler ever replicates his one great season, he shouldnt be on the top pair

 

[Captain3rdLine]

There is no way Siegenthaler ever replicates his one great season, he shouldnt be on the top pair

I’d rather try that as him and Dougie have worked well together quite a bit before and I don’t like him with Nemec

 

[Hisch13r]

What did people think of the Hayes, Sergachev, and Thompson trades? If I was omniscient those would’ve been trades I’d be looking at—

Hayes: 3rd line minutes, ok production, big center winger to play with Jack. Great on the dot this past year. Came with a 2nd in exchange for future considerations. 2 years left at $3.75. Pretty crazy I must be missing something here. Seems like ceiling is that 30+ goal scorer for Jacks wing and floor is 20-30 point slightly overpaid 3rd liner

Sergachev: top pairing defenseman, seems to be solid defensively. I would’ve considered one of the 25 2’s, Marino, and I guess Lenni (not sure who else in the system matches Geekie’s value. Then the 10th pick could’ve been used elsewhere. Would’ve given the stabilizing presence on the left side and they could’ve dumped Siegs and skip out on Silayev. It’s a tough contract though and I don’t know if they had the value to make it work

Thompson: seems like a solid goalie, not making much money. Went for a 3rd. Would’ve been my preferred backup over Allen or possibly the 1a in a 1a-1b situation with Allen (instead of the Markstrom trade)

Again, I don’t know if Fitz knew about these deals and in some cases I’m asking him to turn back time, but I’m curious what people thought of the players and the values it cost to get them.

Getting Markstrom for the price we did when Thompson was had for so little really really sucks. Do not give a shit about Sergachev or Hayes.

 

[ndkjr70]

gonna need novo to stop pretending to be an insider.

beat reporters are beat reporters. don't be a rumor aggregator too, every whiff is going to absolutely nuke your credibility. 0-for-1 with the Necas shit, he'd better be praying Pesce and Dillon are both signed by tomorrow afternoon.

 

[NJDevs26]

There is no way Siegenthaler ever replicates his one great season, he shouldnt be on the top pair

What else are they supposed to do? Can't really put Luke with Dougie anyway and it's not any more ideal to have him as a 1D off the bat regardless. Maybe Dillon or whomever else they bring in plays there but that's not ideal either.

 

[Comparison Ford]

yeah i don’t think Lazar should be our 4th line center. would be awesome to see someone like Bowers step up and snag that role but i would really love to bring someone in.

i hope this is how we see our bottom 6 right now

Palat-Haula-Lazar/Bastian
Cotter-Free Agent/Trade-Bastian/Lazar

 

[NJDevs26]

gonna need novo to stop pretending to be an insider.

beat reporters are beat reporters. don't be a rumor aggregator too, every whiff is going to absolutely nuke your credibility. 0-for-1 with the Necas shit, he'd better be praying Pesce and Dillon are both signed by tomorrow afternoon.

Pesce seems to be about 99% to happen given how much smoke there is around it...Dillon I'd term more as 50-50 at best but they definitely need someone 'like' Dillon as well as another RD.

 

[Hisch13r]

I’d rather try that as him and Dougie have worked well together quite a bit before and I don’t like him with Nemec

Agreed. Also while they're certainly going to run Luke/Nemec with Pesce and the LD they add I wish they wouldn't. I imagine a lot of people are offput by putting the kids together but they had a 9-4 goal differential and 61% xG in 177 minutes together. I'm going back to that and seeing what they can do.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

I’d rather try that as him and Dougie have worked well together quite a bit before and I don’t like him with Nemec

They worked well together when our team and system were unknown by the league, getting the puck out of the zone faster than any other team because of the swarm, all while letting up under 20 shots a game for almost half the season

That wont be replicated again and Siegenthalers advanced stats were thrown off by such; hes never been that good and thats why hes paid what he is paid

 

[Hisch13r]

yeah i don’t think Lazar should be our 4th line center. would be awesome to see someone like Bowers step up and snag that role but i would really love to bring someone in.

i hope this is how we see our bottom 6 right now

Palat-Haula-Lazar/Bastian
Cotter-Free Agent/Trade-Bastian/Lazar

Yeesh that's a rough 3rd line. Lazar was really great last year but he belongs on the 4th line with a healthy lineup. Going into the year with him on the 3rd line is disastrous. My hope is Bastian's pushed to 13F

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

What else are they supposed to do? Can't really put Luke with Dougie anyway and it's not any more ideal to have him as a 1D off the bat regardless. Maybe Dillon or whomever else they bring in plays there but that's not ideal either.

Dillon has proven great defense over larger sample sizes before; Siegenthaler had great stats for one year that ended up a perfect storm and we dont even use that system anymore