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

[Dylan9z9]

According to NHL network we had probably the 2nd best off season under Nashville

Really I'm thinking Boston had a better off season for one.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Prob a consensus top 10 pool. Doesn't matter if people think it needs more forwards or the picks won't be ready for years. Assets are assets. Askarov and picks can be moved to upgrade the lineup.

Everyone on HF seems to agree the Avs are in trouble finally. That removes one major contender in the West. So on paper, you have Oilers, Canucks, Knights, Dallas, and then....prob Nash. Plus, the only team better than them in the division is Dallas imo.

Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't. But the point is, again, their moves 100% make sense based on how the roster in constructed. With Forsberg, Josi, and Saros there's virtually no chance they could tank, so any good GM should go for it after the overperformance of last year.

I really don't think HFdevs in particular should be throwing stones at an org that just massively outperformed the Devils with a 1st year coach, has a stronger prospect pool, and has significantly more draft capital.

if the Devils drafted a goalie in the top 11 and then extended a 30 year old goalie for 8 years (9 more in total), you would be stomping around this thread throwing a temper tantrum.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I think we'll just see a rotation of Mercer/Palat/Haula and maybe even Noesen on the top 6 until the deadline. There's also a chance that Gritsyuk could join us after SKA's season is done if that is unexpectedly early. Perhaps we end up finding we're getting really good minutes out of Luke, Dillon, and someone from the depth brigade on D and we feel good about moving Seigenthaler at that point to bring in some forward help.

It's not as sexy as it was last year, but at a certain point you need those top 4 forwards to make it work with what's around them.

Always? No. More often than I should be? Yeah, that would probably be a fair statement.

It's less UFA day and more the overall direction since the team was eliminated by Carolina. We had a unicorn of a team that skated opponents into oblivion and was a blast to watch; and I would have rather leaned into that and tried to win a Cup that way than become, whatever we are trying to become now. If that team had a goalie, man that would be incredible.

I like Pesce and Dillon. No complaints about those deals especially when you look around the league at other deals that were signed. I have concerns that, while "tougher", the bottom 6 still isn't good enough to keep the play in the offensive zone, contribute meaningfully offensively, or play good defense. And I feel like that was the second biggest issue last year, first being the crippling, long term injuries to key players. I had that higher on the list to address than defense or goaltending. Fitz did try to address it, but his focus was definitely way more on defense and goaltending. And as a result, I don't think the bottom 6 got nearly enough of a facelift.

In any case, getting healthy will give the team the biggest bump. I'm interested to see a full year of healthy Timo.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the third line this year. The 4th on almost any team is destined to get caved in and you kind of just have to hope they net out even in terms of actual goals scored.

The top 6 is going to have to rely on Jack/Bratt/Hischier/Meier and that's kind of just how it is. Nobody left we can sign or trade for that will be a satisfying add there that we can afford outside of striking gold with someone still on their ELC. I share your concerns with the overall forward composition compared to 22-23, but I hope the improvement from the D compared to 23-24 will result in more opportunities for the forwards to establish themselves.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Really I'm thinking Boston had a better off season for one.

Are you being serious?

Boston gave two mid players absolutely absurd contracts and lost one of their best (only?) youngish forwards. They are also reportedly playing hardball with Swayman.

 

[Dylan9z9]

Again, please elaborate. We would like details of what you're talking about.

Here is what Fitz does he goes after good talent but if another team comes in he drops out immediately Brunette knew this and that's why they got Stamkos and Marchessault with no pushback.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don't understand why Foote gets a pass for not being a good player when other guys like Boqvist are crucified.

If Foote ever slides up into the top 6, we are in trouble.

Is “crucified” = not here any more?

You got to get over Boqvist. Did you love him this much when he was here?

Boston didn’t qualify him either.

 

[Nico Hischier]

I like the lineup the only thing is we are a forward injury away to one of our better players from having a bad year. I don’t expect Nico Jack haula and palat to play all 82 games. If one of our centers gets hurt, we could be in trouble. Our best defenseman was hurt last year and it ruined the season.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Here is what Fitz does he goes after good talent but if another team comes in he drops out immediately Brunette knew this and that's why they got Stamkos and Marchessault with no pushback.

Again, how do you know this? Marchessault got a longterm contract. We shouldn't be in the business of giving soon to be 34 year olds 5 year deals. Stamkos got $8million/year, we cannot afford that.

 

[Dylan9z9]

Are you being serious?

Boston gave two mid players absolutely absurd contracts and lost one of their best (only?) youngish forwards. They are also reportedly playing hardball with Swayman.

They also got Zadorov and Lindholm trumps Pesce and Dillon

 

[Clam Jensen]

He got bitch-slapped by the other GM's


I know you all love Fitz but to me he is a mediocre GM sorry if I hurt your feelings

Still waiting on the rationale for the D+

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

They also got Zadorov and Lindholm trumps Pesce and Dillon

..............those are the 2 mid players I am talking about

Pesce is quite easily better than Zadorov

again, are you being serious?

 

[Lou is God]

These guys never ever offer a solution. They pop on, throw out some absurd obscure shite and the waddle off again.

Like that duck in the Duck Song.

 

[RSeen]

They also got Zadorov and Lindholm trumps Pesce and Dillon

Zadorov and Lindholm got absolutely awful contracts.

Again, how do you know this? Marchessault got a longterm contract. We shouldn't be in the business of giving soon to be 34 year olds 5 year deals. Stamkos got $8million/year, we cannot afford that.

Stamkos is probably barely worth $8M in the short term, let alone in 3-4 years.

 

[ndkjr70]

They also got Zadorov and Lindholm trumps Pesce and Dillon

They just gave a guy coming off of a 15-goal/29-assist season more than 50 million dollars for his age 30-37 seasons lol.

 

[Guttersniped]

Really I'm thinking Boston had a better off season for one.

Here is what Fitz does he goes after good talent but if another team comes in he drops out immediately Brunette knew this and that's why they got Stamkos and Marchessault with no pushback.

These are certainly some takes.

“Brunette knew this” You made up a whole story in your head here. Fun!

I do wonder what Trotz was doing while Brunette was GMing…

 

[Dylan9z9]

Still waiting on the rationale for the D+

Well he did get Pesce and Dillon other wise it would be a 0

 

[Classic Devil]

Here is what Fitz does he goes after good talent but if another team comes in he drops out immediately Brunette knew this and that's why they got Stamkos and Marchessault with no pushback.

They got Stamkos and Marchessault because they offered Stamkos more $$$ than we could afford and Marchessault more term than we wanted to commit to. This isn't hard.

 

[Dylan9z9]

These are certainly some takes.

“Brunette knew this” You made up a whole story in your head here. Fun!

I do wonder what Trotz was doing while Brunette was GMing…

I guess in your mind the GM and coach don't talk

 

[Dylan9z9]

They got Stamkos and Marchessault because they offered Stamkos more $$$ than we could afford and Marchessault more term than we wanted to commit to. This isn't hard.

I guess winning wasn't an option only money and term

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Well he did get Pesce and Dillon other wise it would be a 0

aside from Hughes, Bratt, Hischier, and Meier, the Devils have a shitty forward corps amirite

 

[MartyOwns]

ugh i can't believe i missed the lou conversation!

obligatory: lou couldn't build a sandcastle in the cap era, let alone a good hockey team. imagine surrounding yourself with chris terreri, tommy albelin etc in 2024. he's honestly just pathetic at this point, a tornado of incompetence that destroys every team he touches. he's got the midas touch, if instead of gold it was raw sewage. him leaving (or getting the locks on the building changed on him, whatever happened) was the best thing that could've happened to us. he couldn't draft a good man in 1964 when it was mandatory US policy. i hope islanders fans are enjoying that senile knobjob.

 

[NJDevs26]

Or the Devils were offering 3-4 years and Nashville went to 5, this isn’t some amateur psychology movie, it’s pure shut up and take my money negotiation.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Has anyone seen what is available in europe? I heard it is a weak year but there is an off chance at getting someone from there.

 

[Classic Devil]

I do really like what we did in terms of smoothing over the team's biggest holes (namely, the defense).

Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Hughes - Pesce
Dillon - Nemec

Is a very nice group of I think basically interchangeable pairings. If everyone stays healthy we should be well set to better protect our goaltenders, who have also improved.

But I still think we're missing a mid-6 forward. Could be a LW or a C, doesn't matter, there's a piece missing. I also am not a huge fan of our 4th line but that's... I mean, that's not a huge problem in any case.

 

[Nubmer6]

I like Ross Colton but I think people around here definitely overrate him because he’s a Jersey kid.

If we’re adding to the top 6, it shouldn’t be a 28 year old whose career high is 40 points.

He only had 1 more goal that Holtz did last year, I’m not sure why everyone is so convinced he’s the answer. If we didn’t sign Noesen I’d be all over him as a 3rd line option but he’s redundant now IMO.

He brings SO much more to the table than Holtz.

I'm not sure if he'd be in the top six, but he's definitely be a candidate.

In my opinion, whoever rides shotgun with Jack-Jesper or Timo-Nico doesn't need to be a scoring wizard. He needs to compliment the pairs without being an offensive black hole. It's why I think Palat would actually mesh really well with Jack-Bratt. He'd add a bit of grit and be able to dig pucks off the boards. It annoys me we never tried him there last year.