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

[Ripshot 43]

Random thought…. Was MacDermid given a 3 year contract so he could be passed through waivers throughout the year with less fear of him being claimed?

 

[Goptor]

Random thought…. Was MacDermid given a 3 year contract so he could be passed through waivers throughout the year with less fear of him being claimed?

More chance of being claimed.

GMs around the league salivating at the extra 2 years.

 

[Bleedred]

Random thought…. Was MacDermid given a 3 year contract so he could be passed through waivers throughout the year with less fear of him being claimed?

I wish.

However, I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t think he’s getting waived any time soon, but I also can’t see him being here the entirety of that contract. At least not on the NHL team.

Wouldn’t be surprised if he joins the ranks of Andrew Peters and Eric Boulton as goons that were bought out before their deals were through. And I’m pretty sure both of those guys only got two years deals, which both were bought out before year two.

Or maybe he’ll be Krys Barch and traded back to the same team he player for before us, and we can send him back to Colorado at some point.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Apart from possibly acquiring another solid bottom 6 forward that can PK I think the team is very well setup for next season. They have high end scoring talent, they have a balanced mix on the backend, solid goaltending, etc... It's a strong base and the only real area of potential need is complimentary forwards which are a lot easier to acquire at the deadline than the areas the Devils are already well setup at.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Apart from possibly acquiring another solid bottom 6 forward that can PK I think the team is very well setup for next season. They have high end scoring talent, they have a balanced mix on the backend, solid goaltending, etc... It's a strong base and the only real area of potential need is complimentary forwards which are a lot easier to acquire at the deadline than the areas the Devils are already well setup at.

I like the moves we made this offseason and tend to forget that we got a new coach to be excited about. That alone could’ve brought positive change.

 

[tailfins]

I wish.

However, I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t think he’s getting waived any time soon, but I also can’t see him being here the entirety of that contract. At least not on the NHL team.

Wouldn’t be surprised if he joins the ranks of Andrew Peters and Eric Boulton as goons that were bought out before their deals were through. And I’m pretty sure both of those guys only got two years deals, which both were bought out before year two.

Or maybe he’ll be Krys Barch and traded back to the same team he player for before us, and we can send him back to Colorado at some point.

Why would the team buy out a $1.15 million contract? You can bury that entirely in the minors, but I think if you buy the contract out, the cap hit stays with the NHL club.

I can see him being traded. Or waived. But, hard to see him being bought out.

 

[Ripshot 43]

I wish.

However, I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t think he’s getting waived any time soon, but I also can’t see him being here the entirety of that contract. At least not on the NHL team.

Wouldn’t be surprised if he joins the ranks of Andrew Peters and Eric Boulton as goons that were bought out before their deals were through. And I’m pretty sure both of those guys only got two years deals, which both were bought out before year two.

Or maybe he’ll be Krys Barch and traded back to the same team he player for before us, and we can send him back to Colorado at some point.

He could potentially be a good healthy scratch for the locker room when not called upon.

 

[forceten]

I started following you guys off and on since Shero and Fitz moved over.

Hischer is one of my favorite players in the league.

Welcome to devils fandom. Have you enjoyed Taylor ham / pork roll yet?

 

[Gurglesons]

Welcome to devils fandom. Have you enjoyed Taylor ham / pork roll yet?

I'm a lebanon bologna and middleswarth chip guy.

I also pump my own gas.

 

[Nubmer6]

I'm a lebanon bologna and middleswarth chip guy.

I also pump my own gas.

Great. Now you got me craving some Lebanon bologna, and it's relatively difficult to find here.

 

[Bleedred]

Why would the team buy out a $1.15 million contract? You can bury that entirely in the minors, but I think if you buy the contract out, the cap hit stays with the NHL club.

I can see him being traded. Or waived. But, hard to see him being bought out.

I’m talking about in the final year of his deal, maybe the second to last year if we’re lucky.

I know it was years ago, but we bought out both Peters and Boulton in a 3 year span. Both of them had to be making even less than MacDermid when you consider it was 12-14 years ago.

I think these buyouts are also done to give the player another chance to be signed somewhere else. Rather than banishing them to our minor league team.

 

[Triumph]

I’m talking about in the final year of his deal, maybe the second to last year if we’re lucky.

I know it was years ago, but we bought out both Peters and Boulton in a 3 year span. Both of them had to be making even less than MacDermid when you consider it was 12-14 years ago.

I think these buyouts are also done to give the player another chance to be signed somewhere else. Rather than banishing them to our minor league team.

Different times. Peters never played in the league again. Somehow Boulton played 4 more seasons, which is almost impossible to believe.

That said, the Islanders tried to sneak Ross Johnston through waivers and Anaheim picked him up. I don't think the Devils will do the same with MacDermid, at least not this season.

 

[NjDevsRR]

“Andrew Peters, Boulton…”

Me:

 

[njdevils1982]

I'm a lebanon bologna and middleswarth chip guy.

I also pump my own gas.

i love koobideh

i also pump my own gas, it's ontario

 

[Bleedred]

Different times. Peters never played in the league again. Somehow Boulton played 4 more seasons, which is almost impossible to believe.

That said, the Islanders tried to sneak Ross Johnston through waivers and Anaheim picked him up. I don't think the Devils will do the same with MacDermid, at least not this season.

Yeah, I definitely don’t think he’ll be waived at any point this year. I’d almost completely rule it out. Beyond this year is something I don’t think we’ll know until after this year.

 

[My3Sons]

i love koobideh

i also pump my own gas, it's ontario

Mild Italian mortadella. No choice on the gas thing.

 

[JimEIV]

Again, the definition of “skill” in any consensus source I’m aware of does not include points as part of the definition.

Your narrow interpretation wouldn't include hitting/checking, board battles, down low/in traffic play, faceoffs, or really aspect of defense either.

Regardless, if playersA is more skilled than player B, but player B consistently scores more points than player A what the hell are we talking about other than stylistic points?

Either your interpretation of "skill" is wrong or at the very least incomplete, or it's completely meaningless.

 

[Nubmer6]

Your narrow interpretation wouldn't include hitting/checking, board battles, down low/in traffic play, faceoffs, or really aspect of defense either.

Regardless, if playersA is more skilled than player B, but player B consistently scores more points than player A what the hell are we talking about other than stylistic points?

Either your interpretation of "skill" is wrong or at the very least incomplete, or it's completely meaningless.

I think skill is the ability to skate and manipulate the puck. Board battles, etc are grit. The combination of the two make for great hockey players.

 

[JimEIV]

I think skill is the ability to skate and manipulate the puck. Board battles, etc are grit. The combination of the two make for great hockey players.

I don't agree at all... I think awareness in tight spaces and the ability to execute in them is every bit of a skill as stick handling and skating...that goes a bit beyond the "ability to manipulate the puck"...board battles are more often than not, stick work and positioning with little body contact... I think that speaks more to the skill in tight spaces than it does "grit", size or raw physicalness.

If we are being completely honest, we just value some skill sets over others because they are more aesthetically pleasing... that's really what was being said.

 

[Nubmer6]

I don't agree at all... I think awareness in tight spaces and the ability to execute in them is every bit of a skill as stick handling and skating...that goes a bit beyond the "ability to manipulate the puck"...board battles are more often than not, stick work and positioning with little body contact... I think that speaks more to the skill in tight spaces than it does "grit", size or raw physicalness.

Ok, I was lazy being lazy in my description cause I didn't feel like typing out all the abilities that count as "skill". Maybe I should have used "physicality" instead of "grit" which hitting and checking would fall under.

I think the two compliment each other, although there have been examples of some (i.e. Gretzky) who have been pretty much pure skill, in which case you want line mates who compliment them (McSorley).

I feel all players have their strengths and weaknesses, and putting together good lines is how you get max value. That's why I don't feel like you need "true top 6ers" to fill in the positions next to Hughes/Bratt or Hischer/Meier. I'd rather have players who compliment them and help them score more, not necessarily picking up points in the process.

 

[JimEIV]

Oh and if speed is a skill...then so is size... both are basically raw physical attributes that some people have an others just don't.

 

[Nubmer6]

Oh and if speed is a skill...then so is size... both are basically raw physical attributes that some people have an others just don't.

I completely disagree with that. Skating is completely a learned skill. It why players with similar physiques can vary significantly in skating speed. It's why a guy like Kessel, who looks like he ate one too many hotdogs, can be a speedster.

 

[JimEIV]

I completely disagree with that. Skating is completely a learned skill. It why players with similar physiques can vary significantly in skating speed. It's why a guy like Kessel, who looks like he ate one too many hotdogs, can be a speedster.

You can improve your first step/your explosiveness, you can improve the efficiency of your stride, you can improve balance... that's nice, a mediocre skater will never become an elite skater...and a bad skater has a huge uphill battle...the amount of gains are marginal at best for adult pros.

Nico will never and can never skate like Jack....just wasn't in his mash bill.

 

[Clam Jensen]

what are we even arguing about anymore lol.

 

[JimEIV]

what are we even arguing about anymore lol.

5K1llz