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

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

if Mercer gets a 2 year bridge deal, he ain't getting ~$5 million per. There is no baseline for that. That is not happening. I don't even know what we're doing here.

 

[JimEIV]

NHL contracts most heavily weigh the most recent year.

It is great for NJD. Mercer played himself out of a ton of leverage.

And negotiations heavily rely on comps. Lundell and Pinto will 100% be brought up negotiations and used as baselines.

I'm sure Pinto will be brought up...as why Mercer is worth around a million more per year.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Mercer is closer to Tatar than he is to Bratt.

 

[Omar Little]

I think Mercer gets 3.25m x 2 or 4m x 3

 

[dgibb10]

I'm sure Pinto will be brought up...as why Mercer is worth around a million more per year.

Mercer simply does not have the leverage to get 5 mill a year unless he's selling UFA years.

 

[Darkauron]

Yeah I feel like this mercer contract is gonna take forever to negotiate

 

[JimEIV]

Mercer simply does not have the leverage to get 5 mill a year unless he's selling UFA years.

I think there is a large gap between 3.75 and 5 million.


The cap hit I proposed was 4.75 with an increasing salary. 3 years 14.25

3.75, 4.75, 5.75

 

[Better Call Sal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810328231813271561

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810329228849586478

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810329067075338682

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810328878977569149

He's gonna be good for the team. No one can tell me otherwise. Whether it's production or in a leadership role, he's going to be a useful presence back here.

 

[JimEIV]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810328231813271561

I would be in love too if they were paying me 1.8M when I was worth
750K on a PTO.

 

[DevilsHughes86]

How do you guys feel for a cheap 1 year deal to Sprong? I don't know why but I think he would be solid here with the style of play. Back to back 40pts seasons, scored almost 20 goals in each, I think he would do great here and would be very motivated.

 

[Oneiro]

How do you guys feel for a cheap 1 year deal to Sprong? I don't know why but I think he would be solid here with the style of play. Back to back 40pts seasons, scored almost 20 goals in each, I think he would do great here and would be very motivated.

I think there’s probably a reason this many teams have stayed away but I wouldn’t hate it at all, especially if he understood he wouldn’t play every night. I don’t think we’ve done it because we need better defensive play up front. Which is why Duclair wasn’t an option either.

 

[Better Call Sal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810331063887012152

He's back to bring the best out of Dawson, @JimEIV , just know that.

 

[HoliksGhost]

I would be in love too if they were paying me 1.8M when I was worth
750K on a PTO.

lol But still has to deal with NJ rental rates

 

[JimEIV]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810331063887012152

He's back to bring the best out of Dawson, @JimEIV , just know that.

I think the best line Dawson played on was with Bratt and Johnsson. They were our best line in early 2021 until they broke it up because the other lines weren't producing.

lol But still has to deal with NJ rental rates

He's really small...he can easy fit in one of Jack's dresser drawers

 

[glenwo2]

You don't see a player healthy scratched around 12 times vs one that played all 82 games for 3 straight years particularly meaningful? Bratt's rough "patches" went for years... that's not patches....Bratt was also allowed to play through rough patches...Mercer just didn't have any for his first 2 years.

I think that's wildly different.

I think playing every possible NHL game on your ELC coming straight out of junior is a big deal. I think Mercer's first 3 years were significantly more successful than Bratt's first 3...granted Bratt was a year younger.

But just in the versatility alone, Mercer has been used on every line with ever player in every situation at center and at wing...the kid has been a top 4 PK forward for two of his first 3 years in the league...a PK that was top 10 in the league both years....I mean Bratt's Curriculum Vitae wasn't in the same league as Mercer's after the first 3 years .

Are you trying to sell Mercer to us or something?

I believe he should be part of the future (and Fitz believes it, too).

It's only a question of how much he deserves (Financially-speaking) and I think Fitz may pull the same thing he did with Bratt.

That is unless Mercer "bets on himself" and signs a one-year deal (which doesn't seem likely, imo) or something.

 

[JimEIV]

Are you trying to sell Mercer to us or something?

I believe he should be part of the future (and Fitz believes it, too).

It's only a question of how much he deserves (Financially-speaking) and I think Fitz may pull the same thing he did with Bratt.

That is unless Mercer "bets on himself" and signs a one-year deal (which doesn't seem likely, imo)

A one year deal does nothing for nobody. Not the team or Mercer ...

Mercer will still have the same negotiation power next off season as he does this one regardless of what he does on the ice.

 

[Hisch13r]

I think Mercer gets 3.25m x 2 or 4m x 3

Yup these are about what they should be

 

[dgibb10]

I think there is a large gap between 3.75 and 5 million.


The cap hit I proposed was 4.75 with an increasing salary. 3 years 14.25

3.75, 4.75, 5.75

You aren't proposing 3.75.

You are suggesting a 4.75 mill x 3 deal. Again, if we're talking basically 5 mill, we are buying UFA years.

This isn't the NFL. You can't stagger cap hits. Cap hit=AAV

 

[JimEIV]

You aren't proposing 3.75.

You are suggesting a 4.75 mill x 3 deal. Again, if we're talking basically 5 mill, we are buying UFA years.

This isn't the NFL. You can't stagger cap hits. Cap hit=AAV

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about 14 million over 3 years. The cap hit isn't staggered the salary is.

 

[Hisch13r]

How do you guys feel for a cheap 1 year deal to Sprong? I don't know why but I think he would be solid here with the style of play. Back to back 40pts seasons, scored almost 20 goals in each, I think he would do great here and would be very motivated.

Sprong’s f***ing awesome. I was banging the drum hard on him last summer. I don’t think we have the space to sign him now. If you can fit him then it’s a no brainer

 

[dgibb10]

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about 14 million over 3 years. The cap hit isn't staggered the salary is.

Yes, and I am telling you mercer doesn't have the leverage to garner that AAV unless he's selling his UFA years. (also you're suggesting 14.25 mill over 3 years)

 

[megajake]

Just sign Mercer for 7 years and hope he breaks out

 

[Hisch13r]

I think there’s probably a reason this many teams have stayed away but I wouldn’t hate it at all, especially if he understood he wouldn’t play every night. I don’t think we’ve done it because we need better defensive play up front. Which is why Duclair wasn’t an option either.

I think with the Noesen and Tatar adds as well as the improved defensive environment from Keefe it should be enough you can add a Sprong. He should definitely be an everyday player. He’s just way too good and creates way too much not to be. It could be in a bottom 6 role if need be as that’s what he’s already been doing. The guy absolutely crushes weak competition and his QoT is also very low. Like even if you keep the 3rd line as a more shutdown line you could put Sprong with Cotter and Lazar and he’d cook there. We just likely can’t feasibly make the money work

 

[JimEIV]

Just sign Mercer for 7 years and hope he breaks out

That's the thing, they don't have the cap space do that. That's really the only reason for this conversation is that they don't have the cap space to do much of anything right now.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Just sign Mercer for 7 years and hope he breaks out

Do we even have the cap space this year to realistically do that?