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

[Ripshot 43]

Nemec is going to command a bigger contract than Luke Hughes. Kid is going to be absolutely phenomenal as early as next year.

I think he has the potential to be a top all around D in the league. With that said, I don’t see him making more than Luke in this next contract due to the fact that I don’t see him getting PP time or O zone starts over Luke and Dougie.

 

[Guadana]

We should slow down with expectations from Nemec. If Devils will not start to use Luke-Simon pair, so most likely he will play third pair role away from PP opportunities. Our third line... may be Simon will be the best offensive piece of that line next season, but it will not help him to produce a lot.
And its okay. It will help to limit his future cap.

 

[Forge]

There's only one man who can save our top 6.

It's time to bring back Janne Kuokkanen

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

I really think Palat might be done. I'm sure he can be responsible and play a good enough defensive game but I really don't think he belongs in the top 6. The offense just is there...it was never a really strong point for him at any point of his career but you can't go as long as he did without scoring a goal...and quite a bit of that time was with Nico.

Neither of the LW options are great for the top 6 in my opinion Tatar or Palat...Or Haula double yuck.


I willing bet you anything on that.... I'm ready to go full Shane Pinto! Let's go.

Yeah and if Palat is the lowest scorer in the top-6, but hes doing the other work for Jack and co., then thats exactly why we overpaid for him.

His ability to open up the game for, say, Jack and Bratt as a line would be crucial I think; and something we may end up missing when hes gone

All of this barring health, of course

There's only one man who can save our top 6.

It's time to bring back Janne Kuokkanen

Should have saved ourselves some money on Dillon and went with the Church of Salmela

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I am not trying to be a dick to you but do you understand how ridiculous this sounds? Pull the plug on the top 6 for Mercer after 2&1/2 games from the start of the season?

That's literally what happened. Like his previous two years and playoffs didn't happen?

Did you memory hole last season or what? Guy was unbelievably bad. He was as bad as early season Timo who didn’t have legs. Had nothing to do with usage, just like Timo’s poor play had nothing to do with being on LW or whatever line combo.

 

[JimEIV]

Did you memory hole last season or what? Guy was unbelievably bad. He was as bad as early season Timo who didn’t have legs. Had nothing to do with usage, just like Timo’s poor play had nothing to do with being on LW or whatever line combo.

Yeah but you couldn't make that determination after 2 games is my point.

This is 5v5 time Mercer with Nico.

First two and half games for Dawson then he doesn't see top 6 time again until the end of November with Jack.
He doesn't see any time with Nico again until January 3rd. That's 33 games in between.

You couldn't be so bad in 2 games to not get another opportunity for nearly half the season.... If he played his way out of the top 6 it was in 2&1/2 games from the start of the season.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Yup, Mercer was a slug out there the first few months. Was noticeably a step behind on every shift

 

[OmNomNom]

new coach + palat = ???

 

[Bleedred]

new coach + palat = ???

I'm skeptical a new coach is gonna get more out of him.

He could wind up having a pretty good season, I just don't think it's gonna be because of a new coach.

 

[NjDevsRR]

new coach + palat = ???

= Andre Palot

 

[JimEIV]

And they were doing the same thing in the preseason... Mercer was with bottom 6 players all of preseason and I was complaining about it then...it looks much more predetermined than Mercer playing his way out of the top 6.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Yeah but you couldn't make that determination after 2 games is my point.

This is 5v5 time Mercer with Nico.

First two and half games for Dawson then he doesn't see top 6 time again until the end of November with Jack.
He doesn't see any time with Nico again until January 3rd. That's 33 games in between.

You couldn't be so bad in 2 games to not get another opportunity for nearly half the season.... If he played his way out of the top 6 it was in 2&1/2 games from the start of the season.

View attachment 893432

You don’t put a guy that was abysmal defensively and just horrible generally with the most important defensive center on the team. He was more deserving of healthy scratches than promotions.

 

[JimEIV]

You don’t put a guy that was abysmal defensively and just horrible generally with the most important defensive center on the team. He was more deserving of healthy scratches than promotions.

You're still ignoring the fact that this decision was made after 2&1/2 games. That might be the tightest leash we've seen for any player in the Ruff tenure...and I am very much a perform or get out of the way kind of person.. Mercer just didn't get a fair shake .

 

[Devs3cups]

We should slow down with expectations from Nemec. I Devils will not start to use Luke-Simon pair, so most likely he will play third pair role away from PP opportunities. Our third line... may be Simon will be the best offensive piece of that line next season, but it will not help him to produce a lot.
And its okay. It will help to limit his future cap.

For sure! We know what he brings and his importance though. Future long-term top pairing D-man with Luke, already playing very good hockey as a 20 year old. It's super exciting to have Luke and him as pillars on D for years to come, and Silayev to that as well. Absolutely awesome.

 

[Goptor]

= Andre Palot

Please not Pouliot

 

[My3Sons]

I'm skeptical a new coach is gonna get more out of him.

He could wind up having a pretty good season, I just don't think it's gonna be because of a new coach.

Like how Blackwood was great once he went to SJ but not because there was a different coach.

 

[Andre Palot]

= Andre Palot

You rang?

 

[TrufleShufle]

I love how the further an argument goes on, players either get worse and worse or better and better. Same player can start as a middle of the road player at the start of a disagreement and slowly morph into Gretzky or Janssen depending on what you need to stand your ground.

Before anyone agrees with me, I'm pointing all around the room.

 

[NjDevsRR]

You rang?

 

[Andre Palot]

View attachment 893439

SWERVE BRO, SWERVE

 

[Bleedred]

You rang?

 

[Bleedred]

SWERVE BRO, SWERVE

I swear I started making that Dude Love post and posted it before I even saw you put this haha.

 

[JimEIV]

I love how the further an argument goes on, players either get worse and worse or better and better. Same player can start as a middle of the road player at the start of a disagreement and slowly morph into Gretzky or Janssen depending on what you need to stand your ground.

Before anyone agrees with me, I'm pointing all around the room.

Can't be pointing at me, I think everyone sucks

 

[Bleedred]

I love how the further an argument goes on, players either get worse and worse or better and better. Same player can start as a middle of the road player at the start of a disagreement and slowly morph into Gretzky or Janssen depending on what you need to stand your ground.

Before anyone agrees with me, I'm pointing all around the room.

Point at yourself, because Janssen was a really good player bro! Pick someone else for your default bad player!

 

[Guttersniped]

I would bet on 2 years if it’s a bridge, 3 years leaves him with only 1 RFA year left.