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

[None Shall Pass]

Can't imagine Luke getting more than Jack unless he really explodes this year.

Even then, I'd think Jack would be in his ear about taking a little discount to help the team.

 

[JimEIV]

Can't imagine Luke getting more than Jack unless he really explodes this year.

Even then, I'd think Jack would be in his ear about taking a little discount to help the team.

I can't imagine Luke getting less than Owen Power
7 year - $58,450,000
$8,350,000

 

[My3Sons]

Can't imagine Luke getting more than Jack unless he really explodes this year.

Even then, I'd think Jack would be in his ear about taking a little discount to help the team.

Jack didn’t take a discount at the time he signed. I’m skeptical Luke takes a discount. I think they will sign him for the market rate which will still be a discount in a couple of years as he matures.

 

[MadDevil]

I will give Fitz credit. Setting up the cap situation, getting Mercer to have a down season, and then using that thin facade to get Ruff/Green to demote him so they can save a little in the short term so when he proves he's worth the money they can't afford him and have to trade him. That's some 4D chess man.

 

[Xirik]

Both Gritsyuk (SKA) and Silayev (Torpedo) play tomorrow on the 9th.

Silayev hasn't done anything much so far but nothing bad either. For a defenseman that's okay. his average TOI is 16:24

Gritsyuk is leading his team in points. TOI average is 13:23

SKA game looks like it should be two powerhouses duking it out while Torpedo looks like the underdog.

SKA has the goals and offense but has no Defense atm with Nikishin out. Torpedo can't buy a goal but it seems like their defense is good.

 

[britdevil]

I think there's a pretty good chance this is Palat's last year here.

There's an extremely high chance that it will be next year if it isn't this year.

I don't see him still here for year 5, unless it's as an LTIR'd player. He'll either be a cap dump to someone or bought out.

And with that.....I think I just started the Palat debate back up again lol.

Don't worry, there's always garbage teams to dump these contracts on, like Ari.... Wait...

 

[Patrik26]

 

[dzubrus8]

Could they sign Mercer to a 2x$4.5? Gives the team $0.5m in cap buffer and they give Mercer extra since it’s an additional year

 

[JimEIV]

If it's truly about down years and proving himself...Just give Mercer a cheap 1 year deal... I'm sure the Mercer camp would prefer that....

But it was NEVER EVER about that. It's was always about getting Mercer on the cheap for at least 2, preferably 3 years, so as not to gum up the works in getting Luke and Nemec their deals.

You don't even need to read between the lines to see this... it's right in front of us clear to see.

This entire exercise is about budgeting for the future and has almost nothing at all to do with past, present or future performance.

 

[Blackjack]

I really don’t understand the point of giving Mercer $4.5 million after how he played last year.

I remember the Devils Insider guys were talking about trying to lock him up long term for $7 or $8 million AAV. LMAO

Don’t get me wrong, I really want him to become that level of player, but I don’t know what it is about him that makes people lose their minds when discussing contracts.

Fitz is “lowballing” him. In quotes because I suspect it’s actually a fair offer. Mercer will hold out and eventually sign it because he has no leverage.

 

[JimEIV]

I really don’t understand the point of giving Mercer $4.5 million after how he played last year.

I remember the Devils Insider guys were talking about trying to lock him up long term for $7 or $8 million AAV. LMAO

Don’t get me wrong, I really want him to become that level of player, but I don’t know what it is about him that makes people lose their minds when discussing contracts.

Fitz is “lowballing” him. In quotes because I suspect it’s actually a fair offer. Mercer will hold out and eventually sign it because he has no leverage.

Where are you hearing 4.5?

The numbers I keep seeing are 3.5 to 4 on a short term deal and 6+ on a long term deal....In terms of value.

I personally wouldn't let my client take a 3 year deal. Too much being left on the table with no advantage for the player. You gotta get closer to 5M for a 3 year deal and the Devils simply don't have that available.

 

[Triumph]

Mercer is not holding out, he does not have a contract.

But he will not be getting a 2 year deal at 4.5m per. If he's signing for that much, it should be a 3 year deal at least. I'd expect him to come in around 3.2m on a 2 year deal. The biggest issue with Mercer is that last year was an opportunity for him to show he can do something without Hischier, Hughes, or Bratt on his line, and he wasn't able to do that. He's not worth a long-term deal until he can do that, or at least show that he is elevating those guys's games.

 

[JimEIV]

If he signs a two year it'll be 3.75.

I wouldn't let him do it. I'd push for 1 year at 2 75 to 3.25

But the org will never do a 1 year deal because it never about proving himself and it was always about getting him locked up cheap beyond Luke's next deal...aways was and still is.

 

[Better Call Sal]

It's amazing how such extreme sandbagging by the entire organization is so obvious that the supposed player being sandbagged hasn't come out against such unfair treatment. You know, since it's right in front of everyone's faces.

Thank god it's September.

 

[JimEIV]

It's amazing how such extreme sandbagging by the entire organization is so obvious that the supposed player being sandbagged hasn't come out against such unfair treatment. You know, since it's right in front of everyone's faces.

Thank god it's September.

Yeah right. A player is going to air that dirty laundry of day to day happenings...you new?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

this conspiracy theory stuff is really tiring to read tbh

Mercer sucked last year. He doesn't deserve a longterm deal right now. Play better if you want to be paid more. The end.

 

[NJDevs26]

I will give Fitz credit. Setting up the cap situation, getting Mercer to have a down season, and then using that thin facade to get Ruff/Green to demote him so they can save a little in the short term so when he proves he's worth the money they can't afford him and have to trade him. That's some 4D chess man.

Especially considering Ruff and Green were both fired/replaced lol...I doubt coaches on the hot seat are going to say yes sir to a management request based on monetary concerns if they think something else is going to win them games and save their own jobs. And that kind of thing surely would have leaked by now, especially since both landed on their feet with other jobs.

 

[Triumph]

Nico xG with Mercer: 43%
Nico xG without Mercer: 56%

Hughes xG with Mercer: 47%
Hughes xG without Mercer: 55%

Hmm, wonder why Mercer didn't play a ton with either guy. And this isn't all Bratt either - Nico away from Bratt was 49% xG, Hughes away from Bratt was 52% xG.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Yeah right. A player is going to air that dirty laundry of day to day happenings...you new?

Player has never dared requested a trade for perceived unfair treatment, I forgot. Considering it's so blatant as you say, why would we expect anything less?

This is boring. You've had this same discussion up and down with almost every poster on here for months, but somehow are still the only one who witnessed things completely different from what actually transpired.

Mercer will sign. All will be fine. It's up to him to work on the areas of his game that he struggled in last year. Strength in battles and willingness to shoot. I think he will have a bounce back year under Keefe.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's amazing how such extreme sandbagging by the entire organization is so obvious that the supposed player being sandbagged hasn't come out against such unfair treatment. You know, since it's right in front of everyone's faces.

Thank god it's September.

Well it's not like Mercer himself could 'prove' it though that wouldn't stop a loose cannon agent from whining.

I still have yet to hear any valid evidence that a 'win-now' Devils team put more importance on salary cap shenanigans in 2023-24 than actually winning, even after the team started struggling. That kind of thing makes no sense to me. Tanking and worrying about contracts when you're either twenty points in or out of a playoff spot is one thing, but not when you have a season like the Devils did after all their win-sooner moves.

 

[JimEIV]

Player has never dared requested a trade for perceived unfair treatment, I forgot.

This is boring. You've had this same discussion up and down with almost every poster on here, but somehow are still the only one who witnessed things completely different from what actually transpired.

Mercer will sign. All will be fine. It's up to him to work on the areas of his game that he struggled in last year. Strength in battles and willingness to shoot. I think he will have a bounce back year under Keefe.

None of what you said has anything to do with anything I was talking about.

Never said he wouldn't be signed, never said he was disgruntled, never even really commented on his game...

Are you confused or misstating what I've been talking about on purpose?

He's going to get signed, he has no options...the dollars being discussed have absolutely nothing to do with his performance and everything to do with future contracts. That's what I've been talking about it...

And if you have your panties on a bunch about the word "sandbag"...
Last year he was put in a bottom 6 role and asked to be a line driver with significantly less talented players that mostly have a history of not scoring like Haula, Palat, Lazar, McLeod, Holtz...in a contract year... those are just the facts. You can can call that whatever you want. Looks he was knee capped to me.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm old enough to remember the whining about Bratt being underpaid on his RFA deals and how he'd never sign here long-term, and he did have extended holdouts.

 

[JimEIV]

I'm old enough to remember the whining about Bratt being underpaid on his RFA deals and how he'd never sign here long-term, and he did have extended holdouts.

They ponied up after they nickel and dimed him for a year.

But 3 years from now the money won't be there for Dawson. You're probably looking at 15/16 in cap space for both Nemec and Luke in 2028...and Nico needs a new contract....

the absolute worst scenario for Dawson would be a cheap 3 year deal. Luke gets paid, Nemec gets paid and Nico needs a new contract the same time Dawson's 3 years would end....the scenarios of Bratt and Dawson aren't really similar financially.

And the funny thing is that they probably could've had Bratt at 6 and change on long term deal had they not nickel and dimed him.

 

[britdevil]

And the funny thing is that they probably could've had Bratt at 6 and change on long term deal had they not nickel and dimed him.

His asshole of an agent would say otherwise my friend.

 

[Cheddabombs]

When does training camp start