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

[MadDevil]

Guys, I've just thought....

Holtz is getting scratched for MacDermid isn't he...

EDIT: Oh he's defense? Oh boy, it won't be Smith in the box....

Oh dear.

He plays both I believe. Which is why I thought he might be a Smith replacement if somebody is dumb enough to trade for his "veteran grit" in the next week.

 

[JimEIV]

MacDermid is Fitz's Prout

 

[R8Devs]

Better bottom 6 and probably a legit top 4 LD, Kevin Bahl is a lot more of a problem than people realize.

Gustav Forsling is a UFA at the end of the season. Florida will probably find a way to keep him but in the chance they don't he'd be a better addition for the Devils than Hanifin and should be cheaper too.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Gustav Forsling is a UFA at the end of the season. Florida will probably find a way to keep him but in the chance they don't he'd be a better addition for the Devils than Hanifin and should be cheaper too.

Florida will keep him and Reinhart as much as I'd kill for either

 

[Emperoreddy]

Better bottom 6 and probably a legit top 4 LD, Kevin Bahl is a lot more of a problem than people realize.

Siegs is the actual biggest problem. Healthy lineup with Luke not at the rookie wall has Bahl in the 3rd pairing which he is fine at.

Siegs is not a top 4 D. We doing this all again next year if they don't upgrade him

 

[Guadana]

Honest question. What does this team need to do this offseason, to turn things around? Beyond goalie and coaching staff…

Trade more prospects for immediate "help".

 

[Unknown Caller]

f*** that ish, we scored a bajillion last year without Toffoli.

I have no idea where this narrative that we need Toffoli to score goals has come from.

We had Tatar last year, Toffoli was Tatar’s (better) replacement. There’s a pretty big hole in the top 6 if Toffoli goes.

 

[britdevil]

We had Tatar last year, Toffoli was Tatar’s (better) replacement. There’s a pretty big hole in the top 6 if Toffoli goes.

I don't doubt that Toffoli scoring goals is a net positive on this team.

But we have Jack and Meier who are both capable of 40+, Nico and Bratt who can pot 30+ and a healthy Dougie can get 15+, plus who knows what you get in Luke's second season.

Holtz, Mercer, Haula and Palat are capable of 20 goal seasons.

If a contender comes knocking for Toff, you have to trade him. This year is dead in the water.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Toffoli has had a pretty good year, but let’s leave him in LA for a 1st round pick.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Toffoli has had a pretty good year, but let’s leave him in LA for a 1st round pick.

I just don't see the Devils pulling the trigger on trading Toffoli. Their playoff odds are borderline nothing at this point, but you have Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Meier, etc. in their prime. They'll only be in their prime for a limited window.

I just don't see Fitz looking those guys in the eye and telling them that he's selling off pieces and writing the season off. Regardless of how remote the playoff chances are.

 

[forceten]

Sell for picks. Hope we fall into a top 10 pick. It’s sad, but we have been passsd by Washington now and Pitt has 3 games in hand and only 4 points to make up on us. We aren’t even in control of 9th anymore we are likely 11th and falling. What is this, 16? 18? Points dropped to bottom feeder teams? That makes us a bottom feeder ourselves

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I just don't see the Devils pulling the trigger on trading Toffoli. Their playoff odds are borderline nothing at this point, but you have Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Meier, etc. in their prime. They'll only be in their prime for a limited window.

I just don't see Fitz looking those guys in the eye and telling them that he's selling off pieces and writing the season off. Regardless of how remote the playoff chances are.

To me a move like that is not about punting, it’s just a way to get ammo to address the big need this team has — the goalie. I wouldn’t even hate it if we did a small buy after a Toffoli move. Something like Duclair for a mid round pick. Or taking someone like Foegele from Edmonton who reportedly may be a cap casualty if they want to add defense. Both of those guys play with a ton of pace.

 

[Call Me Al]

we need to forget the idea that we’re a better team than we are. the season is on the line night in night out and they can’t win games that they need against teams that are beatable.

they’re probably picking in the top 10. the core is locked up and toffoli is not part of the core. get cheap assets that will fill out the roster on entry level contracts it use them to improve areas we need. scoring is an area of strength why should we hoard a 30 year old scorer who is slow and will decline over the contract while eating a large chunk of the salary cap?

 

[Unknown Caller]

Sell for picks. Hope we fall into a top 10 pick. It’s sad, but we have been passsd by Washington now and Pitt has 3 games in hand and only 4 points to make up on us. We aren’t even in control of 9th anymore we are likely 11th and falling. What is this, 16? 18? Points dropped to bottom feeder teams? That makes us a bottom feeder ourselves

This team is way too talented to get a top 10 pick. If they just run Daws/Schmid/Vanecek the rest of the way, all bets are off though. They could continue to outshoot teams 50-17 and lose on a nightly basis.

Even so, a top 10 pick doesn't do anything for the organization. Outside of the top 5-7 picks, the draft is generally a complete crapshoot. We're going to draft some kid who will stay in Liiga or the WHL until 2027 and then take 2-3 more years to develop into an effective NHL player if they even pan out.

 

[NJDevs26]

Yeah picks at this point should be thought of more as trade assets than guys who'll actually contribute to the big club anyway. Fitz might even be trading a second of 'his' first-rounders in 2020 soon.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Including the preseason, we’re 6-0-1 in games I’ve attended this year. I apologize, it’s my fault, I haven’t attended enough games this year.

I’ll be there Thursday for the game against the Blues. I can’t help myself, but I’ll be sticking it out until the end.

 

[Billdo]

Trade more prospects for immediate "help".

Problem is outside of Clarke, Gristyuk, and Casey we basically have nothing left.

 

[NJDevs26]

Problem is outside of Clarke, Gristyuk, and Casey we basically have nothing left.

Well the Finnish guy from this year's draft too but they aren't trading him

 

[My3Sons]

A better 3C. Let Lazar center fourth line. Some size and speed for the bottom 6.

Id trade Toffoli at this rate so we can recoup assets in an eventual goalie move. Defense and top 6 is pretty much set. Maybe look for a good skating LW to play with Jack. A healthy Dougie and Siegs next season will do wonders for the kids and for Marino and Bahl.

Oh, and never see Smith on this team again. That would help.

??? Hughes Meier
Palat Hischier Bratt
Haula ??? Mercer
??? Lazar ????

Siegs Ham (maybe we can find an upgrade over siegs)
Hughes Nemec
Bahl Marino
Hattaka

Markstrom (holtz traded)
Schmid
Daws

Why is Hischier getting bumped up the lineup over three question marks? Didn’t you watch the game last night? If anything you should move him down the lineup or maybe trade him for Laine. He played a bad game. That’s unacceptable and he has to be hated for it and if Ruff had a spine he’d sit Holtz to send a message to Hischier.

 

[NJDevils17]

We have quite a few holes that need to be addressed this offseason.

- 3C that is hopefully a 2C that’s pushed down because of Nico/Jack. The answer isn’t Haula or Lazar.

- Legit bottom 6 contributors. Tierny, Nosek, Bastian, etc. are not good enough if we want depth scoring.

- Top four LD. Seigs hasn’t been that for almost two years now. Bahl is showing zero growth and keeps making the same mistakes over and over. FWIW I would make the move for Hanifin here but either way, it needs to be addressed.

- One maybe two goalies that can play the position. PLUS firing Dave Rogaine. Inexcusable we went into the year with the situation as it was. This needs to be figured out externally.

All of this + firing Lindy.

 

[aero8279]

This team is way too talented to get a top 10 pick. If they just run Daws/Schmid/Vanecek the rest of the way, all bets are off though. They could continue to outshoot teams 50-17 and lose on a nightly basis.

Even so, a top 10 pick doesn't do anything for the organization. Outside of the top 5-7 picks, the draft is generally a complete crapshoot. We're going to draft some kid who will stay in Liiga or the WHL until 2027 and then take 2-3 more years to develop into an effective NHL player if they even pan out.

My guess is the first round pick is being traded for a goalie. Better it is maybe the less they have to give up besides the pick.

This team has shown you time and time again that they don't have it. Even if they squeak in, Carolina is going to crush them again.

Make a trade or two is possible, get some assets because you're going to lose some in the offseason due to giving up a decent amount for a goalie.

 

[ZYXWVUT]

Anyone else terrified fitz us gonna give up an absolutely ridiculous package next week for both markstrom and hanifin ? I sure as hell am.

 

[Bleedred]

Can’t we acquire another Toffoli for next year, rather than re-sign THE Toffoli to the type of contract we dodged with Severson, Graves and Wood?

 

[Guadana]

Problem is outside of Clarke, Gristyuk, and Casey we basically have nothing left.

That was sarcasm. We have little in Clarke for now.

 

[Bleedred]

Anyone else terrified fitz us gonna give up an absolutely ridiculous package next week for both markstrom and hanifin ? I sure as hell am.

No.

I’m not.

Problem is outside of Clarke, Gristyuk, and Casey we basically have nothing left.

Clarke sucks.

And isn’t even waiver exempt anymore. He’s about to be 23 and has played one game in the league.

And this isn’t Blake Coleman, who was just starting his first pro season out of college when he was that age.