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

[MasterofGrond]

Also, I'm sure this was mentioned in the gdt i wasn't reading during the game but

Dougie tied Stevens! Still 1/4 of the season to go, too.

 

[NHL Fanatik]

Not really sold on Henrique given his age. Much rather try to swing a similar trade for Yakov Trenin, who's cheaper, more physical and younger which opens up the option of an extension down the line. If that's not on the table I'd rather just stand pat.

if Trenin isnt an option what do we think about Ritchie? Could also sign him for a few years but hes a UFA.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Not sure why there are a lot of media outlets and people assuming that we will play the Rags in the first round ?
We are 1 point out of first in the Metro . And the Canes are having some trouble scoring plus habe a brutal stretch of games coming up against the Leafs, Rangers, Bruins.
I think it is very realistic that we can win the Metro. We are playing excellent hockey right now and Meier has yet to play a game.
It will be very interesting to see if / what we add before the TDL.
We have seen some teams go crazy by paying tons of assets for a run . Why dont we step it up another notch and try to add another good piece ? I’d love Bertuzzi… if only he was not just a rental. Somehow id like to add an upgrade on our 3rd line but not sure who. I dont think Henrique is the right move. Too much of a cap hit and too costly if Ducks retain. Ideally I’d like to use Sharanhovich as the oiece we move out . He has value , amd we honestly dont have a roster spot for him that makes sense . He is nkt really a good fit in the bottom 6 amd no room I’m the top 6. He is too inconsistent to be a top 6 option and I,habe seen him shy away from contract too many times where he doesn’t take a hit to make a play. I love the kid but I,just,don’t see him in our future plans.
I want to see is trade for Vjmelka (MB plus small addition? ) and a player in the mold of Bertuzzi .

Right now, the Devils are better than Carolina and so are the Rangers. Carolina is thin up the middle, and that's a big problem. They should have been on Ryan O'Reilly, and their big deadline acquisition thus far has been one of the worst defenders in the league in Shayne Gostisbehere. This is a team with major concerns.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I just wanted to say this about Dawson Mercer -- because it's also the most important thing I want to leave you all with when I hang it up as a draft writer: hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. Repeat these words 10,000 times. Hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. You fill a team with Dawson Mercers and you'll compete for a Stanley Cup. You fill a team with guys who have fancy JFresh or Byron Bader charts and you'll miss the playoffs.

Dawson Mercer has been dominant for nearly a month. He was the best player tonight against the defending Staley Cup champions. He's barely old enough to drink. Let's give this kid the credit he deserves. He's a core member of what looks to be the best team in hockey for the next 5-8 years.

 

[britdevil]

Is this something that Euros will be able to access by using a vpn?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I just wanted to say this about Dawson Mercer -- because it's also the most important thing I want to leave you all with when I hang it up as a draft writer: hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. Repeat these words 10,000 times. Hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. You fill a team with Dawson Mercers and you'll compete for a Stanley Cup. You fill a team with guys who have fancy JFresh or Byron Bader charts and you'll miss the playoffs.

Dawson Mercer has been dominant for nearly a month. He was the best player tonight against the defending Staley Cup champions. He's barely old enough to drink. Let's give this kid the credit he deserves. He's a core member of what looks to be the best team in hockey for the next 5-8 years.

For the life of me I don't understand why Bader's model was so harsh on Mercer's junior years post draft, pretty sure he got hurt for the year in one of them and he bounced around in the 19-20 year. But I agree 100%, I've been peddling the Parise 2.0 with Mercer and it's easy to see why, he's a guy when he's not scoring will change games in other ways which is priceless in today's cap era. If you become to one dimensional, teams don't have a use for you. Besides the obvious draft picks with Luke, Jack, Nico, Nemec, etc, Mercer is my favorite Devils draft pick in a longggggg time.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I just wanted to say this about Dawson Mercer -- because it's also the most important thing I want to leave you all with when I hang it up as a draft writer: hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. Repeat these words 10,000 times. Hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. You fill a team with Dawson Mercers and you'll compete for a Stanley Cup. You fill a team with guys who have fancy JFresh or Byron Bader charts and you'll miss the playoffs.

Dawson Mercer has been dominant for nearly a month. He was the best player tonight against the defending Staley Cup champions. He's barely old enough to drink. Let's give this kid the credit he deserves. He's a core member of what looks to be the best team in hockey for the next 5-8 years.

I remember from the day he was drafted you were pumping his tires and telling us his hustle and IQ were off the charts…and here we are!

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

I just wanted to say this about Dawson Mercer -- because it's also the most important thing I want to leave you all with when I hang it up as a draft writer: hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. Repeat these words 10,000 times. Hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. You fill a team with Dawson Mercers and you'll compete for a Stanley Cup. You fill a team with guys who have fancy JFresh or Byron Bader charts and you'll miss the playoffs.

Dawson Mercer has been dominant for nearly a month. He was the best player tonight against the defending Staley Cup champions. He's barely old enough to drink. Let's give this kid the credit he deserves. He's a core member of what looks to be the best team in hockey for the next 5-8 years.

...Well said guys that can see the game real well are often underrated....Guy just comes to play every night....Great pick by Fitz and his scouts....

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

That was not a 7 - 5 game, that was utter dominance of the best team in the West. Vanecek was hot trash. This is a Terreri/Brodeur scenario emerging.

 

[RSeen]

Not sure why there are a lot of media outlets and people assuming that we will play the Rags in the first round ?
We are 1 point out of first in the Metro . And the Canes are having some trouble scoring plus habe a brutal stretch of games coming up against the Leafs, Rangers, Bruins.
I think it is very realistic that we can win the Metro. We are playing excellent hockey right now and Meier has yet to play a game.
It will be very interesting to see if / what we add before the TDL.
We have seen some teams go crazy by paying tons of assets for a run . Why dont we step it up another notch and try to add another good piece ? I’d love Bertuzzi… if only he was not just a rental. Somehow id like to add an upgrade on our 3rd line but not sure who. I dont think Henrique is the right move. Too much of a cap hit and too costly if Ducks retain. Ideally I’d like to use Sharanhovich as the oiece we move out . He has value , amd we honestly dont have a roster spot for him that makes sense . He is nkt really a good fit in the bottom 6 amd no room I’m the top 6. He is too inconsistent to be a top 6 option and I,habe seen him shy away from contract too many times where he doesn’t take a hit to make a play. I love the kid but I,just,don’t see him in our future plans.
I want to see is trade for Vjmelka (MB plus small addition? ) and a player in the mold of Bertuzzi .

A lot of that was before the last two games for each team, which we won and the Canes lost.

I'd like one more forward addition as well, but I think Bertuzzi is likely too expensive. Reality is, we need someone who can potentially play in the bottom six and replace Yegor but it is more of a nice to have than a necessity.

 

[NJDevs26]

That was not a 7 - 5 game, that was utter dominance of the best team in the West. Vanecek was hot trash. This is a Terreri/Brodeur scenario emerging.

Probably a little harsh but I have been concerned what happens to Vitek when the workload starts to get up there. He's already pretty much hit his high for games played in a season and we still have six weeks left plus ideally a deep playoff run.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Probably a little harsh but I have been concerned what happens to Vitek when the workload starts to get up there. He's already pretty much hit his high for games played in a season and we still have six weeks left plus ideally a deep playoff run.

I'm just concerned when I watch him play. Even when he is on his game he makes everything look so difficult plus he is atrocious handling the puck. I believe it should be a 50/50 split moving forward with the better goaltender over the last 20 starting in the playoffs.

 

[MauDevils]

Vitek's last 6 games - .877 sv %. 18 Goals against on 12 xGA.

 

[jkrdevil]

Probably a little harsh but I have been concerned what happens to Vitek when the workload starts to get up there. He's already pretty much hit his high for games played in a season and we still have six weeks left plus ideally a deep playoff run.

This has been 3 mediocre/bad games in a row for VV. That is concerning.

The schedule is compressed the rest of the way. At some point it might be good to give Schmid consecutive games and let VV rest.

 

[Guadana]

I just wanted to say this about Dawson Mercer -- because it's also the most important thing I want to leave you all with when I hang it up as a draft writer: hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. Repeat these words 10,000 times. Hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. You fill a team with Dawson Mercers and you'll compete for a Stanley Cup. You fill a team with guys who have fancy JFresh or Byron Bader charts and you'll miss the playoffs.

Dawson Mercer has been dominant for nearly a month. He was the best player tonight against the defending Staley Cup champions. He's barely old enough to drink. Let's give this kid the credit he deserves. He's a core member of what looks to be the best team in hockey for the next 5-8 years.

I can give him credit, but will ask drive license before drinking beer with him.

What we should draft instead him? As I remember someone wanted Bourque or Schneider (just imagine, rangers making the same trade and draft Mercer). Good days.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Vitek's last 6 games - .877 sv %. 18 Goals against on 12 xGA.

Saving his hot streak for the playoffs

 

[AfroThunder396]

VV has built up a fair amount of goodwill this season. His last few starts have been concerning but I am not ready to completely pull the plug on him yet.

I am ready to give Schmid some more starts. Maybe a bit of rest would do VV some good.

 

[Saugus]

VV has built up a fair amount of goodwill this season. His last few starts have been concerning but I am not ready to completely pull the plug on him yet.

I am ready to give Schmid some more starts. Maybe a bit of rest would do VV some good.

This is about where I am. Vanecek has had a rough patch recently, but he is still the presumptive starter unless things really fall off a cliff. Maybe we get Schmid into a few more games than we would if he was the clear backup.

Blackwood should be jettisoned off the team as soon as is feasible. I really just have no interest in white knuckling any more games when he is in net.

 

[Devs3cups]

I’m pretty sure Vitek will be fine. Cold streaks happen for goalies too. Look at Shesterkin, if it can happen to him, it certainly can for Vitek.

Igor’s last 8 games: 27 GA, 22 xGA, .872 sv%, 3.47 GAA

 

[DevilsHughes86]

Vitek's last 6 games - .877 sv %. 18 Goals against on 12 xGA.

Was coming in here to post that, 2 days left, does Fitzy acquire a goalie just in case? I know there isn't much on the market right now, but Vitek has been brutal in the past couple of games

 

[Saugus]

Also, I'm sure this was mentioned in the gdt i wasn't reading during the game but

Dougie tied Stevens! Still 1/4 of the season to go, too.

Dougie is having a career season, and he's definitely going to be breaking more records during the stretch run. Wouldn't shock me if he stays close to a PPG player to finish it out.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I just wanted to say this about Dawson Mercer -- because it's also the most important thing I want to leave you all with when I hang it up as a draft writer: hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. Repeat these words 10,000 times. Hockey IQ and compete level are more important than statistics. You fill a team with Dawson Mercers and you'll compete for a Stanley Cup. You fill a team with guys who have fancy JFresh or Byron Bader charts and you'll miss the playoffs.

Dawson Mercer has been dominant for nearly a month. He was the best player tonight against the defending Staley Cup champions. He's barely old enough to drink. Let's give this kid the credit he deserves. He's a core member of what looks to be the best team in hockey for the next 5-8 years.

or you find guys good at both?

I seriously don't understand why you hate advanced stats so much....its kind of weird. Just don't use them. That doesnt mean other people can't find them useful.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Dougie is having a career season, and he's definitely going to be breaking more records during the stretch run. Wouldn't shock me if he stays close to a PPG player to finish it out.

That side step he has before his snipe last night was mint. His celly too, he knew he just dropped major dong.

 

[BostonDevil]

Is this something that Euros will be able to access by using a vpn?

Love the idea. Hate the price.

As a US, out of market, Devils fan, ESPN+ is way cheaper.

The bundle with ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu is half the price.

Is this meant for in-market who don’t have access? I don’t get it.

 

[tailfins]

Schmid is the heir apparent, but he’s not the goalie of today.

The team needs more certainty, not less. Which means playing Vanecek and Blackwood enough to know if one or both cannot do the job in the playoffs.

Schmid takes the net if one / both of the current goalies are incapable - no chance he takes over just because of a hot streak in March.