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

[StevenToddIves]

I'm still not 100% convinced Bahl will be an NHL player, but he's been very good in his last stretch of games after an equally awful first stretch of games.

I don't think I'd pencil him in for the NHL team next year to start the year, but I'd take him as the first call up and I think he's probably an upgrade over someone like Colton White, who we've had in that role this year, but again, it all depends on how he progresses. The sample size is still very small with him either way.

I thought Santini was pretty solid in his first year in the league where he played like half the games that year, but when they made the mistake of loading him up on the top pairing the next year, he was astronomically bad and didn't even improve much after they slid him back down to middle and bottom pairing minutes.

Overall, Bahl has been better than Smith this year. He's also shown the ability to win one-on-one battles and battles down low, which Smith has not.

I'd rather shop Smith for a 3C or draft picks and go with the winner of a Bahl/Okhotyuk battle as the 3LD next year. Of course, this plan works far better if the Devils also get one of my top UFA targets in RD Ilya Lyubushkin to solidify that 3rd pairing.

 

[Bleedred]

Overall, Bahl has been better than Smith this year. He's also shown the ability to win one-on-one battles and battles down low, which Smith has not.

I'd rather shop Smith for a 3C or draft picks and go with the winner of a Bahl/Okhotyuk battle as the 3LD next year. Of course, this plan works far better if the Devils also get one of my top UFA targets in RD Ilya Lyubushkin to solidify that 3rd pairing.

I don't disagree that Bahl has been better than Smith, although in way fewer games. Smith has been awful, but I'm not sure why so many really wanna give up on him so quickly.

Once again (and I know you didn't say this personally) people are so confident a player like Blackwood is gonna bounce back after 50+ poor games (his AHL play is a bit of a red flag indicator that it may be more than the injuries and he just isn't any good), but a player like Smith (who has a high ceiling) is expendable? I don't get it.

Smith had a very good rookie season just a year ago.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I feel as though Ty has been left out of all of our future plans yet for good reason. But I just wonder if the organization feels the same.

If not its a tough spot to pick for him IMO

Fitzgerald has clearly shown a preference for bigger and more physical defensemen, so there's that.

Smith is still young enough and has the pedigree for reasonable trade value. Vancouver would be a nice destination, as they are desperate on the blueline and near the cap ceiling, which Smith's salary would be a nice fit into. Smith is also Western Canadian, which would improve the narrative even more.

I don't see anything at the NHL level which would interest the Devils out of Vancouver, but I'd gladly make the deal for Jett Woo and a 3rd round pick.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Smith should definitely be given a chance next year to see if he can rebound. We have two left handed guys ahead of him so it’s not a huge deal, plus Bahl looks to be a fine contingency plan. And we’d be selling him at his lowest.

I like the depth of the blue line (assuming a big Hamilton rebound), we don’t need to add much. Just give me a low event right handed dman that can kill penalties. Luke will be on the team very shortly, don’t forget.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don't disagree that Bahl has been better than Smith, although in way fewer games. Smith has been awful, but I'm not sure why so many really wanna give up on him so quickly.

Once again (and I know you didn't say this personally) people are so confident a player like Blackwood is gonna bounce back after 50+ poor games (his AHL play is a bit of a red flag indicator that it may be more than the injuries and he just isn't any good), but a player like Smith (who has a high ceiling) is expendable? I don't get it.

Smith had a very good rookie season just a year ago.

I liked Smith when NJ picked him (although my stated preference at #17 overall was for K'Andre Miller). I liked him last year. But I'm not a big believer in waiting for undersized offense-first defensemen to round out their defensive games, unless they're elite producers like a Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar.

Since I don't consider Smith to have that sort of upside, I think it's a detriment to the entire team to wait for Smith to figure it out. Better to have a guy back there who can at least prevent the other team from scoring, like a Bahl or Okhotyuk. Mukhamadullin has more upside than any of them, and Vukojevic, Misyul and Zaitsev remain viable LD prospects. Smith is a guy NJ can afford to lose to shore up another area.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Smith should definitely be given a chance next year to see if he can rebound. We have two left handed guys ahead of him so it’s not a huge deal, plus Bahl looks to be a fine contingency plan. And we’d be selling him at his lowest.

I like the depth of the blue line (assuming a big Hamilton rebound), we don’t need to add much. Just give me a low event right handed dman that can kill penalties. Luke will be on the team very shortly, don’t forget.

Ilya Lyubushkin.

 

[Bleedred]

I liked Smith when NJ picked him (although my stated preference at #17 overall was for K'Andre Miller). I liked him last year. But I'm not a big believer in waiting for undersized offense-first defensemen to round out their defensive games, unless they're elite producers like a Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar.

Since I don't consider Smith to have that sort of upside, I think it's a detriment to the entire team to wait for Smith to figure it out. Better to have a guy back there who can at least prevent the other team from scoring, like a Bahl or Okhotyuk. Mukhamadullin has more upside than any of them, and Vukojevic, Misyul and Zaitsev remain viable LD prospects. Smith is a guy NJ can afford to lose to shore up another area.

Fair enough. I'm not against parting with him, especially if his value craters which it will (or at least decrease substantially with another year like this), but I also wouldn't throw him away for nothing.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Ilya Lyubushkin.

He would be a good guy for that role. I would imagine Fitz wouldn’t want to spend too much on the right side (if he is planning on keeping Severson). Maybe Gudbranson who’s done well on a 3rd pairing this year.

 

[Triumph]

The Devils shouldn't give up on Smith but they are in a real quandary with him, because if he shows up to camp skating the way he has all year, he shouldn't start the season in the NHL, and I don't have a lot of hope for him figuring it out in the minors (even though I think he would dominate the minors). I do think they should be willing to move him in trades, but it's real tough going into next season with him or Bahl as the best options on the left side.

 

[Camille the Eel]

A lot of Smiths mistakes have been mental errors this year. Like ill advised cross ice passes that get picked off for dangerous counter attacks. Those clean up. The getting caved in one on one and coughing up the puck is something he needs to fix. Plus he just looks heavier and slower this year - less agile and taking a split second longer to make decisions. Could he be playing a bit too heavy? I loved him last year and certainly hope he can return to that form next season. There was also some injury or something (illness?) at the start of the season, he missed a lot of camp and a few games early. He’s really not looked like the same player all year that he was for his rookie season.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Back to the board and noticed @Bleedred boardline defended Mike Smith AND Bryz (never thought I'd see that one) all the while failing to address Blackwood's future as a Devil whatsoever.

At least @Guttersniped went on about how it's not the best idea for a 21y/o to be starting in net.

The 3 of us can disagree all day about the decision to toss Daws out there (I dont't), how he's played (I don't), where he should hopefully be next year (depends), and what his potential is (hopeful).

But what's missing from both of your posts that were addressing mine is your analysis of the injury prone headcase, coming off of trash years, who doesn't want to be here that we currently have on our hands.

Bernier's quite likely a wrap or at best good for 20 games. So roll forward with a Hamburgler and?

I pulled a random good modern goalie out of my ass and for some reason the name that came to mind was Varlomov. He was 22 in 2011 and pulled off a .913% and a 2.59GAA. So please let's not pretend it can't happen with this kid nor that it would be some kind of special outlier. That Avs team sucked and that guy went on to have a fine career.

Daws passes the eye test for a guy his age, even if not yet the ideal pro starter test - and the staff kept him up for a reason.

 

[Guttersniped]

I'm still not 100% convinced Bahl will be an NHL player, but he's been very good in his last stretch of games after an equally awful first stretch of games.

I don't think I'd pencil him in for the NHL team next year to start the year, but I'd take him as the first call up and I think he's probably an upgrade over someone like Colton White, who we've had in that role this year, but again, it all depends on how he progresses. The sample size is still very small with him either way.

I thought Santini was pretty solid in his first year in the league where he played like half the games that year, but when they made the mistake of loading him up on the top pairing the next year, he was astronomically bad and didn't even improve much after they slid him back down to middle and bottom pairing minutes.

Bahl’s size and mobility is a huge base to work from though. Santini being regular guy-sized (well in the big guy range, but at least 4” shorter) means he had to bring more to the table. Particularly since he was devoid of offense. And he did not.

Santini also got an overly generous contract, which worked against him because Shero made him a cap dump in the Subban trade and then the Preds bought him out.

It was always going to take Bahl time to grow into a defensive role but I never was never overly concerned with him. I think the odds are quite good for him considering he’s not an elite guy. He’s just so f***ing huge.

 

[Bleedred]

Back to the board and noticed @Bleedred boardline defended Mike Smith AND Bryz (never thought I'd see that one) all the while failing to address Blackwood's future as a Devil whatsoever.

At least @Guttersniped went on about how it's not the best idea for a 21y/o to be starting in net.

The 3 of us can disagree all day about the decision to toss Daws out there (I dont't), how he's played (I don't), where he should hopefully be next year (depends), and what his potential is (hopeful).

But what's missing from both of your posts that were addressing mine is your analysis of the injury prone headcase, coming off of trash years, who doesn't want to be here that we currently have on our hands.

Bernier's quite likely a wrap or at best good for 20 games. So roll forward with a Hamburgler and?

I pulled a random good modern goalie out of my ass and for some reason the name that came to mind was Varlomov. He was 22 in 2011 and pulled off a .913% and a 2.59GAA. So please let's not pretend it can't happen with this kid nor that it would be some kind of special outlier. That Avs team sucked and that guy went on to have a fine career.

Daws passes the eye test for a guy his age, even if not yet the ideal pro starter test - and the staff kept him up for a reason.

Wait a minute. I’m like way confused here. When was I borderline defending Bryz or Mike Smith? I still don’t understand your comparison of Bryz and Smith to Blackwood. In what way is Blackwood our Mike Smith or Bryz? I’m not even saying your wrong on that one, because I don’t even really know where the comparison comes from or what you’re comparing Blackwood to them for? I don’t even know what you’re trying to say with that because you didn’t elaborate.

I’m about as down on Blackwood as you apparently are?

I think the only disconnect we have here is on Daws actually.

Varlamov was a .913% in 2011 and went on to have a fine career? That’s way better than what Daws has done this year. That was league average and he played 53 games. He was actually 23 that season. He turned 24 the same month the season ended.

Varlamov is actually a rare example of a goalie coming into the league at 21 and having a good career, but even he played 27 games in the AHL that year, before debuting in the NHL very late in the regular season and taking over for Jose Theodore in the playoffs when he was getting blown up.

There are not many examples of 21 year old goalies playing in the NHL. Vasilevskiy did it, but even he had a decent amount of AHL games before a decrepit, almost 40 year old Nabokov was put out to pasture and he was called up to backup Ben Bishop.

Spencer Knight is currently doing it, but he’s just merely treading water right now. Daws is absolutely not treading water anymore. He hasn’t been since about the middle of March.

I don’t believe he’s passing the eye test at all. Early on he was, but not anymore. In fact, I don’t think he looks any better than Blackwood did this year and Blackwood did not look good. I think I even have Blackwood for an ever so slightly lower percentage of goals stoppable. I think Daws has a one point lower save percentage and both have played nearly the same number of games and minutes at this point.

As far as Hammond goes, he’s not going to be here beyond this year. If he is then they’ll bring him back to be an AHL/third string guy. He won’t be here for the NHL next year, if he’s even here at all.

 

[McDuffz88]

Problem with Smith is if next year comes & Bahl or someone else beats him out for that LD spot (which is a high probability) Smiths value tanks. Next year is make it or break it for him because the year after we got Luke Hughes coming up. Bahl atleast is shutting people down & using his size to hold players up. For our team its a unique skillset. Smith isn't bringing anything to the table that we aren't getting from our other defenseman. Smith definitely has a NHL career but I just don't think he fits with our team at all.

 

[Nubmer6]

A lot of Smiths mistakes have been mental errors this year. Like ill advised cross ice passes that get picked off for dangerous counter attacks. Those clean up. The getting caved in one on one and coughing up the puck is something he needs to fix. Plus he just looks heavier and slower this year - less agile and taking a split second longer to make decisions. Could he be playing a bit too heavy? I loved him last year and certainly hope he can return to that form next season. There was also some injury or something (illness?) at the start of the season, he missed a lot of camp and a few games early. He’s really not looked like the same player all year that he was for his rookie season.

If I remember correctly, his underlying metrics were pretty horrible his rookie year too. He just happened to have gotten away with it, possibly because of sheer luck.

I think he'll get better defensively, but he'll always be an offense-first defenseman. He has to be put in a position where he'll score more than he gives up. In his rookie year we used him on the PP and in a more offensive, but this year we had better options, so we basically put him in a position to fail.

At this point, he MAY be an NHLer, but I don't think he fits on this team. We have too many other defensemen who can play his offensive role and still offer better D. The best bet for his career is probably a change of scenery.

 

[Guttersniped]

Back to the board and noticed @Bleedred boardline defended Mike Smith AND Bryz (never thought I'd see that one) all the while failing to address Blackwood's future as a Devil whatsoever.

At least @Guttersniped went on about how it's not the best idea for a 21y/o to be starting in net.

The 3 of us can disagree all day about the decision to toss Daws out there (I dont't), how he's played (I don't), where he should hopefully be next year (depends), and what his potential is (hopeful).

But what's missing from both of your posts that were addressing mine is your analysis of the injury prone headcase, coming off of trash years, who doesn't want to be here that we currently have on our hands.

Bernier's quite likely a wrap or at best good for 20 games. So roll forward with a Hamburgler and?

I pulled a random good modern goalie out of my ass and for some reason the name that came to mind was Varlomov. He was 22 in 2011 and pulled off a .913% and a 2.59GAA. So please let's not pretend it can't happen with this kid nor that it would be some kind of special outlier. That Avs team sucked and that guy went on to have a fine career.

Daws passes the eye test for a guy his age, even if not yet the ideal pro starter test - and the staff kept him up for a reason.

I don’t pretend to be a goalie coach here. I broke down comparable players before (Hart, Swayman but guys coming from the NCAA are different).

The reason I wouldn’t use Varlamov as an example is
1) He was a 1st round pick and therefore a blue chip prospect. Vasilevskiy started super early in the NHL too. That’s it for Russian goalies though, so if you were picking randomly then you lucked out. (Samsonov played his 1st season in the NHL when he was 22.)

2) the KHL equivalent he played in was a top pro-league. Daws and Schmid are rookie pro-goalies. Daws did play 10 games in the DEL league but that’s not many games in a not very competitive league so I don’t consider it the same thing at all.

3) Back to the 10 games in the DEL league. 10 games is not a lot. COVID has had an adverse effect on player development by preventing these kids from playing the normal amount of games in juniors. Daws isn’t the most advanced 21 year old prospect around because of that.

4) Also Varlamov did way better in the NHL right from the start already? As did Hart? Daws arguably kept his head above water at best (which was better than Schmid, who was completely overwhelmed).

I don’t make the argument that this ruined him because I don’t know what the effects of this season’s struggles will be. Struggling badly typically isn’t good for a goalie. That’s why they usually get demoted, if that’s possible to do so, when that happens. He seemed to hang in there fine though.

Carter Hart was a much more highly regarded prospect taken in the 2nd round who played a lot more hockey in the CHL in the preceding years. He’s the only guy I can think of who recently made that jump. And everyone thinks the Flyers rushed him and might have hurt his development by doing so.

Montreal has turned to Cayden Primeau for several years in a row even though he’s young and has done poorly, but he was a 2017 7th round pick. And in 3 years he’s played 18 NHL games vs Daws’ 25. And Primeau came out of the NCAA.

I don’t consider successful 1st round goalie picks from the KHL (or equivalent) who were immediately successful to be precedents to a struggling later pick out of Juniors.

So yes, I gave pushback on the idea that a guy who was taken in the 3rd round from Canadian juniors could go straight into the NHL and miraculously succeed without the necessary experience.

I obviously don’t make the call on where Daws plays next season either. I really doubt Fitz is going to put his fate in that kid’s hands, so I assume he’ll be in Utica next season.

Lot’s of people here have already taken swings at the Gordian Knot that is next year’s goaltending. Who knows? Will all find out?

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Wait a minute. I’m like way confused here. When was I borderline defending Bryz or Mike Smith? I still don’t understand your comparison of Bryz and Smith to Blackwood. In what way is Blackwood our Mike Smith or Bryz? I’m not even saying your wrong on that one, because I don’t even really know where the comparison comes from or what you’re comparing Blackwood to them for? I don’t even know what you’re trying to say with that because you didn’t elaborate.

I’m about as down on Blackwood as you apparently are?

I think the only disconnect we have here is on Daws actually.

Varlamov was a .913% in 2011 and went on to have a fine career? That’s way better than what Daws has done this year. That was league average and he played 53 games. He was actually 23 that season. He turned 24 the same month the season ended.

Varlamov is actually a rare example of a goalie coming into the league at 21 and having a good career, but even he played 27 games in the AHL that year, before debuting in the NHL very late in the regular season and taking over for Jose Theodore in the playoffs when he was getting blown up.

There are not many examples of 21 year old goalies playing in the NHL. Vasilevskiy did it, but even he had a decent amount of AHL games before a decrepit, almost 40 year old Nabokov was put out to pasture and he was called up to backup Ben Bishop.

Spencer Knight is currently doing it, but he’s just merely treading water right now. Daws is absolutely not treading water anymore. He hasn’t been since about the middle of March.

I don’t believe he’s passing the eye test at all. Early on he was, but not anymore. In fact, I don’t think he looks any better than Blackwood did this year and Blackwood did not look good. I think I even have Blackwood for an ever so slightly lower percentage of goals stoppable. I think Daws has a one point lower save percentage and both have played nearly the same number of games and minutes at this point.

As far as Hammond goes, he’s not going to be here beyond this year. If he is then they’ll bring him back to be an AHL/third string guy. He won’t be here for the NHL next year, if he’s even here at all.

This is a long post, but I'll try to respond.

You trashed, and I mean trashed, Smith and Bryz for so long, and I'd argue rightfully so. But I honestly don't see the distinctions between why you used to him yet aren't running Blackwood through the ringer. Down on him is one thing, thrown on the next plane to Mettalurg is another.

You may feel down on Blackwood, you may post his shortcomings, but given that you're our go to goalie guy as much as sti is our prospects one, I'm calling you out on this one.

Because you don't seem to take him to task anywhere near as much as you did Cory (and we'll deservedly so) and because I don't think Nico's being given a fair shake.

It may not be correct, it may not be fair, but it's one person's opinion.

 

[Guttersniped]

This is a long post, but I'll try to respond.

You trashed, and I mean trashed, Smith and Bryz for so long, and I'd argue rightfully so. But I honestly don't see the distinctions between why you used to him yet aren't running Blackwood through the ringer. Down on him is one thing, thrown on the next plane to Mettalurg is another.

You may feel down on Blackwood, you may post his shortcomings, but given that you're our go to goalie guy as much as sti is our prospects one, I'm calling you out on this one.

Because you don't seem to take him to task anywhere near as much as you did Cory (and we'll deservedly so) and because I don't think Nico's being given a fair shake.

It may not be correct, it may not be fair, but it's one person's opinion.

Wait, what? Are arguing @Bleedred isn’t hard enough on Blackwood?

He says he’s sucked for two years and pretty much wants him gone. He refuses to see his injuries as reason for his stretches of poor performance (trust me, I know because I make the futile arguments that I can feel bounce off of him) and pretty much predicts he will not be good next year if we wheel him out again.

He stopped asking for two new goalies for next season because people kept responding that it’s unlikely we can get two new ones in this market, and wouldn’t likely even try with all the money we have tied up the current ones. And Blackwood’s questionable current trade value makes a trade a bit iffy. (I’m guessing Bleed still wants two new goalies though.)

Yes, it’s arguably weird that I’m speaking for him, but I can at least vouch that he seems plenty hard on Mac to me. It’s easy enough to do as most of the time we basically just say the same things over and over. (It’s part our collective irresistible charm.)

I think he also has thrown out the theory that Blackwood could flourish elsewhere after he leaves here in a huff, but that might be my own theory be bleeding into this.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

I don’t pretend to be a goalie coach here. I broke down comparable players before (Hart, Swayman but guys coming from the NCAA are different).

The reason I wouldn’t use Varlamov as an example is
1) He was a 1st round pick and therefore a blue chip prospect. Vasilevskiy started super early in the NHL too. That’s it for Russian goalies though, so if you were picking randomly then you lucked out. (Samsonov played his 1st season in the NHL when he was 22.)

2) the KHL equivalent he played in was a top pro-league. Daws and Schmid are rookie pro-goalies. Daws did play 10 games in the DEL league but that’s not many games in a not very competitive league so I don’t consider it the same thing at all.

3) Back to the 10 games in the DEL league. 10 games is not a lot. COVID has had an adverse effect on player development by preventing these kids from playing the normal amount of games in juniors. Daws isn’t the most advanced 21 year old prospect around because of that.

4) Also Varlamov did way better in the NHL right from the start already? As did Hart? Daws arguably kept his head above water at best (which was better than Schmid, who was completely overwhelmed).

I don’t make the argument that this ruined him because I don’t know what the effects of this season’s struggles will be. Struggling badly typically isn’t good for a goalie. That’s why they usually get demoted, if that’s possible to do so, when that happens. He seemed to hang in there fine though.

Carter Hart was a much more highly regarded prospect taken in the 2nd round who played a lot more hockey in the CHL in the preceding years. He’s the only guy I can think of who recently made that jump. And everyone thinks the Flyers rushed him and might have hurt his development by doing so.

Montreal has turned to Cayden Primeau for several years in a row even though he’s young and has done poorly, but he was a 2017 7th round pick. And in 3 years he’s played 18 NHL games vs Daws’ 25. And Primeau came out of the NCAA.

I don’t consider successful 1st round goalie picks from the KHL (or equivalent) who were immediately successful to be precedents to a struggling later pick out of Juniors.

So yes, I gave pushback on the idea that a guy who was taken in the 3rd round from Canadian juniors could go straight into the NHL and miraculously succeed without the necessary experience.

I obviously don’t make the call on where Daws plays next season either. I really doubt Fitz is going to put his fate in that kid’s hands, so I assume he’ll be in Utica next season.

Lot’s of people here have already taken swings at the Gordian Knot that is next year’s goaltending. Who knows? Will all find out?

1) I guess Varlomov was a lucky guess. Google Rinne to try and bolster my hopes but that didn't work out so well.

2) This inspires more hope in my world.

3) Now you're landing me in the (Carey) Price is right land.

4) "Head above water." After all of the detractions? And I'm not supposed to be happy about the kid why?

OHL, to covid, to a cup of coffee in a shit Euro league, on to putting up decent numbers in the A, then beating out a few other guys just to not look like a waste in the NHL, while doing it at 21. And I'm supposed to be dismayed by this? Or is it just the 'rushing' and doesn't suit a few guys eye test thing that should bother me?

Never said he'll "miraculously succeed," those are your words. I'm stating that I'm psyched.

Oh, and that our original Ronald golden arches tall weirdo is donezo. But you didn't address that so sleeping dogs after this post.

 

[Bleedred]

This is a long post, but I'll try to respond.

You trashed, and I mean trashed, Smith and Bryz for so long, and I'd argue rightfully so. But I honestly don't see the distinctions between why you used to him yet aren't running Blackwood through the ringer. Down on him is one thing, thrown on the next plane to Mettalurg is another.

You may feel down on Blackwood, you may post his shortcomings, but given that you're our go to goalie guy as much as sti is our prospects one, I'm calling you out on this one.

Because you don't seem to take him to task anywhere near as much as you did Cory (and we'll deservedly so) and because I don't think Nico's being given a fair shake.

It may not be correct, it may not be fair, but it's one person's opinion.

Actually, I just went on a mini rant just a couple hours ago on how quick some are to throw out Ty Smith, while also way too confident in someone like Blackwood and how it was the injuries and long covid that have caused his poor play over the last two years (which COULD be true) and probably not the fact that he just isn’t any good, because his AHL career was pretty lousy and I remember the argument at the time was that there haven’t been many goalies to go on to have a good NHL career after a season in the AHL like Blackwood’s 17-18 season.

So yeah, I think I’m probably right where you are on Blackwood, though maybe not quite as militantly with sending him on the next plane to Metallurg.

I give him a better chance of bouncing back than I did Cory, if not just because of his age. He’s still much younger than Cory was when I was basically guaranteeing that his NHL career was too far gone and at the point of no return. I’m not quite there with Blackwood, but I’m not confident that he’ll be consistently good again.

I personally think it’s DANGEROUS to have too much confidence in him going into next season. It’s a good way to pencil us into a bottom feeder again.

This is the question I’ve been asking about Blackwood for months now. There’s no doubt in my mind that he hasn’t been healthy for two years and definitely this year, but are the injuries the difference in him being downright horrendous (like he has been since game 6 of last season, he’s an .894% over his last 53 games played) and good like he was his first two seasons in the NHL? Or are they just the difference in him being downright horrendous and just mediocre?

I actually take it as a compliment that you don’t think I’m hard enough or critical or outspoken enough on Blackwood, as I feel like many others have accused me of being too hard on him.

 

[Bleedred]

Oh and one other thing that makes Blackwood easier to swallow than Schneider, he’s only got one year left on his deal after this. So if he isn’t shipped out and he sucks again, we just let him walk and don’t offer him a new contract. He’d have no leg to stand on to even get a qualifying offer anywhere near his current deal with one more poor season. And even with a good season he really won’t have a leg to stand on in asking for a raise after underperforming for 2 of the 3 years on this deal.

With Cory it was several years of asking “Are we gonna buy him out? We’re not really bringing him back another year because he had a string of good play that only followed 9 games of .850% goaltending, are we we?” because he still had several years left (at $6 million per) by the time he started to suck this bad.

So that right there is why Blackwood doesn’t have much consequence long term right now.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Problem with Smith is if next year comes & Bahl or someone else beats him out for that LD spot (which is a high probability) Smiths value tanks. Next year is make it or break it for him because the year after we got Luke Hughes coming up. Bahl atleast is shutting people down & using his size to hold players up. For our team its a unique skillset. Smith isn't bringing anything to the table that we aren't getting from our other defenseman. Smith definitely has a NHL career but I just don't think he fits with our team at all.

Agreed.

There's no point in risking team success next year in hoping Smith comes around. Trade him this off-season while he still has value. Someone will still see him as a potential high-end reclamation project. If he misses the mark next year, that's when the value will dip remarkably.

The Devils have a keeper LD in Siegenthaler and another good one in Graves. They have a top 3 prospect in the world with LD Luke Hughes, and the most LD prospect depth in the NHL with Mukhamadullin, Bahl, Okhotyuk, Vukojevic, Misyul, Zaitsev and Edwards.

Let's go into 2022-23 with Siegenthaler/Graves and the winner of a camp battle between Bahl/Okhotyuk. Use Smith as a trade-chip to fill a need on the 3rd line, or with a RD or C prospect, or even a young goaltender. There's no point bringing him back next year, because the potential benefit is more for Smith than it would be for the New Jersey Devils.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

.

 

[Guttersniped]

1) I guess Varlomov was a lucky guess. Google Rinne to try and bolster my hopes but that didn't work out so well.

2) This inspires more hope in my world.

3) Now you're landing me in the (Carey) Price is right land.

4) "Head above water." After all of the detractions? And I'm not supposed to be happy about the kid why?

OHL, to covid, to a cup of coffee in a shit Euro league, on to putting up decent numbers in the A, then beating out a few other guys just to not look like a waste in the NHL, while doing it at 21. And I'm supposed to be dismayed by this? Or is it just the 'rushing' and doesn't suit a few guys eye test thing that should bother me?

Never said he'll "miraculously succeed," those are your words. I'm stating that I'm psyched.

Oh, and that our original Ronald golden arches tall weirdo is donezo. But you didn't address that so sleeping dogs after this post.

You can be psyched? I like Daws too. All I care about is player development. They played him because they had to, regardless of his best interests. It doesn’t mean he can’t come out of this season just fine and dandy.

The fact that Daws wasn’t completely overwhelmed and seemed to work on his game while in the NHL was a good thing. I think he would have an easier time continuing that work in the AHL after this next season.

If you want my opinion on Blackwood, I’ve broken down his game log before and his poor play pretty much corresponds with his health issues. I don’t know what exactly happened with his heel or his relationship with the team.

If he’s healthy it seems inevitable that we give him one last try unless we get something really worthwhile in a trade AND we have other good solutions to the goalie crisis. I have my doubts about all that happening.

He’s signed for 2.8m. I don’t see the team getting two new goalies.

We also have no idea how Bernier is doing but they can slow walk him from the IR, I don’t see them declaring him 100% healthy and saying he’s one of the starters next season.

So, yes, I see our original Ronald golden arches tall weirdo + a new hope (that hopefully is not crushed by pre-season) as next season’s tandem since the team keeps blabbing about getting a goalie.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Everyone on Devils HF tonight