Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - season begins!

[Captain3rdLine]

NHL edge data suggests Haula is way above average. He hit approximately 23.5 last year which was roughly 95% of skaters. Lazar is a bit above 22.1 which was league average. Bastian is slightly below average, Palat is further below average and do yourself a favor and don't look at Noesen's edge data. Cotter is well above average. Based on the objective stuff I'd say the bottom six centers are fast and average and one winger is fast and one is more or less average and one is slow and one is a turtle.

The top speed they reached all season is not even close to a good way of measuring how fast a player is in the normal course of a game. I don’t even think the edge data is a good way of measuring how fast a player plays. Not meaningless but not the be all end all.

Haula reached over 22 once. I don’t question that he can occasionally get up to a good speed. But he’s slow footed off starts, not very explosive and slow turning. And when you look at the other edge skating which you didn’t seem to be interested in, Haula is below average in 22+ bursts and 20-22 bursts. Again don’t think that says all that much. I could be over exaggerating how slow he is but I don’t for a second think he’s a very good skater or fast.

 

[Barry Tallackson]

Our bottom 6 has lost a ton of speed, which was a big factor 2 seasons ago… wood, boqvist, Sharangovich, McLeod are now replaced with the likes of noesen, Palat, Haula

 

[My3Sons]

Our bottom 6 has lost a ton of speed, which was a big factor 2 seasons ago… wood, boqvist, Sharangovich, McLeod are now replaced with the likes of noesen, Palat, Haula

They didn’t lean into their identity. That speed was what really gave them an edge. I’d have preferred they got faster overall.

 

[theoptimist]

Well, MM was our shadow 1C.
22-23 doesn't happen without him. He helped Nico defensively and carried whatever line he was on. To me, his departure is one of the saddest things to happen to this franchise since Kovy and Parise.

He would have earned a 6 year, 30M deal last offseason. Huge loss.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I think the biggest problem with Hughes right now is that we're taking away from his strength by stacking both Bratt and Meier with him. All 3 of those players want the puck on their sticks. Having those players with him takes away from Hughes game. I think Hughes works best when he's the main dude on his line. Right now he isn't. Maybe keep 1 of Bratt or Meier with him but there's no reason for all 3. Spread the wealth. I think Hughes would do better with a defensive winger who can cover for his deficiencies or a winger who just has a nasty shot & doesn't have to do much but be ready to rip the pick (similar to Tofolli)

Yea I mentioned this before too. I do have a feeling what we're seeing is the result of his line currently.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Maybe swap Bratt and Mercer?

I believe Tatar was brought back due to the chemistry with Nico. However, having him in that spot does limit some of the combinations with the top two lines. I have major doubts if Tatar can be effective with Hughes or on the third line. We will see how things play out. It’s early.

Meier-Hughes-Mercer
Tatar-Hischier-Bratt

I have a hot take for some line changes

Cotter-Hughes-Bratt
Meier-Nico-Mercer
Tatar-Haula-Nosen
Palat-Lazar-Bastian

I'd prob swap Palat and Tatar in the playoffs though (assuming they make it).

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Well, MM was our shadow 1C.
22-23 doesn't happen without him. He helped Nico defensively and carried whatever line he was on. To me, his departure is one of the saddest things to happen to this franchise since Kovy and Parise.

He would have earned a 6 year, 30M deal last offseason. Huge loss.

He was okay for most of 22-23. He was amazing last year before what happened.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Well, MM was our shadow 1C.
22-23 doesn't happen without him. He helped Nico defensively and carried whatever line he was on. To me, his departure is one of the saddest things to happen to this franchise since Kovy and Parise.

He would have earned a 6 year, 30M deal last offseason. Huge loss.

Insane revionist history. MM was not particularly good for the vast majority of the 2023 season. He was a fine to good 4th line guy, and had surprisingly bad defensive results.

Recency bias is a crazy drug. He had one good playoff run (2 series) and 45 good RS games.

Yeah wish he wasn’t (allegedly) a rapist, the team feels his loss now, but he wasn’t the reason 2023 happened, sorry.

 

[My3Sons]

Insane revionist history. MM was not particularly good for the vast majority of the 2023 season. He was a fine to good 4th line guy, and had surprisingly bad defensive results.

Recency bias is a crazy drug. He had one good playoff run (2 series) and 45 good RS games.

Yeah wish he wasn’t (allegedly) a rapist, the team feels his loss now, but he wasn’t the reason 2023 happened, sorry.

Some players are late bloomers and he seemed to be one of those.

 

[Bleedred]

If we had to pay McLeod $30 million for 6 years or even $3 or $4 million per for 4 years starting this year? We should be glad he's gone, even if he weren't a rapist.

He wasn't good for long enough to justify that kind of money. That's like the contract Seattle just gave Joey Daccord. Yes, I know, goalie, different position., But still.

That's a contract that could have really haunted us. I'm trying to figure out who we wouldn't have on the team this year and where we would have had to cut $3 or $4 million to give it to a guy who had one good season as a 3rd line center. And really more like 3/4th's of a season because who knows what he would have been like down the stretch if he had stuck around?

I can't imagine paying him that much based off that one year. We got rid of Zacha so we didn't have to pay him too much (which I was totally behind, by the way, it was the right move) only to pay McLeod too much? I'm glad we never had to find out.

But I wanna make clear the most important part in all of this is that a rapist has no place on this hockey club or any others, nor do they have a place in the world as far as I'm concerned.

 

[theoptimist]

Some players are late bloomers and he seemed to be one of those.

He is not given the grace because he's a 1st round pick. His shot was horrendous but he did all the other things well. He developed in the NHL from a young age. With Mclead (and really with straightforward, hardworking types like him), people are 'penny wise, pound foolish.' Like saying he's not worth 4-5M, because deep down they know they're compromised with the Palat deal. He was the perfect 3rd liner, who defended against other top lines, and had the best faceoff percentage in the league. His brother Ryan plays similarly. $5M is not a lot today and will not be in 2030.

 

[Saugus]

He is not given the grace because he's a 1st round pick. His shot was horrendous but he did all the other things well. He developed in the NHL from a young age. With Mclead (and really with straightforward, hardworking types like him), people are 'penny wise, pound foolish.' Like saying he's not worth 4-5M, because deep down they know they're compromised with the Palat deal. He was the perfect 3rd liner, who defended against other top lines, and had the best faceoff percentage in the league. His brother Ryan plays similarly. $5M is not a lot today and will not be in 2030.

I’m skeptical of this. I don’t think there is any way McLeod would get $4-5 M. Teams just don’t pay that much for a defensive specialist forward with no offense to speak of.

 

[NJDevs26]

McLeod is not a Devil or in the NHL anymore, it’s pointless to even spend thirty seconds on debating what kind of contract he should or could have gotten, but last year’s team had plenty of issues with or without him.

If on a team with two franchise center #1 overalls and big ticket guys like Dougie, Timo and Bratt a guy who had four goals and played just over twelve minutes a night during the season we had 112 points was somehow the glue that caused last year to fall apart then they need serious structural changes. Even the whole Brunette’s loss was the difference last year meme had more merit than trying to make that case.

 

[theoptimist]

I’m skeptical of this. I don’t think there is any way McLeod would get $4-5 M. Teams just don’t pay that much for a defensive specialist forward with no offense to speak of.

If Zacha could get $4.75M from the Bruins, MM could have gotten the same from us. There's no center depth after our franchise centers.

 

[Bleedred]

I’m skeptical of this. I don’t think there is any way McLeod would get $4-5 M. Teams just don’t pay that much for a defensive specialist forward with no offense to speak of.

I don't think $4 or $5 million per, but probably $3 million per and even that was too much with no real track record of being good. Just that one year.

We probably would have tried to dump Haula in that case, as he'd almost replace Haula's salary. I still think that would be a gamble.

McLeod (much like Miles Wood) is a guy that I think they probably would have let walk once he got to UFA. They may have just given him a one year deal for $2.5 or $3 million, like they did to Miles Wood when he was an RFA with one more year to go to UFA. I think McLeod would have been eligible for UFA in 2025.

 

[My3Sons]

He is not given the grace because he's a 1st round pick. His shot was horrendous but he did all the other things well. He developed in the NHL from a young age. With Mclead (and really with straightforward, hardworking types like him), people are 'penny wise, pound foolish.' Like saying he's not worth 4-5M, because deep down they know they're compromised with the Palat deal. He was the perfect 3rd liner, who defended against other top lines, and had the best faceoff percentage in the league. His brother Ryan plays similarly. $5M is not a lot today and will not be in 2030.

He was just starting to arrive as a player when reality struck him.

 

[MadDevil]

3 games into the season and we're talking McLeod?

 

[My3Sons]

3 games into the season and we're talking McLeod?

View attachment 915701

Everyone has their hill to die on. The same stuff gets recycled and McLeod is no exception.

 

[Bleedred]

Everyone has their hill to die on. The same stuff gets recycled and McLeod is no exception.

Rogalski sucks, Blackwood sucks even if Rogalski wasn't helping.

I forgot the rest of mine.

 

[NjDevsRR]

@HersheyBob27

 

[HersheyBob27]

View attachment 915830
@HersheyBob27

I like him now that he is here. That said I would still go under 25. Kinda early for your victory lap

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Chills when we trade for Hall and him and Noesen recreate this goal in the Cup Final this year.

 

[Oneiro]

McLeod would not have had those regular season numbers without his inevitable exit from the league happening. He would never have played that way without the axe hanging over his head because of his past. That was "leave it all out there because that's all that's left"-kind of hockey. Along with Zacha, one of the most maximally frustrating picks we ever made.

That and the Oilers almost coming back should tell you that the only time people get their shit together is when opportunity is about to be taken away.

 

[Dialamo]

Chills when we trade for Hall and him and Noesen recreate this goal in the Cup Final this year.

For some reason I thought Hall had a few more years left on his deal. He is a UFA at the end of the season with a $6m cap hit. It's actually a possible deadline acquisition.

 

[Triumph]

McLeod would not have had those regular season numbers without his inevitable exit from the league happening. He would never have played that way without the axe hanging over his head because of his past. That was "leave it all out there because that's all that's left"-kind of hockey. Along with Zacha, one of the most maximally frustrating picks we ever made.

That and the Oilers almost coming back should tell you that the only time people get their shit together is when opportunity is about to be taken away.

I have absolutely no reason to believe this is true. McLeod's work ethic has been praised from day 1, the idea that someone with that level of skill and commitment can figure it out, in spite of what was going on, makes sense.

Best to just leave McLeod in the past.