Prospect Info: Devils Win #2 Overall -- Slafkovsky vs. Jiricek vs. Nemec

[StevenToddIves]

I don’t mind Frank Seravalli, Spector for rumours. Spector doesnt get all wrapped up in hearsay and doesnt speculate. When he does speculate , he comes out and directly says “ this is me speculating “ lol.

Spector is great -- I used to regularly correspond with him when I was actively hockey writing. He's the opposite of click-desperate, and usually errs towards being the voice of reason.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Please show me this "large portion of the fanbase" that wants Fitz to basically trade Slaf (or Wright).

Well even on here 11% of the votes were to trade it but if you look on twitter or other social media you’ll see a decent amount of devils fans saying we should trade it. A lot of casuals probably and I think most of the people on here tend to be more reasonable too but there’s still a good amount of devils fans out there wanting it to be traded.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Well even on here 11% of the votes were to trade it but if you look on twitter or other social media you’ll see a decent amount of devils fans saying we should trade it. A lot of casuals probably and I think most of the people on here tend to be more reasonable too but there’s still a good amount of devils fans out there wanting it to be traded.

Most of these people who want to trade prospects are not familiar with the prospects. You won't see a draft guy being like: oh, the Devils should draft Slafkovsky for Kevin Fiala because draft-guys know Slafkovsky is a markedly superior talent to Fiala. Remember, we're just a few months away from people saying the Devils should trade the first-round pick for Connor freaking Garland. Can you imagine?

 

[youryeah]

just for funsies what scenario is more likely to happen:

slaf goes #1

devils trade #2

I'm kinda leaning devils trade #2 and that scares me

 

[My3Sons]

If the season ticket holders are saying to trade the pick the team will be more inclined to listen.

 

[Triumph]

just for funsies what scenario is more likely to happen:

slaf goes #1

devils trade #2

I'm kinda leaning devils trade #2 and that scares me

I don't know why people think it's possible to trade this pick. It hasn't happened in so long - 1999 had a ton of crazy draft shenanigans where Chicago traded #4 and also Tampa traded it, Tampa also traded #4 overall in 2002, but this is just stuff that can't happen anymore, with UFA at 27 you just don't have enough time with a player. Every player is either too valuable or not valuable enough and a package won't do it.

 

[Nubmer6]

Who knows how old that news is, it might have been at a time when Slaf's stock started to rise, and since then his performance the past couple weeks has changed those scouts minds - and if it hasn't hopefully they're the ones Fitz has the least confidence in.

What the last few weeks did for me wasn't that Slafkovsky impressed me with what he could do. It was that I had reservations about whether his play would translate to the NHL - mainly his speed. I was also afraid that he was being rated so highly on a very small sample size - his performance at the Olympics - since his production was pretty low in his normal league.

After watching him play, I now have no concerns about his speed. He's also proven to me that his play in the Olympics wasn't a fluke. I also ended up liking him even more after finding out that his scoring was low because he was playing a defensive role, which makes me think he won't be a defensive liability. Lastly, larger players tend to scare me because I'm always afraid their success comes from playing against smaller opponents, but he's played in an adult league all year, and he definitely didn't seem to be affected in the Worlds.

 

[youryeah]

I don't know why people think it's possible to trade this pick. It hasn't happened in so long - 1999 had a ton of crazy draft shenanigans where Chicago traded #4 and also Tampa traded it, Tampa also traded #4 overall in 2002, but this is just stuff that can't happen anymore, with UFA at 27 you just don't have enough time with a player. Every player is either too valuable or not valuable enough and a package won't do it.

I was just asking a hypothetical question. I am sorry triumph

 

[Saugus]

It's not a splashy move to draft an outstanding young player such as Slaf.

Come on, Saugus.

I'm not saying it is, and as you know, I am in favor of us drafting Slafkovsky. That is not my objection here.

I just don't think fan or media pressure should have any bearing on what our management decides to do with the pick. When GMs start listening to fan opinions or media punditry over trusting their own process, they start doing stupid shit. We see this all the time with big market teams giving outrageous contracts to big name free agents, or Montreal being limited by needing Francophones in certain roles.

So even though most of the board (including me) are in favor of picking Slafkovsky, it is and should be utterly irrelevant to the way Fitz and his draft team think about their options. If they think picking Slafkovsky is the best move, fine by me, I agree.

But it should be because they reached that conclusion after extensive scouting and careful thought, not because 185 random schmos on a message board thought they should pick him.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Most of these people who want to trade prospects are not familiar with the prospects. You won't see a draft guy being like: oh, the Devils should draft Slafkovsky for Kevin Fiala because draft-guys know Slafkovsky is a markedly superior talent to Fiala. Remember, we're just a few months away from people saying the Devils should trade the first-round pick for Connor freaking Garland. Can you imagine?

I don’t disagree with any of that. I’m just explaining that there is a lot of people like that out there and it wouldn’t surprise me if Fitz puts that report out there to appease those people and make it at least look like he tried and was looking at it.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don’t mind Frank Seravalli, Spector for rumours. Spector doesnt get all wrapped up in hearsay and doesnt speculate. When he does speculate , he comes out and directly says “ this is me speculating “ lol.

I enjoy when these guys (and it happens to all of them) basically get out semaphore flags to signal that *this is speculation by me, from my own brain, and not an actual rumor, I have to fill this column/air time with something and I’m just blue skying here*, I mean they can’t make it more clear that it’s not a rumor…

and it immediately gets posted on the trade board as a rumor.

 

[My3Sons]

I enjoy when these guys (and it happens to all of them) basically get out semaphore flags to signal that *this is speculation by me, from my own brain, and not an actual rumor, I have to fill this column/air time with something and I’m just blue skying here*, I mean they can’t make it more clear that it’s not a rumor…

and it immediately gets posted on the trade board as a rumor.

If people actually looked and saw the specifics of what Fitz said I’d get it. Instead you get the usual slew of offers built on over the hill declining vets they want off the cap and failed prospects and a second.

 

[Devs3cups]

If people actually looked and saw the specifics of what Fitz said I’d get it. Instead you get the usual slew of offers built on over the hill declining vets they want off the cap and failed prospects and a second.

100% this. I've seen Miller for the 2OA today... That was something lol.

 

[Guttersniped]

I'm not saying it is, and as you know, I am in favor of us drafting Slafkovsky. That is not my objection here.

I just don't think fan or media pressure should have any bearing on what our management decides to do with the pick. When GMs start listening to fan opinions or media punditry over trusting their own process, they start doing stupid shit. We see this all the time with big market teams giving outrageous contracts to big name free agents, or Montreal being limited by needing Francophones in certain roles.

So even though most of the board (including me) are in favor of picking Slafkovsky, it is and should be utterly irrelevant to the way Fitz and his draft team think about their options. If they think picking Slafkovsky is the best move, fine by me, I agree.

But it should be because they reached that conclusion after extensive scouting and careful thought, not because 185 random schmos on a message board thought they should pick him.

I should personally be able exert immense pressure on the team but I don’t know about the rest of you assholes… I kid.



I doubt they care that much about mildly upsetting or pleasing fans in the short term with specific decisions about players. Fans complain about everything.

I’m worried that Fitz will try to please demands for success next season by sacrificing the long term future. Aka dumb panic moves (which happen when guys are trying to keep their jobs by instantly winning). If we make the equivalent of the Raanta/Stepan trade, yikes.

 

[MadDevil]

just for funsies what scenario is more likely to happen:

slaf goes #1

devils trade #2

I'm kinda leaning devils trade #2 and that scares me

In this fun hypothetical world, Holland loses his mind and trades McDavid to us for #2 overall.

 

[Triumph]

I was just asking a hypothetical question. I am sorry triumph

Sorry, I missed the 'just for funsies' part.

 

[Hisch13r]

Spector is great -- I used to regularly correspond with him when I was actively hockey writing. He's the opposite of click-desperate, and usually errs towards being the voice of reason.

Spector f***ing sucks.

 

[Nubmer6]

Spector f***ing sucks.

In what way? He just consolidates what's reported by other people every morning.

 

[Hisch13r]

In what way? He just consolidates what's reported by other people every morning.

I'm not talking about his rumor reporting. I'm saying the guy who blamed McDavid and Draisaitl for their loss to Chicago a couple years ago and blamed McDavid for Tippett getting fired this year is nowhere near a voice of reason. Spector f***ing sucks. He's one of the worst. He's not much better than a Simmons of a Matheson.

 

[HBK27]

I’m a little worried now lol, but I’m the type who worries.

Also the idea that Fitz is trying to save his job and sees a player as someone who will give him instant results vs a prospect makes a depressing certain amount of sense. If that’s the reason it happens then I will begin to look forward to him being fired after that. (And I never did that with a Devils GM before.)

I should personally be able exert immense pressure on the team but I don’t know about the rest of you assholes… I kid.



I doubt they care that much about mildly upsetting or pleasing fans in the short term with specific decisions about players. Fans complain about everything.

I’m worried that Fitz will try to please demands for success next season by sacrificing the long term future. Aka dumb panic moves (which happen when guys are trying to keep their jobs by instantly winning). If we make the equivalent of the Raanta/Stepan trade, yikes.

If Fitz (or any GM) is doing this, then they are clearly the wrong person for the job and the owners are idiots for not seeing through it. The team supposedly has a plan to build around Jack, Nico, Bratt, Luke, etc. timelines. If Fitz is trading a major, major asset in the #2 overall pick for immediate help he has to show ownership that the player coming in also aligns with whatever timeline they have in mind for contending for the Cup.

You can't be a good GM in this league if you're even considering making moves for the purpose of saving your job.

I personally don't see any realistic trades for #2 coming to fruition unless Montreal goes off the board for Slaf, in which case the Devils could weigh options for trading down within the top 5. Hopefully the beginning of the draft is boring and goes Wright, Slaf as most expect.

With a healthy Blackwood and likely another veteran 1a/1b goalie in the mix, plus another year of development from the league's youngest team we should see massive improvements in the standings without addressing other areas. We've got a number of young prospects also knocking at the door, so there will be a lot of competition for roster spots among skaters before any other moves are made as only Subban, Vesey and (please god) Geertson are on their way out.

I think if Fitz was feeling the heat he would've already canned Ruff by now as that's a risk keeping him on (which still isn't 100% finalized), so I trust he won't make any panic or job saving moves this offseason.

 

[Devils731]

You can't be a good GM in this league if you're even considering making moves for the purpose of saving your job.

Mostly agree but also I think GMs are much more short term oriented than fans might be because GM job security is a high priority to the GM while being a low priority for fans.

 

[glenwo2]

I personally don't see any realistic trades for #2 coming to fruition unless Montreal goes off the board for Slaf, in which case the Devils could weigh options for trading down within the top 5. Hopefully the beginning of the draft is boring and goes Wright, Slaf as most expect.

I'd be curious as to what those options are and if they are enough to pry Shane F'n Wright from Fitz's hands.

Personally, i don't think any package short of something ABSURD would do it.

 

[Eggtimer]

Spector f***ing sucks.

No way. He sorts through all the BS and just tells it like it is. Gathers information then addresses using his knowledge of the game amd how shit really works. I guess you can call him a little bit of a Debbie downer because he shoots down unrealistic rumours and gossip with logical thinking.
Who was the reporter that asked Draisaitl “why are you so pissy!?”
Or the guy that asked McKinnon after the playoffs last year a super odd awkward question and dropped a couple of F bombs in the post elimination playoff game interview ? That guy is a dipshit.

 

[Blackjack]

It's honestly hard to imagine any of the 3, 4, 5 teams offering enough to move up for Wright if that scenario came to pass. I don't even think I'd do it for a late 1st round pick. Maybe if Arizona offered all three of their 1st round picks (since both Carolina and Colorado will be very late in the 1st round)

MAYBE I would do it for 6 and 12 but I don't think Buffalo would do that.

 

[Guttersniped]

It's honestly hard to imagine any of the 3, 4, 5 teams offering enough to move up for Wright if that scenario came to pass. I don't even think I'd do it for a late 1st round pick. Maybe if Arizona offered all three of their 1st round picks (since both Carolina and Colorado will be very late in the 1st round)

MAYBE I would do it for 6 and 12 but I don't think Buffalo would do that.

Columbus has 6 & 12 picks not Buffalo. (I didn’t know this picture would be this big but it amuses me more that way. That’s just me of course, YMMV.)