Confirmed with Link: (G) J. Markstrom (30% retention) traded to NJ for (D) Kevin Bahl, 2025 1st rd pick (Top 10 protected)

[Call Me Al]

If none move, I do wonder what the near term plan is for Schmid, Daws and Poulter though...can't really play them all at the same time in the AHL and Poulter proved he was too good for the ECHL.

there could be other moves then - they could be available for draft picks or for improvements in other areas since we have fewer prospects and good goalies are hard to come by for a lot of franchises

 

[MasterofGrond]

I’ve slept on it and I feel better about this than I did yesterday.

Now trade Holtz for a LD

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I’ve slept on it and I feel better about this than I did yesterday.

Now trade Holtz for a LD

I'm kinda on this boat as well but if he wasn't moved for Markstrom, I wonder what kinda of LD you can even get at this point

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

I see the same type of team winning the cup every year. Strong, relentless, with just enough talent. We aren't winning the Cup next year, quit stealing the future to squeak in as a small soft team for a round or two. We already have Allen for the temporary goalie fix. Focus on making our team harder to play against and get a goalie when the right deal comes around.

 

[MachoDiablo]

Not my dream target, but it's a necessary trade that comes with some nice upside given Markstrom's talent.

Fact is, the Devils had to get an established goalie, and it's very much a seller's market on that front given how few reliable starting goalies there are in the league. Combine that with just how wretched the Devils' goaltending was for most of last season, and teams knew they'd likely have Fitz over a barrel on just about any deal...but a deal had to be made, because it'd be very tough for the Devils to address their other needs (a defense-first shutdown-type Dman, a couple of solid guys for the bottom six) without having any resolution to the problems in net. And, lo and behold, turns out the deal isn't lopsided against us, especially with Calgary retaining salary! Never like giving up a first rounder if it can be avoided, but I think just about any realistic deal the Devils were going to make for a good netminder was going to cost one.

Markstrom's older, no getting around it, and I fear what that could lead to injury-wise or just based on age taking its toll, but having Allen around to caddy for him is a pretty nice setup if you want to give Markstrom semi-regular rest. Now attention can shift to addressing the roster's other needs.

Dano is a premium asset

And Premio is REAL Italian sausage with REAL Italian taste, OH MY!

 

[MasterofGrond]

I see the same type of team winning the cup every year. Strong, relentless, with just enough talent. We aren't winning the Cup next year, quit stealing the future to squeak in as a small soft team for a round or two. We already have Allen for the temporary goalie fix. Focus on making our team harder to play against and get a goalie when the right deal comes around.

You know what teams are hardest to play against?

Ones that score a lot of goals and don’t give up a lot of goals.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

This is ok. Keefe was probably having nightmares about going from the Leafs goaltending to what we had.

Markstrom/Allen is a HUGE upgrade over what we have been throwing out there recently.

 

[JimEIV]

Holy shit, not Ryan Graves again for the umpteenth time. He was f***ing garbage in the playoffs for us and the Devils had a top 5 pick on that side who outplayed in the last little action leading up to his UFA status. Graves is that guy bounces from team to team to solidify your defensive core for the time being while you find a replacement, he's not the guy you win Cups or make long runs with it. He was borderline atrocious for Colorado too when they were making yearly runs right before we traded for him. Every Avs fan said such in the trade thread when we got him, he's good for a team trying to build towards something but once you get there, he's going to be a massive deterrent and we saw that in the 2023 playoffs.



It's not a bad deal because what's the other option? You overpay for Ullmark or Saros and give them a bloated deal for them to end up like Bob to nuke your window. You can hate Markstrom all you want but he still allows for a cautious out within 2 years and he's only making 4.2M. He won't be the issue if the Devils don't do anything within the next 2 years.

I'm sorry Graves triggers you....think of it differently then....think of this way...

It was an obvious mistake to start the 2023-24 with the notion that Bahl could replace a top 2 PKer and top 4 5v5 Dman "defensive minutes".... that was a Fitz quote that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes.

Replacing Bahl is the admission of that very obvious mistake.

This way Graves name is not mentioned and the next guy we get who will be actually filling the hole left by Graves we can say he's replacing Bahl so you don't get triggered.

I'm looking out for you bro.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I'm kinda on this boat as well but if he wasn't moved for Markstrom, I wonder what kinda of LD you can even get at this point

Holtz for Nic Hague?

 

[Nocashstyle]

I, for one, am completely shocked that none of the Flames fan “insiders” got this one right.

 

[JimEIV]

Only thing I'm shocked about is that they announced this during the Finals....

Kinda low class if you ask me

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I'm sorry Graves triggers you....think of it differently then....think of this way...

It was an obvious mistake to start the 2023-24 with the notion that Bahl could replace a top 2 PKer and top 4 5v5 Dman "defensive minutes".... that was a Fitz quote that Bahl would replace Graves defensive minutes.

Replacing Bahl is the admission of that very obvious mistake.

This way Graves name is not mentioned and the next guy we get who will be actually filling the hole left by Graves we can say he's replacing Bahl so you don't get triggered.

I'm looking out for you bro.

No one's triggered, lol. It's the same troll argument that pops every 2-3 months with Graves. He was brought in as a placeholder for Luke anyway in 2021, he did his job and the Devils moved on. Paying him would've been a mistake with how performed mid 22-23 and in the playoffs. People complain about Siegs being a possible whiff but if they have 8-9M on the LHD with bad play then you're already cooking your defensive core. Severson was way more deserving to be brought back than Graves ever was. Brendan Smith being a regular in 23-24 was more damning than anything else the Devils did with the defensive construction

Holtz for Nic Hague?

Very intrigued with that but it comes down to you if you have any belief in Holtz. If they get MBN at #10 then I can see a trade like that happening

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

And yeah — anyone lamenting Bahl’s absence because of his size is pretty obviously outed as someone who looks at a player card to evaluate these guys rather than a single shift of their NHL career.

Kevin Bahl plays like he’s 6’-1 165. Who cares if you’re built like a brick shithouse if you are unwilling/incapable of using that size in any capacity?

If he doesn't get more consistent then yes you can write him off but he is 23 not 27 28....Now I believe nasty streaks are usually there already but by no means was he a finished product yet ....I think that's the argument.....Hopefully deal works and gets us to a homegrown solution in goal...

 

[NJ07102]

I think it is a fair price to pay for hopefully getting two years of at least adequate goaltending. We should not be wasting any more of the prime years of guys like Jesper, Nico or Jack by icing lousy goaltending. And in two years, who knows, maybe one or even two of our many young goalies can finally take over. It is a gamble, but I like this one much more than giving up say Mercer and Casey for someone like Ullmark.

 

[JimEIV]

No one's triggered, lol. It's the same troll argument that pops every 2-3 months with Graves. He was brought in as a placeholder for Luke anyway in 2021, he did his job and the Devils moved on. Paying him would've been a mistake with how performed mid 22-23 and in the playoffs. People complain about Siegs being a possible whiff but if they have 8-9M on the LHD with bad play then you're already cooking your defensive core. Severson was way more deserving to be brought back than Graves ever was.



Very intrigued with that but it comes down to you if you have any belief in Holtz. If they get MBN at #10 then I can see a trade like that happening

I love Severson but the right side was way more stable than the left.

Two rookies and Siegenthaler no Pker in the lineup forcing us to over use Smith...

It was a calculated risk to start the season with two rookies on the Left side and it was a collosal failure no matter how you slice it.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I love Severson but the right side was way more stable than the left.

Two rookies and Siegenthaler no Pker in the lineup forcing us to over use Smith...

It was a calculated risk to start the season with two rookies on the Left side and it was a collosal failure no matter how you slice it.

Bahl played well enough in the playoffs and so did Luke, there was nothing wrong with them having regular roster spots and letting Graves walk. And was it? Smith was a regular after Severson's departure, the right side was one bad injury to Marino/Dougie from being horrendous and well.......

 

[None Shall Pass]

Only thing I'm shocked about is that they announced this during the Finals....

I was thinking the same thing, but then I remembered that the draft is in a week and free agency starts in ten days. The finals are running late. It was bound to happen (See all the other moves that happened yesterday).

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Can MacDermid punch faces and kill penalties?

Is MacDermid good enough to take a regular shift on defense?
Basically can we utilize him in a Brendan Smith role as a 13th forward/7th defenseman. Healthy scratch most nights but can step into the lineup if there is injuries?
Or is the defensive skillset just not there and we need to carry Hatakka as a cheap spare defenseman.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I was thinking the same thing, but then I remembered that the draft is in a week and free agency starts in ten days. The finals are running late. It was bound to happen (See all the other moves that happened yesterday).

Nothing will ever be as absurd as the Yankees announcing ARods extension in the middle of a World Series game lol.

 

[JimEIV]

Bahl played well enough in the playoffs and so did Luke, there was nothing wrong with them having regular roster spots and letting Graves walk. And was it? Smith was a regular after Severson's departure, the right side was one bad injury to Marino/Dougie from being horrendous and well.......

Bahl played extremely limited minutes in 2023... thinking that someone was going to go from 13 minutes of 5v5 and 6th PKer to top 4 minutes all around (5v5 and Pk) was pure stupidity on the organizations part.

And if you didn't calculate the growing pains Luke was going to endure you don't deserve to be a hockey decision maker in any way.

So you go into the season immediately asking two young defenders to go above and beyond anything that they have even done ...not only that! Go above and beyond with ZERO safety net or backup behind them....Smith was the backup LHD.


We came into the season with a right side of:

Dougie
Marino
Miller
Nemec

That right side is more than adequate and decent contingency for injury...

A left side of:
Siegenthaler
Bahl
Luke
Smith* can play either side equally as bad

The left side was a train wreck from day1.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I see the same type of team winning the cup every year. Strong, relentless, with just enough talent. We aren't winning the Cup next year, quit stealing the future to squeak in as a small soft team for a round or two. We already have Allen for the temporary goalie fix. Focus on making our team harder to play against and get a goalie when the right deal comes around.

the right deal literally just did come around, yesterday. You must have missed the news!

what (current) 17 year old is helping the team win the Cup anytime soon?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Bahl played extremely limited minutes in 2023... thinking that someone was going to go from 13 minutes of 5v5 and 6th PKer to top 4 minutes all around (5v5 and Pk) was pure stupidity on the organizations part.

And if you didn't calculate the growing pains Luke was going to endure you don't deserve to be a hockey decision maker in any way.

So you go into the season immediately asking two young defenders to go above and beyond anything that they have even done ...not only that! Go above and beyond with ZERO safety net or backup behind them....Smith was the backup LHD.


We came into the season with a right side of:

Dougie
Marino
Miller
Nemec

That right side is more than adequate and decent contingency for injury...

A left side of:
Siegenthaler
Bahl
Luke
Smith* can play either side equally as bad

The left side was a train wreck from day1.

Kevin Bahl, the good young dman, premium asset?

 

[JimEIV]

Kevin Bahl, the good young dman, premium asset?

I think any starting defender cable of taking a regular shift is a "premium asset".

Even more so than the center position....run of the mill bottom 6 centers aren't nearly as valuable in my opinion as a 5/6 defender capable of playing 17+ minutes for 82 games and PK or PP. A starting Dman is a premium asset.

 

[Triumph]

A first round pick is a premium asset, no doubt. Especially because it's still a coin flip whether this team will rebound the way most are assuming it will. There is a very real chance that pick ends up being 11 to 15 range, which would be an absolute killer for an old, stopgap goalie.

That said, I still much prefer this scenario to basically all of the alternatives.

There is not a very real chance that this pick ends up in the 11 to 15 range. Even for a doomcaster like you, this is a ridiculous thing to say.

 

[My3Sons]

Bahl played extremely limited minutes in 2023... thinking that someone was going to go from 13 minutes of 5v5 and 6th PKer to top 4 minutes all around (5v5 and Pk) was pure stupidity on the organizations part.

And if you didn't calculate the growing pains Luke was going to endure you don't deserve to be a hockey decision maker in any way.

So you go into the season immediately asking two young defenders to go above and beyond anything that they have even done ...not only that! Go above and beyond with ZERO safety net or backup behind them....Smith was the backup LHD.


We came into the season with a right side of:

Dougie
Marino
Miller
Nemec

That right side is more than adequate and decent contingency for injury...

A left side of:
Siegenthaler
Bahl
Luke
Smith* can play either side equally as bad

The left side was a train wreck from day1.

I understand and don’t disagree in the abstract that a more experienced predictable stable of left defenders is going to have success coneoared to a young and unpredictable set of defenders. But I think that in a cap league you have to be very careful who you give that big ticket contract to. There are only so many you can hand out and NJ is already having to overpay in trades for retention. They gave out a retirement contract to Hamilton that has been fine so far but he’s going to be coming of a significant injury and they gave one to Palat with mixed results. As you’ve noted before the roster came together with forwards first which has complicated things but the team was always gong to prioritize Nemec and Luke over any other defenders. You can talk about Siegs and Marino needing to bounce back and yes they need to replace Bahl but the cap has a lot to do with the roster.