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

[Forge]

So are we brining back (Colin) Miller this season, or that was enough of that?

I think we are done there. No place on the right side, don't want him playing his off

 

[NJDevs26]

I hope the two 34 year old goalies of Markstrom $6M and Allen $3.850M at $10M total, work out. Very expensive for old goalies. I understand it is a short term plan of 2 years while Daws and Schmidt develop.

Ok Fitz, that's done. The defense had a need, before Bahl was traded so now the need is greater for a defensive group. Find someone, a veteran or young superstar. It is hard to find young good defensemen they take so long to develop.
We could use some help on offense but not necessary at the start of the season if you have a solid defense. We can pick up offense at the trade deadline.

Go Devild

Ever heard of salary retention? We're only paying $6 million for the two goalies, not $10

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm not assuming the worst will happen. Think about it this way: Do you make make big life decisions based on the assumption that absolutely everything is going to go perfectly? Of course not. That's how people end up being house poor or getting divorced after 6 months.

You need to hope the best but budget for things that might not work out the way you hope. Do I assume the pick will be 11? Absolutely not. Do I acknowledge it could be given a huge amount of unknowns? Yes. I think it would be foolish not to.

You also don't spend major assets bringing in another center because you assume Jack's shoulder will blow out or attempt to mitigate disaster with other insurance policies before you fill your imminent need spots. In a cap system you have to take risks at some positions and you'll never have depth everywhere no matter how many picks you keep.

 

[MartyOwns]

Damn the rare "wrong about everything" post. You don't see that in the wild too often.

Ever heard of salary retention? We're only paying $6 million for the two goalies, not $10

stop it, he's literally pushing 90. he's earned the right to say whatever tf he wants.

 

[Forge]

Brendan Dillon is a solid option but his time played per game isnt really up where Id want it to be; though hed also be signed for less term

Brady Skjei is more in line with what I think we need but also will cost more with longer term; though he isnt as defensive as Id like

Unless Siegenthaler rebounds in a major way, then Dillon would just be an expensive third pair dman

I'm wondering if they target LHD via trade still.

I think the UFA market for the better defenders is going to be absolutely bonkers. I think Utah in particular may go absolutely YOLO. Given that I'd like to see us land a top 9 guy who can play comfortably on a second line, I think that's going to be hard to keep up with which makes me think that if they did resolve this issue via FA, it's going to a lower echelon guy

Reach out to Vegas, give up something for McNabb. He's only 2.8 on the cap, but if they want the captain back, they need to create more space. I think the cost on Theodore is probably too much, but see what's there.

Call pitt about Pettersson.

 

[HughesCorporation]

I think he's already better than Siegs and if Marino doesn't suck ass again, that's a good pairing.

did marino have his one and only career year for us in 2022? imo, hes not as good as 22 but not as bad as 23.. i still believe hes a solid 2nd pairing

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'm not assuming the worst will happen. Think about it this way: Do you make make big life decisions based on the assumption that absolutely everything is going to go perfectly? Of course not. That's how people end up being house poor or getting divorced after 6 months.

You need to hope the best but budget for things that might not work out the way you hope. Do I assume the pick will be 11? Absolutely not. Do I acknowledge it could be given a huge amount of unknowns? Yes. I think it would be foolish not to.

But who is suggesting everything will go perfectly?

The 2023-24 Devils had nearly EVERYTHING go wrong and they were still kind of fighting for a playoff spot up until the last ~2 weeks of the season. The division sucks. Carolina is going to regress and the Rangers are an old team. None of the other teams are really worth a shit.

 

[HBK27]

Interesting note from today's Jeff Marek podcast with Elliott Friedman is that Markstrom wanted to go East, because at 34 years old he figured the reduced travel would be better for him and that the Devils have the best travel schedule in the league.

Friedman also mentioned that Mercer was never part of this trade...and that Calgary made it very clear they wanted a roster player and a 1st and they liked Bahl. Markstrom also opened it up a little bit before the trade (as far as team he would waive to), but it seems like ultimately he wanted NJ.

 

[HBK27]

Also at the end of the podcast, Friedman said that the Devils did look into Gibson. He heard that Anaheim is not crazy about retaining money there.


Good luck with that Ducks!

 

[bossram]

I'm wondering if they target LHD via trade still.

I think the UFA market for the better defenders is going to be absolutely bonkers. I think Utah in particular may go absolutely YOLO. Given that I'd like to see us land a top 9 guy who can play comfortably on a second line, I think that's going to be hard to keep up with which makes me think that if they did resolve this issue via FA, it's going to a lower echelon guy

Reach out to Vegas, give up something for McNabb. He's only 2.8 on the cap, but if they want the captain back, they need to create more space. I think the cost on Theodore is probably too much, but see what's there.

Call pitt about Pettersson.

My thoughts exactly, 100%.

They need a top-four, defensive LHD. The UFA market is actually pretty weak for LD, and the prices will be astronomical for guys like Skjei and Zadorov (there's Dillon, but it's been telegraphed he's going to VAN). Pretty much has to be via trade to make this acquisition.

My number one trade target is Marcus Pettersson from PIT and I've also mentioned him multiple times before. Maybe try to pull off a Marino 2.0 deal. I think PIT would be reluctant to move him, but Dubas does seem to be forced into this "compete now but retool" mentality, so perhaps there is a chance he swaps a '25 UFA for some prospects.

I also thought about McNabb recently too. Vegas needs to clear more cap space. He can play shutdown minutes. Fitz should definitely inquire.

 

[Edmonton East]

I hope Kahk tears it up wherever he goes. I get wanting to go for a proven guy but this sure as shit isn’t big game hunting. It’s Fitz tunnel vision from the start that’ll end up in another cooked geriatric.

This move seals it for me. I'm ready to say Fitz is a mediocre, at best, GM and this team isn't taking the next step with him making decisions. I admire the majority of this places ability to positively spin anything this team does, while condescendingly chastising anyone that questions Emperor Fitz.

A couple year review for Fitz:
1) Meier trade was a pure hockey trade. Devs overpaid a bit imo considering the circumstances, but it made sense. Can't blame a GM for that, but he also doesn't deserve a ribbon for a fair-ish value trade.
2) The horrific, unjustifiable Palat contract that hurt this team from day 1. This place of course blindly defended this albatross of a contract somehow, saying it's okay to overpay because we had cap space. That changed quick, eh? It's one thing to overpay by >$1m aav, that happens a lot. It's another to overpay aav and give absurd term to an old, complementary player.
3) Proceeded to cling to Ruff when it was obvious he lost the team. Several of us were fearful of this EXACT scenario considering anyone objective realized the Devs easily could have gotten humiliated by the Rags in round 1 if Schmid didn't play out of his mind. The team was also entirely uncompetitive in the majority of their playoffs games
4) ^ Held onto Ruff while also not fixing the one alleged excuse Ruff had: goaltending. Then finally knee jerk "addresses" goaltending after firing Ruff. WTF??

So let's now transition to Fitz/Brodeur and the goaltending fiasco in honor of this thread:
1) They hilariously sign Corey Crawford when he was 110% obviously cooked. I literally ranted this from day 1 of signing. I have no idea how anyone watching hockey could have offered Crawford that contract. None. Hockey malpractice. Underrated and overlooked as one of the dumbest GM decisions I've ever seen. They are fortunate it didn't hurt them more. Ironically, I see the same people in this thread that hilariously defended the Crawford move and chastised any criticism....now condemning anyone on the fence with this trade. Now, these moves aren't on the same level, but you get the point.

2) This past season, the Kahk trade made a ton of sense. Love that trade. Wanted it earlier in the season if possible, but better late than never. Good job Fi......wait, what?? They traded WHAT for Allen?? As I've ranted before, the Allen trade was mind-numbingly stupid. Insane overpay and directly hindered any likelihood of re-signing Kahk, while still leaving a hole at goalie. So they gave up material assets for an old goalie that wanted off his current team and has looked rough for a while now...in a lost season. Do people here think the GMs of the 16 playoff teams are stupid??? Isn't it weird not a single one of them wanted to add vet Allen as goalie depth for a run??

3) So now we aren't re-signing the youngest goalie (Kahk) of the 3, while paying material assets for a soon to be 35 year old goalie with more miles on him (NHL+) than a 1991 Toyota Camry. Spare me the advanced stats. The guy was average 3 of the past 4 years. He has a career losing record despite playing for mostly competitive teams. Look, is he an upgrade at goalie? Obviously, but that's a low bar. A GM can make this trade if they have made the playoffs for several years and feel they are right on the cusp of winning the Cup. The Devs just missed the friggin playoffs by a mile! And in a season where the Washington Corpses and Isles made it.

Bahl isn't a nothing add btw. An NHL dman at $1m aav and RFA status isn't worthless. I agree with the frustration in him not being physical enough, but he's already a bottom pair dman without that element. God forbid he ever gets even a touch of a mean streak...

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I ain’t reading all that but I’m glad we have this player and won’t cry because he makes a bit too much.

 

[HBK27]

Man, I'm glad I don't take this stuff too seriously.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

This move seals it for me. I'm ready to say Fitz is a mediocre, at best, GM and this team isn't taking the next step with him making decisions. I admire the majority of this places ability to positively spin anything this team does, while condescendingly chastising anyone that questions Emperor Fitz.

A couple year review for Fitz:
1) Meier trade was a pure hockey trade. Devs overpaid a bit imo considering the circumstances, but it made sense. Can't blame a GM for that, but he also doesn't deserve a ribbon for a fair-ish value trade.
2) The horrific, unjustifiable Palat contract that hurt this team from day 1. This place of course blindly defended this albatross of a contract somehow, saying it's okay to overpay because we had cap space. That changed quick, eh? It's one thing to overpay by >$1m aav, that happens a lot. It's another to overpay aav and give absurd term to an old, complementary player.
3) Proceeded to cling to Ruff when it was obvious he lost the team. Several of us were fearful of this EXACT scenario considering anyone objective realized the Devs easily could have gotten humiliated by the Rags in round 1 if Schmid didn't play out of his mind. The team was also entirely uncompetitive in the majority of their playoffs games
4) ^ Held onto Ruff while also not fixing the one alleged excuse Ruff had: goaltending. Then finally knee jerk "addresses" goaltending after firing Ruff. WTF??

So let's now transition to Fitz/Brodeur and the goaltending fiasco in honor of this thread:
1) They hilariously sign Corey Crawford when he was 110% obviously cooked. I literally ranted this from day 1 of signing. I have no idea how anyone watching hockey could have offered Crawford that contract. None. Hockey malpractice. Underrated and overlooked as one of the dumbest GM decisions I've ever seen. They are fortunate it didn't hurt them more. Ironically, I see the same people in this thread that hilariously defended the Crawford move and chastised any criticism....now condemning anyone on the fence with this trade. Now, these moves aren't on the same level, but you get the point.

2) This past season, the Kahk trade made a ton of sense. Love that trade. Wanted it earlier in the season if possible, but better late than never. Good job Fi......wait, what?? They traded WHAT for Allen?? As I've ranted before, the Allen trade was mind-numbingly stupid. Insane overpay and directly hindered any likelihood of re-signing Kahk, while still leaving a hole at goalie. So they gave up material assets for an old goalie that wanted off his current team and has looked rough for a while now...in a lost season. Do people here think the GMs of the 16 playoff teams are stupid??? Isn't it weird not a single one of them wanted to add vet Allen as goalie depth for a run??

3) So now we aren't re-signing the youngest goalie (Kahk) of the 3, while paying material assets for a soon to be 35 year old goalie with more miles on him (NHL+) than a 1991 Toyota Camry. Spare me the advanced stats. The guy was average 3 of the past 4 years. He has a career losing record despite playing for mostly competitive teams. Look, is he an upgrade at goalie? Obviously, but that's a low bar. A GM can make this trade if they have made the playoffs for several years and feel they are right on the cusp of winning the Cup. The Devs just missed the friggin playoffs by a mile! And in a season where the Washington Corpses and Isles made it.

Bahl isn't a nothing add btw. An NHL dman at $1m aav and RFA status isn't worthless. I agree with the frustration in him not being physical enough, but he's already a bottom pair dman without that element. God forbid he ever gets even a touch of a mean streak...

Please elaborate on what, specifically, the Palat contract is hampering the team from doing. Be as specific as possible. (remember, we have $16 million in cap space this offseason)

Corey Crawford retired for mental health reasons. It had literally NOTHING to do with him being "cooked" or any injury. So I have no idea what you're talking about?

Kahkohnen played like 5 games. Why are we overrating him so much? The only reason they brought him in was because they were able to dump Vanecek's contract.

the Devils did not miss the playoffs "by a mile". They finished 10 points behind Washington, who made it, and actually had more regulation wins than they did.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Kudos to anyone who has followed this team closely for the last decade but still sees only a 5% chance of the next new season going to shit.

 

[JrFischer54]

markstrom was always the best choice for this team

short contract
veteran
cheap price tag

him choosing to come here by waiving the NTC when has that ever really happened to the devils? super stoked for him to get here with allen im confident they will at minimum give us average goaltending which is all i ask

 

[JimEIV]

Jim: "Defense in terrible. Goalie won't fix anything."

Jim: "Defense has to get much better"

*Devils trade the worst player in their top 6 defensemen who would get pushed out by virtue of getting the better defenders Jim is screeching for"

Jim: "Kevin Bahl is a premium asset and underrated. They are stupid for trading him"

First, Bahl was not remotely close to the worse player in the top 6. We had freaking Brendan Smith playing 28+ minutes a night in the last week of the season, over 20 a minute a night 6 times in his last 14 games. That's how bad our depth was

Check this shit out...
Brendan Smith
3/19 vs Pitt 27:00 f***ing minutes
3/23 vs OTT 20:47
4/3 vs NYR fight game 28:20
4/6 vs OTT 22:47
4/7 vs NSH 21:47
4/11 vs TOR 23:48

This is grotesque. If your depth is so shitty that you have to play Brendan Smith like this, your team sucks ass.

We keep blowing depth at every turn...do you not see this?

 

[NJDevs26]

Of course our depth is going to be bad when literally four of our top five D were missing by then, come on now lol. Dougie was out for months, Siegs was taken out by Rempe, even Marino missed three of those games and Miller had been dealt off by then. Whose depth wouldn't suck with practically an entire top four out?

 

[Devils Army]

I ain’t reading all that but I’m glad we have this player and won’t cry because he makes a bit too much.

View attachment 884881
View attachment 884882

Willing to give him one more chance this year because his impacts have always been strong and he's been injured a ton. But he's got to contribute and stay healthy this year.

 

[Forge]

First, Bahl was not remotely close to the worse player in the top 6. We had freaking Brendan Smith playing 28+ minutes a night in the last week of the season, over 20 a minute a night 6 times in his last 14 games. That's how bad our depth was

Check this shit out...
Brendan Smith
3/19 vs Pitt 27:00 f***ing minutes
3/23 vs OTT 20:47
4/3 vs NYR fight game 28:20
4/6 vs OTT 22:47
4/7 vs NSH 21:47
4/11 vs TOR 23:48

This is grotesque. If your depth is so shitty that you have to play Brendan Smith like this, your team sucks ass.

We keep blowing depth at every turn...do you not see this?

Last I saw, Smith isn't on the team right now. You complain about the defense now.

The projected 6 was:

Hughes
Dougie
Siegs
Nemec
Marino
Bahl

So yeah, Bahl was number 6 on a defense you're screaming needs to be upgraded.

"Depth" is not a premium asset.

Well, I suppose Smith is technically on the team until July 1 lol

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm not completely anti-Palat but certainly he hasn't HELPED as much as you'd like in the first two years of the contract considering even ones who supported the deal figured the last two years could (and maybe likely would) be rough. His 'intangibles' certainly didn't help us avoid last season and he wasn't even around two years ago when we had the great streak and took off.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

What are the odds Allen ends up playing more games this season?

*pulls pin, leaves room*

 

[JimEIV]

Last I saw, Smith isn't on the team right now. You complain about the defense now.

The projected 6 was:

Hughes
Dougie
Siegs
Nemec
Marino
Bahl

So yeah, Bahl was number 6 on a defense you're screaming needs to be upgraded.

"Depth" is not a premium asset.

Well, I suppose Smith is technically on the team until July 1 lol

Right and we lost Smith and Bahl...our #2 and #4 PKers

A young starting Dman is without a doubt a premium asset. But you want to play jerk off word games and not address the issue that's ok too

 

[NJDevs26]

What are the odds Allen ends up playing more games this season?

*pulls pin, leaves room*

On paper unlikely considering Markstrom has been a bit of a workhorse.

Considering this is the Devils, he's older and Fitz has had a goalie curse...sadly that isn't a non-zero chance lol. With our luck I could see Markstrom being out just long enough for us to have to kick in Allen's trade clause and give up the higher pick.

 

[forceten]

stop it, he's literally pushing 90. he's earned the right to say whatever tf he wants.

Markstrom isn't quite THAT old... oh wait you meant Maine Fan.