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

[Mgd31]

Trade the 10 for Theodore

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Maybe I'm not high enough on Markstrom but this doesn't feel like anyone went "big game hunting." Price was definitely fair though, and maybe the cost of everyone else was too prohibitive for Fitz, which in the end is defensible. The Devils are still in the very early stages of their competitive window (hopefully... knock on wood!).

 

[Marv4Life]

A Markstrom-Allen tandem is the best we've had in about a decade.

I'm gonna miss saying the name "Bahl" tho.

 

[bossram]

Brenden Dillon, you are a New Jersey Devil

He's gonna be a Canuck.

 

[captainscott2]

Bahl was never really that tough, which was annoying for a kid his size

agreed he didn't use it all the time but i think some of that comes with maturity etc. etc. nonetheless not second guessing anything, but my feeling is he will become a pretty good middle pairing defensman in the league

 

[JimEIV]

And who are you punting to get that extra PK D-man, Marino or Siegs who already play there? Luke, Nemec and Dougie are going nowhere.

Luke and Dougie don't kill penalties and I think it would be really dumb to rely on Nemec to be one of your top 4 PKers and there would be absolutely nothing behind Nemec....Nemec should be a 5th option.

This was a issue all last year and It's the sole reason we had to watch Smith play 63 games and more minutes than he's played in the previous 5 seasons.

 

[Guadana]

There are basically no legit top-four LHD on the market other than Skjei. He's going to have a ton of teams chasing him and the price will be astronomical.

6.5. And Cap will rise. I dont see any problem to pay now.
Or Im ready to trade Holtz if LD is legit. But I would prefer to save him. Our prospect pool is thin, our depth is thin. We lost tw first picks and two second picks. We need to find our potential Stankovens and Johnstons. Not wasting it anymore.

Im okay with Grzelcyk and Siegenthaler as second and third pairs defensemen.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Not happy but not gunna blow someone's head off. Bahl is whatever and a low 1st round pick is whatever

Don't assume it will be a low 1st. Watch it be 11

 

[Guadana]

Trade the 10 for Theodore

No. we can. sign him next summer if we want.

 

[captainscott2]

Luke and Dougie don't kill penalties and I think it would be really dumb to rely on Nemec to be one of your top 4 PKers and there would be absolutely nothing behind Nemec....Nemec should be a 5th option.

This was a issue all last year and It's the sole reason we had to watch Smith play 63 games and more minutes than he's played in the previous 5 seasons.

Nemec would be fine in this role... and my guess is someone is coming via FA or two

 

[Forge]

In theory if he grew into his role he would have been very important for this team. I understand that is a big if.

Potentially. But I don't think his potential far out stripped those guys I mentioned. His style and the type of player he would be may be quite a bit different though (I'm not sure if misyul couldn't be that guy anyway, even if he doesn't have the hulking frame)

 

[Satans Hockey]

I'm fine with this, we needed to do something in goal and at least if Markstrom or the team suck we don't lose out on a top 10 pick.

Bahl never played as big as he is so losing him is whatever.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Luke and Dougie don't kill penalties and I think it would be really dumb to rely on Nemec to be one of your top 4 PKers and there would be absolutely nothing behind Nemec....Nemec should be a 5th option.

This was a issue all last year and It's the sole reason we had to watch Smith play 63 games and more minutes than he's played in the previous 5 seasons.

If we aren't competing for 2 more years like you say, it makes perfect sense to rely on Nemac to PK. It would be huge if we became good at it.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Luke and Dougie don't kill penalties and I think it would be really dumb to rely on Nemec to be one of your top 4 PKers and there would be absolutely nothing behind Nemec....Nemec should be a 5th option.

This was a issue all last year and It's the sole reason we had to watch Smith play 63 games and more minutes than he's played in the previous 5 seasons.

again, the Devils PK finished in the top 1/3rd of the league last year. I am not really sure where you are getting that the PK was "an issue all last year". It really wasn't.

 

[Emperoreddy]

JimEIV has a point on the PK. I do think Keefe will be revamping EVERYTHING so I hope that includes the PK. Just seeing what Knoblauch did with Edmonton on PK gives me hope that a coach can change this.

Edit: I also am happy for Bahl because I think in Calgary he will get a lot more playing time and a shot at being a true regular in the league, and I think he will be successful.

Except there was never a spot for 3 PKers on the left side. Tossing Bahl out for a replacement doesn't change the fact that Nemec was always going to have to PK next season unless they just decide to not have him in the lineup.

This was always going to be the PK situation.

Siegs-marino
Bahl- Nemec/Dougie

Replacing Bahl with an upgrade should help

 

[bossram]

6.5. And Cap will rise. I dont see any problem to pay now.
Or Im ready to trade Holtz if LD is legit. But I would prefer to save him. Our prospect pool is thin, our depth is thin. We lost tw first picks and two second picks. We need to find our potential Stankovens and Johnstons. Not wasting it anymore.

Im okay with Grzelcyk and Siegenthaler as second and third pairs defensemen.

He's getting a lot more than $6.5M on the open market.

Holtz is obviously and should be on the trade block. Brass hates him and he isn't going to get a legit shot. Should convert him into an asset that can help the club now.

Grzelcyk is a big no. He was horrible last season and is completely the opposite type of defenseman they need.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

I didnt want Markström. Old, not reliable.

After initial reaction of disgust subsided i think it is a fairly dull deal. Kinda feels like a steep price but tbh isnt that bad. Is defs not a steal unless he brings in the cup. Unlikely considering latest champs' trajectories (e.g. look at how long after starting to be competive Florida/Barkov and Oilers/McJesus are in the finals).

Anyways, can live with it.

 

[AfroThunder396]

This almost certainly assures we won't be giving MTL our 2nd next year for the Allen deal. They will be getting our 3rd unless something goes catastrophically wrong.

So our 2025 picks look like:

NJ's 2nd
WIN's 2nd (Toffoli)
NJ's 4th
NJ's 6th

We gave up our 5th '25 for Colin Miller and our 7th '25 for Kaapo Kahkonen.

Not great to be giving up those picks, but we kept our best young prospects/picks like Holtz/Casey/Gritsyuk and will be adding a top-10 pick this year. Plus Luke and Nemec still on ELC.

It's not great to basically mortgage a draft for the present, but our window is now and the wealth of young assets makes it sting quite a bit less.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Fitz has shown a pretty good ability to find solid dmen to fill out the roster. We really just need a Colin Miller level guy with PK ability and it’s fine. I’m not too concerned. I believe in Hatakka as the extra man if his health is figured out.

 

[RSeen]

Trade the 10 for Theodore

He is not what we need. We need some Dmen that can play the PK and play a shut-down role. Who is gonna play PP - Dougie, Luke, Nemec and Theodore?

 

[Brodeur]

Does this make it more likely that Casey makes the team out of camp?

I can’t imagine it’s the plan to roll with three young defensemen. More likely Fitz goes and gets another defenseman via trade or UFA. But moving Bahl did free up a spot.

I think they'll be looking for a short term warm body LHD to kill penalties. I don't think that's a role that Casey can fill. I'd rather give him a ton of ice time in the AHL this season rather than throwing him into the deep end in the NHL. Plus one of the RHD would have to play on the left which puts them in a rough position (PTSD from the Severson-Vatanen pairing in 2019).

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Hughes-Marino
(PK specialist)-Nemec
Hatakka
---------------
Misyul-Casey as the AHL injury callups

PP1: Luke
PP2: Nemec-Hamilton

PK1: (PK specialist)-Marino
PK2: Siegenthaler-Nemec

 

[Alex NJD]

Trade the 10 for Theodore

I don't think we need a guy who's basically all offense with bad defensive stats. Injured 3 of the last 4 years as well. He had a pretty mediocre playoffs and lost top offensive minutes to Hanafin too. Whoever we bring in needs to be a PKer as well

 

[NJDevs26]

Luke and Dougie don't kill penalties and I think it would be really dumb to rely on Nemec to be one of your top 4 PKers and there would be absolutely nothing behind Nemec....Nemec should be a 5th option.

This was a issue all last year and It's the sole reason we had to watch Smith play 63 games and more minutes than he's played in the previous 5 seasons.

So again I ask, what 'fix' is there to be had if you want four PK defensemen in the lineup at once? We know Luke isn't getting traded, it'd be silly to trade Dougie two years after an 80-point season and Nemec certainly isn't getting traded. You can upgrade over Marino or Siegs by punting one for a better option the way they're trying to do with Bahl, that's about it. For the moment your PK defensemen are gonna have to be whoever they bring in to replace Bahl, whoever replaces Smith/Miller in the #7 and Marino/Siegs.

And like ZBC said how big was the PK really as an issue? 11th in 32 teams with our goaltending for the first 55 or so games really doesn't suggest it was an issue at all.

 

[JK3]

Ewwwww f***ing gross, I hate it.

 

[Blackjack]

I didnt want Markström. Old, not reliable.

After initial reaction of disgust subsided i think it is a fairly dull deal. Kinda feels like a steep price but tbh isnt that bad. Is defs not a steal unless he brings in the cup. Unlikely considering latest champs' trajectories (e.g. look at how long after starting to be competive Florida/Barkov and Oilers/McJesus are in the finals).

Anyways, can live with it.

I'd have an easier time with it if we hadn't traded our '23 first and had a deeper prospect pipeline.

Dumping 1sts left and right while not being that close to contending for a cup, we might as well be the Isles.