Line Combos: Guess the 22-23 Opening Night Lineup

[FinnishDevil]

I think the wing spots are the least of our worries. There's already too many players to fill around the obvious centers and there's still a chance someone like Holtz or Thompson goes ham in the offseason and forces their way onto the lineup. I think it's a bonus that Mercer can move to 3C if Boqvist can't replicate his last few months over a full season. Gotta use these guys while they're cheap, and better to get a read on Boqvist sooner rather than later. I agree the bottom 6 needs a revamp though. I have no idea who'd be a good fit at 4C but the team needs an upgrade over McLeod, and I doubt they let Boq fill that role unless he suddenly becomes a two-way monster who wins faceoffs.

I don't think Forsberg would be a smart add per se, but I do think Fitzgerald is under some pressure to get people excited about next season; someone new that convinces both the fans and his bosses that this next season will be different. Could be Boeser/Garland, a UFA like Nichushkin or Forsberg, or maybe something truly nuts like a bank-breaking trade for Laine. The whole reason I thought about making this thread because it feels like half the roster could be different next season or we could start the year with basically the same lineup as this past season.

Theres already many options but how many of them are important pieces is the question. I dont think we necessarily need many winger additions but then when we watch Nico to play with zachas and veseys of the world, it makes me want to get some established and proven NHLers to play with both of our great centers.

I know we kinda tried to do that with Tatar and well.. yeah. We know how that went. But the options are kinda limited. Dont want to overpay the likes of Forsberg or Rust although I like both players and others are hard to see being moved like Tkachuk and Laine. So I'm happy if we bring in 1-2 players of Nino/Nichuskin etc caliber.

In my opinion it doesnt block anyone, it just forces them to work harder and be better. If someone like Holtz needs to spend most of the year in the AHL next year, so what? More time in the minors never hurt anyone.

Lets say we sign both Nino and Nichushkin and it forces someone like Tatar or Kuokkanen or Bastian or even Wood to sit sometimes. Well it only gives them more reason and motivation to play well enough that next time it wont be them who comes out. Not to mention that injuries happen.

We've had too many passengers on this team recently and we need more competition and accountability within the team and organisation. Go out there and take someones job.

Its easy to be a passenger when you know that either the coach has to play you or Mason Geertsen.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Yeah I don't really disagree with any of that. But for me, I don't think Niederreiter or Rust are any different than the Tatars and Johnssons of the world. They're all streaky scorers at best. Nichushkin could be better, but I think with a better coaching staff and some better injury luck, Tatar and Johnsson are just as likely to have rebound years as someone like Rust coming in and clicking right away with new coaches, systems, and linemates.

It'll be a harder sell for Fitz though after the past two seasons. That's why I think someone spicy is coming in. Nichushkin or a Boeser trade would be my preferences but I think Fitz wants something splashier, which would make it easier to swallow seeing a lot of the same lineup out there.

 

[FinnishDevil]

Yeah I don't really disagree with any of that. But for me, I don't think Niederreiter or Rust are any different than the Tatars and Johnssons of the world. They're all streaky scorers at best. Nichushkin could be better, but I think with a better coaching staff and some better injury luck, Tatar and Johnsson are just as likely to have rebound years as someone like Rust coming in and clicking right away with new coaches, systems, and linemates.

It'll be a harder sell for Fitz though after the past two seasons. That's why I think someone spicy is coming in. Nichushkin or a Boeser trade would be my preferences but I think Fitz wants something splashier, which would make it easier to swallow seeing a lot of the same lineup out there.

Yeah I can see a big move coming aswell cause Fitz must know that he's on a hot seat. I dont think this summer is the time to make a blockbuster move cause I dont really see anyone worthwhile available. It would have to be Tkachuk or someone out of left field.

But yeah. Could see Fitz do something big which I hope is not the case cause when you make big moves in an attempt to maintain your own job, it usually ends up bad.

Imagine if he does something super dumb like Forsberg 7x10 and we're stuck with that after he gets fired.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Yeah I can see a big move coming aswell cause Fitz must know that he's on a hot seat. I dont think this summer is the time to make a blockbuster move cause I dont really see anyone worthwhile available. It would have to be Tkachuk or someone out of left field.

But yeah. Could see Fitz do something big which I hope is not the case cause when you make big moves in an attempt to maintain your own job, it usually ends up bad.

Imagine if he does something super dumb like Forsberg 7x10 and we're stuck with that after he gets fired.

Yeah the only hope there would be that you can stick him with Hughes to mitigate his crashing back to earth. TBH I think Forsberg would be a great fit for the team, but at something more like a 5-6 million for 5 years. And there's no chance he gets that contract in UFA.

Also I just realized I completely forgot Kuokkanen exists when I made my roster.

 

[Billdo]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Zacha-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Foote-McLeod-Wood

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Okhotiuk-Severson
Bahl-Smith

Holtby
Blackwood
LTIR: Bernier

 

[FinnishDevil]

Also I just realized I completely forgot Kuokkanen exists when I made my roster.

Well he didnt exactly have a season to remember.

Dont think he's in the starting lineup. He's either add on to a trade or extra forward looking in.

 

[My3Sons]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Zacha-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Foote-McLeod-Wood

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Okhotiuk-Severson
Bahl-Smith

Holtby
Blackwood
LTIR: Bernier

You are sending Bastian back to Seattle? I think NJ would keep Bastian as a 13th forward if nothing else.

 

[Bleedred]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Zacha-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Foote-McLeod-Wood

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Okhotiuk-Severson
Bahl-Smith

Holtby
Blackwood
LTIR: Bernier

Holtby-Blackwood?

*My Cousin Vinny meme I got somewhere*

Wait, you were actually serious about that?

We may as well brace for another top-5 pick.

Holtby is literally burnt crispity. He's pretty much right in line with Blackwood (only older) and Bernier.

I think Holtby might call it a career after this. He's been bad for so long now and this year he's been shut down with injury. He's only 33 (actually, he's not even 33 until September) but time seems about up for him.

That's just yet another often injured and poorly performing goalie (And OLDER) to add to the stable. I'd rather trade for Robin Lehner's 2 more years (as long it's not like a 1st round or a serious piece) than Holtby.

While Husso is really not someone I'm less than skeptical with, only signing Holtby next year would be about as suspect as you can get for Fitz.

Holtby would LITERALLY be worse than ANY of the prior two goalie moves Fitz made the last two years (neither were bad moves), and Holtby would actually be a way safer bet to miss almost the entire season injured than Bernier was going into this year or on Crawford deciding to retire going into the year before.

 

[Billdo]

You are sending Bastian back to Seattle? I think NJ would keep Bastian as a 13th forward if nothing else.

Bastian is the 13th on opening night.

Holtby-Blackwood?

*My Cousin Vinny meme I got somewhere*

Wait, you were actually serious about that?

We may as well brace for another top-5 pick.

Holtby is literally burnt crispity. He's pretty much right in line with Blackwood (only older) and Bernier.

I think Holtby might call it a career after this. He's been bad for so long now and this year he's been shut down with injury. He's only 33 (actually, he's not even 33 until September) but time seems about up for him.

That's just yet another often injured and poorly performing goalie (And OLDER) to add to the stable. I'd rather trade for Robin Lehner's 2 more years (as long it's not like a 1st round or a serious piece) than Holtby.

While Husso is really not someone I'm less than skeptical with, only signing Holtby next year would be about as suspect as you can get for Fitz.

Holtby would LITERALLY be worse than ANY of the prior two goalie moves Fitz made the last two years (neither were bad moves), and Holtby would actually be a way safer bet to miss almost the entire season injured than Bernier was going into this year or on Crawford deciding to retire going into the year before.

I only put Holtby there specifically for you. Literally the only reason. I hope my entire line up is very different from the one we'll actually play, I just can't predict opening lineups in this hypothetical world bc I don't know how much of a destination NJ is for UFAs. It makes it harder to predict unless we are making trades at which point I have no ability to actually hypothesize them.

 

[Bleedred]

Bastian is the 13th on opening night.

I only put Holtby there specifically for you. Literally the only reason. I hope my entire line up is very different from the one we'll actually play, I just can't predict opening lineups in this hypothetical world bc I don't know how much of a destination NJ is for UFAs. It makes it harder to predict unless we are making trades at which point I have no ability to actually hypothesize them.

I didn't think you backed Holtby being on the roster, though I wasn't sure if you actually thought that would be who we went and got lol.

 

[Billdo]

I didn't think you backed Holtby being on the roster, though I wasn't sure if you actually thought that would be who we went and got lol.

No, he better not be on this team.

 

[Eggtimer]

Shara Hughes Mercer
Zacha Nico Bratt
Tatar Boq Zetterlund
Wood McLeod Bastian

Graves Hamiltion
Siegs Sevs
Smith Lovejoy*

Blackwood
????

*Lovejoy type, ie veteran, defense first, good pk'r.

I really don't know the goalie market but I think we bring another guy into the mix. Attack the situation with numbers.

Oh God I hope like hell that’s not the roster or we will be right neck to where we are today .
I can’t see Fitz adding a goalie and a #5/6 D fir his only moves . He should be fired immediately if those are his only moves

 

[devilsblood]

Oh God I hope like hell that’s not the roster or we will be right neck to where we are today .
I can’t see Fitz adding a goalie and a #5/6 D fir his only moves . He should be fired immediately if those are his only moves

People always going on about "he should be fired immediately if........"

Improved goal tending, a full season of Hamilton and continued maturation of the fwd group should lead to significant improvement in the standings.

 

[TBF1972]

i am really surprised basically no lineup includes holtz. i think holtz is a more likely addition to the forward group than an expensive fa. i think fitz will only dive into the fa pool, if he can't work out an extension with bratt.

 

[Guadana]

Sharangovich-Hughes-Mercer
Zacha-Nico-Bratt
Tatar-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Foote-McLeod-Wood

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Okhotiuk-Severson
Bahl-Smith

Holtby
Blackwood
LTIR: Bernier

Holtby? Zacha? Tatar? Smith?
I like top prospects of the next draft too.

 

[glenwo2]

People always going on about "he should be fired immediately if........"

Improved goal tending, a full season of Hamilton and continued maturation of the fwd group should lead to significant improvement in the standings.

Fixed for accuracy.

If we had even Average Goaltending, we would've been a bubble team this past season. There is no doubt in my mind.

Yeah...Dougie being healthy would help and yeah...the fwd group maturing more would as well but all of that would amount to a pile of s--t if you don't have the goaltending to stop a routine shot.

 

[Billdo]

Holtby? Zacha? Tatar? Smith?
I like top prospects of the next draft too.

It was a joke, kinda

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

i am really surprised basically no lineup includes holtz. i think holtz is a more likely addition to the forward group than an expensive fa. i think fitz will only dive into the fa pool, if he can't work out an extension with bratt.

Things changed with Holtz. I remember multiple posters being upset he did not make the team this year. Now they do not think he should be relied upon to be on the team next year.

 

[Guadana]

It was a joke, kinda

It was a joke too.

 

[Eggtimer]

Yeah I don't really disagree with any of that. But for me, I don't think Niederreiter or Rust are any different than the Tatars and Johnssons of the world. They're all streaky scorers at best. Nichushkin could be better, but I think with a better coaching staff and some better injury luck, Tatar and Johnsson are just as likely to have rebound years as someone like Rust coming in and clicking right away with new coaches, systems, and linemates.

It'll be a harder sell for Fitz though after the past two seasons. That's why I think someone spicy is coming in. Nichushkin or a Boeser trade would be my preferences but I think Fitz wants something splashier, which would make it easier to swallow seeing a lot of the same lineup out there.

Doesn’t matter if Johnson and Tatar both gave career years in scoring , their play style is crap and we need better players that contribute when not scoring and help their linemates and provide defence etc . Those two do nothing at all when they are not scoring . Their points production does not matter (realistic point production for them , not in general ) is not what is important here . A player like Nuke that can score as much or more PLUS adds a ton of intangibles

 

[Torts]

Sharangovich - Hughes - Forsberg (sign and trade)
Bratt - Hischier - Holtz
Johnsson - Mercer - Zetterlund
Wood - McLeod - Bastian
Kuokkanen - Boqvist - Foote --> some of these could be part of potential trades

Graves - Hamilton
Siegenthaler - Severson
Bahl - Smith
White

Jiricek drafted but spends a year (or two) in AHL similar to Holtz.


Gibson (trade)
Bernier
Daws

Blackwood part of outgoing trades

 

[Bleedred]

Sharangovich - Hughes - Forsberg (sign and trade)
Bratt - Hischier - Holtz
Johnsson - Mercer - Zetterlund
Wood - McLeod - Bastian
Kuokkanen - Boqvist - Foote --> some of these could be part of potential trades

Graves - Hamilton
Siegenthaler - Severson
Bahl - Smith
White

Jiricek drafted but spends a year (or two) in AHL similar to Holtz.


Gibson (trade)
Bernier
Daws

Blackwood part of outgoing trades

Gibson is one of the worst starting goalies in the NHL and has 5 years left on his contract at $6 million per.

He's clearly the current version of what Cory Schneider was just a few years ago. We still have Cory Schneider's buyout on our books and I'm sure John Gibson will be there to replace Schneider's buyout with his own buyout in just a couple of years.

What is with some of you? Is this Gillies Syndrome that just makes you wanna take on any goalie you can because anybody is better that f***in Gillies?

John Gibson has been HORRIBLE for 3 years now. .904%. 903%, .904%. Safe to say that's toast?

And if that weren't enough to sell you on not taking him on, he's also constantly injured (it's usually not long term though) with something or another and it's been that way since he entered the league. And it looks like some of it has cause his demise.

May as well keep Blackwood next year and tell him to go f*** himself when his contract is up after next year, rather than deal with 4 more years (after next year) of John Gibson's desecrated cremains at one of the highest cap hits on the team.

 

[Billdo]

Gibson is one of the worst starting goalies in the NHL and has 5 years left on his contract at $6 million per.

He's clearly the current version of what Cory Schneider was just a few years ago. We still have Cory Schneider's buyout on our books and I'm sure John Gibson will be there to replace Schneider's buyout with his own buyout in just a couple of years.

What is with some of you? Is this Gillies Syndrome that just makes you wanna take on any goalie you can because anybody is better that f***in Gillies?

John Gibson has been HORRIBLE for 3 years now. .904%. 903%, .904%. Safe to say that's toast?

And if that weren't enough to sell you on not taking him on, he's also constantly injured (it's usually not long term though) with something or another and it's been that way since he entered the league. And it looks like some of it has cause his demise.

I'd be thrilled with a .904 at this point but yeah, Gibson isn't lighting the fire for me. I'd love to get Helleybuck but I don't see that happening. I think we're going to have Bernier on LTIR and someone like Halak or Varlamov backing up/splitting with Blackwood. Regardless I just hope I never see Hammond or Gillies again in a Devils jersey.

 

[Bleedred]

I'd be thrilled with a .904 at this point but yeah, Gibson isn't lighting the fire for me. I'd love to get Helleybuck but I don't see that happening. I think we're going to have Bernier on LTIR and someone like Halak or Varlamov backing up/splitting with Blackwood. Regardless I just hope I never see Hammond or Gillies again in a Devils jersey.

Halak is ANCIENT and his last two years would indicate he probably should be retiring.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

If Holtz looked even remotely NHL ready in his last two games, i think he’d be better represented here. But he looked just as lost and inconsequential as he did in preseason. IMO he’s at least a year away from being NHL ready, if not two.

And really there’s no reason to rush him. Even if the Devils ship all of of Zacha, Tatar, and Johnsson out without taking back any NHL players, the forward lines are STILL gonna be crowded next year.

Shara-Hughes-Mercer
Wood-Hischier-Bratt
Kuokkanen-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Foote-McLeod-Bastian

That’s with absolutely zero outside additions. And while i’m sure there’d be a lot of disappointed fans if that’s the lineup on night 1, i think there’s a good chance that’s an upgrade over this past season. Especially with further development of Mercer, Boqvist, and Zett.