How do you feel about the Meier trade and Devils' package?

[Lou is God]

Shayna's breakdown in the Athletic on what Meier will do for the Devils, this part got me goddamn giddy again:

Though his scoring chance generation and goal scoring on the advantage is key, his five-on-five play is particularly stellar. As is, no one shoots the puck at a higher rate than his 22.6 attempts per 60, and when factoring in quality, he ranks 13th in expected goal generation (1.24 per 60). And now he’ll be in a different environment in New Jersey, on a team that thrives at even strength compared with the Sharks. That will provide Meier with the support he hasn’t had this year and should take his game to another level. But it’s important to note how impressive he has been individually despite his surroundings. The 26-year-old doesn’t need an elite playmaker to set him up; he does a great job to create his own chances.

How Timo Meier is going to change the Devils for the better

The Devils acquired the top-six winger they’ve been missing and are all the more threatening come playoff time.

theathletic.com

 

[Blender]

Shayna's breakdown in the Athletic on what Meier will do for the Devils, this part got me goddamn giddy again:

Though his scoring chance generation and goal scoring on the advantage is key, his five-on-five play is particularly stellar. As is, no one shoots the puck at a higher rate than his 22.6 attempts per 60, and when factoring in quality, he ranks 13th in expected goal generation (1.24 per 60). And now he’ll be in a different environment in New Jersey, on a team that thrives at even strength compared with the Sharks. That will provide Meier with the support he hasn’t had this year and should take his game to another level. But it’s important to note how impressive he has been individually despite his surroundings. The 26-year-old doesn’t need an elite playmaker to set him up; he does a great job to create his own chances.

How Timo Meier is going to change the Devils for the better

The Devils acquired the top-six winger they’ve been missing and are all the more threatening come playoff time.

theathletic.com

Combining Meier with Hughes for 5on5 production.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don't know what the negotiation was. If it was just a question of Holtz vs Zetterlund, then I agree that Fitz kept the higher value piece. But, if adding Holtz could have meant keeping Zettelund plus lowering the value of the 2024 conditional pick? Or getting back Bonino instead of Harrington? In those cases, I may have pulled the trigger on Holtz.

Also, in keeping Holtz, the Devils have committed themselves to generating value from him. Either they need to trade him or play him. Having him stay on the team and rot on the bench is useless. Zetterlund was at least playing.

Bonino makes 2.05m and we have 1.36m in cap space.

San Jose isn’t retaining salary on another player for us either. They already have used two spots and are still trying to find a way to trade Erik Karlsson.

So you need to find another team with a retention spot.

I don’t actually know Bonino’s trade value but there has to be some real space between him at 1m and a defenseman we just put on waivers.

It sounded like they didn’t want just futures and that’s why they wanted Zetterlund.

I didn’t want to lose Zetterlund either, but not sure Holtz saves both him and the 2nd pick.

Our 2023 1st will be pretty low even if we don’t make the ECFs, unless we fall in the standings and/or the teams above us don’t make the CFs.

So just might have been a 1st is a tough sell.

Also, Zetterlund’s equivalent season to Holtz’s current one was 3 years ago. His development has gone great, but he’s 2 and half years older.

We both voted “B” though, so we got to the same place I guess, lol.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I miss Z, but really like the trade if we resign Meier. I don’t know much about Muk playing in the KHL, so out of sight out of mind for me. We have Hughes, Nemec and for me personally, l like Bahl. The 2025 first rounder isn’t guaranteed, could turn into a 2nd. We’ll see if Fitz can tweak the current team and see how far we go.

 

[Guadana]

I like player a lot, like prospects a lot. All three having roster nhl potential, all have minutes eater potential. Already said a lot about that. Watched tons of games of Shakir especially.

Anyway love the trade. It`s Timo Meier. 1st line player. This is the price we paid. And saved prime assets. We techniccally not done yet with extansion, but when it`s done - Devils are top contenders on the east for the next 4-6 years. And I believe having Meier right now will help to Hughes and Nemec in transitioning to NHL because we can compensate their growing period by hard core offense. Thanks, Fitz. LGD!

 

[None Shall Pass]

I see a lot of mention about RSN and the recent network bankruptcies, I tried to find the post and didn’t but I think it was @Unknown Caller that had a pretty good explanation as to why it wouldn’t really affect the cap. If he wishes of course, maybe he could enlighten us again. I sure know I’d like to understand further lol.

I'd read through this thread on the Business of Hockey forum to get up to date: Collapse of Regional Sports Networks (Diamond Sports Group nearing bankruptcy, Warner-Discovery looking to leave business)

RSNs pay teams a good amount of their yearly income - I think MSG pays the Devils something like $25million a year? 15 teams, who are not the Torontos and Montreals that can print money at will, are so far going to be impacted in one way or another. It's not going to be HUGE, but it will be millions in the short term no longer flowing into the NHL ecosystem. It's too early to say what the impact will be, but it won't be nothing.

 

[xigon]

Anyone else thinks he looks like Liev schreiber?

 

[swiiscompos]

I like player a lot, like prospects a lot. All three having roster nhl potential, all have minutes eater potential. Already said a lot about that. Watched tons of games of Shakir especially.

Anyway love the trade. It`s Timo Meier. 1st line player. This is the price we paid. And saved prime assets. We techniccally not done yet with extansion, but when it`s done - Devils are top contenders on the east for the next 4-6 years. And I believe having Meier right now will help to Hughes and Nemec in transitioning to NHL because we can compensate their growing period by hard core offense. Thanks, Fitz. LGD!

Thank you for all the Shakir updated over that time!

Now it’s time to teach some Swiss German to the Devils fanbase.

 

[Guadana]

Thank you for all the Shakir updated over that time!

Now it’s time to teach some Swiss German to the Devils fanbase.

I studied German in school, now I don`t remember absolutely nothing, have only good reading skills. English has completely supplanted German from my head unfortunately. So it`s on you.

 

[Snuggs]

One of the better trades I've seen in a long-time.

Lost all faith in Grier regime honestly.

 

[swiiscompos]

I studied German in school, now I don`t remember absolutely nothing, have only good reading skills. English has completely supplanted German from my head unfortunately. So it`s on you.

If you think that German from school can help with Swiss German you’re in for a surprise! (Btw German is not my main language, but it is Akira’s, Nico’s and Timo’s).

 

[Saugus]

If you think that German from school can help with Swiss German you’re in for a surprise! (Btw German is not my main language, but it is Akira’s, Nico’s and Timo’s).

French or Italian? Does anybody actually speak Romansh?

 

[Bcap88]

This trade gives me huge kovalchuk vibes

As in holy shit we got this caliber of a player for relatively cheap and tbe buzz around this is insane

 

[swiiscompos]

Lesson one: guide to lip-reading our Swiss players (or many colorful ways to insult someone). Tons of great ideas to describe players! Recent Wood could definitely fit a couple. Bleedred would get all kind of new words to describe Blackwood.

 

[Guadana]

If you think that German from school can help with Swiss German you’re in for a surprise! (Btw German is not my main language, but it is Akira’s, Nico’s and Timo’s).

I believe I could sell online classes for an unprepared layman. I would promise them opportunities for financial success, rapid progress and self-development.

Btw original german is great instrument to insult. I believe his swiss version should be even better and have personal color.

 

[swiiscompos]

French or Italian? Does anybody actually speak Romansh?

French. Part of Switzerland definitely speaks Rumantsch. The area is actually not so tiny but it’s sparsely populated. I don’t leave anymore in Switzerland but I miss the big mix of languages. Tons of foreign languages as well, most of us have some mix with other countries.

 

[Rhodes 81]

After thinking about it for a few days, I'm very happy but not ecstatic. The biggest downer for me is that both the 1st and 2nd next year will be tied up waiting on the conditions so we won't be able to use either for more moves. That's not a huge deal, but it's not nothing.

 

[My3Sons]

French. Part of Switzerland definitely speaks Rumantsch. The area is actually not so tiny but it’s sparsely populated. I don’t leave anymore in Switzerland but I miss the big mix of languages. Tons of foreign languages as well, most of us have some mix with other countries.

The Devils should really capitalize on the Swiss connection. Can you imagine the home ice advantage of they put out a spread in the visiting team dressing room of fondue schnitzel cheese and of course chocolate. The visiting team woukd need a nap by the middle of the first period.

 

[Oneiro]

If I'm a Sharks fan, I'm annoyed at the overall set of question marks. If some of them are pissed, I'd get it. The top end of the known parts of the package is far more unclear relative to Nemec/Holtz/Mercer (though I'm not saying any of those guys are proven either).

But I'm just grateful that we've rebuilt the way we have when so many teams in all sports get it so wrong. Accumulating draft capital, keeping the stopgap contracts very short and tradeable while keeping the cap structure clean. And then, when presented with the opportunity, bringing in the right kind of heavy hitters from the outside. (Yeah, I don't like the term/hit on Palat but I love the player.)

Now we can focus on the simpler character elements of the team and there is still a lot of internal competition for those jobs.

 

[Lou is God]

Anyone else thinks he looks like Liev schreiber?

Yup, I thought the same and we're not alone:

 

[NJDevs26]

If I'm a Sharks fan, I'm annoyed at the overall set of question marks. If some of them are pissed, I'd get it. The top end of the known parts of the package is far more unclear relative to Nemec/Holtz/Mercer (though I'm not saying any of those guys are proven either).

But I'm just grateful that we've rebuilt the way we have when so many teams in all sports get it so wrong. Accumulating draft capital, keeping the stopgap contracts very short and tradeable while keeping the cap structure clean. And then, when presented with the opportunity, bringing in the right kind of heavy hitters from the outside. (Yeah, I don't like the term/hit on Palat but I love the player.)

Now we can focus on the simpler character elements of the team and there is still a lot of internal competition for those jobs.

That kind of ‘doing it right’ rebuild of sitting on your hands only works with a well timed lotto win or two, otherwise you just waste a lot of years waiting for no reward

 

[Triumph]

That kind of ‘doing it right’ rebuild of sitting on your hands only works with a well timed lotto win or two, otherwise you just waste a lot of years waiting for no reward

No it doesn't. The Devils definitely got lucky, there's no question, but they also got unlucky to start with, and started from farther behind than anyone. San Jose is starting from a similar position but they got a lot back for Meier and should get something back for some of their other guys when it's time to move them.

The real issue for the Devils would be that they weren't bad enough, at any point.

 

[Oneiro]

That kind of ‘doing it right’ rebuild of sitting on your hands only works with a well timed lotto win or two, otherwise you just waste a lot of years waiting for no reward

Show me a cup winner without a top 5 pick since the 08 Red Wings, who had a bunch of Bratt-esque later round star pieces.

You're essentially arguing for what Nashville, Winnipeg, Calgary and Minnesota have done and I think the result of that speaks for itself.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

I was not overwhelemed at first. But I slept on it and realized a couple of things

1) I didn't want to give up a lot for a rental. But this is more then a rental. We have, at minimum, an additional year of his rights / playing season.
2) The condition on the 2nd helps. If that condition is met, then I don't mind giving it up a first.

So what did we give up?
- Zetterland - has value but you give him up every day of the week.
- Mukhamadullin - *could* be a beast in the NHL.... likely not. And if he does hit his ceiling it will likely be years from now
- Okhotiuk - is a fine player, but not likely an impact.
- 2023 First - will be outside the top 16 this year. Still value - but you give that up for Meier.
- 2024 2nd / 1st - This is a second. If the condition is met then it was worth it. And if we stink in 2023-2024 - its at least top 10 protected.

We didn't give up any of our best prospects. Our potential 2 firsts have solid conditions. Worst-case the 2nd to a first can get pushed out to 2025.

I think this was extremely savvy. It's not completely bullet proof - but we have a lot of protection on those picks we sent.

 

[NJDevs26]

Show me a cup winner without a top 5 pick since the 08 Red Wings, who had a bunch of Bratt-esque later round star pieces.

You're essentially arguing for what Nashville, Winnipeg, Calgary and Minnesota have done and I think the result of that speaks for itself.

You can’t bank on a lotto win the way you could 10-15 years ago though. Nor is where you finish where you draft - just ask all the bottom teams who got bumped up to third or fourth. Imagine the jealousy around here if we won the Lafreniere lottery instead of the Hughes one and the Rangers had lucked into him off a playoff year instead of Laf? Or if we just didn’t win any lottery at all and were still waiting for lightning to strike.

We weren’t even trying to tank per se in the Nico year though it almost couldn’t be helped regardless. I still remember people losing their shit when John Moore won a meaningless OT game against the Flyers that bumped us up two spots…and right into a lotto win as it worked out