Speculation: Jack Hughes Possibly Out Long Term. Who Can Devils Bring In For Now?

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Nobody NJ can realistically add is going to replace Hughes. After last night's loss it's hard to see it worth buying at all if you are NJ. If anything, I'd sell on Kovacevic. Really a disappointing end to what was a decently promising season.
How can you make a trade if you criticize the player you’re trying to trade. Baffling.
 
Nobody NJ can realistically add is going to replace Hughes. After last night's loss it's hard to see it worth buying at all if you are NJ. If anything, I'd sell on Kovacevic. Really a disappointing end to what was a decently promising season.
By not buying you are saying to the team I don't think you're good enough. It means Fitz will get fired. We are at the point where we shouldn't be 1 injury out from missing the playoffs. If for some reason we miss, or punt the season then Fitz is gone for sure. We shouldn't be this week of a team but the roster is not constructed properly.
 
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By not buying you are saying to the team I don't think you're good enough. It means Fitz will get fired. We are at the point where we shouldn't be 1 injury out from missing the playoffs. If for some reason we miss, or punt the season then Fitz is gone for sure. We shouldn't be this week of a team but the roster is not constructed properly.
He should get fired regardless
 
By not buying you are saying to the team I don't think you're good enough. It means Fitz will get fired. We are at the point where we shouldn't be 1 injury out from missing the playoffs. If for some reason we miss, or punt the season then Fitz is gone for sure. We shouldn't be this week of a team but the roster is not constructed properly.
Fair point. I just hope they don’t do something foolish. Make a small add or two. Keep thr top prospects and next year’s first rounder.
 
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By not buying you are saying to the team I don't think you're good enough. It means Fitz will get fired. We are at the point where we shouldn't be 1 injury out from missing the playoffs. If for some reason we miss, or punt the season then Fitz is gone for sure. We shouldn't be this week of a team but the roster is not constructed properly.

It seems we are a week team, if it's only been daze since Jack's injury
 
What would you want for Kovacevic?
I am apparently part of a small minority of NJ fans who would consider selling. As the poster above pointed out, the GM might need to make the playoffs or at least make the effort to try to get in which would mean some sort of buying. If NJ would consider it I expect Kovacevic's value as a rental woul be something like a second round pick or a young center with some offense blocked in another organization.
 
NJs first is top 10 protected, even if they sell off what ever minor pieces they have they are probably not gonna fall to bottom 10. Giving up now does devils no good whatsoever.
 
I think they should definitely use that LTIR money and buy but with an eye on the future. Go find a 2C that has at least another year left. The seconds/money for cap dump/Nemec or Casey should all be on the table in my opinion.

Obviously it's doom and gloom as a fan right now but they played pretty well last night against a very good team got their hearts ripped out with 3 seconds left to get no points.

6 points up on a playoff spot you can't just punt the season with 19 games remaining because of an injury it's just not how these things work. Fitz's job is on the line over the next 48 hours, will be interesting to see what unfolds.
 
Hughes had an absolutely nasty injury. No word yet on how bad it is, but assuming he is out long term, can Devils bring in someone who can at least act as a stopgap? Trade deadline is very close and this could be a scramble to get something going. Who could possibly be out there right now?
Bad situation but good call by you:

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It’s a very complicated situation .Deciding whether to buy or sell . By selling ( which they should do at this point ) , it shows that the team isn’t constructed properly and shows very poorly on Fitz and his ability ,(or lack there of ), to build a competent team . He isn’t going to admit that . And selling , to me , admits that in a round about way. He has said himself in previous years that the team is ready to compete . Him selling would make him look bad for a bunch of different reasons . But I honestly think that buying would be foolish now . The team has been garbage since Christmas . That’s regardless of injuries . Now more than ever ( with Jack and Dougie out ) , adding a player or two is not going to make them contenders . It will be a waste of assets and might not even make the playoffs . They havnt beat a good team since the first game after Christmas . No way they win a 7 game series in the playoffs without Jack . The forward group is a mess and can’t be fixed at the trade deadline . The cost is too high and there are too many positions that need to be turned over and too many NMC / cap issues to rebuild the bottom 6 plus give Jack and Nico someone who can finish .
Haula Tatar Mercer Dowling Bastian Palat . All are useless . Every forward needs to go besides Jack Nico Bratt Meier Noesen and maybe Cotter . If Bratt or Jack is shut down , the team just cannot capitalize on their chances or even generate chances . Their entire bottom 6 is useless .
The D and goaltending is excellent . It’s the forward group that is garbage .
However if Fitz does not add at the deadline , it is giving up on what started off as very promising . It would be to me a slap in the face to the players and a massive gut punch to the fans to just give up. I can’t see ownership being too pumped about missing the playoffs after such a great start to the season and being a top 3 cup favorite at the start of the year ( according to Vegas odds ) .
I have no idea what Fitz will do . Buy ? sell? Half-ass buy- a plug for the bottom 6 ti make it look like he tried ? Or go crazy and burn a bunch of assets to try to make up for the loss of Jack ( spend assets on rentals like Nelson / Boeser ) and try to save his job ? His job should be in the line IMO . He has made the playoffs once . He waits too long to address massive needs ( goaltending prior to Markstrom) . His drafting has been terrible too . Stillman ? Nemec over Cooley Wright ?
If Jack is out for the entire year plus playoffs - sell . If he will for sure be back and 100% by playoffs - buy . But the tricky thing is , playoffs are not a guarantee right now ….. I think massive help is needed and I dint think the adequate amount of help is even available right now . If it is , it will cost a metric shit ton to acquire . And I dint want to use the wasters it will take unless it’s for players with term . I just don’t see any of those types available save maybe McCann
 
They should sell, probably

Detroit and rangers also have two games in hand, I believe
Should be noted that NJ would win the tie breaker rule if it came to that and they were tied with some teams at the end of the season. They have the advantage of more regulation wins than any team out of the playoffs. So even though Detroit has two games in hand. They’d need to make up 7 points on NJ.
 
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