Speculation: Nemec not happy with the Devils?

[Unbiased Fan]

I’d offer a Jircek package from the leafs. His ELC would be nice.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Caufield would be the best goal scorer on the Devils since Kovalchuk.

If you get Caufield for Nemec you should take it and run.

Hughes-Caufield would be unreal, and Caufield is signed long term with a superb deal.

Nemec can't even beat Kovacevic for a roster spot in his D+3.

I say this every time Caufield gets mentioned for the Devils, great player but they are trying to build a team to compete in the playoffs and having Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Cole Caufield as their 3 best offensive threats is a terrible idea. Especially considering the price they'd have to pay to get him, which would obviously be more than Nemec alone.

This is in no way a a shot at Caufield, simply stating the fact that the Devils are small enough without adding another tiny player to their top 6.

 

[dgibb10]

I say this every time Caufield gets mentioned for the Devils, great player but they are trying to build a team to compete in the playoffs and having Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Cole Caufield as their 3 best offensive threats is a terrible idea. Especially considering the price they'd have to pay to get him, which would obviously be more than Nemec alone.

This is in no way a a shot at Caufield, simply stating the fact that the Devils are small enough without adding another tiny player to their top 6.

That and the salary cap. (This applies to any 8 mill ish forward btw)

Even with a 95 mill cap next year, and shipping out palat, you end up just under 2 mill over the cap with that roster adding caufield.

And the only other piece you realistically want to cut salary on is who?

MAYBE if you want to go real shallow in the bottom 6 and replace haula with a 1 mill guy.

Beyond that it's Hamilton. But you can't move Hamilton if you've just shipped out Nemec.

And so therein is the crux. A big salary piece in means Hamilton out.

Hamilton out means Nemec stays. Ergo, to move Nemec for an expensive forward doesn't make sense.

 

[Michoulicious]

Looking up stats isn’t your forte I see.

You have to go back 35 years on the habs to find a higher goal scoring season than Jack Hughes 2 years ago.

Caufield has always been a better scorer than Hughes... Even when they were playing together.

One season does not make Hughes a better goal scorer than Caufield.

Were you aware Caufield had a surgery in his shoulder in 2023? Look at his GPG before the surgery... Of course it dropped when he came back.

This year he's back to scoring at a 0.5 GPG even with Laine taking his spot on the left board on the PP.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Caufield has always been a better scorer than Hughes... Even when they were playing together.

One season does not make Hughes a better goal scorer than Caufield.

Were you aware Caufield had a surgery in his shoulder in 2023? Look at his GPG before the surgery... Of course it dropped when he came back.

This year he's back to scoring at a 0.5 GPG even with Laine taking his spot on the left board on the PP.

So a lot ifs and buts and hope, but none of that trumps the actual stats you were provided.
Let’s stick with real stats and numbers, so far Jack Hughes has trumped any goal scoring season of the last 35 years of the habs.

Let’s wait until he actually trumps Jack.

 

[BLONG7]

I say this every time Caufield gets mentioned for the Devils, great player but they are trying to build a team to compete in the playoffs and having Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Cole Caufield as their 3 best offensive threats is a terrible idea. Especially considering the price they'd have to pay to get him, which would obviously be more than Nemec alone.

This is in no way a a shot at Caufield, simply stating the fact that the Devils are small enough without adding another tiny player to their top 6.

Agreed........and I think most habs fans are not wanting to trade Caufield. The story goes that the habs passed on Michkov for reasons you state, not wanting to have too many smaller skilled forwards in the top 6 and already having Caufield in the fold.

 

[HabsMD97]

Trading Nemec would be extremely stupid, they should trade Hamilton instead (obviously not in season)

 

[HabsMD97]

Someone posted on the Devils board they believe Kovacevic likely priced himself out of the Devils future. I tend to agree (though he has been really freaking good for us).

If you're looking at Kovacevic as getting (I'm totally making up a number here) $4.5m per at the age of 27 (still young enough) vs. Nemec next year at 900k at the age of 20... i take Nemec.

I think the original intent was Kovacevic to be a stop-gap, injury insurance. His breakout season is creating a good problem. But depending on his salary demands - in my opinion i think he walks and we stick to the original plan.

Plus I don't think Nemec has regressed (admittedly there is debate on our board on this). He had an up/down season last year, on a team decimated with injuries where the most experienced Dmen playing more than 50 games were John Marino, Brendan Smith and [an injury-plagued season] Jonas Siegenthaler. Before the season started some users predicted a rough defensive year (losing Severson and Graves who were good for us the year prior). Understandably his season was mixed.

Then he got injured to start this year - and feels like he's finally coming out of it. He's 20 years old. He has some great talent. I think his quote is being blow out of proportion.

Kovacevic is easily getting 5.5+ on the market

 

[Guess]

Nemec for Caufield is the natural trade here. Slaf gets his friend and Jack gets his.

This would never happen, Caufield is too established with the team and Nemec isn't. Habs are not San Jose, they need more vets at this point.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Caufield has always been a better scorer than Hughes... Even when they were playing together.

One season does not make Hughes a better goal scorer than Caufield.

Were you aware Caufield had a surgery in his shoulder in 2023? Look at his GPG before the surgery... Of course it dropped when he came back.

This year he's back to scoring at a 0.5 GPG even with Laine taking his spot on the left board on the PP.

Jack Hughes
21-22: 49 games played, 26 goals
22-23 : 78 games played 43 goals
23-24 62 games played 27 goals
24-25 50 games played 18 goals

Cole Caufield
21-22: 67 games played, 23 goals
22-23 : 46 games played 26 goals
23-24 82 games played 28 goals
24-25 47 games played 24 goals

You may be losing this battle in their shared time in the NHL Jack Hughes has scored 114 goals in 239 games played while Cole Caufield has scored 101 goals in 242 games played.

Caufield has played more games and scored less goals. He may be turning this around but right now, Hughes has scored more.

 

[Michoulicious]

Jack Hughes
21-22: 49 games played, 26 goals
22-23 : 78 games played 43 goals
23-24 62 games played 27 goals
24-25 50 games played 18 goals

Cole Caufield
21-22: 67 games played, 23 goals
22-23 : 46 games played 26 goals
23-24 82 games played 28 goals
24-25 47 games played 24 goals

You may be losing this battle in their shared time in the NHL Jack Hughes has scored 114 goals in 239 games played while Cole Caufield has scored 101 goals in 242 games played.

Caufield has played more games and scored less goals. He may be turning this around but right now, Hughes has scored more.

I think the year post shoulder surgery of Caufield is the big anomaly here. These take usually about 2 years for the player to get back their shot/stick handling abilities 100%, and what we see basically confirms it.

When they were playing on the same team with the program, Caufield scored 72 goals in 64 games while Hughes scored 34 in 50.

Caufield always had the better shot/release. He is a pure goal scorer.

Hughes is a complete C with the hands,the skating, the playmaking. He has a good shot, but nothing like Caufield.

I think Hughes is a better player by a fair margin, but Caufield is and always has been the better goal scorer.

I am 100% sure if you ask Hughes himself he'll tell you Caufield is the better goal scorer.

 

[Michoulicious]

Kovacevic is easily getting 5.5+ on the market

Chiarot 2.0 incoming at that price... He's an ok 3rd pair D... 5.5 is a big mistake.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I think the year post shoulder surgery of Caufield is the big anomaly here. These take usually about 2 years for the player to get back their shot/stick handling abilities 100%, and what we see basically confirms it.

When they were playing on the same team with the program, Caufield scored 72 goals in 64 games while Hughes scored 34 in 50.

Caufield always had the better shot/release. He is a pure goal scorer.

Hughes is a complete C with the hands,the skating, the playmaking. He has a good shot, but nothing like Caufield.

I think Hughes is a better player by a fair margin, but Caufield is and always have been the better goal scorer.

I am 100% sure if you ask Hughes himself he'll tell you Caufield is the better goal scorer.

Hughes has had shoulder surgery as well. I prefer the goals being scored at the highest level. For now Hughes has him beat. It could change though.
This isn't a who has a better shot competition it's a who has tucked more goals, and that's Hughes for now.

 

[Michoulicious]

Hughes has had shoulder surgery as well. I prefer the goals being scored at the highest level. For now Hughes has him beat. It could change though.
This isn't a who has a better shot competition it's a who has tucked more goals, and that's Hughes for now.

Like I said, I am 100% sure Hughes would tell you himself Caufield is the better goal scorer. He played with him. He knows.

Caufield's shot is one of the best in the league.

 

[glenngineer]

Would a Nemec for Saros swap be acceptable, throw in some other pieces to balance out needs and/or salary cap issues?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Would a Nemec for Saros swap be acceptable, throw in some other pieces to balance out needs and/or salary cap issues?

Absolutely not, if the Devils wanted Saros it would've been done pre Markstrom not after. They're not doing dumping more assets into a goalie until Markstrom leaves. He still has a year left

 

[Xirik]

meh not worth it

 

[HabsMD97]

Chiarot 2.0 incoming at that price... He's an ok 3rd pair D... 5.5 is a big mistake.

not at all, kovacevic is one of the top shutdown d in the league, chiarot was always trash

 

[Smitty426]

Kovacevic is easily getting 5.5+ on the market

Then bye! No more Nemec talk if thats the case

 

[TBF1972]

Like I said, I am 100% sure Hughes would tell you himself Caufield is the better goal scorer. He played with him. He knows.

Caufield's shot is one of the best in the league.

absolutely

if you use the csss method and compare the games in which caufield scored versus the games jack didn't score, caufield leads by 105 goals.

cut and slice .... eh dry evidence that caufield is the better scorer. if you can't see it, you must be a habs hater.