Speculation: Trade Speculation Part III

[Scott04]

god forbid lou trades merrill and he becomes an elite dman. This board would want him gone despite pushing him in a trade proposal anyway.

Merrill should not be moved. I truly believe that anyone who wants to move him has never seen him play. If the kid keeps his head on straight, he is going to be a star.

Board reactions aside, as this is just my personal take on such a situation: I really don't want to see something where this team moves Merrill because like you, I think he can make a huge impact down the line if he develops and reaches the talent level he clearly has. I don't really see the need to trade him, or why it should be actively pursued as an option. But if for some reason he does get traded, I really can't say I'm going to judge the move based on what he becomes. What he becomes elsewhere isn't necessarily what he would have become here (both in a positive or a negative result). I'm going to judge it more so by the impact of what the Devils trade him for. If we trade him for a rental who then bolts, I'm not going to like it. If its a rental who helps us win the cup this year and then bolts... well that's tricky to evaluate. Short term = huge success, but if you like the long term look of it... maybe not.

If Merrill is going to be traded for a 2nd line winger (in terms of ability more so than where he specifically slots in on this given roster) with an expiring deal, I can't say I'll be too thrilled. Lets say he was traded for a top caliber player (like a Corey Perry if Anaheim were to move him), I can't be as mad at the idea. Ultimately, I don't see the desperation to make a move that would have to include Merrill, as well as no reason Lou wants to move the kid. But its not the worst thing in the world if its in a very notable deal.

What is there to see? He lost a lot of ice time to the new golden boy Trouba, he had a slow start coming back from an injury...He's 21 and still playing NCAA hockey.

Watch him all you want, but it's hard to have any kind of scouting report given how terrible and sloppy that team is. Even he looks disinterested when he's out there.

Going back for another year was definitely a mistake. He could be getting more ice time/games at a higher level and getting used to the pro schedule right now.

I really think you have to give more weight to the impact of the injury on things like his ice time, his caliber of play, etc. He missed a lot of time with a significant injury. Going back for another year looks stupid because of the injury and what has happened since. Had he not gotten hurt, or at least not as severe as it was, this could be an entirely different discussion. The result of his staying an extra year wasn't exactly favorable, but you can't necessarily say it wasn't the right decision at the time, especially given the depth at D in this franchise in the pros/AHL.

 

[Bleedred]

I would also be willing to deal Burlon. Not too high on him. Same with Urbom. Urbom is fine, and there's nothing wrong with him. I just don't see him as a ''Must keep'' type of player. There's a very good chance at least one of those two never play for us in the NHL full time either.

 

[Oroku Saki*]

Merril reminds me a bit of Larsson but with more offensive flair and less defensive acumen.

 

[Bleedred]

Merril reminds me a bit of Larsson but with more offensive flair and less defensive acumen.

Yeah he's not absolutely untouchable to me. I wouldn't wanna move him for a rental like Stephen Weiss of all people. We might be able to get a younger player who's just as good, or even better than actually has a few years until UFA.

With Severson, Scarlett, and Merrill and the hope that we keep some of our guys now like Fayne, and Greene. Urbom is very expendable to me.

Now he is almost NHL ready Urbom. If he was in an organization whose NHL team did not have 8 frickin defensemen then he might be able to crack a team somewhere.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Butler sucks, Josefson, Matteau sucks, Loktionov probably sucks, Kovalchuk is slow, the defense is slow, and Hedberg probably sucks because he didn't continue posting impossible numbers behind a bad, slow defense.

Has anyone been impressed by anyone on this team? When do the Devils fans usually show up around here? Can we quit judging entire careers and franchises over the past 4 games?

 

[apice3*]

Didn't you say you've seen Merrill play like 5 times? Against people who have seen him anywhere from 6 to 18 times I don't know if you should go around throwing that claim considering 5 viewings is such a hefting scouting

Where did you get 5 games from? I don't watch Michigan religiously, but I have caught a handful of his NCAA games and every WJC game he's played in. I'm willing to bet that I've seen him play more than just about everyone who wants him traded.

Besides, I'm not scout by any means but you don't need to watch every minute of the kids ice time to see he flat out has it.

What is there to see? He lost a lot of ice time to the new golden boy Trouba, he had a slow start coming back from an injury...He's 21 and still playing NCAA hockey.

Watch him all you want, but it's hard to have any kind of scouting report given how terrible and sloppy that team is. Even he looks disinterested when he's out there.

Going back for another year was definitely a mistake. He could be getting more ice time/games at a higher level and getting used to the pro schedule right now.

The kid broke a vertebrae. Did you expect him to win the Hobey Baker this year?

Last year, Michigan was in shambles until Merrill returned and led them to being, IIRC, the #2 team in the nation at one point. This year, they were pretty bad but I'm not sure it's a coincidence that they're 4-2 (5-13-2 prior) since Merrill started regaining form. Going back wasn't necessarily a mistake. The injury changed a lot. It was a freak thing.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

god forbid lou trades merrill and he becomes an elite dman. This board would want him gone despite pushing him in a trade proposal anyway.

Merrill should not be moved. I truly believe that anyone who wants to move him has never seen him play. If the kid keeps his head on straight, he is going to be a star.

I've seen him a handfull of times but I'd rather move a 21 year old prospect who's playing NCAA hockey with average numbers versus a 22 year old prospect who's averaging a point every 2 game at the AHL level.

I'm not saying that Merrill will be a bust but I think Gelinas has a bigger upside, but I can be wrong.

 

[Bleedred]

Another thing to take into account when trading prospect defensemen. Barring a disastrous regression Salvador will likely end his career with the Devils. That means if Bryce still wants to play come Summer 2015 when he will turn 40 years old the following season, he will more than likely be re signed for a year.

 

[apice3*]

Numbers don't tell the whole story at any level.

 

[Devils731]

I'm not saying that Merrill will be a bust but I think Gelinas has a bigger upside, but I can be wrong.

I'd prefer keeping Gelinas over Merrill too, but for the opposite reason. I think Merrill may have more upside, because we don't know how he'll perform yet when placed in a good system, but we know what Gelinas does in a system driven team at the AHL level. So, for me, Gelinas is already looking pretty good and at a higher level, so I'd rather have that extra safety Gelinas gives than the extra potential/mystery that Merrill has.

 

[apice3*]

I'd prefer keeping Gelinas over Merrill too, but for the opposite reason. I think Merrill may have more upside, because we don't know how he'll perform yet when placed in a good system, but we know what Gelinas does in a system driven team at the AHL level. So, for me, Gelinas is already looking pretty good and at a higher level, so I'd rather have that extra safety Gelinas gives than the extra potential/mystery that Merrill has.

And then both pan out and hit their ceilings, and people complain Lou always plays it safe and doesn't take enough risks.

 

[Devils731]

And then both pan out and hit their ceilings, and people complain Lou always plays it safe and doesn't take enough risks.

People may, I wouldn't.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I'd prefer keeping Gelinas over Merrill too, but for the opposite reason. I think Merrill may have more upside, because we don't know how he'll perform yet when placed in a good system, but we know what Gelinas does in a system driven team at the AHL level. So, for me, Gelinas is already looking pretty good and at a higher level, so I'd rather have that extra safety Gelinas gives than the extra potential/mystery that Merrill has.

Albany doesn't play a very structured game. Larsson was quoted saying he'd rather practice with the NHL team and be scratched than playing in the AHL, because Albany doesn't play with much of a system.

 

[apice3*]

Albany doesn't play a very structured game. Larsson was quoted saying he'd rather practice with the NHL team and be scratched than playing in the AHL, because Albany doesn't play with much of a system.

Didn't hear that quote, but I believe it. Lou has expressly stated he doesn't care about Albany.

 

[Lou is God]

Some guy on FB said he has heard rumblings of us interested in Ryan O'Reilly, anyone else hear anything?

 

[Emperoreddy]

Didn't hear that quote, but I believe it. Lou has expressly stated he doesn't care about Albany.

Well I don't know about the part about structure, but I think Pete and Lou have stated similar things about they rather have (well Larsson in particular) practicing with the big club and sitting instead of playing AHL games that they would gain more.

 

[Devils731]

Albany doesn't play a very structured game. Larsson was quoted saying he'd rather practice with the NHL team and be scratched than playing in the AHL, because Albany doesn't play with much of a system.

They have a system though, they just aren't very good at pulling it off, based on my viewing. When I've seen Michigan I'll be damned if I can see them having any gameplan other than "go out there and do what feels right".

Larsson: ""I've been stronger, I've been faster," he said. "It's a different type of play down there. There's not a lot of system and it can be hard some games. You never know. You can get three guys on you."

Adam's quote, for me, was actually commenting as much on other teams than on Albany, since he followed up his talk of less system as saying 3 guys would be on him, which is saying the other team isn't playing a system since 3 guys is too many forechecking one defenseman.

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/devils/2013/jan/31/albany-devils-notes/

From Kowalsky:

"I think we just keep it simple on the road, and I think for the most part, when you do that — we talk about trusting the system and playing the system, not trying to do too much."

 

[apice3*]

Some guy on FB said he has heard rumblings of us interested in Ryan O'Reilly, anyone else hear anything?

Nothing other than HF speculation. Who was it and how credible?

 

[Lou is God]

Nothing other than HF speculation. Who was it and how credible?

Some guy that guys by New Jersey Devils Blogger, and not credible at all, for example the other day he suggested we move Cam to defense, which is a hilarious thought.

 

[Zippy316]

Some guy that guys by New Jersey Devils Blogger, and not credible at all, for example the other day he suggested we move Cam to defense, which is a hilarious thought.

I don't think I've ever laughed more.

 

[Bleedred]

Some guy that guys by New Jersey Devils Blogger, and not credible at all, for example the other day he suggested we move Cam to defense, which is a hilarious thought.

The world famous Eklund actually had a blog on this way back when the season was starting. He said we're really interested in O'Reilly as a Parise replacement.

While I give Eklund some credit for things he broke during the lockout (Which McKenzie, and Dreger gave him credit for too) I don't buy anything he says about our team. If it's Flyers related I could believe it, because he has more contacts in their organization I'm sure. The night or two before Semin signed with Carolina he said New Jersey, and Detroit were the front runners from what he's heard from his source. The next day, or two days later he signs with Carolina.

 

[NJDevs26]

Didn't hear that quote, but I believe it. Lou has expressly stated he doesn't care about Albany.

And that's why we can rarely develop people properly in Albany anymore and people like Tedenby (for one example) has to learn defense up here instead of being taught down there like he should be.

I don't really get why Lou's changed his philosophy over the last two decades since the Devils had a great farm system in the mid '90's using the AHL team as an extension of an NHL team, and developed people left and right. Nowadays the only players we 'develop' come from overseas, juniors or college.

 

[Bleedred]

Then you got the hockey insider who's even worse than Eklund. Everyday he's got a story breaking. A couple weeks ago we were talking with LA about trading, listen to this.

About trading Greene straight up for either Gagne, or Penner.

Greene straight up for Gagne? The Gagne that got a 3rd/4th round pick straight up from the Flyers yesterday?

 

[Semak]

Then you got the hockey insider who's even worse than Eklund. Everyday he's got a story breaking. A couple weeks ago we were talking with LA about trading, listen to this.

About trading Greene straight up for either Gagne, or Penner.

Greene straight up for Gagne? The Gagne that got a 3rd/4th round pick straight up from the Flyers yesterday?

He meant "Greene" as in money, bread, dough, scratch, you know, benjamins.

OK, I don't even buy that.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Gelinas has proven nothing in the NHL. We'd be getting a proven top-6 center for a two unknowns. We have plenty of depth on the back-end.

A top 6 center who is proving he is bottom 6 this year.

I like Weiss, and I like his intangibles, but he simply isn't doing ANYTHING this year and I wouldn't give up Gelinas for him straight up... much less + a 2nd.