Confirmed Trade: [VGK/NJD] Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid for Paul Cotter and 2025 3rd round pick

[CF84]

I wonder how dgibb10 feels about the "value" of Holtz now. This seems like a pretty weak return for New Jersey.

 

[TommyDangles]

Yeah why give opportunity to young player they should just step in and produce....It's the nhl right so easy anyone can do it

You have to work for a spot. Being lazy doesn't reward you with ice time. You aren't guaranteed big minutes because you were a high pick.

 

[bigd]

That is poor payment for Holtz

It was a poor first round pick! When you have a lemon, you make lemonade.

 

[Edmonton East]

Smart trade for Vegas. Low risk / high reward.

Fake smart guy Fitz continues his horrific asset management. What a shock. The Devs are the fakest big brain org since the HF darling Chayka Coyotes.

As I said on HF Devs:

"I like Cotter, but the value here makes little sense. Just like the Palat contract. Just like the Allen trade. Just like the Crawford contract. Just like the Markstrom trade. These 4 moves were way worse than this trade btw.

Devs have to go hard in UFA with multiple horrid contracts now without a 2025 1st. Just dandy. Can't wait to see what this place looks like if they have trouble making the playoffs again AND can't lean on the high 1st round pick crutch. They need to add 1-2 dmen, a 3C that can play up the lineup if needed, and a middle 6 winger (more towards 2nd liner). Gonna be interesting."

 

[bigd]

H

Fitz has shown he's not afraid to jettison off young players with potential that have bad work ethics and/or attitudes for established veterans that will more likely buy in to the coach's system.

Zacha for Haula comes to mind. Zacha found a second life in Boston and that deal is starting to look bad for Fitz, and if Holtz does similar with Vegas it's going to look bad as well.

Me personally, I'm okay getting rid of these types of players for those that will continue to help establish a culture in Jersey.
The Devils have the luxury of being able to get rid of skill for grit, based on the current roster.

Haula has been great for NJ, I would do that trade every day. I'm glade Zacha worked out for Boston but it wasn't a bad trade at all!

 

[biturbo19]

I knew Holtz had very little value at this point...but did they really need to give up on Schmid like that? Personally, i'd want to have a guy like that as a 3rd goalie i can stash in the AHL and bring up when needed.

 

[Traitor Zach]

Schmid had games past year where a 20 ft beach ball rebound would have gotten past him. He’s weak on fundamental aspects of goaltending and rode a hot streak of a few games last season which largely looked better than it was because Devils outskated other teams.

Holtz is a total bust. Has no feel or intelligence for the 200 ft game required of a forward. He has zero commitment for board play and puck pursuit, making his linemates do all the work.

It will be stunning if Cassidy gives him more than 5 minutes before he benches him for good and he sulks back to Sweden.

 

[Forge]

I knew Holtz had very little value at this point...but did they really need to give up on Schmid like that? Personally, i'd want to have a guy like that as a 3rd goalie i can stash in the AHL and bring up when needed.

I just assume that they like Daws more. Or maybe Schmid just had the superior value. Most assumed a goalie would get moved though. Just too much of a logjam.

 

[HoliksGhost]

Terrible trade from Fitz. He's been pretty brutal over the last 18 months.

Nah….

 

[Pia8988]

I truly cannot see what Vegas' vision is. Not that Cotter is some unrecoverable loss but they moved two solid performers for picks and projects.

Neither of these moves really helps the cap situation so I don't f***ing get it

Holtz has offensive upside to replace Marchessault, gave up nothing in return. Thompson you could see after last year Hill is their guy, going to hope they get similar out of Schmid.

Cotter is a nothing piece who couldn't see the ice either playoff run. Nothing of value was given up

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Nah….

Yeah he has been. Took a young high tempo juggernaut and turned them into a slow, grind it out team seemingly overnight.

 

[Smitty426]

Smart trade for Vegas. Low risk / high reward.

Fake smart guy Fitz continues his horrific asset management. What a shock. The Devs are the fakest big brain org since the HF darling Chayka Coyotes.

As I said on HF Devs:

"I like Cotter, but the value here makes little sense. Just like the Palat contract. Just like the Allen trade. Just like the Crawford contract. Just like the Markstrom trade. These 4 moves were way worse than this trade btw.

Devs have to go hard in UFA with multiple horrid contracts now without a 2025 1st. Just dandy. Can't wait to see what this place looks like if they have trouble making the playoffs again AND can't lean on the high 1st round pick crutch. They need to add 1-2 dmen, a 3C that can play up the lineup if needed, and a middle 6 winger (more towards 2nd liner). Gonna be interesting."

Fake smart guy? Last year was largest one year turnaround in history! Jersey was not a place where FAs would come, they now are. Palat was picked up because there was NO expectation that the youth would do so well the next year. You got plenty to worry about that team of yours, spot a team 3 then rip off three only to disappoint all of Canada. Holland WHO?

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Damn, I liked Cotter.

 

[Xirik]

so we got

1. fans of other teams that know nothing
2. Devils fans living in 2020
3. people thinking that Holtz is a hot ticket item and going to turn it around in Vegas.

 

[Oneiro]

I doubt Holtz is going to grow under a demanding coach like Cassidy but we'll see. He's got a great shot, some nice passing but everything else is mediocre to bad. Poor compete, bad off-puck positioning, weak in 50/50 battles, not involved defensively. If this wasn't the case, he would've been in the Meier or Markstrom deals. And likely the latter would've been done at the deadline last year. Teams see a kid is putting up 28 pts in very little TOI and they do their homework. And I guess most didn't like what they saw.

Devils like Daws over Schmid, have a lot of goalies in the system now. I think they felt like they know what he is, despite the tough situation he was put in.

I'm not thrilled with the return but if Cotter has speed, is okay defensively and hits, that's really all we need.

 

[Forge]

Yeah he has been. Took a young high tempo juggernaut and turned them into a slow, grind it out team seemingly overnight.

He has, though it has been intentional. I have no idea if it'll work. We'll see.

 

[biturbo19]

I just assume that they like Daws more. Or maybe Schmid just had the superior value. Most assumed a goalie would get moved though. Just too much of a logjam.

Aren't they both still waivers exempt though? I get that it's probably awkward at the AHL level...but i'd generally prefer to have more extra goaltenders, rather than less.

 

[Forge]

Aren't they both still waivers exempt though? I get that it's probably awkward at the AHL level...but i'd generally prefer to have more extra goaltenders, rather than less.

Yes, but they also have Poulter in the AHL as well. He was better than both in the AHL last year and is a year younger.

Poulter - Sept 01 b-day, 28 gp, .911, 4 shut outs.
Schmid - May 00 b-day, 23 gp, .894, 1 SO (previous year he was a .905 and the year before a .911, so he's been trending backward in utica).
Daws Dec 00 B-day. He was coming off hip surgery and only got 10 games @ .890, so I don't want to be overly harsh on him yet given the injury. Previous two years .904 and .916.

So a lot of us expected someone to go. Jakub Malek, 21, finished 5th in save percentage in Liiga last year as a part time starter (only 27 games) but there were only 4 goalies 22 or under that finished with a .900 last year in Liiga, I believe.

I think ultimately, Poulter probably gave them the confidence to move on from Daws or Schmid moving forward. No idea if it was the right decision or not.

 

[Bruce Granville]

I had the impression Holtz would at least return Eichel…

 

[ItWasJustified]

Smart of the New Jersey Devils to sink Holtz value then trade him at the lowest. That's how you run an organization.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Yeah he has been. Took a young high tempo juggernaut and turned them into a slow, grind it out team seemingly overnight.

Cotter has better skating metrics than Holtz

 

[CanadienShark]

Vegas robbed NJ.

 

[JKG33]

On pure value this is a massive win for Vegas. But their bottom 6 is gunna be interesting. They'll lose a lot of grit with Cotter and presumably Carrier leaving. Holtz and some of their other prospects seem far more offense oriented

 

[bleedgreen]

Smart trade for Vegas. Low risk / high reward.

Fake smart guy Fitz continues his horrific asset management. What a shock. The Devs are the fakest big brain org since the HF darling Chayka Coyotes.

As I said on HF Devs:

"I like Cotter, but the value here makes little sense. Just like the Palat contract. Just like the Allen trade. Just like the Crawford contract. Just like the Markstrom trade. These 4 moves were way worse than this trade btw.

Devs have to go hard in UFA with multiple horrid contracts now without a 2025 1st. Just dandy. Can't wait to see what this place looks like if they have trouble making the playoffs again AND can't lean on the high 1st round pick crutch. They need to add 1-2 dmen, a 3C that can play up the lineup if needed, and a middle 6 winger (more towards 2nd liner). Gonna be interesting."

I think with better goaltending and health they are probably knocking on the door of the playoffs without adding anything more. They weren’t quite as good as they were two years ago, but they’re not the team we watched last year at all. If they add a piece or two from your list and they stay healthy I think they’re a pretty threatening team. Gotta keep Jack healthy.

 

[Leafshater67]

Crazy they gave away Holtz and Marino for spare parts. Holtz was their big pick and only had one full year up. Vegas fleeced them on this.