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

[Puckclektr]

We'll never know, thx Lindy

It’s amazing. Holtz could score a goal and make some nice plays and then Get benched for being offside. If it was Alexander Hughes and NOT Holtz he would’ve scored 30 goals this year with some opportunity. If Luke wasn’t jacks brother he would’ve sitting in the press box for his bonehead plays every game.

I may end up surprised but I doubt it.


And yet he'll never get that ice time because he's a 40 pt guy who can't skate, avoids board battles, can't defend, and has a shitty attitude. And Mercer had a down year

Nice how you avoid my point. mercer had a down year and that’s okay, yet Holtz never was given a fair chance and never had the opportunity to have an UP year and you’re okay with just trading him. Lol.
And we never drafted him to defend or play along the boards. We drafted him to shoot and thats a major issue on this team

 

[goonybird]

It’s amazing. Holtz could score a goal and make some nice plays and then Get benched for being offside. If it was Alexander Hughes and NOT Holtz he would’ve scored 30 goals this year with some opportunity. If Luke wasn’t jacks brother he would’ve sitting in the press box for his bonehead plays every game.


Nice how you avoid my point. mercer had a down year and that’s okay, yet Holtz never was given a fair chance and never had the opportunity to have an UP year and you’re okay with just trading him. Lol.
And we never drafted him to defend or play along the boards. We drafted him to shoot and thats a major issue on this team

Because, as I've pointed out, Holtz is terrible. If he can't skate into an area or protect the puck long enough to use his shot then he might as well not have it

 

[Puckclektr]

Because, as I've pointed out, Holtz is terrible. If he can't skate into an area or protect the puck long enough to use his shot then he might as well not have it

And im not denying that mercer is a better player. But we drafted mercer for the player he was and we drafted Holtz as a scorer and then used him as a 3-4 liner. I guess we can agree to disagree.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

He was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. Look at who played over him. If he was that valuable to Vegas why would they trade that player making 775k if he was so valuable.
a good percentage of devils fans were pissed that Holtz was never given opportunity and were happy he was t traded for Meier or Markstrom. Now many of them are happy with this trade cuz they don’t want to admit we lost the trade.

I don’t really care that he was healthy scratched? Holtz wasn’t good, so what?

 

[goonybird]

I mean, I could be wrong and we'll see but I'm not expecting a big turn around. I do think the trade wasa stupid waste because Keefe should be given a chance but that'd why I said there's gotta be more to this than his play (for him to still be sent out for free)

Wouldn't surprise me if Fitz in his infinite wisdom has been trashing Holtz to another GM who let the cat out of the bag

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Imagine if Holtz was given a fraction of the offensive opportunity that Mercer was given. He would’ve outscored mercer by quite a bit. But he wasnt. He was drafted as a top six forward who they played with offensive liabilities on the bottom six.

If you see no difference between Mercer and Holtz not sure I can help. I'm no detractor of Holtz (and think you give 22-year-olds thar score goals a bit more runway) but pinning his struggles on coaching and ice time is laughable. He clearly wasn't physically ready to handle the NHL and the limited ice time was as much to protect him as it was punitive. That the Devils got as much productivity as they did was a plus.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

The main boards are what they are. Some of you guys have been watching hockey for a long time and still can't evaluate a player. So what makes you think you can evaluate a player on a team that you don't root for and barely watch all year ? You stat watch and look at draft positions thinking you know if the player is good or not. Simply overreact to basically every transaction saying there is a winner or a loser right off the bat. This trade doesn't have the answer to that quite yet.

Holtz mildly impressed at the NHL level , he worked his way up the lineup at times and was certainly mishandled at times but the kid is not living up to that 7th overall title. We will see if Vegas utilizes him properly but if he struggles plating under Lindy Ruff than I'm interested to see how he plays under Bruce Cassidy. I hope him the best and I'm not really a big fan of this deal but people don't realize that Holtz's value is low right now. The Devils cut their potential losses and took what they can get for him.

Most posters are forgetting that Schmid was a part of this deal and that he played amazing for the Devils 2 seasons ago (small sample size). That might be the biggest piece of this deal in the long run and the Devils bigger loss in this deal. Time will tell.

 

[Puckclektr]

If you see no difference between Mercer and Holtz not sure I can help. I'm no detractor of Holtz (and think you give 22-year-olds thar score goals a bit more runway) but pinning his struggles on coaching and ice time is laughable. He clearly wasn't physically ready to handle the NHL and the limited ice time was as much to protect him as it was punitive. That the Devils got as much productivity as they did was a plus.

Where did I say I don’t see a difference between Holtz and Mercer?

I don’t really care that he was healthy scratched? Holtz wasn’t good, so what?

Holtz wasn’t good? See that’s where we differ. Maybe if he had some offensive talent around him he might’ve done a little something. For a healthy scratch i don’t want to give up on a player who can still score 30 goals.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Holtz wasn’t good? See that’s where we differ. Maybe if he had some offensive talent around him he might’ve done a little something. Fourth a healthy scratch i don’t want to give up on a player who can still score 30 goals.

The classic 76 game healthy scratch. Mr. 11 minutes per game can score 30 if you gift him minutes he doesn’t deserve I guess?

 

[Puckclektr]

The classic 76 game healthy scratch. Mr. 11 minutes per game can score 30 if you gift him minutes he doesn’t deserve I guess?

Yeah. A healthy scratch in the playoffs is kind of concerning. This is also his first full season as a 24 year old. Not to mention more physical players tend to make the teams a little earlier than non physical players but it took him 5-6 years to be a regular. Holtz wasn’t given anywhere near the opportunity and many devils fans agree. The same devils fans pissed about the trade.
You expect a player who’s main role is to provided offense and scoring to put up many points playing with mostly fourth line guys?

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Yeah. A healthy scratch in the playoffs is kind of concerning. This is also his first full season as a 24 year old. Not to mention more physical players tend to make the teams a little earlier than non physical players but it took him 5-6 years to be a regular. Holtz wasn’t given anywhere near the opportunity and many devils fans agree. The same devils fans pissed about the trade.
You expect a player who’s main role is to provided offense and scoring to put up many points playing with mostly fourth line guys?

I don’t actually care that much about the point totals. Player wasn’t good and didn’t warrant more playing time. Wasn’t particularly concerned about Sharangovich who scored some goals on his new team either. He’s bad defensively and is Nico compared to Holtz.

 

[tmg]

Most posters are forgetting that Schmid was a part of this deal and that he played amazing for the Devils 2 seasons ago (small sample size). That might be the biggest piece of this deal in the long run and the Devils bigger loss in this deal. Time will tell.

There was a real logjam there though and someone had to move to give others play time and runway. Between Daws, Malek, Poulter, and Schmid … and two more guys drafted yesterday … some headcount reduction was necessary. And there always a risk when a team does that - like when Toronto decided that, of Justin Pogge and Tuukka Rask, Rask was the disposable one… It’s a move and risk you have to make. A team can’t hoard young goalies forever, eventually for some you have to cut bait.

Even if they’re Swiss

 

[Janvonpobben]

Holtz is a megabust.

Kakko 19p last season
Holtz 28p

Is kakko a super duper megabust then

 

[TGWL]

Kakko 19p last season
Holtz 28p

Is kakko a super duper megabust then

So far, yes. But Kakko paced for over 20 goals and had a shorter season, while being defensively responsible.

 

[Janvonpobben]

So far, yes. But Kakko paced for over 20 goals and had a shorter season, while being defensively responsible.

Kakko was also the 2nd overall pick. Much higher than holtz

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Holtz: One of the best shots I have ever seen in his draft year. But seems his pace and hockey sense just not coming together. I hope he can turn it around with a fresh start because he seems like a really good kid.

 

[SnS]

Wonder if Schmid will be the backup goalie for LVGK.

 

[Super Cake]

Wonder if Schmid will be the backup goalie for LVGK.

According to Mccrimmom, he will be their 3rd goalie as they are going to try to look for a goalie in free agency.

 

[TGWL]

Kakko was also the 2nd overall pick. Much higher than holtz

Of course. But if you're going to post stats to compare them to make one look much worse, at least post stats that favor what you're trying to say.

 

[BurntToast]

Vegas fans.

Holtz is still young. He didn’t work in NJ but the potential is there under a fresh start. He was good, not great in the AHL and he can score in the NHL.

If you look at the 2020 Covid draft most of the Top 10 just started to break out last year. Exceptions are the skilled “soft” players Raymond and Stutzle .

He has improved his skating but struggled to keep up with the run and gun style under Lindy. I think this led to rushed decision making which usually ended in error.

We don’t know what happens in the locker room, but Mercer beat him out for a roster spot. The team failed him a little by keeping him benched most of the year before last. Last year they ragged the “schnitzel” out of him. Some of the criticism was warranted and other times it was befuddling. He isn’t good enough defensively to be in the bottom 6 but that was his spot
on the Devils.

Good Luck.

 

[SnS]

According to Mccrimmom, he will be their 3rd goalie as they are going to try to look for a goalie in free agency.

Gotcha. Thank you.

 

[TheBeard]

Vegas fans on Twitter acting like they fleeced the shit out of the Devils.

I feel so bad for them.

Vegas fans.

Holtz is still young. He didn’t work in NJ but the potential is there under a fresh start. He was good, not great in the AHL and he can score in the NHL.

If you look at the 2020 Covid draft most of the Top 10 just started to break out last year. Exceptions are the skilled “soft” players Raymond and Stutzle .

He has improved his skating but struggled to keep up with the run and gun style under Lindy. I think this led to rushed decision making which usually ended in error.

We don’t know what happens in the locker room, but Mercer beat him out for a roster spot. The team failed him a little by keeping him benched most of the year before last. Last year they ragged the “schnitzel” out of him. Some of the criticism was warranted and other times it was befuddling. He isn’t good enough defensively to be in the bottom 6 but that was his spot
on the Devils.

Good Luck.

He's Jesse Puujiarvi without the defense.

 

[Janvonpobben]

Of course. But if you're going to post stats to compare them to make one look much worse, at least post stats that favor what you're trying to say.

19p in 61 games isnt on pace for better than 28.

Holtz pace 0.34
Kakko 0.32

Who is the idiot now?

 

[TGWL]

19p in 61 games isnt on pace for better than 28.

Holtz pace 0.34
Kakko 0.32

Who is the idiot now?

Probably you. Maybe read the initial, quoted response again. Or don't, because I'm not even really sticking up for Kakko here.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Crazy to give up on a 22 year old who has a great offensive skills. Crazier for some fans to even try to justify it was good to trade him because he must be done developing already.

You say that as if there isn't multiple top 10 draft picks that bust every year who all had "great offensive skills". If Holtz turns into waiver fodder and Cotter turns into a solid bottom 6 option then it's a good trade no matter what Holtz's draft position was.