What team is having a better off-season than the New Jersey Devils?

[unknownbrother]

Rangers:
Trouba
Fox
Kakko
Panarin

It's not hard for the Rangers when three of those players fell into their lap and they had to pay a lot of money to get Panarin.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

I love how people still get in line to rip the Rangers' UFA history after that Kovalchuk debacle lirl.

They re-signed Buchnevich and named Kris Knoblauch as the new head coach in Hartford. I don't know if hiring John Davidson as President (May) counts as the "offseason," probably not, but it's not like all they've done is sign Panarin and Trouba.

Bridging Buchnevich is not a positive. In fact, it night really bite them in the ass

 

[unknownbrother]

Except both teams are realistically 2-3 years away from being legit contenders and by that time Trouba will be at his peak prime and locked into his contract.. while PK will be 32 and approaching UFA. What good does that do for the Devils just as they're hitting their stride of contending??

I take Trouba 10 times out of 10 just for that reason, even if PK has a better 2019-20.

There's so many what ifs and things that need to go right for the Rangers. 2C, bottom six, goalie adapting to North American play style and pressure of replacing Lundqvist. I wouldn't say they are that close to being a contender until we see how the young guys play.

I'd say the Devils are a little closer. Much more depth up front and on the blue line, guys like Coleman scoring 20 goals from the 3rd line, and players with playoff experience.

It's gonna be a hell of a rivalry to watch. October 17th is going to be wild on this site.

 

[BHD]

The Rangers. However, both fanbases should be excited. As a Pens fan, I’m not too thrilled.

 

[Riseonfire]

I think Subban is pretty overrated at this point. I like what the Devil's did overall, but I bet they'll be worse than most people believe.

Bubble team that misses the cut IMO. 85 Points-ish. It's just a take, don't get offended.

 

[HBK27]

And New Jersey’s luck with those players he been... oh right there exists approximately zero players who want to play for the Devils

Butcher wanted to play in NJ - was a nice consolation prize when the NYR won that offseason by signing the best player on the market in Shattenkirk.

 

[wintersej]

Well the Blues are running around drinking out of the Cup all offseason. So them.

 

[TGWL]

And Trouba could not live up to his contract like Shattenkirk and Fox could be another Vesey. To be honest the Rangers luck with these guys who will only play for them hasn’t been all that good. Let’s call it karma.

Maybe they don't. Were NYR supposed to not sign them because they might not live up to their contracts? Any team that had money would have signed both Trouba or Panarin if they wanted to play for them. Every team would have taken Fox as an asset. What they accomplishment, or fail to live up to, doesn't change that all 3 were great additions to a team.

Let's not call it Karma because that's not what it is.

 

[Maelmoor]

NJ made some good moves for sure, but they have not addressed their goaltending situation, which still feels like a big question mark..

 

[drktmplr12]

Floridas biggest problems last season were goaltending, coaching and maybe defense. They acquired a two time Vezina winner, a three time SC champion coach and a very reliable defensive defenseman. They also acquired a 46 point 3rd liner Brett Connolly and a great 4th liner Noel Acciari. Who's that not a great off season?

Still don't get what the big deal is with the Bobrovski contract. Yeah they overpaid him by 1-2 million but they had the cap space so who cares. And yeah it's a bit long but Bobrovski still has a few years of his prime left and when he starts to decline Spencer Knight will most likely be NHL ready.

i feel as though the only way we could have done better is win #2 overall. but i guess i'm a homer.

 

[TGWL]

Bridging Buchnevich is not a positive. In fact, it night really bite them in the ass

You're pretty confident that it's not a positive but then you say it might bite them in the ass. Which is it? It actually is a positive right now since we really don't know what we're getting with him yet. If he plays the the way he finished the season for the next 2 years, he's going to want a lot more for sure, but at least we know what we're paying for.

 

[ricky0034]

Fox (48 points, 9-39-48) had a historic season for Harvard as one of the top blue liners in the nation…Skated in all 33 games for Harvard…An AHCA/CCM First Team All-American, Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick finalist, the 2019 Walter Brown Award winner, ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, ECAC Hockey First Team and Ivy League Player of the Year selection…The top scoring player and defenseman (per game) in the country with 1.45 points per game…An Academic All-Ivy honoree, Fox broke the school record for points by a Harvard defenseman in one season, set by Mark Fusco '83, who had 46 points (13-33-46) in 1982-83…Became the fourth defenseman in Harvard history to reach 100 career points, joining Fusco (135 points), Mark Benning '87 (111 points), and Randy Taylor '87 (102 points). He is the first junior defenseman in college hockey to reach 100 points since Justin Schultz (Wisconsin) in 2011-12

woah he was the best hockey player in the Ivy league this year and did better than other defensemen that have gone to Harvard?

watch out world!

 

[Cheddabombs]

NJ made some good moves for sure, but they have not addressed their goaltending situation, which still feels like a big question mark..

It is a question mark for sure, but there wasn't really a move to be made this summer to definitively improve it. Our best action was no action and just hope Blackwood keeps improving and Schneider picks up where he left off last season. Blackwood was pretty darn good last year, I have faith he'll be our starter eventually but for this coming season him splitting the net with Schneids 50/50 will have to do.

Goaltending sunk the Devils the first half of last season but was actually decent the back-half of the year when an absurd amount of injuries happened and we were icing an AHL team many nights.

 

[TGWL]

woah he was the best hockey player in the Ivy league this year and did better than other defensemen that have gone to Harvard?

watch out world!

So what are you actually trying to say, other than failing at being funny? Did anybody say Fox is going to be a franchise D-man, like Karlsson? Do you think that's our realistic expectation of him? He's still a top prospect with a high skill level. When talking about making off-season moves, adding Fox is a good off-season move for any team. That doesn't mean he's becoming a first pairing D-man anytime soon, or ever.

 

[ijuka]

According to who?

Fox is a holdout who has cried his way to a team he wants. Nothing about his stats says top-10 anything

Are you serious? He had 1.5 PPG at NCAA.

 

[ricky0034]

So what are you actually trying to say, other than failing at being funny? Did anybody say Fox is going to be a franchise D-man, like Karlsson? Do you think that's our realistic expectation of him? He's still a top prospect with a high skill level. When talking about making off-season moves, adding Fox is a good off-season move for any team. That doesn't mean he's becoming a first pairing D-man anytime soon, or ever.

the guy I quoted called him a top 10 prospect

that implies that he's probably one of the top 2-4 defense prospects in the league and better than at least some of guys like Makar/Byram/Hughes/Bouchard etc

 

[Jerzey Devil]

Maybe they don't. Were NYR supposed to not sign them because they might not live up to their contracts? Any team that had money would have signed both Trouba or Panarin if they wanted to play for them. Every team would have taken Fox as an asset. What they accomplishment, or fail to live up to, doesn't change that all 3 were great additions to a team.

Let's not call it Karma because that's not what it is.

In a way I think it kind of sucks for the Rangers that these guys demand to play for them though. It almost puts them in a position to where they feel they have to sign these guys and to make other moves just to fit them in.

And the karma is not the Rangers it’s the players who refuse to sign with the team that drafted them. Vesey for example. He’s already gone.

 

[TGWL]

the guy I quoted called him a top 10 prospect

that implies that he's probably one of the top 2-4 defense prospects in the league and better than at least some of guys like Makar/Byram/Hughes/Bouchard etc

I think he was referring to top 10 D prospects. He's not a top 10 overall.

Craig Button had him ranked 12th in Jan (including forwards, but only affiliates)
https://www.tsn.ca/top-50-nhl-affiliated-prospects-1.1241869

This site has him ranked 14th (including forwards) I don't agree with this ranking
NHL prospect rankings: Top 50 players in NHL pipelines for 2019-20

I think there can be a strong case made for him being about the top 10 D prospects, whether that's just outside or not.

 

[New Jersey]

Goaltending sunk the Devils the first half of last season but was actually decent the back-half of the year when an absurd amount of injuries happened and we were icing an AHL team many nights.

Now imagine if we get second-half Schneider and Blackwood with a healthy team and real blue line...

Ty Smith is gonna be the real deal.

 

[JT Kreider]

I think he was referring to top 10 D prospects. He's not a top 10 overall.

Craig Button had him ranked 12th in Jan (including forwards, but only affiliates)
https://www.tsn.ca/top-50-nhl-affiliated-prospects-1.1241869

This site has him ranked 14th (including forwards) I don't agree with this ranking
NHL prospect rankings: Top 50 players in NHL pipelines for 2019-20

I think there can be a strong case made for him being about the top 10 D prospects, whether that's just outside or not.

Maybe calling him top 10 was a bit of an exaggeration but he is right there. And in my mind Q. Hughes and Makar are no longer "prospects" now that they have NHL experience. So that moves Fox right on to the fringe on my list. Top 10-15, semantics.

 

[New Jersey]

And New Jersey’s luck with those players he been... oh right there exists approximately zero players who want to play for the Devils

how'd bobby holik, john maclean, and scott gomez pan out for you lot again? never change.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

how'd bobby holik, john maclean, and scott gomez pan out for you lot again? never change.

as noted above, there are some downsides to being the most desired destination.

We have already changed, sorry to tell you, Sather is no longer in charge, so a mediocre player like Holik is not the kind of guys we're shelling out for anymore. Panarin is far better than any of those Drury, Gomez types and isn't passed his prime.

A positive is we don't have players clamoring to get out. Parise and Kovalchuk leaving sunk your franchise for 6 years. Not something we ever have to worry about.

At least once Hall bounces you guys are better set up for life without him than you were before, so i'll give you that.

 

[JT Kreider]

Bridging Buchnevich is not a positive. In fact, it night really bite them in the ass

I sure as hell hope it does. But it is a good thing by the time he will need a new contract we'll have like $35 million in cap space in expiring contracts, Girardi BO of the books and over the hump of the Shattenkirk BO

 

[tardigrade81]

Senators because we have Anders Nilsson who is the next Patrick Roy.

The End.

 

[New Jersey]

as noted above, there are some downsides to being the most desired destination.

We have already changed, sorry to tell you, Sather is no longer in charge, so a mediocre player like Holik is not the kind of guys we're shelling out for anymore. Panarin is far better than any of those Drury, Gomez types and isn't passed his prime.

wow, it's almost as if we can say the exact same thing since shero came in.