Speculation: 2017 TDL/Draft/Off-Season

[Emperoreddy]

He said two years ago was the was not the direction the team needed to go and the past is the past regarding our cup teams and 2012. He told the owners there is no other way to do this, there are no shortcuts, we have to get younger, more assets, and continue building along these lines.

He reiterated that the direction we were going was not the way and we're in a good position now that we're not a team with a bunch of 31, 34 and 35 year olds with only 4 picks heading into the draft anymore. He also said you can't build a team through free agency only supplement it or when you're a player away to make a difference. Continue with developing our young players, accumulating assets and draft picks and take advantage of opportunities when they present them like Hall and Palmieri.

That is brutally honest, but it is also true. We spent years sitting around with aging players, and we kept shipping picks out for plugs. Now we have finally started to accumulate draft picks and use them and we are going significantly younger in a hurry.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Here is how I see it. We have 10 picks in this years draft. We have 9 picks in next year's draft. We have tons of cap space.

Our asset pool in this regard is in good shape and it will give us the freedom to potentially do some wheeling and dealing at the draft.

We also had a very good year at the prospect level. Almost all of our kids have had very encouraging years.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'm just saying if you have one more solid forward prospect to pull from, it's a lot easier to start adding pieces.

Right now we have Zacha/McLeod as our two dynamic forward prospects going forward; Zacha being in his own tier. There's a decent-sized group of JQ, Blandisi, Wood, Gignac, Bastian, Anderson, Speers that all developing nicely toward middle-six players. The rest I think is more of the whatever we get from them is an added bonus.

If you can add one more guy to that Zacha/McLeod group and one closer to Zacha's level, you're looking at a good combination of quality and quantity there, especially with Hall, Henrique, and Palmieri all 26 and younger. You can look forward and feel comfortable at the guys you have there.

That being said, you look at the defense and there isn't much aside from Rykov. To me, if I'm comfortable about my forward prospects, I'd want to add some stability there rather than just the rotating door of cheap fill-in options like Quincey, Schlemko, Moore, Lovejoy. You'd want to create a defensive group that is reliable behind all your young forward prospects.

I also would say that if Shero decides he's comfortable with the forward group. Then it goes to trying to add reliable depth options on short-term deals like Carolina did with Stempniak. Again, try to get upgrades on the rotating door of waiver fodder forwards Tlusty, Kennedy, Fiddler, Parenteau, etc. Obviously don't go out and sign a guy like Lucic long-term, but I think you look to add a reliable player like Trevor Lewis to stabilize your bottom six or a versatile forward like Jannik Hansen that you can trust moving up and down your line-up. (Neither of these guys are UFAs, but just examples of players).

Not totally negative on the back end though. Merrill has taken some great steps this season, Santini looks legit, and I'm still high on a very young Severson.

 

[Zippy316]

Not totally negative on the back end though. Merrill has taken some great steps this season, Santini looks legit, and I'm still high on a very young Severson.

Merrill is the only piece on the left side. Just looking at in terms of age at the start of next season:

Greene (34) - Severson (23)
Merrill (25) - Santini (22)
Moore (26) - Lovejoy (33)
Prout (27)

----------
Rykov (20) - Jacobs (21)

I keep saying this, but I'd love to add a LD and RD both aged 24-28 for the left and right side. Would allow us to phase out Greene nicely and relieve some of the pressure from Severson/Santini. Good chance one of Moore/Lovejoy/Prout is taken in the expansion draft.

If our depth chart could look something like this going into training camp, I'd be very happy.

LD: Greene - LD - Merrill - Moore || White - (?)
RD: RD - Severson - Santini - Lovejoy - Prout || Mozik (?) - Jacobs

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Here is how I see it. We have 10 picks in this years draft. We have 9 picks in next year's draft. We have tons of cap space.

Our asset pool in this regard is in good shape and it will give us the freedom to potentially do some wheeling and dealing at the draft.

We also had a very good year at the prospect level. Almost all of our kids have had very encouraging years.

we actually have 11 picks I believe.

NJ 1st
NJ 2nd
BOS 2nd (Stempniak)
COL 3rd (Gelinas)
SJ 3rd (Deboer)
NJ 4th
NSH 4th (Fiddler)
NJ 5th
NJ 6th
NSH 6th (Parenteau)
NJ 7th

 

[Emperoreddy]

we actually have 11 picks I believe.

NJ 1st
NJ 2nd
BOS 2nd (Stempniak)
COL 3rd (Gelinas)
SJ 3rd (Deboer)
NJ 4th
NSH 4th (Fiddler)
NJ 5th
NJ 6th
NSH 6th (Parenteau)
NJ 7th

Capfriendly says we don't have our 7th. Philly apparently has it due to Petr Skara

 

[Zippy316]

Capfriendly says we don't have our 7th. Philly apparently has it due to Petr Skara

I assume that's conditional on if we offer him a contract at the end of the year.

Imagine the Devils just let him go like we did with O'Neill.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I would rather have a 7th than Prout.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I assume that's conditional on if we offer him a contract at the end of the year.

Imagine the Devils just let him go like we did with O'Neill.

My understanding is Philly is getting a pick either this year or next year depending on the condition (which we don't know what it is).

 

[Zippy316]

I would rather have a 7th than Prout.

I'm sure Shero would too.

I'd imagine there was much out there and he settled with the best he could find which was Prout.

After the dust has settled on that trade, I went from annoyed we got Prout to increasingly indifferent. If he can be a decent #7 that can come in and bring some physicality than he wouldn't be a bad guy to keep around. Seems just like an established Helgeson.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm sure Shero would too.

I'd imagine there was much out there and he settled with the best he could find which was Prout.

After the dust has settled on that trade, I went from annoyed we got Prout to increasingly indifferent. If he can be a decent #7 that can come in and bring some physicality than he wouldn't be a bad guy to keep around. Seems just like an established Helgeson.

I'll be indifferent till the first game Prout plays over Santini or Severson

You know they'll want to get him in some games down the stretch and he's a RHD. Unless they sit their boy Lovejoy or play four RHD it'll be hard to find him playing time otherwise.

Shero may or may not be telling the full truth (he's not going to admit if this was a favor to Jarmo) but this was his rationale for not taking a pick instead of Prout:

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2017/03/why_did_devils_move_kyle_quincey_for_dalton_prout.html

"Knowing we already had 10 (2017 draft picks) already, Quincey for Prout made sense for us," Devils general manager Ray Shero said. "We liked Prout as a player. This year he's certainly not where he was with John Tortorella as he was the previous three years in Columbus."

The Devils moved to 11 picks after trading forward P.A. Parenteau to the Nashville Predators for a sixth-round pick after the Quincey trade. Parenteau is dealing with a minor finger injury from blocking a shot, but Shero said it had no impact on the value to Devils got for him.

As for Prout, the Devils liked having control of him beyond the 2016-17 season -- something they didn't have with Parenteau and Quincey.

"He's got another year on his contract, which was attractive to us," Shero said of Prout. "He brings some physicality and hardness, and he's got some time to get his game back here."

 

[MadDevil]

A 7th round pick is probably less likely to even be a depth player like Prout is, so I don't think there's really much difference value wise.

 

[NJDevils17]

I think Prout is getting too much flack on this board. He's not a world beater but he's a potential physical #7, maybe even a bottom pair guy.

 

[NJDevs26]

A 7th round pick is probably less likely to even be a depth player like Prout is, so I don't think there's really much difference value wise.

A 6th/7th round pick is overrated (unless it's for PAP, then it's junk) because it's an unknown asset whereas a guy like Prout is known fringe depth.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I still can't believe we're going to end up with the 63rd overall pick for Eric Gelinas lol

 

[Emperoreddy]

I still can't believe we're going to end up with the 63rd overall pick for Eric Gelinas lol

Colorado is a mess

 

[njdevils1982]

we actually have 11 picks I believe.

NJ 1st
NJ 2nd
BOS 2nd (Stempniak)
COL 3rd (Gelinas)
SJ 3rd (Deboer)
NJ 4th
NSH 4th (Fiddler)
NJ 5th
NJ 6th
NSH 6th (Parenteau)
NJ 7th

LOVE the avs 3rd back for gelinas just for the slot of it for a player that was expendable.

and looking at the draft after…….i really hope the panthers '18 2nd for black and thompson can at least get someone with some hope of turning out a decent player……both good moves

 

[Bleedred]

I think Prout is getting too much flack on this board. He's not a world beater but he's a potential physical #7, maybe even a bottom pair guy.

The one problem with that is we have too many #6 guys already. We just got rid of one of them today for Prout, but we still have Lovejoy and Moore, who I really don't think are better than 6's. Merrill is a 5 as of right now.

 

[Bleedred]

Colorado really should have just traded Duchene for peanuts.

This year will probably do it for Sakic out there, may as well go out in a blaze of glory.

I guess he didn't wanna get booed out of the building during future alumni events or cup anniversary team celebrations.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

you watch our team and see how they've struggled this year

then you realize that they have TWENTY FIVE more points than Colorado lol that is insanity.

 

[Bleedred]

you watch our team and see how they've struggled this year

then you realize that they have TWENTY FIVE more points than Colorado lol that is insanity.

Colorado might finish with fewer points than we currently have, they're certainly on pace to finish with like 10 fewer points than we have as of right now, if not 11 or 12.

I won't count them out of going on a meaningless streak to progress to the mean and finish with 55-60 points on the season. I think they could also very well finish with 49 or 50 points. I don't think they really got rid of anybody that was any good today or this week.

Iginla? He's on pace for 27 points or something.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Devils @ COL is when?

 

[Zippy316]

you watch our team and see how they've struggled this year

then you realize that they have TWENTY FIVE more points than Colorado lol that is insanity.

Colorado is still better than the Devils in 2010-11 when Lemaire took over.

Devils were 10-29-2 at one point....

 

[AfroThunder396]

Colorado is historically bad. Worse than the 2015 Eichel Tank Sabres. Like, expansion Senators/Sharks bad.

 

[njdevils1982]

Colorado is historically bad. Worse than the 2015 Eichel Tank Sabres. Like, expansion Senators/Sharks bad.

makes the teams that legit tried to lose look even worse. shameful.

i dont remember any talk of philly tanking in that **** season they had not long after a 100+ point season either.