Devils 2017-18 team discussion (player news and notes) - Offseason part VIII

[Stephen Gionta]

It has been 18 days and I still am perplexed at the decision to buyout Mike Cammalleri this offseason. While its not extremely likely, there is a chance that the 1.667 million his buyout takes up will be a problem in the 2020-21 season. Hell, I hope its a problem because that means we will be giving big money to Zacha/McLeod/Hischer/Hall/Other. All Shero had to do was let Cammalleri play one more season, he could even be a healthy scratch half the games, and then buy him out in a year when his cap hit will be fully off the books by 2020-21. It just doesn't make sense to me and I hope in 3-4 years this doesn't come back to bite us when we might need that extra 1.667 million.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

It has been 18 days and I still am perplexed at the decision to buyout Mike Cammalleri this offseason. While its not extremely likely, there is a chance that the 1.667 million his buyout takes up will be a problem in the 2020-21 season. Hell, I hope its a problem because that means we will be giving big money to Zacha/McLeod/Hischer/Hall/Other. All Shero had to do was let Cammalleri play one more season, he could even be a healthy scratch half the games, and then buy him out in a year when his cap hit will be fully off the books by 2020-21. It just doesn't make sense to me and I hope in 3-4 years this doesn't come back to bite us when we might need that extra 1.667 million.

There really isn't a realistic scenario in which $1.667 million would be a problem for us. The cap will likely be going up around that amount each year anyways.

I'm glad Cammalleri is gone. We had (and still have) way too many LW options and he was horrific the 2nd half of the season. It was a move that needed to be made.

 

[HBK27]

I was a bit surprised with the Camm buyout as well, just because of that year 4 cap hit. Hopefully it doesn't come back to bite us, though that may be a good problem to have because we would presumably have a pretty good team if we're right up to the cap at that point.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

There really isn't a realistic scenario in which $1.667 million would be a problem for us. The cap will likely be going up around that amount each year anyways.

I'm glad Cammalleri is gone. We had (and still have) way too many LW options and he was horrific the 2nd half of the season. It was a move that needed to be made.

What if John Carlson is signed next year (which is definitely realistic) and McLeod/Zacha/Hischier all seem to be hitting their potential? Obviously this is an AMAZING problem to have, but still could have been avoided if Shero just waited one year to buyout Cammalleri.

What if Tavares decides he loves the NYC area but hates the direction of the Islanders? You never know what can happen, and that cap space might be needed.

 

[AfroThunder396]

What if John Carlson is signed next year (which is definitely realistic) and McLeod/Zacha/Hischier all seem to be hitting their potential? Obviously this is an AMAZING problem to have, but still could have been avoided if Shero just waited one year to buyout Cammalleri.

Off the books next year: Clowe ($4.85M)
Off the books in two years: Boyle ($2.75M), Lovejoy ($2.667M)
Off the books in three years: Greene ($5M)
Off the books in four years: Zajac ($5.75M)

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

What if John Carlson is signed next year (which is definitely realistic) and McLeod/Zacha/Hischier all seem to be hitting their potential? Obviously this is an AMAZING problem to have, but still could have been avoided if Shero just waited one year to buyout Cammalleri.

What if Tavares decides he loves the NYC area but hates the direction of the Islanders? You never know what can happen, and that cap space might be needed.

I mean

I don't really want to respond to this given how unrealistic the situations you brought up are.

 

[NJDevs26]

They have three guys signed for 2020-21, it's practically a blank canvas right now. While we're doing what ifs, what if Camm has some injury and they can't buy him out next offseason?

McLeod and Hischier aren't getting paid real money till at least 2020-21. Zacha's still on his ELC through next offseason. If cap space is a concern it's only cause we signed multiple top FA's by then - which isn't really likely. But you can't plan on having cap space infinitely as if you're guaranteed to use it. They had all sorts of cap space this offseason and nobody to use it on other than Boyle and the Johansson trade.

 

[MartyOwns]

It has been 18 days and I still am perplexed at the decision to buyout Mike Cammalleri this offseason. While its not extremely likely, there is a chance that the 1.667 million his buyout takes up will be a problem in the 2020-21 season. Hell, I hope its a problem because that means we will be giving big money to Zacha/McLeod/Hischer/Hall/Other. All Shero had to do was let Cammalleri play one more season, he could even be a healthy scratch half the games, and then buy him out in a year when his cap hit will be fully off the books by 2020-21. It just doesn't make sense to me and I hope in 3-4 years this doesn't come back to bite us when we might need that extra 1.667 million.

i wasn't thrilled with it either, but given our abundance of left wingers, it was the right thing to do. i believe it was reported that shero did try to trade him, but found no takers.

 

[FooteBahl]

I mean

I don't really want to respond to this given how unrealistic the situations you brought up are.

I don't think Carlson is an outrageous scenario...Tavares definitely unrealistic

 

[Brodeur]

It has been 18 days and I still am perplexed at the decision to buyout Mike Cammalleri this offseason.

Can't imagine 1.66 mil is going to be a huge deal for us at that point. Realistically, it opened up a spot in the top 6. They bought out Cammalleri on June 30th. The Johansson trade was announced on July 2nd. More than likely, Shero had been working on that trade for awhile.

All Shero had to do was let Cammalleri play one more season, he could even be a healthy scratch half the games

There is a little bit of professional courtesy involved. If they didn't intend to use him, let him get a fresh start somewhere else. This wasn't quite like the Mogilny/McGillis situation since the team couldn't buy them out due to cap issues.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't think Carlson is an outrageous scenario...Tavares definitely unrealistic

I guess I just don't see any way the Caps let Carlson leave after losing Shattenkirk, Alzner, and Schmidt in one offseason

 

[MadDevil]

I guess I just don't see any way the Caps let Carlson leave after losing Shattenkirk, Alzner, and Schmidt in one offseason

I don't think they will either, but who knows, maybe they panic after failing again and do something drastic. Although in that case I would think it would make more sense to try to offload somebody like Backstrom (which almost seems inevitable considering the big contract they just Kuznetsov) than a defensemen who still probably has at least 4-5 more really good years in him.

 

[devilsblood]

It has been 18 days and I still am perplexed at the decision to buyout Mike Cammalleri this offseason. While its not extremely likely, there is a chance that the 1.667 million his buyout takes up will be a problem in the 2020-21 season. Hell, I hope its a problem because that means we will be giving big money to Zacha/McLeod/Hischer/Hall/Other. All Shero had to do was let Cammalleri play one more season, he could even be a healthy scratch half the games, and then buy him out in a year when his cap hit will be fully off the books by 2020-21. It just doesn't make sense to me and I hope in 3-4 years this doesn't come back to bite us when we might need that extra 1.667 million.

I had a conspiracy theory regarding this but it was roundly rejected.

People go with the glut of lw's but I saw Cammy as a legit RW option.

I think Shero clearing out all the oft injured players is a thing.

Or maybe Camm's effort level so frustrated Shero and Hynes that they just wanted him gone.

There was a pretty heavy case for giving Camm the boot, even if the financials were not one of em.

 

[MadDevil]

Cammalleri had one 8 game stretch where he had 9 goals and 14 points. The other 53 games he had 1 goal and 17 points. It's not hard to see why he was bought out.

 

[DevilWithin]

So who do you guys think the sleeper on the team will be this year? Quenneville?

 

[Billdo]

What if John Carlson is signed next year (which is definitely realistic) and McLeod/Zacha/Hischier all seem to be hitting their potential? Obviously this is an AMAZING problem to have, but still could have been avoided if Shero just waited one year to buyout Cammalleri.

What if Tavares decides he loves the NYC area but hates the direction of the Islanders? You never know what can happen, and that cap space might be needed.

Any of those scenarios can be solved by letting go of whomever at that point isn't performing. It's essentially a very small amount of money.

 

[njdevils19]

Getting more physical is just sidetracking from the issue, in my opinion. We just need to get harder to play against.

Guys like Zubrus and Clarkson weren't overtly physical but they were a pain to defend. Elias was elusive and difficult to defend.

Part of being harder to play against comes with having a few guys on offense and a couple of guys on defense that are both tough to knock off the puck and can finish a hit or push guys around a bit in the dirtier areas. Every team that has won recently has had guys that make it harder for other teams to play against.
A set of broad street bullies isn't necessary. A small core of guys up front and on the back end works just fine. As zippy mentioned above, Clarkson and Zubrus along with smaller role guys that weren't complete goons in Gionta, Carter, and Bernier up front along with Volchenkov and Salvador on the back was plenty for the last successful team we can relate to.

Just beating teams by relying on scoring will only get you so far, Montreal knows all about that for the past decade.

I have always seen Boyle in this type of light. I think he could absolutely have fit in with our 4th line when we last went to the cup final. He should be great for the locker room and for all the veteran presence concerns, his signing makes that a lot smaller of an issue.

 

[kiwidevil]

I get the feeling that the buy out was a joint decision by player and team.

Camm should have been cup chasing years ago, anyway.

PS: Where do you guys buy devils t-shirts etc from?

 

[dzubrus8]

If John Carlson makes it to ufa next year, would you go 7x12 for him? A top 10 defenseman and native New
Jerseyan.

I think I'd be willing to give up as much as a 2nd for his rights and then try to get him for 7x10 but I don't know if he'd take that.

 

[Zippy316]

If John Carlson makes it to ufa next year, would you go 7x12 for him? A top 10 defenseman and native New
Jerseyan.

I think I'd be willing to give up as much as a 2nd for his rights and then try to get him for 7x10 but I don't know if he'd take that.

He's more in the 7x8 range. I don't think Shero is in the business of dramatically overpaying free agents to get them here. He seems to have the idea of making a competitive offer but not begging to get guys to come here.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If John Carlson makes it to ufa next year, would you go 7x12 for him? A top 10 defenseman and native New
Jerseyan.

I think I'd be willing to give up as much as a 2nd for his rights and then try to get him for 7x10 but I don't know if he'd take that.

$12 million/year? what the hell? no

 

[MartyOwns]

If John Carlson makes it to ufa next year, would you go 7x12 for him? A top 10 defenseman and native New
Jerseyan.

i don't know if he's a top 10 defenseman, but even if he was there's no way i would give him $12M per season. it would be nutty giving him $12M when he's 28, let alone when he's 38.

 

[FooteBahl]

If John Carlson makes it to ufa next year, would you go 7x12 for him? A top 10 defenseman and native New
Jerseyan.

I think I'd be willing to give up as much as a 2nd for his rights and then try to get him for 7x10 but I don't know if he'd take that.

I wouldn't offer more than 7 years 8-8.5 mill.

 

[Davegarri]

I'm not giving anyone $12m per unless it's someone like Connor McDavid. Carlson is good, but if he wants 12mil per let him go somewhere else.

I'm really hoping we finally get to sign someone who wants to come home instead of losing them. It'd be a nice breath of fresh air.

Did Shero acquire Johansson in hopes he can convince Carlson to come next offseason???

 

[FooteBahl]

I'm not giving anyone $12m per unless it's someone like Connor McDavid. Carlson is good, but if he wants 12mil per let him go somewhere else.

I'm really hoping we finally get to sign someone who wants to come home instead of losing them. It'd be a nice breath of fresh air.

Did Shero acquire Johansson in hopes he can convince Carlson to come next offseason???

If our forward prospects pan out like we hope and we can go from a bottom three offense to top ten, then hopefully we can sell Carlson on being the missing piece...plus some home cooking for the Colonia native.

Edit: we would need to add 59 goals this year to be a top 10 offense based on last years numbers. Extremely doubtful