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

[Triumph]

And they are going to change.

Okay, Let me know when they do since you're the inside man. I assume it'll mean the Devils will be getting another right-handed shooting forward, since they only have 4 on the roster and Palmieri plays the point. Or you could just say 'I didn't see the lines today.' or 'I don't understand how the Devils want to setup their power play'

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

I see people still haven't learned from off day practice lineups. Morning. Skates.

 

[Triumph]

I see people still haven't learned from off day practice lineups. Morning. Skates.

I wouldn't bet on Butcher or Mueller being on the power play come Saturday, because there are other players on the team who play the PP at that position who aren't being used there. But I would absolutely bet on Hayes because there's no one else for his spot besides Noesen. This is how NJ has worked their power play for the better part of 2 seasons under Hynes/Ward - they changed in the 2nd half of last year but in preseason they have gone back to their original formulation. It involves a right handed shooter in the box, and the Devils are limited in who they can put there. Hayes is gonna be that guy.

 

[MadDevil]

Is it a bad thing for Hayes to be on the PP? Presumably one of the reasons we signed him is to score goals. He's also one of the few "big body" forwards on the team. If he sucks, try Stafford or Noesen instead.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

No one you named will ever see Power Play time.

Hayes is practicing on the number 1 PP unit

 

[Khione]

Why is everyone assuming Bratt only gets 9 games? He earnd his spot on the team. I really hope i sticks with the team and this is not a "here you go kid have 9 games and of you go to juniors".

 

[GeNeXt]

Hayes on the power play is fine in a simplified role. He'll be a big net front presence. Clean shots hardly beat goalies. Need to wreak some havoc in front and I'd rather it'd be Hayes playing the net front role than Zacha. Let a guy like Zacha roam the offensive zone and be able to rip some shots.

I'd rather lose Hayes or Wood to taking a puck and a hammering in front of the goal than our de facto number one center.

 

[GeNeXt]

Why is everyone assuming Bratt only gets 9 games? He earnd his spot on the team. I really hope i sticks with the team and this is not a "here you go kid have 9 games and of you go to juniors".

I assume it's an assimilation to Speers last year getting a surprising handful of games. However, Bratt showed much more than Speers had, so could stick around.

 

[MadDevil]

Why is everyone assuming Bratt only gets 9 games? He earnd his spot on the team. I really hope i sticks with the team and this is not a "here you go kid have 9 games and of you go to juniors".

Just playing the odds, the likelihood of a 19 year old 6th round pick becoming an NHL regular this soon is probably not very high. Bratt could be the rarity that does, but it's more likely he gets a taste and then goes back down.

 

[Classic Devil]

I never thought Speers would last. But Bratt looked truly exceptional in preseason. That doesn't mean he'll continue to do so, of course, but I think he has a better shot at lasting the season than Speers did - especially since he has the AHL option.

 

[Triumph]

I never thought Speers would last. But Bratt looked truly exceptional in preseason. That doesn't mean he'll continue to do so, of course, but I think he has a better shot at lasting the season than Speers did - especially since he has the AHL option.

The Devils haven't said one way or another if they're going to supercede the agreement between London and Bratt. I'm not sure he'd be going to the AHL if he were sent down.

 

[devilsblood]

Why is everyone assuming Bratt only gets 9 games? He earnd his spot on the team. I really hope i sticks with the team and this is not a "here you go kid have 9 games and of you go to juniors".

1)He's young and pretty small.

2)His year in 2nd tier pro league in Sweden last season was meh. He's looked great in preseason, but does that carry over to the regular season? Does it hold up over the long haul of the regular season? I'm skeptical.

Prior to preseason I had thought the idea of him coming over and playing juniors in Canada would be great for his development. I don't want to completely write that idea off.

 

[Blender]

I assume it's an assimilation to Speers last year getting a surprising handful of games. However, Bratt showed much more than Speers had, so could stick around.

That comparison has been debunked multiple times and still gets repeated daily. While I'm not saying Bratt will last the season, he performed and produced much better than Speers. Where Bratt plays this season only comes to one thing, how Bratt performs and produces in the NHL.

 

[Khione]

1)He's young and pretty small.

2)His year in 2nd tier pro league in Sweden last season was meh. He's looked great in preseason, but does that carry over to the regular season? Does it hold up over the long haul of the regular season? I'm skeptical.

Prior to preseason I had thought the idea of him coming over and playing juniors in Canada would be great for his development. I don't want to completely write that idea off.

1) Ok

2) At least he played against men.

All im saying it seems like a lot of people write this off like a 9 game and then Blandisi will come up. Im not so sure about that. Really hoping the kid will stick. Blandisi and JQ will get their shots. (preferable a mintu)

 

[Cheddabombs]

1) Ok

2) At least he played against men.

All im saying it seems like a lot of people write this off like a 9 game and then Blandisi will come up. Im not so sure about that. Really hoping the kid will stick. Blandisi and JQ will get their shots. (preferable a mintu)

Yea, it seems like most are just assuming Bratt will only be here until his 9 games are up. Sure the regular season is a different animal but he passed each pre-season test with flying colours. Time will tell how he fares in the real thing but I'm hopeful he'll continue to play well. I hope he sticks because in pre-season he made the teammatees around him better. And if he can help Henrique continue to succeed even in a third line role than that's a ton of depth up front.

 

[Classic Devil]

The Devils haven't said one way or another if they're going to supercede the agreement between London and Bratt. I'm not sure he'd be going to the AHL if he were sent down.

Oh, I agree. But because of the AHL option the Devils can keep him in the NHL for 20 or 30 games without needing to worry overmuch about making his relationship with London too complicated, which gives the team flexibility it didn't have with Speers.

 

[Zippy316]

The 9 game limit shouldn't be that important. Bratt's waiver eligibility should be the bigger concern.

Typically, players signing at 18 have 6 years and/or 160 NHL games before they need waivers. Signing at 19 means 5 years and/or 160 NHL games. But if they play over 11 NHL games in their 18 or 19 year old season, it decreases the years by 2. Devils have been victim of this in recent years with Josefson and Matteau not being quite ready for NHL time, but needing to pass through waivers to go down to the AHL. Instead of developing in the AHL, they stagnated as fourth line and extra forwards in the NHL.

I'm worried a smaller, skilled guy like Bratt might need development time down the road and could be forced up to the NHL too early if he plays too many games in the NHL this year.

 

[Triumph]

The waiver limit is not important to me. If a guy can't be in the NHL at 22 it's unlikely he can be at 23.

 

[Classic Devil]

The waiver limit is not important to me. If a guy can't be in the NHL at 22 it's unlikely he can be at 23.

This is something that I find overblown also, as well as the loss of the ELC contract year. Preserving those "free" years is nice, but it's a secondary objective.

 

[Scorcho]

The waiver limit is not important to me. If a guy can't be in the NHL at 22 it's unlikely he can be at 23.

interesting you say this, because blandisi was 22 last year and looked like he didn't belong....

now he's 23 and I'd say he definitely belongs.

 

[Blender]

This is something that I find overblown also, as well as the loss of the ELC contract year. Preserving those "free" years is nice, but it's a secondary objective.

The only time this should or does factor in is when a guy isn't quite ready but could play if needed. In that case you should factor his contract status into the decision. If a guy outright makes the team due to performance, I don't care about ELC/waivers. If at 9 or 11 games he isn't showing enough, then maybe that factors in. If he's still playing well, it shouldn't.

 

[Classic Devil]

The only time this should or does factor in is when a guy isn't quite ready but could play if needed. In that case you should factor his contract status into the decision. If a guy outright makes the team due to performance, I don't care about ELC/waivers. If at 9 or 11 games he isn't showing enough, then maybe that factors in. If he's still playing well, it shouldn't.

See: Stefan Matteau.

 

[Blender]

See: Stefan Matteau.

An example of someone whose contract should have been a consideration. Only reason he played was due to poor roster/cap management by the team, not because he was ready.

 

[Classic Devil]

An example of someone whose contract should have been a consideration. Only reason he played was due to poor roster/cap management by the team, not because he was ready.

Yeah, I entirely agree. What a disaster that little experiment was.

 

[Blender]

Bratt for me is a wait and see right now. He made the team and deserves to be on the opening night roster. Full stop. No one who isn't on this team outperformed him. Until we see how he performs, where he continues to play is an open question with no answer.