Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Drew Stafford to 1yr Deal

[Triumph]

Isn't Vanek a LW?

Vanek was an LW for most of his career but he's started playing both wings recently.

 

[Bleedred]

Trevor Linden apparently has already spilled the beans, and revealed that they plan on signing on Vanek. Not sure if there's a verbal agreement or what, but he said something along those lines in an interview yesterday. I'm just going by what I read though, I didn't listen to the interview.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Why is everyone second guessing this signing... and wanting Jagr instead of Stafford? We're a bottom 10 team and Jagr, Stafford or any other available UFA won't change a thing, so handing over close to 2M$ (minimum) for Jagr isn't a smart business move.

Hockey is still a business at the end of the day and asking your owner to go forward with that type of contract on a rebuilding team that won't come close to sniffing the postseason is going to be a hard sell. We got the best option out of the guys who were willing to close to league minimum.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

with our RW depth it's seriously hard to complain. He can fill a spot if none of the kids grabs one from the get-go.

 

[Southpaw123]

Stafford will def help the Devils, more so than Jimmy Hayes at RW. Understand his cousin Fitzgerald probably wanted to help out his cousin by giving him a PTO but the Stafford signing is a good step in helping out until the young kids are ready. He will be hungry and want to make sure he makes a good impression in camp.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Why are so many people adamant about having Speers come directly to the NHL at 20 years old, with no AHL time at all?

Because this is HFBoards, where fans of every NHL team bizarrely think their untested 18/19/20 year old fetuses are better than 13 year NHL veterans.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Ray must think Stafford and possibly Hayes is better than BB.

We will find out if his decision pans out.

 

[R8Devs]

stafford at 800k could potentially bring back a decent return at the deadline if he's given top 6 time. i don't mind.

 

[JrFischer54]

Why is everyone second guessing this signing... and wanting Jagr instead of Stafford? We're a bottom 10 team and Jagr, Stafford or any other available UFA won't change a thing, so handing over close to 2M$ (minimum) for Jagr isn't a smart business move.

Hockey is still a business at the end of the day and asking your owner to go forward with that type of contract on a rebuilding team that won't come close to sniffing the postseason is going to be a hard sell. We got the best option out of the guys who were willing to close to league minimum.

i actually agree with the "business" argument about not bringing in jagr. however everyone that wanted shatenkirk here this summer didn't seem to care about the "financial" part of it. "lets sign him for 7 years and who cares if we suck for 2 years we still have him for 5 more" lol

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Ray must think Stafford and possibly Hayes is better than BB.

We will find out if his decision pans out.

I knew any RW PTO/signing would bring about some Bennett whining.

Shero drafted the dude originally and then traded for him in his new gig. For him to cut ties, he clearly didn't see a long-term fit.

Get. over. it.

 

[Zippy316]

i actually agree with the "business" argument about not bringing in jagr. however everyone that wanted shatenkirk here this summer didn't seem to care about the "financial" part of it. "lets sign him for 7 years and who cares if we suck for 2 years we still have him for 5 more" lol

You're comparing two completely different things.

If you can't see the difference between signing a one-year stop gap versus signing a guy a #2 defender who will be here both now and for the next few years, then I don't know what to say.

 

[JrFischer54]

You're comparing two completely different things.

If you can't see the difference between signing a one-year stop gap versus signing a guy a #2 defender who will be here both now and for the next few years, then I don't know what to say.

uhhhhh what?

your saying ownership wouldn't be ok with giving out an extra money to jagr for a year (and probably get a better return at the deadline) but they would be ok with giving out say 14 million to shatenkirk (the two years we probably will suck) just so we have him for the back end with 5 more years left? just a couple of things

1 we continue to suck
2 shatenkirk starts sucking
3 he gets hurt and is limited in ability
4 the cap stays stagnant

never in my life would i sign a big name ufa to a super expensive long term contract on the "hopes" we will be good during some point in his tenure


i'm going to guess you don't run your own business do you?

 

[AfroThunder396]

uhhhhh what?

your saying ownership wouldn't be ok with giving out an extra money to jagr for a year (and probably get a better return at the deadline) but they would be ok with giving out say 14 million to shatenkirk (the two years we probably will suck) just so we have him for the back end with 5 more years left? just a couple of things

1 we continue to suck
2 shatenkirk starts sucking
3 he gets hurt and is limited in ability
4 the cap stays stagnant

never in my life would i sign a big name ufa to a super expensive long term contract on the "hopes" we will be good during some point in his tenure


i'm going to guess you don't run your own business do you?

It's not about hoping you get better if you sign Shattenkirk. Signing Shattenkirk MAKES you better.

I've been saying it all summer. This whole "we suck and need to get better, but we're not allowed to get better players because we suck" line of thinking is completely illogical circular thinking.

The difference between Drew Stafford and Jaromir Jagr, on this team, is negligible. It's not wise to "waste" money on a player that won't make any difference. The difference between Kevin Shattenkirk and Ben Lovejoy/Dalton Prout is colossal though.

Shattenkirk is a dead horse though, he was never going to sign here. Dwelling on it brings up nothing productive.

 

[Zippy316]

uhhhhh what?

your saying ownership wouldn't be ok with giving out an extra money to jagr for a year (and probably get a better return at the deadline) but they would be ok with giving out say 14 million to shatenkirk (the two years we probably will suck) just so we have him for the back end with 5 more years left? just a couple of things

1 we continue to suck
2 shatenkirk starts sucking
3 he gets hurt and is limited in ability
4 the cap stays stagnant

never in my life would i sign a big name ufa to a super expensive long term contract on the "hopes" we will be good during some point in his tenure


i'm going to guess you don't run your own business do you?

I seriously want to know if you believe what you are writing sometimes.

Shattenkirk is a NEED. Stafford isn't. If you own a business and you NEED a car, you go out and buy a car -- see Shattenkirk. If you need another computer, you're not going to go out and buy a top of the line gaming computer, you're going to get one that gets the job done for you -- that's Stafford.

By your same logic, why spend the extra million on Jagr when you can just get a cheap option in Stafford that does the job he needs to do -- plays higher up in the line-up if the kids aren't ready.

Jagr doesn't seem to be interested in cup-chasing so the whole deadline thing is moot. He wants somewhere where he is given a role, playing time, and money.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I knew any RW PTO/signing would bring about some Bennett whining.

Shero drafted the dude originally and then traded for him in his new gig. For him to cut ties, he clearly didn't see a long-term fit.

Get. over. it.

It's valid discussion and not whining.

BB has attributes that can help this club.

Let's see what Stafford and Hayes can bring.

 

[JrFischer54]

I seriously want to know if you believe what you are writing sometimes.

Shattenkirk is a NEED. Stafford isn't. If you own a business and you NEED a car, you go out and buy a car -- see Shattenkirk. If you need another computer, you're not going to go out and buy a top of the line gaming computer, you're going to get one that gets the job done for you -- that's Stafford.

By your same logic, why spend the extra million on Jagr when you can just get a cheap option in Stafford that does the job he needs to do -- plays higher up in the line-up if the kids aren't ready.

Jagr doesn't seem to be interested in cup-chasing so the whole deadline thing is moot. He wants somewhere where he is given a role, playing time, and money.

shatenkirk is a NEED i agree. for a playoff contending cup contending team. not for a team that just finished 3rd worst (for you zbc) in the nhl. that is clearly 100% not going to compete this year and probably next year also. or you still think he is a NEED? why don't you apply your same logic your using for stafford as a stop gap but to shatenkirk?

btw the reason to bring jagr in is because i think if he can produce he will command a bigger return at the deadline. not a huge difference but maybe a 3rd instead of a 5th for stafford something like that.

and if a 45 year old player isn't interested in cup chasing then why is he even still holding on and playing?


i still LOL at the people that wanted shatenkirk here. you guys are funny!

 

[JimEIV]

It's not about hoping you get better if you sign Shattenkirk. Signing Shattenkirk MAKES you better.

I've been saying it all summer. This whole "we suck and need to get better, but we're not allowed to get better players because we suck" line of thinking is completely illogical circular thinking.

The difference between Drew Stafford and Jaromir Jagr, on this team, is negligible. It's not wise to "waste" money on a player that won't make any difference. The difference between Kevin Shattenkirk and Ben Lovejoy/Dalton Prout is colossal though.

Shattenkirk is a dead horse though, he was never going to sign here. Dwelling on it brings up nothing productive.

Did he make St. Louis better? Did he make Washington better?

 

[MartyOwns]

shatenkirk is a NEED i agree. for a playoff contending cup contending team.

how are we supposed to be a cup contending team if we don't bring in the 'needs' to make that happen? that seems to be the question everyone has for you, and i dont think you've answered it.

 

[Zippy316]

shatenkirk is a NEED i agree. for a playoff contending cup contending team. not for a team that just finished 3rd worst (for you zbc) in the nhl. that is clearly 100% not going to compete this year and probably next year also. or you still think he is a NEED? why don't you apply your same logic your using for stafford as a stop gap but to shatenkirk?

btw the reason to bring jagr in is because i think if he can produce he will command a bigger return at the deadline. not a huge difference but maybe a 3rd instead of a 5th for stafford something like that.

and if a 45 year old player isn't interested in cup chasing then why is he even still holding on and playing?


i still LOL at the people that wanted shatenkirk here. you guys are funny!

Well for Jagr there is probably pride, breaking more records, and just a love of the game. If he can still play and make a couple million doing it, why not?

And Shattenkirk fills both a short and long-term need with how weak our defensive group is at the NHL level and in the prospect pool. Defenders like him (Dan Boyle, Brian Campbell, Marek Zidlicky) have a tendency to be effective into their 30s as well.

 

[JrFischer54]

how are we supposed to be a cup contending team if we don't bring in the 'needs' to make that happen? that seems to be the question everyone has for you, and i dont think you've answered it.

I've explained it many times in the past. develop the youth that we have evaluate them and then when they are in the nhl and have established that yes zacha is a 2C mclode is a 3C nico is the real deal he put up 40 goals etc etc etc. then you go out and make a move to bring in outside talent to put you over the hump. now obviously don't go and take all these EXAMPLES as exacts. i'm at work and trying to type this out quickly.

you guys want to walk before you crawl. you can't just be throwing out big ticket money and long terms to guys in a salary cap i dont care if we have 30 million in cap space. develop the talent then go out and bring in the guys to help the kids get over the hump.

 

[MartyOwns]

I've explained it many times in the past. develop the youth that we have evaluate them and then when they are in the nhl and have established that yes zacha is a 2C mclode is a 3C nico is the real deal he put up 40 goals etc etc etc. then you go out and make a move to bring in outside talent to put you over the hump. now obviously don't go and take all these EXAMPLES as exacts. i'm at work and trying to type this out quickly.

you guys want to walk before you crawl. you can't just be throwing out big ticket money and long terms to guys in a salary cap i dont care if we have 30 million in cap space. develop the talent then go out and bring in the guys to help the kids get over the hump.

if we're discussing a LW or C, yeah i would agree. our defense is terrible, and bringing shattenkirk on a 5-7 year deal helps us in the short and long term.

waiting until we're 'ready' for a top-2 defenseman doesn't make sense. not many of them reach UFA, and even if they do we would have to pray that they choose us and we'd probably need to overpay. then they don't choose us, and we wind up with richard matvichuk.

you say we want to walk before we crawl, i'm saying we can't just hope that the stars align when the time is right

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

At least Stafford will add some good music to the locker room.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/staffords-summer-tour/c-438097

 

[My3Sons]

Realistically what would it have taken to sign Shattenkirk or was he just using NJ to try to force the NYR to up their offer? If he wouldn't sign for anything even semi-reasonable it's not worth getting worked up about a missed opportunity that was just an illusion.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Did he make St. Louis better? Did he make Washington better?

STL 2010 - 90 points
STL 2011 - 87 points (Shattenkirk is acquired mid-season)
STL 2012 - 109 points
STL 2013 - 60 points (48 games)
STL 2014 - 111 points
STL 2015 - 109 points
STL 2016 - 107 points

Obviously he did something right.

 

[Classic Devil]

shatenkirk is a NEED i agree. for a playoff contending cup contending team. not for a team that just finished 3rd worst (for you zbc) in the nhl. that is clearly 100% not going to compete this year and probably next year also. or you still think he is a NEED? why don't you apply your same logic your using for stafford as a stop gap but to shatenkirk?

btw the reason to bring jagr in is because i think if he can produce he will command a bigger return at the deadline. not a huge difference but maybe a 3rd instead of a 5th for stafford something like that.

and if a 45 year old player isn't interested in cup chasing then why is he even still holding on and playing?


i still LOL at the people that wanted shatenkirk here. you guys are funny!

Shattenkirk wasn't to be signed for a gap year. He was to be signed for two, three, four, five years from now. I'm not sure why this is so confusing: players like Shattenkirk are rarely available, and even more rarely available at an age where they can be reasonably expected to be productive for another 5-7 years.

Would Shattenkirk have made us a playoff team alone? No. But that was never the point. He was someone we'd sign to make us a better playoff team when we became a playoff team.

When are we going to have another opportunity to add a top PP defenseman? The fact that the answer can reasonably expected to be "not soon" is precisely why we wanted Shattenkirk now, while we had the opportunity to get him.