Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part I

[Mgd31]

How about less collaboration?

 

[Bleedred]

Why hasn’t Rogalski been fired yet?

If it’s Green then Fitz can get fired with him. He will have lost any and all support from me.

I think if it was an established coach he would have complete autonomy.

Fitz spoke after firing Lindy that there could be coaches available after the season ends, who weren’t yet available then. That could have meant assistants with other teams or head coaches.

 

[HBK27]

Why hasn’t Rogalski been fired yet?

If it’s Green then Fitz can get fired with him. He will have lost any and all support from me.

I think if it was an established coach he would have complete autonomy.

Fitz spoke after firing Lindy that there could be coaches available after the season ends, who weren’t yet available then. That could have meant assistants with other teams or head coaches.

Why would the team randomly announce the goalie coach has been fired?

Fitz is going to eventually hire a new coach, as which point he'll pick his assistants. Until then, there are not going to be any announcements.

 

[Brodeur]

A few names that leapt out at me

• Skjei (prob too pricey)
• Zadorov (scary bidding war potential)
• Kulikov (The Return of the King)
• Henrique (The Return of the King Part 2)
• Trenin (he will be coveted and get a contract that likely looks dumb but NJ needs his skillset badly)
• Stenlund and/or Lorentz (bottom 6 jam that can play C)
• Stolarz (the only UFA goalie that is even mildly interesting)

I figure Skjei/Zadorov will be looking to cash in with term+AAV that won't quite work with us when Luke/Nemec will need their new deals. I had Kulikov in one of my mock lineups, might be a good fit in terms of a shorter contract and smaller AAV. Side thought was that it'd be nice to have an obligatory Russian veteran in place to help when Arseni Gritsyuk arrives. I felt like that was something missing when Nikita Gusev first came over. We had Sarge on the coaching staff now, but it'd probably be helpful to have somebody on the bench during games too. Trenin could also fill that role, I just wasn't sure what type of contract he'll command especially if he'd be penciled into our 4LW spot.

One thought for me was Ian Cole, although I haven't gone out of my way to watch a ton of Vancouver games this year so I don't know if he's regressed into Brendan Smith territory. Has/had a decent reputation as a PKer and has played both sides on D.

I had Lorentz as a Chris Tierney 13th forward type replacement. I'd prefer Stenlund but I figured he could get a guaranteed 4C spot somewhere. One other factor is that Graeme Clarke would need waivers to be sent down next season, so he might take up one of the 14 forwards spots if the team doesn't want to risk losing him.

One guy who I wondered about is Max Jones on Anaheim. Skates alright and can throw the body like Miles Wood, but with even less offense which I admit doesn't sound super appealing. Anaheim has plenty of cap space but I wasn't sure if they'd give Jones a qualifying offer (1.5 mil) since they already have Brock McGinn under contract. Maybe the type of guy who wouldn't be upset if/when he'd be scratched for Kurtis MacDermid assuming Fitz is insisting on having an enforcer.

 

[Patrik26]

Been searching for a word to describe what the forward group was missing and feels like the best way to describe it is intensity.

Guys like Tatar, Wood, and McLeod almost dragged their linemates into the game by not taking a shift off. It’s why moving Zacha for Haula made so much of an impact last year.

I count Meier, Haula, and Lazar as those guys on this team with Mercer and Palat bringing that dog on a bone mentality when they’re on top. I think it’s why we loved Smith so much for the few games he played at forward because he brought that.

There's some names missing but I'm having trouble figuring out who.

 

[Brodeur]

Wild just re-signed Fleury. Could our old friend Billy Guerin be interested in 10th overall for Wallstedt

They have one more year of the steep dead cap hits for Parise/Suter, so I think they'll be keeping Wallstedt. I could see them maybe selling high on Gustavsson to open up money elsewhere but I don't know how many buyers there are (us, LA, maybe Toronto?).

In some ways Minnesota having Gustavsson-Fleury and keeping Wallstedt in the AHL reminded me a bit of Dallas signing Braden Holtby when they already had Anton Khudobin and Jake Oettinger (with ~30 NHL games under his belt). I always thought that they were sorta playing 4D chess to try to limit Oettinger's games that year to a degree so that he couldn't demand more on his next contract. But Khudobin was awful and Oettinger outplayed Holtby.

Wallstedt is RFA next offseason and the team could argue a lower bridge deal if he were to play 15-20 NHL games vs 35-40.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Accountability for every player? Or every player with some exceptions?

 

[Guttersniped]

Not sure if this was already posted...but dayum...

Holy shit, poor guy.

 

[Bleedred]

Why would the team randomly announce the goalie coach has been fired?

Fitz is going to eventually hire a new coach, as which point he'll pick his assistants. Until then, there are not going to be any announcements.

He announced Recchi and Nas were fired the first day he spoke after the 21-22 season.

 

[ZYXWVUT]

I figure Skjei/Zadorov will be looking to cash in with term+AAV that won't quite work with us when Luke/Nemec will need their new deals. I had Kulikov in one of my mock lineups, might be a good fit in terms of a shorter contract and smaller AAV. Side thought was that it'd be nice to have an obligatory Russian veteran in place to help when Arseni Gritsyuk arrives. I felt like that was something missing when Nikita Gusev first came over. We had Sarge on the coaching staff now, but it'd probably be helpful to have somebody on the bench during games too. Trenin could also fill that role, I just wasn't sure what type of contract he'll command especially if he'd be penciled into our 4LW spot.

One thought for me was Ian Cole, although I haven't gone out of my way to watch a ton of Vancouver games this year so I don't know if he's regressed into Brendan Smith territory. Has/had a decent reputation as a PKer and has played both sides on D.

I had Lorentz as a Chris Tierney 13th forward type replacement. I'd prefer Stenlund but I figured he could get a guaranteed 4C spot somewhere. One other factor is that Graeme Clarke would need waivers to be sent down next season, so he might take up one of the 14 forwards spots if the team doesn't want to risk losing him.

One guy who I wondered about is Max Jones on Anaheim. Skates alright and can throw the body like Miles Wood, but with even less offense which I admit doesn't sound super appealing. Anaheim has plenty of cap space but I wasn't sure if they'd give Jones a qualifying offer (1.5 mil) since they already have Brock McGinn under contract. Maybe the type of guy who wouldn't be upset if/when he'd be scratched for Kurtis MacDermid assuming Fitz is insisting on having an enforcer.

i think cole has regressed.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Accountability for every player? Or every player with some exceptions?

He specifically said "not just accountability for a few guys"

 

[Mgd31]

I would wager Fitz trading the #10.

Also would it kill Fitz to buy 1 more sport coat lol?

 

[Unknown Caller]

I would wager Fitz trading the #10.

If the right deal is on the table, he's gone. Just doesn't fit here. Zacha situation times 10.

 

[Mgd31]

If the right deal is on the table, he's gone. Just doesn't fit here. Zacha situation times 10.

Oh I meant the pick lol, but yes to Holtz too. Ty Smith trade please.

 

[ZYXWVUT]

10 OA for a goalie I just don't think I can get onboard with. Ullmark/Saros - no, will need big extensions almost right away. Markstrom? No way for an older guy. Etc. Etc. Etc. Like it would have to be Swayman, Askarov, someone of that ilk, which is highly, highly doubtful. If that pick gets moved, I would hope it would be for a 'skater' so-to-speak.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Oh I meant the pick lol, but yes to Holtz too. Ty Smith trade please.

Totally agree on the 10th pick as well lol

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Holtz + 3rd rounder for some winger upgrade (ala the Marino for Smith trade)
10th overall + Bahl or Siegs for the best LHD that plays defense you can find

use whatever remaining assets to get a goalie. If it has to be Markstrom (especially with no retention), better not be anything higher than a 2025 2nd

 

[Call Me Al]

i think cole has regressed.

keep him away from Erika!!!

 

[ZYXWVUT]

Holtz + 3rd rounder for some winger upgrade (ala the Marino for Smith trade)
10th overall + Bahl or Siegs for the best LHD that plays defense you can find

use whatever remaining assets to get a goalie. If it has to be Markstrom (especially with no retention), better not be anything higher than a 2025 2nd

I like the thought process. I do wonder who you can get for 10OA+as far as a D. Would have to be a guy who fits age-wise & has term or at least is a bit away from UFA.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[MasterofGrond]

Yeah Fitz is being nice to a dude who’s not coming back

 

[MartyOwns]

that's the dumbest fitz quote i've heard to date

 

[Nocashstyle]

that's the dumbest fitz quote i've heard to date

Not really

 

[AfroThunder396]

Remember, every coaching candidate who is interested in the job is watching Fitz extremely carefully here. "How does he talk about his guys? If I take this job, will he throw me under the bus if the team sucks again?"

Fitz has to be magnanimous in public. The last thing he wants to do is blame, criticize, or scapegoat a guy on his coaching staff. If he does those things, no one is going to want to take this job.