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

[devilsblood]

I do not think Joshua is a guy we should add. We need speed just as much as grit.

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Ya I've been saying speed is a very important element as to who we bring in.

Joshua looks like one of the slowest players in the league. I didn't want Toffoli back for that exact concern.

 

[devilsblood]

I don't know if this is true, Toffoli can put up 30 and never puts his cart back in the corral after grocery shopping, just leaves it in an empty parking spot. And I don't think he was a good fit.

On the asshole spectrum, Toffoli is like a cat sized a-hole, maybe a small dog.. Tkachuk is an elephant level a-hole.

I know Tkachuk is slow which goes against what I've said in terms of want, but he does bring more then just goals, namely a high level of toughness and physical play.

But I find this so unlikely I won't go full on debate here.

 

[TrufleShufle]

On the asshole spectrum, Toffoli is like a cat sized a-hole, maybe a small dog.. Tkachuk is an elephant level a-hole.

I know Tkachuk is slow which goes against what I've said in terms of want, but he does bring more then just goals, namely a high level of toughness and physical play.

But I find this so unlikely I won't go full on debate here.

I kinda thought that was an obvious joke.....

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Still don't see how that works for Ottawa or how we fit that under the cap. Seems more like wishful thinking rather than smoke.

Marian Gaborik has bought a house in Vancouver

Marian Gaborik has bought a house in the Vancouver area, The Province has learned.

theprovince.com

I remember Marian Gaborik buying a summer house in Vancouver which led Canuck fans to conclude he was 100% signing there. Spoiler: He didn't.

Mike Rupp seems to be beating the Tkachuk to NJ drumm. He was beating the Meier to NJ drumm (happened) and the Markstrom to NJ drumm (deal was in place before ownership nixed it). I think he wouldn't be saying something unless he had some sort of inside information that he knows its a possibility.

I think a 3rd team could maybe get involved with the 10th overall and Casey going there, and they send a player to Ottawa.

They'd have to send something much bigger than Casey back with that pick. It would have to be Nemec, Bratt, or even Nico. I don't think there's a snowballs chance in hell it's anyone named Hughes but Ottawa isnt even listening if it's the 10th OA and Casey.

If the Devils put together a package of Holtz +10th overall + Casey, that is a type of package that you RARELY ever see in NHL trades. That is an elite package of youth.

Brady is one of the most overrated players in the league. Little to no interest in him, even less at a package that includes more than 10 and Casey.

Disagree. Brady is a tremendous player and only getting better.

If the trade works for both parties, I 100% would like Brady here. Jack needs an asshole on his wing, one who can also pot 30 a season.

Tkachuk Hughes Mercer
Meier Hischier Bratt
Palat Haula ???
Lazar ??? Bastian

Do it Lou

Imagine a 3 team trade with Ottawa and Calgary.

To NJ
Brady Tkachuk
Jacob Markstrom ($1.5 million retained by Calgary, $0.75 million retained by Ottawa)

To OTT
Mackenzie Weegar or Rasmus Andersson
Andrew Mangiapane or Blake Coleman
Seamus Casey or Alexander Holtz
2025 Winnipeg 2nd round pick (from NJ)

To CGY
Alexander Holtz or Seamus Casey
2024 10th overall pick

Dakota Joshua from Vancouver. UFA at end of season . 27 years old , late bloomer , 6’3 200 pounds . 18g 14a 240+ hits this season. Plays C or W and PK . isn’t afraid to drop the gloves . Think he would be a perfect 3rd liner. Not sure what he would cost maybe > 3 mill per season . What about adding Hague or Mcnabb from Vegas. With Hanifin extension they are gonna have to move some pieces. Both are on one year deals under 3 million . Hague the younger player will be RFA after next season . All 3 of these players add some size and toughness we need.

Would love this. Joshua would be a great add. As would Hague but I doubt Vegas moves him.

Could we fit another $8 million forward in? Seems like we'd have to go cheap on defense or in goal to make it work.

Although I guess we could always borrow one of Lou's hitters to kneecap Palat and put him on LTIR until the playoffs.

Devils definitely could fit in another $8 million forward. Especially if they bridge Mercer (around $3 mil)

Joshua is going to get a comparable contract to Mason Marchment a few years ago (4x4.5) at a minimum would be my guess.

Don't think so. Marchment was coming off 47 points in 54 games with Florida. Joshua had 32 pts in 63 games this year. Pretty much half the production.

 

[JimEIV]

I kinda thought that was an obvious joke.....

And you thought his cat to elephant sizing didn't acknowledge the funnies?

 

[NjDevsRR]

I kinda thought that was an obvious joke.....

 

[My3Sons]

Mike Rupp seems to be beating the Tkachuk to NJ drumm. He was beating the Meier to NJ drumm (happened) and the Markstrom to NJ drumm (deal was in place before ownership nixed it). I think he wouldn't be saying something unless he had some sort of inside information that he knows its a possibility.

I think a 3rd team could maybe get involved with the 10th overall and Casey going there, and they send a player to Ottawa.


If the Devils put together a package of Holtz +10th overall + Casey, that is a type of package that you RARELY ever see in NHL trades. That is an elite package of youth.


Disagree. Brady is a tremendous player and only getting better.


Imagine a 3 team trade with Ottawa and Calgary.

To NJ
Brady Tkachuk
Jacob Markstrom ($1.5 million retained by Calgary, $0.75 million retained by Ottawa)

To OTT
Mackenzie Weegar or Rasmus Andersson
Andrew Mangiapane or Blake Coleman
Seamus Casey or Alexander Holtz
2025 Winnipeg 2nd round pick (from NJ)

To CGY
Alexander Holtz or Seamus Casey
2024 10th overall pick


Would love this. Joshua would be a great add. As would Hague but I doubt Vegas moves him.


Devils definitely could fit in another $8 million forward. Especially if they bridge Mercer (around $3 mil)



Don't think so. Marchment was coming off 47 points in 54 games with Florida. Joshua had 32 pts in 63 games this year. Pretty much half the production.

I appreciate the enthusiasm but it's hard to see Ottawa moving Tkachuck. I'm sure he's frustrated right now in Ottawa but the team just changed hands and it's unlikely in my view the new owner will want to sell. Moving Tkachuk for futures, even excellent ones, doesn't sit well with season ticket holders and doesn't sit well in the locker room. Tkachuck should be a major part of the turnaround of that team not another symbol of failure for it. I'd be ecstatic if NJ could add him but I just don't think it's realistic right now.

 

[Rhodes 81]

There is absolutely a happy medium between skilled perimeter player and asshole 4th liner and it's weird that it always gets dragged into those two extremes.

Good teams need both, and it's no secret that everyone wants a prime Tom Wilson on their team. If Brady Tkachuk is actually available and we think we can make it work long term, that would be a fantastic add at the price of Holtz and futures (don't really think that's a reality, though). Same if we think we can sign Foegel to a much lesser extent. Adding a player like that to a presumably healthy Meier would give us just as good of a skill/speed/toughness mix as most anyone else's top 6. I definitely think that kind of player is a better pair with Jack long term than a pure sniper. Maybe Holtz can have some kind of awakening that what he truly loves is imagining all of his opponents are Lindy Ruff and just running them clean through.

That said, it's almost always up to a team's bottom 6 to set the tone of what kind of team they are. Notice how much less of a speed advantage we had this year when suddenly our bottom six was a lot slower? I disagree with the premise that a team can't have an overall physical identity even if their top 4 forwards are soft (and I disagree that Hischier and Meier are soft but I get it if one believes toughness is more than being willing to play into the dirty areas).

Replacing the Wood/McLeod holes would go plenty far in making us a harder team to play against, particularly if that's in conjunction with a more sandpapery top-six wing. I do think it's as simple as replacing 2-3 players.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Would LOVE Deboer back here.

I'd be ecstatic with any of these guys as our Head Coach - Evason, Berube, DeBoer, Quenneville, Jay Leach, or Pandolfo.

Based on Fitz end of season presser, I doubt he goes the Leach or Pandolfo route. Seems like Fitz wants a coach that's been there before and has cup experience. That leads me to think he may hire Berube or Quenneville.

 

[devilsblood]

I kinda thought that was an obvious joke.....

Ah, I see it now.

(I thought you were implying Toff was a bit of a jerk).

 

[Nubmer6]

I still don't hate the idea of going with the 'pairs' being Hischier-Bratt (this one needs to be a thing IMO regardless) & Meier-Hughes (I still think they could work). As for 3C, I've been a big Nic Roy proponent if Vegas has to shed some $ & would move him. Can they afford to have a guy slotted at 4C making $3 million? Another guy I wonder about, would Seattle move Yanni Gourde? They have Shane Wright as a FT guy next season & it sounds like they may wanna target scoring in FA, so clearing Gourde's money could be valuable to them. Also, another name I have said quite a bit lately is Michael Amadio as a middle six winger, and I see his name right above here again.

I am a firm believer in pairs, but I disagree with the ones you propose. I think the pairs should be Nico-Meier and Jack-Bratt.

People always think of Jack as a playmaker, but he's developed into a volume shooter. He and Timo just don't work that well together IMO. I'd put in a grittier player with the pair. Someone like Palat or Mercer.

Conversely, I feel Nico is underrated as a playmaker and benefits from a volume shooter like Timo on his line. I'd like to add a playmaking winger to go with the pair.

Another option, if you want to try for 3 balanced scoring lines, is to pair Timo-Bratt with another center. That's presuming Jack is talented enough to drive his line with crap linemates and Nico is used in a more shutdown role, maybe with Palat and Mercer.

My problem here is that I have no idea where to put Holtz. He wouldn't be good enough defensively for the Nico line, and too soft for the Hughes line. He just doesn't seem like a fit anywhere right now.

 

[My3Sons]

I am a firm believer in pairs, but I disagree with the ones you propose. I think the pairs should be Nico-Meier and Jack-Bratt.

People always think of Jack as a playmaker, but he's developed into a volume shooter. He and Timo just don't work that well together IMO. I'd put in a grittier player with the pair. Someone like Palat or Mercer.

Conversely, I feel Nico is underrated as a playmaker and benefits from a volume shooter like Timo on his line. I'd like to add a playmaking winger to go with the pair.

Another option, if you want to try for 3 balanced scoring lines, is to pair Timo-Bratt with another center. That's presuming Jack is talented enough to drive his line with crap linemates and Nico is used in a more shutdown role, maybe with Palat and Mercer.

My problem here is that I have no idea where to put Holtz. He wouldn't be good enough defensively for the Nico line, and too soft for the Hughes line. He just doesn't seem like a fit anywhere right now.

When Timo got healthy he Bratt and Hischier were pretty great as a line. I'd probably keep them together. it works and they played well against the other team's best players. It's stability and the sure thing you need to start with. I'd get two new wings for Jack. Bigger stronger guys hopefully. My third line would be Palat Haula and Mercer. My fourth line would be three guys that make Rempe look mild and meek.

 

[Nubmer6]

My fourth line would be three guys that make Rempe look mild and meek.

Ya, but Lovejoy is retired. Not sure who else would fit the bill.

 

[devilsblood]

I was a big Wood, McLeod Bastain 4th line proponent.

But that is going to be near impossible to replicate. Wood and McLeod are big, play physical AND are amongst the fastest skaters in the league.

Depending on how confident they are that Foote's back won't keep him out of the lineup for long stretches, I'm fine with a Foote, Nosek, Lazar 4th line. Foote and Nosek looked pretty good late. Lazar is about as close as you're going to get to a Wood McLeod type and had a good season overall.

 

[JimEIV]

Severson, Graves, Wood, McLeod, Zetterlund, Boqvist, Tatar.... that's a tremendous amount of depth and different roles to lose.

I went back and read this and realized I left out Sharangovich.... people making believe that we iced "basically the same team" as 2023 are nuts.

We lost two 20 minute a night defenders and 6 forwards from the 2023 team.

And how in the world are we going to replace Toffolli?

I'm glad he's gone, he never fit, but Fitz used all our spare bullets now we have zero depth and big holes to fill.

The talk of Tkachuk really seems silly unless we restructure the entire team... otherwise we don't have the pieces to get a deal like that done...A pick and prospect isn't getting Tkachuk....not that I would be against a restructure...Hell, we almost have to already restructure...


We need to replace Toffolli....we really need to get 2 top 6 forwards in my opinion.

We need to replace McLeod and someone like Wood would be helpful too...

I believe we need to replace Palat I think he's getting close to done. 1 goal in his last 24 games reminded me of Ruutu... didn't he do the same thing?

I believe we need another LHD capable of playing 20+ minutes with PK

We also need some additional depth with speed and some grit...

That's at least 5 forwards and a defenseman...

We need a goaltender

We need a coach

We need our baby defenders to grow up fast....

There is so much that we need...This team basically needs to be rebuilt as it is.

I'm with Chicken Little right now the ceiling seems to be closing in.

 

[Nubmer6]

When Timo got healthy he Bratt and Hischier were pretty great as a line. I'd probably keep them together. it works and they played well against the other team's best players. It's stability and the sure thing you need to start with. I'd get two new wings for Jack. Bigger stronger guys hopefully. My third line would be Palat Haula and Mercer. My fourth line would be three guys that make Rempe look mild and meek.

It would have been interesting to pair Hughes-Hischer and Timo-Bratt when Jack was playing exclusively wing at the end of the season.

I really wanted to see an Timo-Bratt pairing last year with a random center like Haula (or McLeod before he was banished), but it never really happened till Nico centered them.

 

[JimEIV]

The Timo, Bratt and Nico stretch @My3Sons is celebrating and wants to talk about was some of worst losing of the entire season.

It was really proof that without Jack firing on all cylinders this team goes nowhere.

 

[njdevil26]

To NJ
Brady Tkachuk
Jacob Markstrom ($1.5 million retained by Calgary, $0.75 million retained by Ottawa)

To OTT
Mackenzie Weegar or Rasmus Andersson
Andrew Mangiapane or Blake Coleman
Seamus Casey or Alexander Holtz
2025 Winnipeg 2nd round pick (from NJ)

To CGY
Alexander Holtz or Seamus Casey
2024 10th overall pick

I would trade Mercer, Casey, and a 1st for Tkachuk.
I'm not sure that gets it done ... but that's a monster return for Ottawa. That's the only way I trade Mercer. Otherwise I would prefer to keep him.

Then I think Markstrom could be had for significantly cheaper compared to whatever the offer was in Feburary/March.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the "chicken little" stuff is quite honestly, absurd. The Devils have basically all the hardest pieces to acquire to sustain long-term success.

They have 2 top line centers, with one of them being an elite player when healthy. They are 25 and 22 years old.
They have a smooth skating point per game winger, who is 25 years old.
They have a 30-40 goal power forward, who is 28 years old.
They have the 2 best U-21 DMen in the sport. Yes, there will be growing pains, but they are going to be top pairing DMen.
They have another 60-70 point DMan.

There are obvious changes and upgrades that need to be made, including nailing the right coach. But most of the stuff they need is the easiest stuff to find in today's NHL.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Would LOVE Deboer back here.

I'd be ecstatic with any of these guys as our Head Coach - Evason, Berube, DeBoer, Quenneville, Jay Leach, or Pandolfo.

Based on Fitz end of season presser, I doubt he goes the Leach or Pandolfo route. Seems like Fitz wants a coach that's been there before and has cup experience. That leads me to think he may hire Berube or Quenneville.

Quenneville is a PR nightmare. They aren't touching that after the McLeod stuff just happened.

 

[JimEIV]

I've been wondering...what happens if McLeod is found not guilty?

 

[devilsblood]

View attachment 859395

C'mon, my reply contained references to both cat and elephant assholes.

 

[Saugus]

I've been wondering...what happens if McLeod is found not guilty?

These things don't get resolved quickly. He's only 26, but even if he is somehow acquitted, it might happen too late to revive his career in the NHL.

Either he tries to catch on somewhere overseas, or he retires with the money he's made in his NHL career thus far.

This is a huge hypothetical though.

 

[devilsblood]

I've been wondering...what happens if McLeod is found not guilty?

Might depend on the details which come out, but I think it's going to be hard to find work in NA.

These things don't get resolved quickly. He's only 26, but even if he is somehow acquitted, it might happen too late to revive his career in the NHL.

Either he tries to catch on somewhere overseas, or he retires with the money he's made in his NHL career thus far.

This is a huge hypothetical though.

He will still be young enough.

I think it all depends on how ugly these group texts are.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Quenneville is a PR nightmare. They aren't touching that after the McLeod stuff just happened.

To be honest, I don't think they care at all. If Quenneville gets cleared by NHL (looking that way) I think he'll be equally considered as the other candidates. His resume speaks for itself