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

[Whaddagoal]

Hughes’s contract is irrelevant because it was signed when Hughes had no arbitration rights and 4 more years of team control.



No one is using them for comparison. Recent young top line winger extensions have been around 8-8.5. Numerous examples have been thrown out in this thread.



Bratt might actually sign a 3x9. Gets him a quick $27 million and he hits UFA again at 28.




There’s always a risk with signings. I think Bratt is worth the risk.

Fair points. I think we should maybe do that $9 million x 3 years and just get it over with, and see where it takes us. There he is happy, and we don't have the long-term risk up front. I would be ok with that.

I guess the bottom line from our discussion points yesterday/today, is that I'm weary about taking on that risk moreso than you and a few others here. Just my personal take.

Not that I don't think Bratt is good or close to that value, he is near there, but I guess i'm weary about the risk of it not working out long term.

 

[bossram]

Hughes’s contract is irrelevant because it was signed when Hughes had no arbitration rights and 4 more years of team control.

No one is using them for comparison. Recent young top line winger extensions have been around 8-8.5. Numerous examples have been thrown out in this thread.

Bratt might actually sign a 3x9. Gets him a quick $27 million and he hits UFA again at 28.

There’s always a risk with signings. I think Bratt is worth the risk.

Agree on all points. The Hughes signing has no bearing on Bratt's contract. Bratt has way more leverage this close to UFA. Not comparable at all.

But all these ~8m x 8 contracts were signed to players with one big season before they went long-term (Norris, Thomas, Kyrou, Tage to a lesser extent). Bratt will now be coming off a second big season and is one season away from UFA. If Fitz is trying to offer him last year's standard deal, Bratt should deservedly say no and ask for more. He should get more based on the longer track record and UFA years. He should be in the $9M range.

I would do a short-term deal if Bratt would sign something like $9M x 3 years. Bratt's camp hasn't been too concerned with guaranteed money. This locks him up for a contending window.

They absolutely need to re-sign Bratt though. This team has three playdrivers up front. They need to add more, not lose one.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I wonder where all the, "we must re-sign Wood to a big contract, he's too valuable to our team" discourse went??

I believe it went as high as 5 million per. For a guy not as good at hockey as Jimmy Vesey.

 

[Blackjack]

But all these ~8m x 8 contracts were signed to players with one big season before they went long-term (Norris, Thomas, Kyrou, Tage to a lesser extent). Bratt will now be coming off a second big season and is one season away from UFA. If Fitz is trying to offer him last year's standard deal, Bratt should deservedly say no and ask for more. He should get more based on the longer track record and UFA years. He should be in the $9M range.

Fiala is an example of a winger who had more of a scoring track record and was extended with 1 year to UFA. He got just under $8 for seven years, though I do think Bratt is better than Fiala.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I believe it went as high as 5 million per. For a guy not as good at hockey as Jimmy Vesey.

who, speaking of, just extended in NY for 2 years at $800k/year

 

[glenwo2]

Agree on all points. The Hughes signing has no bearing on Bratt's contract. Bratt has way more leverage this close to UFA. Not comparable at all.

But all these ~8m x 8 contracts were signed to players with one big season before they went long-term (Norris, Thomas, Kyrou, Tage to a lesser extent). Bratt will now be coming off a second big season and is one season away from UFA. If Fitz is trying to offer him last year's standard deal, Bratt should deservedly say no and ask for more. He should get more based on the longer track record and UFA years. He should be in the $9M range.

I would do a short-term deal if Bratt would sign something like $9M x 3 years. Bratt's camp hasn't been too concerned with guaranteed money. This locks him up for a contending window.

They absolutely need to re-sign Bratt though. This team has three playdrivers up front. They need to add more, not lose one.

The thing is, though, that Fitz had stated he wanted Bratt in NJ for a LONG TIME.

Only giving him 3 years wouldn't match with what he's stated.

He basically implied(with that statement) that his aim was for an 8-year deal.

And if you recall, he had said (or at least it was reported) that TERM was *NOT* the issue.

 

[bossram]

I believe it went as high as 5 million per. For a guy not as good at hockey as Jimmy Vesey.

Yeah, the $5M guys got me. Crazytown.

I'm probably just letting Wood walk at the end of the season tbh.

 

[bossram]

Fiala is an example of a winger who had more of a scoring track record and was extended with 1 year to UFA. He got just under $8 for seven years, though I do think Bratt is better than Fiala.

A Fiala-type outcome was the best-case scenario, but the majority of comps happened to guys with worse track records. I think Bratt will want market value, no discount, and tbh he is entitled to that at this point.

For whatever reason, Fiala also seemed to have a poor reputation in hockey industry circles/discussion.

The thing is, though, that Fitz had stated he wanted Bratt in NJ for a LONG TIME.

Only giving him 3 years wouldn't match with what he's stated.

He basically implied(with that statement) that his aim was for an 8-year deal.

And if you recall, he had said (or at least it was reported) that TERM was *NOT* the issue.

If they agree on term, then I honestly, think it's Fitz not offering him the dollars. There was a clear precedent set last offseason on the AAV of an 8-year deal. Just based on Fitz's comments about his players, I think there is a lot of indication he doesn't value Bratt as highly as the market would.

 

[NJDevilsFan21]

I really hope he takes a slight discount. It could be the difference between adding a 4th high end forward at $8M versus a more mediocre support role type player.

My main issue with Bratt has been consistency. He has cold streaks where he's invisible for a few games. He's not like Nico where is he's not scoring he's at least covering other parts of the game in PKs, FOs, etc.

Bratt's type of inconsistency costs a round in the playoffs. But if you've got 4 high end forwards driving 2 lines, the statistical odds of having either line go cold due a streaky player like Bratt going cold for 2-4 games starts to swing in your favor.

 

[Eggtimer]

I really hope he takes a slight discount. It could be the difference between adding a 4th high end forward at $8M versus a more mediocre support role type player.

My main issue with Bratt has been consistency. He has cold streaks where he's invisible for a few games. He's not like Nico where is he's not scoring he's at least covering other parts of the game in PKs, FOs, etc.

Bratt's type of inconsistency costs a round in the playoffs. But if you've got 4 high end forwards driving 2 lines, the statistical odds of having either line go cold due a streaky player like Bratt going cold for 2-4 games starts to swing in your favor.

Ya I want to be able to add a player like Meier in addition to having Bratt . If we spend a lot in Bratt ( rightfully or wrongfully ) and it prevents us from adding a Meier type player and can only get a 5/6 mil per player , that is a big deal. I feel we are one stud winger away from being a true contender .

 

[TrufleShufle]

I wonder where all the, "we must re-sign Wood to a big contract, he's too valuable to our team" discourse went??

Bastian took it with him.

 

[Blackjack]

We went through this yesterday and showed that Fitz can sign Bratt and Meier AND Patrnak in the almost unimaginable event he hits UFA.

 

[Based Anime Fan]

I just went and re-read the Kovalchuk retirement thread from 2013.

We should have all been on suicide watch by about the 10th page.

 

[glenwo2]

@bossram , Signing Bratt for just 3 years would be such a FAIL on Fitz's part and would be a real downer when we have Jack and Nico locked up for a long time.

It's going to be 8-years...It HAS TO BE.

And I think when all is said and done, Bratt will be a Devil for 8 years (and won't be on any other team).

 

[Saugus]

I just went and re-read the Kovalchuk retirement thread from 2013.

We should have all been on suicide watch by about the 10th page.

Why on earth would you subject yourself to that?

I don't even want to go back and read threads that turned into celebratory gif parties, let alone the ones with bad news.

 

[Blackjack]

@bossram , Signing Bratt for just 3 years would be such a FAIL on Fitz's part and would be a real downer when we have Jack and Nico locked up for a long time.

It's going to be 8-years...It HAS TO BE.

And I think when all is said and done, Bratt will be a Devil for 8 years (and won't be on any other team).

Don’t look now but Nico is only signed four more seasons after this. Time flies!

 

[My3Sons]

I wonder where all the, "we must re-sign Wood to a big contract, he's too valuable to our team" discourse went??

Wherever his good play went. When he rebounds so will the extension talk.

 

[bossram]

@bossram , Signing Bratt for just 3 years would be such a FAIL on Fitz's part and would be a real downer when we have Jack and Nico locked up for a long time.

It's going to be 8-years...It HAS TO BE.

And I think when all is said and done, Bratt will be a Devil for 8 years (and won't be on any other team).

I'd rather have locked him long-term too, but if all they can get is 3 years, I would do it. Locks in a contending window and minimizes risk. Gives them more flexibility when the cap increases.

It's on Fitz. Just give Bratt the money. He should've done it last offseason.

Wherever his good play went. When he rebounds so will the extension talk.

Or maybe...just maybe...he's actually not a $5M player.

 

[Triumph]

I just went and re-read the Kovalchuk retirement thread from 2013.

We should have all been on suicide watch by about the 10th page.

Kovalchuk retiring was one of the best things to happen to the franchise in the last decade and some of us knew that at the time.

But also, why would you do that to yourself?

 

[HersheyBob27]

I wonder where all the, "we must re-sign Wood to a big contract, he's too valuable to our team" discourse went??

He hasn’t been the same since he got trucked by romanov. Perhaps understandable

 

[Eggtimer]

I wonder how Gaudreau feels about his first year in Columbus . With that much money and his wife being happy , I guess it isn’t all that bad but still . He has been very underwhelming this year . However the rest of the team is trash. It will change in the years coming up , they have some VERY good pieces on D - Werenski , Jiricek , Svozil , one more high end guy but can’t remember his name .

 

[JrFischer54]

@bossram , Signing Bratt for just 3 years would be such a FAIL on Fitz's part and would be a real downer when we have Jack and Nico locked up for a long time.

It's going to be 8-years...It HAS TO BE.

And I think when all is said and done, Bratt will be a Devil for 8 years (and won't be on any other team).

I’m surprised people on here are open to a 3 year deal. That’s horrible asset management you have to sign him for longer than that and if he doesn’t want to then you should look to deal elsewhere. Imo

 

[My3Sons]

Or maybe...just maybe...he's actually not a $5M player.

Meh. You can always mock the extremist position. How many folks said he's a $5 mil per player? Two or three posters? That's hardly a consensus position. I thought he should be paid what a good fourth liner gets paid, maybe a lower third line player. I have no idea what the number is for that though.

 

[Devils090]

For the love of god please get Haula away from him forever

 

[bossram]

I wonder how Gaudreau feels about his first year in Columbus . With that much money and his wife being happy , I guess it isn’t all that bad but still . He has been very underwhelming this year . However the rest of the team is trash. It will change in the years coming up , they have some VERY good pieces on D - Werenski , Jiricek , Svozil , one more high end guy but can’t remember his name .

I don't think Johnny has been underwhelming at all. If anything, he's one of the few in Columbus that has played to expectations.

He's somehow a point per game and near breakeven xG% on a putrid team. Tough to be that good on a team that bad.