Confirmed with Link: Devils Trade Henrique, Blandisi, 3rd Round Pick to Anaheim for Sami Vatanen/Conditional 3rd

[BahlDeep]

This is true.

So what don't you like about the trade, other than being emotionally attached to Henrique (as most of us pretty much are)?

 

[JimEIV]

So what don't you like about the trade, other than being emotionally attached to Henrique (as most of us pretty much are)?

I thought I was pretty clear in previous post? His numbers aren't very good and they haven't been for more than a year. I think we gave up too much for what we got(based on the last year plus). But maybe Vatanen improves? I don't know why his numbers fell so much?

And I never had a problem with giving up a 2nd for Mueller, but Henrique, Blandisi and a 3rd is a lot for his performance over the last year plus.

 

[The Wumpus]

I miss Rico, but the last five years of losing have killed a lot of my sentimentality. I just want to win again. Do whatever it takes to make the team better.

 

[Bleedred]

I think we're lucky to have gotten him for this price, especially with how expensive some of these other defensemen have been in the last 1.5 years, thanks to Peter Chiarelli dealing Taylor Hall to get Adam Larsson.

 

[VoidCreature]

I think there's some value to looking at what happened to the Avs as a cautionary tale. They succeeded in part because of Semyon Varlamov playing over his head. Schneider has shown he can put up .920+ save percentages on a consistent basis.

They also followed up that year by stripping out two very prominent two way centers in Stasny and O'Reilly. We're not a finished product despite our record and the focus should be on continuing to improve the roster, like the Leafs did by adding Marleau. We need a young second line-center and left hand defenseman to replace Zajac and Greene in the next few years, and I'd also love to add another pure sniper.

All that said, I agree with Afro. We're a transition based team that likely won't be a possession juggernaut. As much as I hate the Rangers, they're the team I'd look at as a template. They end up below 50% in possession every year, but they win anyway because of their focus on generating quality chances from around the net and the goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist.

 

[R8Devs]

It's a good thing we have a lot of talent, then.

I think it's a little silly to compare us to '14 Colorado when they had such a gongshow of mismanagement going on, while Shero has a history of shred moves and Castron's draft record is already paying off. We have much better leadership in the room and no egomaniac behind the bench.

I didn’t say that it’ll turn out like Colorado but what you said is what they were like and how the fans responded when people said regression was coming. I don’t think the team will ever be a possession juggernaut but there’s a definite need to concede less shots and creAte more. Which in time I think will come and it’s partly why Shero acquired someone who could help stabilize the defensive core.

Also Vatanen performed much better under Boudreau than Carlyle so I definitely think there's a lot of improvement that can happen from him.

 

[Scorcho]

I thought I was pretty clear in previous post? His numbers aren't very good and they haven't been for more than a year. I think we gave up too much for what we got(based on the last year plus). But maybe Vatanen improves? I don't know why his numbers fell so much?

And I never had a problem with giving up a 2nd for Mueller, but Henrique, Blandisi and a 3rd is a lot for his performance over the last year plus.

Vats has been dealing with a shoulder injury for the last year and a half, takes a toll on the numbers of an offensive D

 

[BenedictGomez]

I hope you weren't referring to me? Because you know damn well I Never "proclaimed him a bust".

Perhaps you never used the word "bust", but you described him in every which way possible in which the only possible inference would be that he wouldn't be an NHL defenseman.

Then he scored a goal in preseason. And you softened a bit.

Then he scored another goal in the next preseason game. And you added a few more caveats and "clarifications" to the softening.

But you were still extremely negative on Mueller despite the softening.

 

[AveryQuietMan]

So what don't you like about the trade, other than being emotionally attached to Henrique (as most of us pretty much are)?

hate to butt in.... but, at first glance, i dont like that you trade heart and soul guy. you cant help being skeptical about the trade. it has nothing to do with his goal against the rags. maybe he isnt flashy but he brought the team together this year with 'the stache'. it really goes a long way in a locker room. this is sheros first gamble. till this point he has been fleecing everyone. so we will see how this one plays out.

 

[JimEIV]

Perhaps you never used the word "bust", but you described him in every which way possible in which the only possible inference would be that he wouldn't be an NHL defenseman.

Then he scored a goal in preseason. And you softened a bit.

Then he scored another goal in the next preseason game. And you added a few more caveats and "clarifications" to the softening.

But you were still extremely negative on Mueller despite the softening.

No... I was negative on the notion that he could be a top 4 defenseman to start the season....and he wasn't. I even said I had no problem with giving up a 2nd rounder for him and I thought it was a reasonable price...if I didn't think he might be an nhl defense why would I have no problem with the 2nd round pick that almost every had a problem with?

When he scored I didn't soften anything. It was still pretty obvious he wasn't ready to be a regular top 4 defender...and he wasn't.

 

[BenedictGomez]

No... I was negative on the notion that he could be a top 4 defenseman to start the season....and he wasn't.

You didnt even think he would last on the NHL squad for the full season.

 

[JimEIV]

You didnt even think he would last on the NHL squad for the full season.

He isn't waiver exempt...how could I think otherwise?

 

[BenedictGomez]

He isn't waiver exempt...how could I think otherwise?

Allow me to rephrase; you didnt think he was good enough to play in the NHL in 2017.

 

[JimEIV]

Allow me to rephrase; you didnt think he was good enough to play in the NHL in 2017.

I'm sure you have ready one out of context quote from a long argument about some other completely different point or me being obviously sarcastic.

But what you are saying I said or implied makes no sense because he was going to be carried on this roster no matter what. And that was known by everyone the moment he was obtained.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I'm sure you have ready one out of context quote from a long argument about some other completely different point or me being obviously sarcastic.

Huh?

You ripped apart Mueller for WEEKS here, saying Mueller wasn't NHL ready, saying Mueller looks like he'll be a bust, saying you would put Mueller in last place on the Devils D depth chart, saying Mueller isnt as good as Merrill and you dont think he ever will be......etc......

It was over-the-top negativity.

 

[JimEIV]

Huh?

You ripped apart Mueller for WEEKS here, saying Mueller wasn't NHL ready, saying Mueller looks like he'll be a bust, saying you would put Mueller in last place on the Devils D depth chart, saying Mueller isnt as good as Merrill and you dont think he ever will be......etc......

It was over-the-top negativity.

Again I said he wasn't top 4 ready and that insured Moore was going to be our #2 LHD...I argued more about Moore being the wrong choice to keep during expansion than I ever did about Mueller's ability.

 

[AveryQuietMan]

Again I said he wasn't top 4 ready and that insured Moore was going to be our #2 LHD...I argued more about Moore being the wrong choice to keep during expansion than I ever did about Mueller's ability.

what is merrill doing? riding the bench on an expansion team? i think they made the right choice. and dont you EVER... i mean EVER... bash my boy moore

 

[NJDevs26]

I guess the trade discussion ran its course