Confirmed with Link: Palms and Zajac traded to Isles for 2021 1st, AJ Greer, Mason Jobst, 2022 conditional 4th

[Whaddagoal]

Zacha's post game talking about the things he needs to work on, D-zone, puck battles and getting shots on goal, pretty much nailed it.

Sevs pregame was brutally honest too. Reading the quotes in writing i took wrong impression. But when i saw actual video... The tone was more determined to make it better.

 

[Hisch13r]

I really hope they can extend one of them..... I like em both... But not necessarily for too long. I like Kulikov more but he is older so..... Not as certain.

I'm really curious if something changed with Kulikov or this season is the outlier because he has never been this good

 

[TrufleShufle]

I also expect new vets to be brought in during the offseason to help out next year.

So even if the remaining vets weren't enough, it's for a short time.

I don't think it's a bad thing to ask your core young guys to start stepping up in leadership roles though.

This was my main thing yesterday, IMO there is a difference in vets who grow with the team, like the Zajacs, Greenes, etc, and ones you plug in during the offseason because they have experience.

Tavares is a vet, but walking into a locker room full of kids who already been through a lot together he is not really the "vet presence" I was talking about (star player factor aside.) He's just an older guy who is real good at hockey they all need to get to know.

We could very well have that with Severson and maybe a couple others who might have taken control of the room over the last couple years, no way to know for sure.

So as much as I said it sucked losing both Zajac and Palms because "MuH VeT PreSenCe," I'd rather not try to just plug someone in during the offseason just to meet an age quota. I'd rather stick with what we have, add some skill and let new team vets emerge on their own. I think it would have a better long term effect.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I'm really curious if something changed with Kulikov or this season is the outlier because he has never been this good

Playing for contract? Or maybe likes the vibe of teammates, org.
He is also not relied as top guy so hes getting slightly easier matchup..... But he is doing good woth them.. And is more physical than i ever knew about.

He looks for a big hit (big relative to todays standard.. i.e. regular hit from before lol) every few games too. Today he got some dished at him but i like the style... More classic...

 

[NJDevs26]

Hall turning down a deal to go to a playoff team, at this point in his career, would be a really bad look.

LOL if he turned down any deal his next stop is the KHL, might as well pull the full Kovy heel turn at that point.

But yeah I can't see him turning down a deal to any team with even a sniff of a playoff chance. He doesn't have enough leverage to turn down a deal for one team hoping another trades for him.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm really curious if something changed with Kulikov or this season is the outlier because he has never been this good

Lindy?

I'm guessing you are basing this assessment on possession metrics, and Sev's likewise has never had #'s this good. Sub's had great years before, but he's alot better this year then last.

 

[Whaddagoal]

LOL if he turned down any deal his next stop is the KHL, might as well pull the full Kovy heel turn at that point.

But yeah I can't see him turning down a deal to any team with even a sniff of a playoff chance. He doesn't have enough leverage to turn down a deal for one team hoping another trades for him.

I feel a little bad for him..

But he left here in a weird way with the fans that last stretch... So i still have this... "Well you had mostly everything here mapped out for you and you chose your bed"

We treated him so well here.....

 

[devilsblood]

Playing for contract? Or maybe likes the vibe of teammates, org.
He is also not relied as top guy so hes getting slightly easier matchup..... But he is doing good woth them.. And is more physical than i ever knew about.

He looks for a big hit (big relative to todays standard.. i.e. regular hit from before lol) every few games too. Today he got some dished at him but i like the style... More classic...

I haven't looked at his game by game matchups, but his 0-zone starts are in the 30's, and his most common partner is Subban. I don't think he is getting easy matchups at all.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I haven't looked at his game by game matchups, but his 0-zone starts are in the 30's, and his most common partner is Subban. I don't think he is getting easy matchups at all.

Maybe im wrong here regarding matchups.

I thought one teams fanbase complained he was mismatched while on their team..

 

[billingtons ghost]

No, my assertion was “talent wins.” Not the most talented team wins. In fact, I specifically stated, word for word, that the Presidents Trophy winner or the top team in the league doesn’t always win.

I then laid out in multiple posts to clarify that my statement “talent wins” means that you need a collection of elite talent to win a Cup. You need to be a Chicago, LA, Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa, barring a miracle run once a decade (see St. Louis).

You get that elite talent by collecting high picks in terms of draft position and a high volume of picks in general. There’s the synopsis in one post.

You said the team with the most talent wins. Period.

I can make a case in 2012 that the sharks, red wings, flyers, rangers, penguins, and blackhawks were easily more talented than the kings. I can make a case almost every year except with Tampa that your assertion is false.

It takes talent to win, but there's a hell of alot more to it.

Like you said. Enough. Tabled.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Hall turning down a deal to go to a playoff team, at this point in his career, would be a really bad look.

Why would he turn a trade down? You would think he would be itching to play anywhere besides Buffalo after how this year went. He doesn't care what Buffalo gets in return.

 

[devilsblood]

Why would he turn a trade down? You would think he would be itching to play anywhere besides Buffalo after how this year went. He doesn't care what Buffalo gets in return.

I agree, just responding to the article which notes his NMC.

 

[MachoDiablo]

No, my assertion was “talent wins.” Not the most talented team wins. In fact, I specifically stated, word for word, that the Presidents Trophy winner or the top team in the league doesn’t always win.

I then laid out in multiple posts to clarify that my statement “talent wins” means that you need a collection of elite talent to win a Cup. You need to be a Chicago, LA, Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa, barring a miracle run once a decade (see St. Louis).

You get that elite talent by collecting high picks in terms of draft position and a high volume of picks in general. There’s the synopsis in one post.

Plus, those are teams that are in the thick of things year-in, year-out, which is where we should want to be. If you want to build a sustainable winner in this league, you need a strong internally-built core and the depth to replace pieces as guys invariably hit free agency or what have you. The days of us being able to compete every year because a less talented roster could fall back on Marty covering up many of the holes in the lineup are far behind us now, so unless there's another Brodeur on the horizon who can be that generational figure, you've gotta take the long road back by doing a lot of drafting, and a lot of smart scouting.

 

[Traitor Zach]

I also expect new vets to be brought in during the offseason to help out next year.

So even if the remaining vets weren't enough, it's for a short time.

I don't think it's a bad thing to ask your core young guys to start stepping up in leadership roles though.

BINGO! It's step up or step aside.

 

[Devils731]

If it’s straight up then I’d feel less good about the Palms return.

 

[Hisch13r]

If it’s straight up then I’d feel less good about the Palms return.

That’s f***ing insane. What moron is giving up a 1st for a washed up Nick Foligno?

 

[Devils731]

That’s f***ing insane. What moron is giving up a 1st for a washed up Nick Foligno?

I don’t really understand it.

 

[Hisch13r]

I don’t really understand it.

It’d make me feel a bit worse about the Palms deal but not awful. I think you can look at it as a 1st for Palms and a 4th for Zajac. Maybe it should’ve been like a 1st, 4th, 5th or 1st and 3rd but it isn’t anything I can’t stomach

I assume there has to be another piece coming back with Foligno. If not then Jarmo is straight swindling teams

 

[JrFischer54]

Well that’s 1 more first rounder that wasn’t suppose to be traded according to the hf trade gurus

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

If he knows what he is talking about, I'm happy the Devils got that 1st rounder.