GDT: Panthers @ Your New Jersey Devils - 7 PM - MSG+

[JimEIV]

Fair enough... but he hasn't scored 20 or more goals in a season since 2010, six/seven year ago. And he's been playing 20min + top PP unit almost all these seasons while also getting the best winger available on the roster. It seems clear that he declined as an offensive player, or at least he hasn't lived up to his contract that he signed based on his two good years with Parise.

Point is, do we really need a 40pt C making 6M (same cap hit as Hall)? We could always sign Mike Fisher or Hanzal as a UFA to replace Zajac until Zacha, McLeod and Quenneville are ready for more defensive assignments. Then use some money to sign Shattenkirk, Kulikov...

I don't think Zajac's cap hit of 5.75 is unreasonable at all. Perhaps it is a tad high but Tomas Plekanec is at 6, Brandon Dubinsky is at 5.85, Dave Bollad is at 5.5, Frans Nielsen is at 5.25, Derick Brassard is at 5, Valtteri Filppula is at 5.

5.5 Million seems to be the going rate for a player like Zajac.

 

[Tundra]

Do you really think you're going to get anything that is going to do that and make it worth it enough to retain 2 million Zajac for the next three (4?) years?

There could be one sucker. And he resides in Toronto.

 

[Tundra]

I don't think Zajac's cap hit of 5.75 is unreasonable at all. Perhaps it is a tad high but Tomas Plekanec is at 6, Brandon Dubinsky is at 5.85, Dave Bollad is at 5.5, Frans Nielsen is at 5.25, Derick Brassard is at 5, Valtteri Filppula is at 5.

5.5 Million seems to be the going rate for a player like Zajac.

This is the extensive list of his peers.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I stand by what I said. Zajac is not compatible with the fast supporting style that Shero wants to play. He doesn't process the game fast enough, especially being on the top line.In a perfect world, Hall could play with someone who has compatible instincts and playstyle. Zajac just slows him down.

How is he not compatible with the style Shero is trying to instill? He's currently tied for the team lead in points. Wouldn't that mean he's doing just fine?

His best years production-wise, albeit quite a few years ago, came when he was playing with perhaps the "quickest" (note, not fastest) forward in Devils history (Parise). He also "processes the game" fast enough to be an elite anticipatory and reactionary defensive player. I don't buy it.

Whether he should be playing with Hall on the top line, is a different story.

 

[Zippy316]

I stand by what I said. Zajac is not compatible with the fast supporting style that Shero wants to play. He doesn't process the game fast enough, especially being on the top line.In a perfect world, Hall could play with someone who has compatible instincts and playstyle. Zajac just slows him down.

What's the alternative though?

Why not just keep Zajac since he doesn't hinder us cap-wise and try Zacha in higher roles? If Zacha struggles, you have a guy you can play up there that won't hurt you. You keep Zajac with the recent call-ups or young kids and Zajac can teach him the little things that will make the kids a better players.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I remember when people were saying they'd overpay slightly to ensure Zajac stays instead of bolting to Winnipeg.

Should've seen this coming. People always insist on having both sides of the coin.

 

[Zippy316]

There could be one sucker. And he resides in Toronto.

They have Bozak/Kadri. It's not like they are in dire need of a Zajac-like center.

They're likely going to be very cap-conscious with the contracts they take on as Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Reilly will all likely take some serious cuts into their cap space and flexibility.

 

[Tundra]

What's the alternative though?

Why not just keep Zajac since he doesn't hinder us cap-wise and try Zacha in higher roles? If Zacha struggles, you have a guy you can play up there that won't hurt you. You keep Zajac with the recent call-ups or young kids and Zajac can teach him the little things that will make the kids a better players.

If Vegas takes him, it would be a benefit to the long term plan. If not, it's going to be hard to move him because of the NTC and the remaining term. He's better off staying if Vegas doesn't select him, unless he's packaged in a larger deal.

 

[theoptimist]

I remember when people were saying they'd overpay slightly to ensure Zajac stays instead of bolting to Winnipeg.

Should've seen this coming. People always insist on having both sides of the coin.

You left out context.

 

[Zippy316]

This is the extensive list of his peers.

I'd narrow that list down to players of similar age.

A lot of star players on bridge deals in that list that are in different situations than Zajac.

 

[JimEIV]

This is the extensive list of his peers.

Based on what?

You got all kind of ages, positions and circumstances there. You have guys on there first contract on that list, LW, RW Defesnemen...

Is just silly to take a bunch a people making X dollars and compare them.

You have to look at age, position and and production to make a comparable. Sort of exactly like what I did.

 

[theoptimist]

Retaining salary isn't easy. Shero & management have to determine positives in doing so.

 

[Zippy316]

If Vegas takes him, it would be a benefit to the long term plan. If not, it's going to be hard to move him because of the NTC and the remaining term. He's better off staying if Vegas doesn't select him, unless he's packaged in a larger deal.

What are we going to do to replace him defensively?

He is by far our best defensive forward on this team and it doesn't even come close. For a team that does a horrible job with coverage in all three zones, what do we gain from losing him? We don't even need the cap space that Zajac is taking up and we don't have centers ready to replace what Zajac does for us.

Change for the sake of change accomplishes nothing.

 

[theoptimist]

Based on what?

You got all kind of ages, positions and circumstances there. You have guys on there first contract on that list, LW, RW Defesnemen...

Is just silly to take a bunch a people making X dollars and compare them.

You have to look at age, position and and production to make a comparable. Sort of exactly like what I did.

and usage...

 

[Tundra]

What are we going to do to replace him defensively?

He is by far our best defensive forward on this team and it doesn't even come close. For a team that does a horrible job with coverage in all three zones, what do we gain from losing him? We don't even need the cap space that Zajac is taking up and we don't have centers ready to replace what Zajac does for us.

Change for the sake of change accomplishes nothing.

Zajac is more suited to be a specialty piece on a contending team. I've always maintained this. I can get someone off the street for 2.5 million that can sacrifice offense for defense. If I can free up cap space, so I can replace with a better suited player, than I do so. If this team wanted to exclusively play dump & chase and clog up the neutral zone, then I'd be inclined to keep Zajac. But that's not in the plans.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Zajac is more suited to be a specialty piece on a contending team. I've always maintained this. I can get someone off the street for 2.5 million that can sacrifice offense for defense. If I can free up cap space, so I can replace with a better suited player, than I do so. If this team wanted to exclusively play dump & chase and clog up the neutral zone, then I'd be inclined to keep Zajac. But that's not in the plans.

WE DON'T NEED TO FREE UP CAP SPACE

in fact, we CAN'T free up Zajac's contract. It would put us below the floor IIRC.

 

[Tundra]

WE DON'T NEED TO FREE UP CAP SPACE

in fact, we CAN'T free up Zajac's contract. It would put us below the floor IIRC.

temporarily.

 

[Zippy316]

Zajac is mroe suited to be speciality piece on a contending team. I've always maintained this. If I can free up cap space, so I can replace with a better suited player, than I do so. If this team wanted to exclusively play dump & chase and clog up the neutral zone, then I'd be inclined to keep Zajac. But that's not in the plans.

I don't disagree with his ideal role, but with his deal, there isn't going to be a contending team that will be able to fit him in or willing to fit him in. Maybe flipping him with Plekanec would work, but I don't see much of a difference there.

Personally, I think Zajac is a smart enough player where he can adapt to an uptempo system. If we keep infusing the team with speed, I don't see why Zajac can't be the guy on the team that goes to the right places that his linemates open up for him. It's not like he's that slow.

My main point is Zajac is a good player who is still useful that young kids can learn a lot from. Until we have a kid ready to take over or we're signing and/or trading for a veteran who can play a speedier game in place of him, it makes little sense to just get rid of him. He can still play up and down the line-up and reliably take on bigger roles if a kid is struggling.

Giving him up to Las Vegas in the expansion draft with no back-up plan is foolish.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Leading point scorer because the younger top 6 guys were either missing games for 2 and a half weeks or not playing up to par. Zajac leading the team in points says more about how **** the team is playing than how good he is.

I don't necessary think that he should be brought out just for the sake of him being gone. I just think that the expansion draft might be the last chance of the Devils to move him without having any cap consequences (buyout).

1. No one is arguing that Zajac leading the team in points is a sign of him being great, what it does do however is refute the point that he is not a "fit for this system". Which is just a throwaway statement being made to try and grasp for a reason to get rid of him.

2. Why would we even need to concern ourselves with possibly buying him out when we have a ton of cap space? We have no idea what the team will be investing in over the future, but they have the money to do it. Should they reach a point where his game goes to complete hell, then they'll consider that. Until then, it's not really relative to think that his salary is a detriment to the team when without it, we'd be under the cap floor.

People can throw out whatever reasons they want to think that he's expendable, but Zippy said it best, he has value in being a placeholder for the younger players as they prove they are ready. He can easily move down the depth chart and provide valuable minutes on any line at center if his game worsens, but guess what, it hasn't yet. Pump the brakes everyone.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Leading point scorer because the younger top 6 guys were either missing games for 2 and a half weeks or not playing up to par. Zajac leading the team in points says more about how **** the team is playing than how good he is.

No one's saying how good he is. The argument was that he's incompatible with our system. If he were, he'd likely be struggling, no?

Instead, he's tied for the point lead with 25. Whether or not Hall should have 35 at this point, is irrelevant. Zajac is doing just fine.

 

[Zippy316]

To give a better glimpse at the Devils cap situation.

Where on Zajac's deal will the Devils ever run into trouble? The only players that will likely eat up a significant chunk of cap space would be Severson, Merrill, Santini, Wood, and Zacha. All the kids we sign and/or trade will not need to be re-upped on their entry level deals until 2020-21 at the earliest.

So the "free up cap space argument" is almost complete nonsense unless Shero is really dumb with UFA contracts.

 

[Bleedred]

Some people get so mad when I bash useless flotsam and jetsam like Sergei Kalinin and his 18 points in 111 career NHL games.

Yet there are other people who would have you believing that Zajac is as useless of a player as some of those guys.

Pretty hilarious.

 

[NJDevs26]

If Vegas takes him, it would be a benefit to the long term plan. If not, it's going to be hard to move him because of the NTC and the remaining term. He's better off staying if Vegas doesn't select him, unless he's packaged in a larger deal.

And why exactly do you ever need to move him when you're so far under the cap celing you need a telescope to see it? If they ever improve the center position Zajac could slot in nicely as the Madden third-line center type.

Doesn't this obsession get old at some point?

 

[Cult of Hynes]

And why exactly do you ever need to move him when you're so far under the cap celing you need a telescope to see it? If they ever improve the center position Zajac could slot in nicely as the Madden third-line center type.

Doesn't this obsession get old at some point?

Zajac is going to be 32 this year. By the time the teams prospective centers are ready to play first and second line centers, he will be 33-34. He is not apart of this teams future. Trade him while he has value, build for the future. I really can not understand why this fanbase is so against doing that.

 

[NJDevs26]

Zajac is going to be 32 this year. By the time the teams prospective centers are ready to play first and second line centers, he will be 33-34. He is not apart of this teams future. Trade him while he has value, build for the future. I really can not understand why this fanbase is so against doing that.

But what exactly are you getting back that makes it imperative to move him? He's got a NMC and four years left on his deal, it's not like you're getting a top five pick in the first round back for him, particularly with a limited market. At most you'll get a mid first-rounder and that's probably generous, but even that is the kind of pick that gets **** on when it's our own.