Poll: Better future - Devils or Sens

[JungleBeat]

Simple.

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[WingsMJN2965]

Sens seem more well-rounded. Could use more depth down the middle, though.

 

[GoldenSeal]

I'll say Devils simply due to ownership. Sens ownership can build a team but that means nothing if you're handling it like they are.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

I'll say Devils simply due to ownership. Sens ownership can build a team but that means nothing if you're handling it like they are.

FWIW he did finally open the wallet.

... Just weird that it was for Matt Murray.

 

[SpezDispenser]

FWIW he did finally open the wallet.

... Just weird that it was for Matt Murray.

He opened the wallet several times, but as you say, not for the right people. I think he'll open the wallet fine for these young guys.

 

[Goomba]

Devils have a deeper pool but Ottawa has the higher end pieces. Though this can be attributed to NJ having high-end under 23 guys on the roster for a few years now.

Hischier Hughes Bratt Zacha Sharangovich Smith then guys like Holtz Mercer Mukhamadullin

Also Blackwood, minus a covid riddled season, has been great for NJ and likely is their future starter so thats huge for a building team.

Ottawa very well could end up better but I like the 1-2 punch of Hughes-Hischier for the next decade or so

 

[Byron Bitz]

He opened the wallet several times, but as you say, not for the right people. I think he'll open the wallet fine for these young guys.

He opened his wallet but gave out backloaded deals. A bunch of players on the Sens are gonna get big raises next season so I’m interested to see how Eugene handles that. They are still missing some expensive and hard to find pieces including 1C and 1RD.

 

[Machinehead]

I really like what the Devils have down the middle.

 

[SpezDispenser]

He opened his wallet but gave out backloaded deals. A bunch of players on the Sens are gonna get big raises next season so I’m interested to see how Eugene handles that. They are still missing some expensive and hard to find pieces including 1C and 1RD.

He might not be quite as dumb as he appears, though i loathe to say it. He was quite clear we were gonna tear it to the studs and rebuild and spend as little as possible until it was time and he stuck to it. We'll see what happens this off season, but i hate him slightly less now than i did during the tear down.

As for the 1c, no one can predict how Ottawa is gonna handle this. We have a ton of prospects and Josh Norris, Shane Pinto and Greig coming. We could 1c by committee really, but again, we have the pieces to facilitate a trade if need be and if we're careful, we should have the capspace too.

There's less emphasis on the right D now that Zub popped up out of nowhere imo. Him, Chabot, Sanderson, Brannstrom, Zaitsev, Bernard-Docker should be the seeds that turn into a very sturdy core.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Senators. I like what they are doing with their rebuild. They need probably one more skill winger, a top four right shot and a goalie. After that, they’ll start making the playoffs. Maybe 2022-23 season. If not, likely the 2023-24 season. They’ll be next up in the Atlantic when Boston falls off.

 

[Korpse]

He opened his wallet but gave out backloaded deals. A bunch of players on the Sens are gonna get big raises next season so I’m interested to see how Eugene handles that. They are still missing some expensive and hard to find pieces including 1C and 1RD.

Back loaded deals were far more desirable for players this last offseason and probably will be for this upcoming offseason too with escrow being what it is. Not a coincidence that Pietrangelo’s salary this season and next is 5 million. While years 4 and 5 are 12+.

 

[trentmccleary]

Senators. I like what they are doing with their rebuild. They need probably one more skill winger, a top four right shot and a goalie. After that, they’ll start making the playoffs. Maybe 2022-23 season. If not, likely the 2023-24 season. They’ll be next up in the Atlantic when Boston falls off.

The team needs a 1st line center. Tkachuk and Stutzle are 1st line caliber talents. Norris and Batherson are clearly 2nd line players at this point. C.Brown is a solid 2nd line RW. It's possible that Norris develops into a 1C or that Stutzle moves over. Alternatively, Pinto could develop as a very strong defensive 2C, creating a Sens version of Bergeron/Krejci with Norris. But given the known information atm, we need a 1C.

They're not going to add a RHD.
Zaitsev and Zub are locked into the top-4 for the next few seasons and DJ Smith seems very comfortable with them.
J.Brown is depth.
1st rounders; Bernard-Docker and Lassi Thomson will be leading Belleville's D-corps next season.

The goalie stuff will have to work itself out internally.
Murray presents an interesting bounce back candidate. His season wasn't as bad as it appeared. He certainly needs to be better, but now that the defensive system is in place the team in front of him won't be nearly as bad as they were the first 15-20 games this season.
We're excited about Daccord and Gustavsson, who are both close to making the team. There are a bunch of other interesting goalie prospects, but they're not close enough to bring up in a discussion like this.

 

[The Burdened]

Easily Ottawa

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The team needs a 1st line center. Tkachuk and Stutzle are 1st line caliber talents. Norris and Batherson are clearly 2nd line players at this point. C.Brown is a solid 2nd line RW. It's possible that Norris develops into a 1C or that Stutzle moves over. Alternatively, Pinto could develop as a very strong defensive 2C, creating a Sens version of Bergeron/Krejci with Norris. But given the known information atm, we need a 1C.

They're not going to add a RHD.
Zaitsev and Zub are locked into the top-4 for the next few seasons and DJ Smith seems very comfortable with them.
J.Brown is depth.
1st rounders; Bernard-Docker and Lassi Thomson will be leading Belleville's D-corps next season.

The goalie stuff will have to work itself out internally.
Murray presents an interesting bounce back candidate. His season wasn't as bad as it appeared. He certainly needs to be better, but now that the defensive system is in place the team in front of him won't be nearly as bad as they were the first 15-20 games this season.
We're excited about Daccord and Gustavsson, who are both close to making the team. There are a bunch of other interesting goalie prospects, but they're not close enough to bring up in a discussion like this.

I’m penciling in Stuetzle as the 1C. Whether he becomes elite is up for debate, but I think they are set down the middle with Stuetzle, Norris, and Pinto.

I don’t see Zaitsev as a top four defenseman. Zub might be a four, but if he’s your best RHD, the position is a weakness. JBD or Thomson could be top four solutions, but I would not operate as if the position is filled long-term.

I see goalie as similar to RHD. Maybe the internal options are solutions, but no one is strong enough that I’d be sure of it.

 

[Samsquanch]

I really dont like the Devils core at all tbh... not a fan of how they are built. or the players their building around..

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Devils because Blackwood.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I think Ottawa has more/better young talent but I trust NJ's FO and ownership more. I'll go with Ottawa simply because talent is the biggest factor in terms of long term success and they should be better sooner, but I really like what NJ is building right now.

 

[trentmccleary]

I’m penciling in Stuetzle as the 1C. Whether he becomes elite is up for debate, but I think they are set down the middle with Stuetzle, Norris, and Pinto.

I don’t see Zaitsev as a top four defenseman. Zub might be a four, but if he’s your best RHD, the position is a weakness. JBD or Thomson could be top four solutions, but I would not operate as if the position is filled long-term.

I see goalie as similar to RHD. Maybe the internal options are solutions, but no one is strong enough that I’d be sure of it.

But that's still a big 'IF' he makes the switch. If he doesn't, that's a big hole to fill. Yashin left the summer before Havlat's sophomore season. Havlat was drafted as a center and they tried to play him there in training camp. It didn't work out and Todd White took the spot. As of now, Norris and Pinto are the only sure things. Colin White can play in the top-3 until he gets better or something better comes along. For now, this is an obvious hole with lots of question marks.

Zaitsev has played #2 for 5 straight seasons on 2 different teams, under Babcock & DJ, vs lots of competition and even made the playoffs 3 times in that role. If you want to argue that Ottawa & Toronto weren't deep enough and Zaitsev would be a better fit on a middle pair, I would agree with you. If OTOH, you insist despite all evidence to the contrary that he's a bottom pairing d-man... well, I just can't see that opinion as being grounded in any sort of objective reality.

We've developed low standards for goalies in Ottawa. Craig Anderson alternating good and average seasons until his decline started has been hands down the best starter in club history. If Matt Murray could rebound to that, we'd be ecstatic. Daccord and Gustavsson also do seem really close to making the NHL. At that point, we'll get a better read on what we have.

 

[centipede2233]

I’m going with Ottawa here, and rather easily.

 

[Goomba]

I’m penciling in Stuetzle as the 1C. Whether he becomes elite is up for debate, but I think they are set down the middle with Stuetzle, Norris, and Pinto.

I don’t see Zaitsev as a top four defenseman. Zub might be a four, but if he’s your best RHD, the position is a weakness. JBD or Thomson could be top four solutions, but I would not operate as if the position is filled long-term.

I see goalie as similar to RHD. Maybe the internal options are solutions, but no one is strong enough that I’d be sure of it.

Ottawa has come out and said Stuetzle will not be a center, im pretty sure

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Ottawa has come out and said Stuetzle will not be a center, im pretty sure

Any link for that? I’ve read the opposite.

 

[Goomba]

Any link for that? I’ve read the opposite.

Dorion thinks Stützle will one day be an 'elite NHL winger, a superstar'

 

[PAZ]

Ottawa will probably be competitive faster as their scouting and development teams are some of the best in the league. However, they'll also plateau faster due to Melnyk. Devils have some very nice pieces and if they get over the hump they'll be a better team than Ottawa, but i'm not convinced they will with their current team.

 

[Xspyrit]

Devils have a deeper pool but Ottawa has the higher end pieces. Though this can be attributed to NJ having high-end under 23 guys on the roster for a few years now.

Hischier Hughes Bratt Zacha Sharangovich Smith then guys like Holtz Mercer Mukhamadullin

Also Blackwood, minus a covid riddled season, has been great for NJ and likely is their future starter so thats huge for a building team.

Ottawa very well could end up better but I like the 1-2 punch of Hughes-Hischier for the next decade or so

Are you talking about prospect pool or U-25 pieces? It looks like you're talking about prospect pools but Sens also had "high-end under 23 guys on the roster for a few years now", namely Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk

Obviously, Devils have sucked for almost a decade now (Sens 4 years) so it's a bit early for Ottawa, some things are still not clear yet, notably "down the middle". Will Stutzle will eventually play center or not? If he does, then you're looking at Stutzle-Norris-Pinto. Will Logan Brown will finally stop getting injured? If he does, many believe he will finally be able to establish himself in the NHL. How good will he be is the question. Also, wouldn't be surprised if they pick up a Center in the upcoming top-10 of this Draft.

I haven't looked DEEPLY enough at the Devils pool to know this but this is how the Sens pool was voted on HF Sens just before the season (age at start of the season), with some comments :

1- Tim Stutzle (19 y/o) : has literally everything to be a star/superstar
2- Jake Sanderson (18 y/o) : will be considered one of the best prospects not in the NHL in the near future if it's not already the case
3- Drake Batherson (22 y/o) : 25 goals, 50 pts pace in NHL this season. High end skill and vision, still hasn't put it all together. Very high upside
4- Josh Norris (21 y/o) : 25 goals, 51 pts pace in NHL this season. Already quite good on faceoffs and defensively. Mature game that will keep getting better
5- Erik Brannstrom (21 y/o) : still progressing, 36 pts pace in NHL this season. Still hard to say how good he'll be
6- Logan Brown (22 y/o) : long-term project but has been very injury prone. High end skill set. 0.84 PPG in AHL. Needs to stay healthy but hard to see him not being NHL player (might be somewhere else)
7- Jacob Bernard-Docker (20 y/o) : pretty good 2-way Top-4 D-man prospect. Quietly solid in all zones
8- Alex Formenton (21 y/o) : elite speed at 6'3, excellent defensively and will provide secondary scoring while creating havoc all over the ice
9- Shane Pinto (20 y/o) : excellent 2-way center, great on face-offs/defensively, underrated offense. Very steep development curve as he started playing hockey seriously at 15 y/o, seems to be just scratching the surface
10- Ridly Greig (18 y/o) : another pick that looks like a homerun. Looked very good in the AHL at 18 y/o. 1.52 PPG in WHL. Speed, skill, agitation, versatility
11- Roby Jarventie (18 y/o) : long term project, elite shot, 6'3, pretty good skater. 14 goals 25 pts in 48 Liiga games at 18 y/o, that's pretty good for a teenager in that men's league. Scored 2 goals and 1 assist in his 4th AHL game.
12- Rudolfs Balcers (23 y/o) : gave him away for nothing, will be an excellent 2-way 3rd line forward, another blunder by the Sens GM.
13- Vitali Abramov (22 y/o) : a bit undersized at 5'10, good skater but not super fast, which makes it harder for an undersized forward. Pretty good offensive skillset but below average defensive awareness which is another thing to overcome. 60 pts in 74 games in the last 2 AHL seasons. Didn't look out of place at all in his NHL games but at some point, there's not unlimited spots on a roster.
14- Joey Daccord (24 y/o) : has shown pretty well since turning pro. His stats this year are terrible because defense was terrible in Ottawa and Belleville early in the season. It has progressively been fixed but he has been injured for a while.
15- Lassi Thomson (20 y/o) : long term project. Good skillset but IMO won't ever be good enough defensively to be top-4. Has definitively shown he has NHL upside this season in the AHL. 30 pts pace in his rookie season.
16- Egor Sokolov (20 y/o) : this guy make us think about Mark Stone more and more everyday. Chances are very small that he'll be as good but certainly has a shot and hockey sense. 14 goals in 33 AHL games. This pick looks like a homerun.
17- Tyler Kleven (18 y/o) : looked much better than he was given credit for. Intriguing pick (44th OA in 2020). Hits like a truck, very good size, reach and mobility. Booming shot
18- Filip Chlapik (23 y/o) : no spot for him even though he didn't look out of place at all in the NHL last year, but more a defensive player at that level. So he's back in Europe for now. Will probably try to come back in the NHL in the near future
19- Mads Søgaard (20 y/o) : 6'7 athletic monster, 6-0-0, 0.927 SV% to start his AHL career, has looked very very good
20- Filip Gustavsson (22 y/o) : goalie prospect with great pedigree, has looked stellar in the NHL, 0.933 SV% on a team that was a work in progress defensively.
21- Max Lajoie (23 y/o) : good start in the NHL, got injured and then regressed. Has been traded this season
22- Kevin Mandolese (20 y/o) : was great in the Q, still years away but not a bad goalie prospect at all
23- Angus Crookshank (21 y/o) : 14 pts in 17 AHL games. Looks like a gamer. Another guy with speed, skill and agitation.
24- Maxence Guénette (19 y/o) : pretty good career in the Q, will turn pro. Worth keeping an eye on.
25- Jonathan Davidsson (23 y/o) : unfortunately for him, career got derailed by injuries (concussions). Will be gone soon if it's not already the case
26- Leevi Merilainen (18 y/o) : pretty young but had some pretty good reviews from Finland. 0.934 SV% this season
27- Jonny Tychonick (20 y/o) : always forget about him but personally don't think he'll amount to much. Still a recent 2nd round pick (2018)
28- Philippe Daoust (19 y/o) : was starting to get a lot of attention in the Q before getting injured. Probably a significant breakout season next year
29- Parker Kelly (21 y/o) : agitating 4th liner, can chip in offensively, 0.48 PPG in the AHL. He seems to be in the plans of the organization. Scored his first goal in his first NHL game.

Not voted (only those worth mentionning) :

Aspirot (21 y/o) has probably been the best D-man in Belleville this season. Reinhardt (20 y/o) showing some good stuff. Kastelic (21 y/o) pretty decent too. Lodin (21 y/o) has some pretty good skill, could surprise next year when he comes over. Alsing (24 y/o) has played some games in the NHL at the end of the season. No idea what will happen with Novak (22 y/o) but some good reviews in the NCAA.

When you have guys like Sokolov at #16, Sogaard at #19, Gustavsson at #20, Crookshank at #24, etc... you have an insanely DEEP prospect pool. Devils pool probably good too but not in the same tier IMO. Same thing if you do that for U-25. I never saw this kind of young asset wealth before in Ottawa but the Melnyk-Dorion duo scares the shit out of me, they could sabotage things at any point in time.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

Easily Devils.