Landeskog is very unlikely to make it to UFA. Hoffman and Tatar, sure. RNH, if he makes it to UFA, will almost certainly go somewhere where he is expected to play center, and he won't get to be on a power play with McDavid and Draisaitl. It of course needs no pointing out that RNH has scored 114 goals in the 376 games he's played for the Oilers since 2015-16 while Palmieri has scored 136 in 387 for the Devils and hasn't had a PP with Draisaitl and McDavid on which to do it. Palms obviously has more PP goals but that's because he's been the guy the Devils have looked to set up on the power play - Nugent-Hopkins would never be that option for anybody.
You keep constructing strawmen like the idea that I said Palmieri deserves 1st line winger money or term.
Palmieri did belong in that discussion before this season, he could easily have been a 1st line winger on basically any team - there'd obviously be several teams where he wouldn't be because of who's already there, but right-shot RWs who score nearly 30 goals/82 games are difficult to find. Any winger who scores nearly 30 goals/82 games are difficult to find. The Devils have really only managed to find 1 over the last 10 years.
I gave a list of players that are currently unsigned next year that are equal or better in my eyes than Palmieri. Every single year there are players exactly like Palmieri available in FA. He's not that special. That doesn't include players that are on the block, players similar to Palmieri, that are acquirable.
I am not creating a strawman argument because I have seen on numerous occasions posters tossing around 4-5 years and 5+ million dollars on here and on other platforms. I consider that absolutely insane to the point where I dont even think it merits discussion. This is not just about you -- this is a general discussion about Palmieri. We're talking about what he's worth and what he's not. As for this /82 that you keep throwing out: It's truly irrelevant to me in Palmieri's case. Whether he plays 65 games or 80 games, he always seems to end the season with the same amount of goals. If he scored at the same rate while his games played increased, I'd entertain the discussion, but it doesnt look like he does. I am not interested in magical goals that don't exist in the 20 games that get him to 82. He contributes roughly 25 goals a year to a team. It's fine. That'd be great on Boston as a 2nd line winger. It'd be fine on a second line here. But the timeline doesn't work.
I've said numerous times now that if you want to bring him back on some type of 1 year deal as some sort of placeholder, we aren't in disagreement. It would make my head hurt watching him tip pucks wide in front of a wide open net, but Ive lasted 8 years watching dismal offense, maybe I can make it another. Hopefully as the year goes on he gets phased out by younger players making the step up. But pretending like Palmieri and his 45-50 points a year aren't replaceable is just ridiculous in my opinion. That's assuming he ever returns to that type of production which isn't even a guarantee. This fan base legitimately has no idea what 1st line players on playoff teams look like. And that's really all Im interested in to be honest. Not "oh he can play 1st line on a horrific team and put up decent stats." This is just not a player I look at and think "ah shit I gotta make sure I have a replacement before I let him go." We disagree, clearly. And that's cool.
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