DeLeo-Dylan McLaughlin/PTO-Thompson
Kuokkanen-Gauthier-Holtz
Gambardella-Schmelzer-Clarke
Laberge-Talvitie-Halonen/Van Wyhe
Grasso-Irvine-Halonen/Van Wyhe
--McGrath
Okhotiuk/Bahl-Walsh
Vukojevic-Russo
Wotherspoon-Groleau
-Gourley
Daws
x
Schmid
Mitens
Tatar-Hughes-Bratt
Johnsson/Zacha-Hischier-Sharangovich
Wood-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Foote-McLeod-Bastian
Greer-PTO-PTO
Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Mukhamadullin-Okhotiuk/Bahl
Smith-x
x/Blackwood
Sign Dylan McLaughlin or similar 1C, preferably with fewer than 260 pro GP, if Greer sticks in NHL sign a vet/VE C
Waive Kuokkanen with all the other waivers in October, not by himself like Wedgewood/Studenic
Sign Van Wyhe and Gourley to PTOs, if not ELCs or AHL contracts
Send Grasso-Irvine-Halonen/Van Wyhe to Adirondack
Rotate Mukhamadullin/Okhotiuk/Bahl to NJD
White to UFA
Sign a 1B/backup G for Utica
Rotate Mitens/Schmid/Daws to Adirondack
Trade one or two of Johnsson/Zacha/Tatar
Foote/Greer back to Utica if UFA W signed or acquired in trade
Sign two or three F PTOs
Two of Mukhamadullin/Okhoituk/Bahl back to Utica if UFA D signed or acquired in trade
Mukhamadullin back to Utica after nine games if necessary
Sign a 1A/1B NHL G
I always like to start with what I definitely know:
The following forwards are signed to NHL 2-ways and will be Comets next year:
- Joe Gambardella
- Aarne Talvitie (ELC)
- Graeme Clarke (ELC)
D already signed and destined to start in Utica:
- Robbie Russo
- Jeremy Groleau (ELC)
- Michael Vukojevic (ELC)
The Almost sure to be Comets:
- Tyce Thompson - (RFA) Has only played 36 games in 2 seasons. I don't see him with a chance to make the Devils next season, but they will give him a QO and he will sign another NHL 2-way.
- Nolan Foote - Is already signed to an NHL 2-way (ELC). I don't think the Devils will put him NJ next season.
- Ryan Schmelzer - Team Captain. AHL contract. Non veteran. makes all the sense in the world to re-sign him especially since he can play RW and therefore won't have to be penciled in at C if the Comets can get stonger up the middle. Tyler or Aaarne can play RW if the center position is strengthened as it needs to be. Dineen would have his options with these 2. 1 at C and 1 at RW, 1 in the lineup at either spot and 1 scratched, both scratched creating stronger depth, both in the lineup at center because NJ didn't see fit to get stronger up the middle. As long as they don't yank his chain and wait a long time before committing to him, he will re-sign.
- Samuel Laberge - A dependable grinder that started the season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder, got called up, Dineen liked his effort and he was finally signed to an AHL SPC on 1/3 and played total of 53 Games. You say he has been told to find a place in Utica. Guess that says it all.
D almost sure to be Comets:
- Reilly Walsh - He has played 1 game in NJ and that was at the end of last season when several Comets were brought up and all got multiple games. Reilly got 1 and was in the next cab out. He plays the right side. NJ will pick up a veteran RD and whomever else they keep, they will be L/R compatible.
Definitely 1 if not 2 or possibly all 4 of the following for all kinds of reasons. First of all they are waiver ineligible.
- Ty Smith - There is a lot, and I mean a lot, of discussion as to this possibility on here, but IMO he will start his 3rd season after what could simply be the old sophomore slump and NJ will probably give him some rope to prove that was the case. So, when the season opens he will be in NJ. If he continues to play as he played this season, look to see him sent to the farm for major rehab.
- Nilita Mukhamadullin - He is signed. He can use his European out if assigned to Utica. He can opt to play in Russia again after having experienced the AHL and deciding it would be better for his wallet to stay home. He Could actually be kept in NJ as a backup RD, but hat would be stupid since he already showed he needs work in his 3 AHL playoff games this season. IMO if he opts to enter his NA career, he will be assigned to Utica. Mukh is not bound by the 9 game Canadian JR rule of 9 games and then either back to Jrs or has to stay in the NHL all season. Mukh is European and can ride the elevator up and down as often as the Devils wish to employ it.
- Nikita Okhotyuk/Kevin Bahl - 1 of these guys seems to be certain to make the roster. It really depends upon their camp play and how many veteran D-men Fitz acquires this summer. Bahl got the longer look with 17 GP while OK only got 5. They seem destined to get their chance, but it might not come just yet. One might make the roster, but be shuttled down and replaced by the other on a rotation so as to make sure they play a lot of hockey.
It's also a real possibility that NJ doesn't want any of these guys to end up the extra man. They play or they play in Utica and the best man at the time someone is needed in NJ gets the call.
This group will be represented in Utica. How many remains to be seen, but I wouldn't be shocked if they all started there or at least all played some to a lot of games there this season. None are Vets or waiver eligible.
Stands a good chance to be in Utica:
Colton White - He spent most of last season with the Devils, but actually only played 6 games. He is now a UFA and can seek employment elsewhere. Wherever that would be he would surely receive nothing better than a minimum NHL 2-way. Might as well sign here as I can't see any NHL team finding him a real good choice as regular NHL D-man. He is also waver eligible, so expecting to just be able to send him down and bring him back up at will would run a risk of losing him (not thayt I think any NHL tream would think he's the kind of guy they need.
A key factor working in White's favor is he doesn't have the # of GP to qualify as a Vet by AHL rules. This would allow NJ to assign an experienced NHL/AHL tweener that doesn't affect their Veteran quota like Tyler Wotherspoon does.
Gambardella signed signed a 2-way this past season and was not yet qualified as a vet or VE. His 65 GP this season will qualify him as Veteran Exempt in '22-23.
This muddles up the 5+1 the Comets were able to employ last season.
They really need NJ to re-sign:
-Chase Deleo (VET)- Team's top scorer capable of playing all 3 forward positions while excelling most at LW. He will only be 27 for this season.
-AJ Greer (VET) - He was the VE this past season but will now qualify as a VET. He was the straw that stirred the drink in Utica this past season., #2 scorer, and the key role model on the Comets. If you want a guy that takes the bull by the horns and plays the game with the intensity and skill level that personifys what you want your kids to be it's A.J. I have a feeling that his UFA status will make him a hot commodity in the UFA market this season for just such a role on a whole lot of AHL clubs. That's of course if some teams don't think he could help their NHL team. AJ could actually be something the Devils might want to take a look at for their bottom 6.
Frederik Gauthier (VET)- He was a the key defensive center, part of the #1 forward PK duo, Top face-off man, and put up .5 PPG in that role.
Thus,
Greer
Deleo
Gauthier
are 3 guys that NJ should absolutely bring back to join Russo and Gambardella already signed.
That leaves room for only 1 more that can play in any given game by the allowable numbers. The Comets could carry 10 vets, but only 5 +1 VE can play at one time. Of the 6 any number can be VEs, but only 5 can be Vets.
The Comets desperately needed a #1 Center and the need for next season is, therefore, even more evident now. You suggest Dylan McLaughlin who would be what Gambardella was last year, very strong support figure that hasn't reached Vet/VE status. These types don't grow on trees, but are available every season. The Comets need at least 1 of these types to replace Zetterlund who I believe is the most likely Comet to make the big club out of camp. That player becomes the #1 center.
A wing replacement for Z is also a huge need. Another one of those sorts would also be key acquisition.
I think the brass saw enough of Holtz at the end of this season to see all of his faults are not to be fixed in camp and they don't want to push him onto the NJ ice if those issues are present at the NHL level where he will become more of a handicap than the player they are looking for him to become. He will be a 20-yr-old kid. He has shown he can shoot the puck given time and space. However, he doesn't know how to find that space and his stick work with the puck is also in need of a lot of work. His defensive skills when facing a puck carrier or picking up his check needs a lot of work. That's just a couple of things he's not doing well or even at all much of the time. A player of his supposed skill set can't go invisible for large parts of a game or worse for several games in a row.
So,
Deleo (VET) NEW non-vet acquisition or VET if need be, Thompson
Greer,(VET), another definite non vet Acquisition, Holtz
Foote, Gauthier (VET), Clarke
Gambardella (VE), Talvitie/Schmelzer, ?
Groleau-Russo (Vet)
Vukojevic-Walsh
White-Mukhamadullin
Okhotyuk
Bahl
I think one or both of these guys are back to start. I think Fitz wants to get a couple vets in house to allow his kids more time to hone their skills. They are still very young and the days of nothing but kids isn't going to float anymore.
Better pickup experienced defensive non vet than Gourley.
Depth:
Halonen
Irvine (MAYBE!)
I like your idea of signing 3 UFA Fs. Fact is it's imperative.
Experienced AHL level D-man
Gourley
I'd cut bait with the Grasso, McGrath, Stevens, Irvine types. They are a waste of ink. They cannot do an adequate AHL level job.
VanWyhe as a PTO and if he can't cut it release him.
Right now my roster only has 4 fixed vets and 1 VE. That #2 center is as important as the first unless Deleo is moved there permanently with Greer/? and Holtz.
Kukkonen would be a major addition and fill the 5th vet role and more important with Deleo in the middle, Kukkonen can be used to rearrange the top 4 wings to give the top 2 lines good balance while turning the 3rd line to a much more offensive force. You'd have Greer, Kukkonen, and Foote onn the left side to arrange in any order and recognize that Gauthier and Greer are great together.
Until we see what the NJ brain trust does this summer, we are operating on sheer speculation, but I like what WE are building a lot! Too bad we don't have a single ounce of influence. LOL OLLLLLLLLLLLL!
