If it's a choice between Duchene and Stone, who do you guys pick?
Though I'd be surprised if we were an option for either without excessive over-payment.
If it's a choice between Duchene and Stone, who do you guys pick?
Though I'd be surprised if we were an option for either without excessive over-payment.
With Duchene you know what you get, but I'm not so sure about Hayes. The last thing the Devils should do is to sign overpriced contract with a second tier player. There are just too many examples where the teams have made those kinds of contracts with Neal, Backes, Bozak, Hanzal, Okposo, Eriksson, Nielsen, Ladd etc.Duchene just isn't worth 9M or whatever he'll get. It also sets a bad precedent as we'll then have to pay Hall 10M+ and there goes the cap. I'd even prefer a Hayes type signing for Duchene. He's going to get superstar money and he clearly isn't a superstar.
If it's a choice between Duchene and Stone, who do you guys pick?
Though I'd be surprised if we were an option for either without excessive over-payment.
With Duchene you know what you get, but I'm not so sure about Hayes. The last thing the Devils should do is to sign overpriced contract with a second tier player. There are just too many examples where the teams have made those kinds of contracts with Neal, Backes, Bozak, Hanzal, Okposo, Eriksson, Nielsen, Ladd etc.
If it's a choice between Duchene and Stone, who do you guys pick?
Though I'd be surprised if we were an option for either without excessive over-payment.
Yeah, Stone is easily a better player, so I would pick him. On the other hand the Devils really need a second line center.Stone easily. It's not even close in my mind. I'm not comfortable offering Duchene anything more than 8Mx 7 years (and even that is an overpay in my book), but I'd give Stone 9M/year. Same with Panarin. I'd take either of them over Duchene any day of the week, even if it means paying them more.
Yeah, Duchene might be a 2nd tier player if those other guys are 3rd tier players. However, I really doubt that his contract becomes a massive anchor real quick.Duchene is a 2nd tier player though. The guys you list (and Hayes as well) are what I'd call 3rd tier. But Duchene is sort of the classic 2nd tier player teams get burned on (examples would be Vanek or Bobby Ryan). I think there's a very high chance Duchene's next contract becomes a massive anchor real quick.
Yeah, Stone is easily a better player, so I would pick him. On the other the Devils really need a second line center.
Just a humble wish: let's win the draft lottery, and then we can draft Hughes and sign with Stone or draft Kakko and sign with Duchene.
I think the need for a 2C is overblown. We just need a driver on the 2nd line. Nico can't really drive the 1st line quite yet so as long as Hall is with Nico on the 1st line we have a big hole on the second line. If we add either Stone or Panarin they create a situation where we can have a play-driver on each of our top 2 lines.
Hall-Nico-Palms
Panarin-Zacha-Bratt
or
Bratt-Nico-Stone
Hall-Zacha-Palms
Both of the above combinations would be fine and probably a lot better than something like...
Hall-Nico-Palms
Bratt-Duchene-XYZ
I would love Panarin, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to be a second line winger behind Hall. It wouldn't be a particularly good sales pitch if Shero said for Panarin that in the Devils you can play with our star center Pavel Zacha.I think the need for a 2C is overblown. We just need a driver on the 2nd line. Nico can't really drive the 1st line quite yet so as long as Hall is with Nico on the 1st line we have a big hole on the second line. If we add either Stone or Panarin they create a situation where we can have a play-driver on each of our top 2 lines.
Hall-Nico-Palms
Panarin-Zacha-Bratt
or
Bratt-Nico-Stone
Hall-Zacha-Palms
Both of the above combinations would be fine and probably a lot better than something like...
Hall-Nico-Palms
Bratt-Duchene-XYZ
I think a lot this summer depends on who we draft. Taylor Hall is a huge part of the team, but forget about his prime. If and when we're a serious team, it will be Nico, Bratt and whoever else of that age group or younger in the driver's seat.
That's 3-4 years from now.
Toronto fans an media turning on Babcock is something else
Toronto fans an media turning on Babcock is something else
Toronto fans and media always eat their own. This happens every time they have high expectations and the team isn't meeting them, regardless of how realistic they are being.Toronto fans an media turning on Babcock is something else
Duchene has found another gear this year. Scoring at over a ppg clip and has looked awesome everytime I have watched him play. He's playing like a 1C this season, if we sign him it will be Nico getting demoted to the 2nd line.
Something tells me we are all going to be disappointed again this offseason when Shero is unable to lure any of the big FA's to the Devils.
If it's a choice between Duchene and Stone, who do you guys pick?
Though I'd be surprised if we were an option for either without excessive over-payment.