Post-Game Talk: Devils 2, Isles 1

[HenriquesJawLine]

Motor Mike is awesome

 

[TrufleShufle]

if zacha is ever traded away, bright side is we won't ever have to hear this debate again (unless he explodes somewhere else)

Give us some credit, a player being traded away has never stopped us before.

 

[My3Sons]

It's amazing how different the discussion is when MBW is on his game. It reminds us why Lou always wanted to build from the goal out. Given that most nights almost any competent team gets around 30 shots the goaltender needs to be solid. Even a good team can be let down by goaltending and then it can spiral (I think this is what happened in PHI when the golden child flopped and then got publicly humiliated and then got shut down). NJ still makes plenty of mistakes and at times look lost on the ice. They are young, it will happen. They only scored two goals. If MBW gives up 3 we are likely discussing the mistakes and flaws rather than the good things the team showed. I hope these last few games have at least assuaged the concerns that some may have had about MBW's struggles pos-Covid. He is still probably the most important short term player on the team in that there is basically nothing behind him. Can you imagine having to run a Wedge/Dell combo out for a long stretch of games?

 

[mtnet]

Unless Fitz secures an offer for Zacha+ or the Isles 1st+ to net us a top 4 upgrade then I can't see him seriously trading Zacha otherwise. I don't doubt he will dangle him as trade bait though to try and sell high. I'm in no hurry to trade Zacha but I'm sure management is considering the option if it nets us an upgrade elsewhere.

Otherwise he's probably worth holding on to and can be extended on a reasonable contract. I could see him as a complimentary winger, middle sixer that comofortable settles into a third line role as more talent rolls into the forward group over the next couple years. The center experiment is long over.

Two years from now I'd expect we'd have Mercer on the wing as he breaks into the league, hopefully settling in as a middle six center. If McLeod sticks as a bottom six center then we'll be set up the middle for a long time.

Hopefully Holtz pans out sooner than later too, have to see if he can dominate in the AHL next year. We need a top 4 D, veteran top six winger, and a backup goalie...reasonably young but not green. That would go a long way to taking steps forward over the next 2-3 years. Goalie market does appear particularly thin at the moment, lots of teams with needs there.