Devils 2018-19 team discussion (news and notes) part VI

[MadDevil]

So in 16-17 with Washington Mojo's most common 5v5 line mate was Kuznetsov. With Kuzetsov Mojo produced 1.99pts/60. Overall he produced at 1.75 pts/60.

On the PP that year, Mojo's most common line mate was Ovi. Mojo produced at rather impressive 5.35 pts/60. Which was actually better then Ovi's 5.06 pts/60 with Mojo. But you look deeper, and Ovi scored 3.66 goals per 60, 1.13 primary assists per 60, and .28 secondary assists per 60. Meanwhile Mojo scored 1.41 goals per 60, had 1.13 primary assists per 60 and 2.81 secondary assists per 60.

It should also be noted that 2016-17 was a career best season for him. I think a more accurate picture of what he really is would be to look at a stretch of 4-5 years. Not sure of the exact breakdown in terms of /60 it would be, but if you look at the prior 3-4 seasons, it would appear he is more of a mid 40 points player than the 58 he had that season.

It's kind of like looking at Zajac's numbers when he played with Parise (and Langenbrunner) and thinking he's a 60 point player, when in reality he's more of a mid 40's type player.

Which isn't to excuse MoJo of course. He's producing at more of a 30-35 point pace so far as a Devil. I do think some people may have misjudged what type of player we were getting though. I'd actually be interested to see what Caps fans think of him. Was he a streaky player with them too? Did he used to go to the dirty areas more than he has lately?

 

[Devil X]

He is going to make close to $6 million dollars for the next 5 year AFTER this one

I'm not paying that for a ~40 point player in his 30s

that is not how we should be allocated cap money

So basically hes got a Zajac like contract. Id take him back with his current contract.

so if we gave Marcus Johansson that same contract you'd be fine with it? Similar ages and production throughout their career

The difference is Henrique brings a different game when he isnt scoring. He plays on the PK and plays better defense then MoJo. I can see MoJo getting even more of a one dimensional player as he gets older.

 

[devilsblood]

It should also be noted that 2016-17 was a career best season for him. I think a more accurate picture of what he really is would be to look at a stretch of 4-5 years. Not sure of the exact breakdown in terms of /60 it would be, but if you look at the prior 3-4 seasons, it would appear he is more of a mid 40 points player than the 58 he had that season.

It's kind of like looking at Zajac's numbers when he played with Parise (and Langenbrunner) and thinking he's a 60 point player, when in reality he's more of a mid 40's type player.

Which isn't to excuse MoJo of course. He's producing at more of a 30-35 point pace so far as a Devil. I do think some people may have misjudged what type of player we were getting though. I'd actually be interested to see what Caps fans think of him. Was he a streaky player with them too? Did he used to go to the dirty areas more than he has lately?

So in the 3 previous seasons, amongst players over 2000 minutes played, at 5v5 mojo was 6th in terms of pts/60 at 1.51. This being below Joel Ward and Chimera.

On the PP during that time, amongst fwds who played at least 250 minutes. Mojo was 5th, again behind Joel Ward, at 4.4 pts per 60. Chimera was at 4.14, Troy Brower at 4. Backstrom during this time was at 8.18. Also note that of the 682 minutes of PP time Mojo had during this time, he played 576 minutes with Backstrom, and only 72 minutes with Ward, and only 26 minutes with Chimera.

 

[devilsblood]

So basically hes got a Zajac like contract. Id take him back with his current contract.



The difference is Henrique brings a different game when he isnt scoring. He plays on the PK and plays better defense then MoJo. I can see MoJo getting even more of a one dimensional player as he gets older.

It shouldn't be a Rico or Mojo discussion though. I don't want Rico back, but I definitely would not sign Mojo for a Rico type deal.

 

[Camille the Eel]

I don’t recall MoJo being a dirty area player in Washington. He was always a perimeter guy.

I don’t know but I remember him last year, before the initial ankle injury that preceded the concussion, scoring some for us from tough scrums down front. There was a game tying goal for us, wasn’t there, with our goalie pulled, scored from point blank after he shook off a defender? He’s not been
seen in those areas recently.

If you are right that this is who he’s always been, I hope we haven’t bought a lemon with him. Because you can’t be successful as a forward staying that much to the outside.

Really I don’t remember him skating complete circles around the outside last year quite like he’s done in these last couple of games. He circled the action from out high, behind the net, back out and across the blueline, then back behind the net like 1 and a half times before futilely giving away the puck in the game before last.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Yak is 27 and played 6 years in the KHL. If he is still incredibly raw and green you have to wonder if he ever matures as a player.

That’s a good point and I hadn’t realized he was that old. So either he should adjust to our game quickly or maybe he won’t?

Hard to be optimistic I guess about our talent at D. It looks to me that he’s got at least the tools to be a competitive NHL defenseman in the current state of the game. While many of our other guys are working around a deficiency like lack of size, or can’t skate, or can’t skate much any longer or they are on the declining slope.

Really Shero has stocked us with a very marginal group at this position.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I remember everyone hated the Mueller deal at the time

Not everyone.

 

[MadDevil]

So in the 3 previous seasons, amongst players over 2000 minutes played, at 5v5 mojo was 6th in terms of pts/60 at 1.51. This being below Joel Ward and Chimera.

On the PP during that time, amongst fwds who played at least 250 minutes. Mojo was 5th, again behind Joel Ward, at 4.4 pts per 60. Chimera was at 4.14, Troy Brower at 4. Backstrom during this time was at 8.18. Also note that of the 682 minutes of PP time Mojo had during this time, he played 576 minutes with Backstrom, and only 72 minutes with Ward, and only 26 minutes with Chimera.

Interesting. Good work looking up the stats (I'm too lazy and my phone is a piece of shit). Who did he play with the most at 5v5 during that stretch?

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Severson playing well, signed long term, RHD and 23

What if Toronto likes him? Nylander for Severson+ perhaps, the + not being too much.

Mueller-Vatanen
Smith-Santini
Greene-Butcher

Could be the defense next year, and I like the look of it. I think Santini will end up a defensive rock, and hopefully can allow Smith to do what he does best. It balances the lines as well, as Severson isnt as defensive as Santini.

And no im not saying Santini is better as of now, I just think he could be and fits our needs better. Also prevents a logjam for as early as next season.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Severson playing well, signed long term, RHD and 23

What if Toronto likes him? Nylander for Severson+ perhaps, the + not being too much.

Mueller-Vatanen
Smith-Santini
Greene-Butcher

Could be the defense next year, and I like the look of it. I think Santini will end up a defensive rock, and hopefully can allow Smith to do what he does best. It balances the lines as well, as Severson isnt as defensive as Santini.

And no im not saying Santini is better as of now, I just think he could be and fits our needs better. Also prevents a logjam for as early as next season.

You keep trying to force this Severson trade and it continues to not make sense.

Santini isn’t very good. He might end up decent buts odds are we will be forced to go out and trade for another RD to replace Severson.

 

[AuraSphere]

What's going on with Will Butcher, has he not looked as good this season? He's been lacking in the score sheet department.

Asking for fantasy as I'm deciding on keeping or dropping

 

[Alex NJD]

Severson playing well, signed long term, RHD and 23

What if Toronto likes him? Nylander for Severson+ perhaps, the + not being too much.

Mueller-Vatanen
Smith-Santini
Greene-Butcher

Could be the defense next year, and I like the look of it. I think Santini will end up a defensive rock, and hopefully can allow Smith to do what he does best. It balances the lines as well, as Severson isnt as defensive as Santini.

And no im not saying Santini is better as of now, I just think he could be and fits our needs better. Also prevents a logjam for as early as next season.

The value is fine but holy crap is that dcore bad.
Limited Top 4 playing time so far - Top pairing debatable #1 guy
Hasn't played in the NHL yet - Hasn't proven to be better than a 3rd pairing guy
37 but will probably be fine on the 3rd pair - PP specialist on his off side

Not sure I'd sacrifice the D to solidify the 2nd line. If anything we could look to add a LHD to solidify the dcore

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

You keep trying to force this Severson trade and it continues to not make sense.

Santini isn’t very good. He might end up decent buts odds are we will be forced to go out and trade for another RD to replace Severson.

we have possible solutions for the top 2-4 in our system , on defense

we do not have top 3 forward options - Nylander is exactly that

 

[NjDevsRR]

When was the last time Mojo set up someone and that player got robbed?

Bratt whiffed on a beautiful play by Johansson a few games ago, this has happened a lot this season which people forget about. If those went in people would be singing a different tune about Johansson.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If you have to make the team worse to get the player you want that in a year you need to trade more assets to fix it, then you made a bad trade.

Trading Severson creates a hole so big on D you could drive a semi through it. Any positives brought on by Nylander would be washed out by the overall net negative of that D.

Our forward situation is not so dire we need to blast holes in our thin D to bolster it. I get the trend lately is to dismiss certain guys as lesser trash to make it look more dire, but that doesn’t make it true.

 

[theoptimist]

You guys must have forgot Rico’s game of dump and chase. Mojo is superior in controlled zone entries.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

want no part of that Henrique contract

Yeah, me either.

Why he’s here: Oh boy. Before a particular corner of the Devils’ fan base gets too fired up about the possibility, that contract he signed with the Ducks … well, it was a really good deal for Henrique. Would the Devils, specifically these Devils (the current coach and GM did not draft him and weren’t here for Game 6), want to commit to that contract? It’s also debatable whether or not Henrique can be an above-average No. 2 center for any part of that deal, and it’s really hard to be a Stanley Cup contender with an average (or below) No. 2 center.

Still, if there are reports that he could be available if (given the underlying numbers, it’s more like when) this Ducks season really goes south, there will be plenty of fans who’d love to have him back.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I'd love Montour and Muzzin. I'd like Coyle, Goligoski, Silfverberg, Duchene, and Toffoli. I really believe if we got a legit LD like Muzzin we would be a much better team. Picture Muzzin-Vatanen, Greene-Severson, Butcher-Mueller/Santini/Lovejoy.

Silfverberg, Toffoli and maybe Coyle are all really good forward targets. Duchene is probably a pipe dream. Muzzin and Montour are also great trade options. I don't know what the Devils can give to get one of them.

One name I'd like is Niederrieter in Minnesota he falls under that same category as Saad and them.

Yeah, Niederreiter is an interesting player.

 

[Emperoreddy]

A good well rounded Dman would do more for this team then a forward, though we do need s shoot first sniper time.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

Add 4 points and we are middle of the pack. Needs context that the league is really bunched up right now.

Yes, exactly. However, that is our current position. We dont have the extra points to 'add' and our team has not shown any consistent effort in the past 10 games to back up any argument that we shouls have 4 additional points.

 

[MichaelJ]

Some potential trade targets:
A Devils trade wish list: Examining the risks and rewards of potential options on the market (paywall)

Brandon Saad, Alexander Wennberg, Jesse Puljujärvi, Tyler Toffoli, Andreas Athanasiou, Charlie Coyle, Alex Goligoski, Brandon Montour, Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, Julius Honka

Pending UFAs (closer to the deadline):
Jakob Silfverberg, Wayne Simmonds, Kevin Hayes, Gustav Nyquist, Matt Duchene

Bonus: Adam Henrique

A lot of interesting names out there. Shero seems to feel comfortable dealing with Anaheim. Since it looks like the Ducks might be retooling a little, if not outright selling, I wonder if Josh Manson would be available? If they’re listening on Montour, why not Manson? Montour is younger and has more years of control and Manson might be cheaper because of that.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

As a Finn id give Puljujärvi a try. Struggling in Edmonton system - a gamble to get a gem for cheap.

 

[FooteBahl]

As a Finn id give Puljujärvi a try. Struggling in Edmonton system - a gamble to get a gem for cheap.

What do you think he would cost? McLeod? Second round pick?

 

[BahlDeep]

Santini isn’t very good. He might end up decent buts odds are we will be forced to go out and trade for another RD to replace Severson.

How can you jump the conclusions that Santini isn't very good, he barely played in the NHL

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

As a Finn id give Puljujärvi a try. Struggling in Edmonton system - a gamble to get a gem for cheap.

With how shallow the Oilers are at wing (and it’s laughably bad - go look at their lineup in San Jose last night), I have a hard time seeing them trading Puljujärvi for cheap.

And that’s not really a guy I’d overpay for in a trade. I’d rather pay more and get a more established player.