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

[NinjaKick]

I noticed last game, there was a fan behind the Devils bench that had his shirt unbuttoned a little and Hynes kept glancing at his chest hair... He just wants to remember what it's like to have a beautiful head of hair.

 

[Triumph]

Shero sold when the Devils were 30-26-7 in 2015-16. They're 17-20-7 now - they'd have to go 13-6-0 to make it there.

They're selling.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

People are using the fact that our defense isnt that strong as a reason to keep eveyone but:

We have seven defenseman already AND people want to acquire one? Also I doubt the management goes with the EXACT same defense

Trade Severson as he gets the most assets and I feel Vatanen can be a leader for the defense and a very reliable player with a steadier goalie/system/defense partner.

Move Severson for a forward as I doubt theres a dman for dman deal available. Then run the following guys:

Vatanen, xxxx, Butcher, Smith, Mueller, Greene, Santini

I dont see moving one of Mueller or Santini for far less value than Severson as good asset management, especially if this team has no intentions of breaking the build after this season.

 

[MichaelJ]

Given that Boston just lost Nash to a concussion last season, they may be wary of going to that well again. I think a likely scenario is Johansson headed back to Washington for Burakovsky.

I’d rather not even bother. Burakovsky does very little for the team.

 

[Bleedred]

There's a myriad of reasons why this is a bad idea.

First and foremost if Cory is no longer an NHL quality goaltender or even close, he's taking up ice time in Binghamton as well as a reserve list spot. It also means that the Devils have no chance of signing an Eddie Lack type, a guy who is on the AHL/NHL border but could fill in as a #3. Gilles Senn isn't signing an NHL contract to go play in the ECHL as a 22 year old.

Second, any free agent goalie signing here would have no reassurance that he can beat out Schneider for the backup goalie spot - what if Schneider comes into camp and is good? They're really going to send $6M to the minors? No, the new backup would be on waivers, going to a city he had no choice in going to. Giving a 1B or backup goalie an NMC solves this problem but also means giving a 1B or backup goalie an NMC.

Third, if Cory gets injured, he can't be bought out, and he can't be placed on LTIR until the following season (if he can be placed on there at all - the CBA is murky on this).

It sucks having to have that extra year on the buyout but that's a much less risky proposition than keeping Cory around.

PREACH!

More interested in the possiblity of Schneid's finding his game.

He won't. We've been saying this for more than a year now, he's been a below average (at best) goalie for over 2 years now. It's not worth the risk after this year. We can't keep doing this at the expense of the team. He's finished. If he ever has a good season again, it will be a temporary thing, before returning back to the declining version we have now. This is going to start becoming the equivalent of keeping a brain dead person on life support when they're clearly not coming back.

Luongo said it took him 2 years. He put up a .915 and .929 SV%s in the years following his hip surgery. Adjusting for home rink and playing environment let's say a .915 is a .908 in NJ. For Schneider to be a .908 SV% goalie this season, if he plays 20 more games and averages 32 shots against per game, he needs to put up a .925 SV%.

I already said the other day that if he plays 20 more games this season and has a .920% over those 20 games while averaging 30 shots faced per game, he would finish the season with a .903% in 29 games, while adding his first 9 games shot and goals allowed to that ledger. With how short term reactionary this place is, I'm sure people would demanding the Schneider detractors eat crow if he has 2 or 3 good games and that 20 strong games to finish the season would mean he's good again. That's not what it would mean. It would just mean that Schneider isn't as bad as the .851% goalie he was the first 9 games and also not as good as the .920% goalie in the 20 games after that. It would mean that he's probably somewhere in the middle, which is that .903% and that's identical to his last 100 games played in the NHL (including playoffs), which is a .903% and .901% over his last 96 regular season games played. So I would not rule it out that he plays .920% down the stretch to even those numbers out and bring them up to where they should be. .903% is still very bad and I wouldn't be fooled by it, nor should management. He is what he is at this point, which is likely no better than a .903% average goalie at the very best.

If he plays 20 more games at .910+ I'll forgive the 9 games of horrible that we have seen so far.

That means nothing, other than he's not really the .852% goalie he was the first 9 games. 20 more games of .910% goaltending added to his season totals gives him an .896% over 29 games. Futhermore, he shouldn't be playing 20 more games this season, unless Blackwood really hits a wall and needs to be sent back or the other two are injured/Kinkaid traded (I don't think he will be) and Blackwood is either no longer up or injured. If Blackwood is sent back just so we can play Cory more, that doesn't look good on management. It's time to see what we have. We don't need to see any more from a goalie that's almost 33, who has been poor for 100 games and over 26 months (in real time months) now.

 

[Billdo]

All the rumblings from the media sounds like he's planning on sending pieces out.

Although I hope he keeps and resigns Johansson.

Same

 

[Bleedred]

Given that Boston just lost Nash to a concussion last season, they may be wary of going to that well again. I think a likely scenario is Johansson headed back to Washington for Burakovsky.

I'd do that trade and call it a win.

I'm intrigued by Burakovsky, as his production doesn't look that bad for his minutes played in his career, though he's been poor this season.

The thing that scares me the most with him is that I see his games played totals and it doesn't look like he plays many healthy seasons. 79 games is his career high and after that it's 64, then 56 and 53.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

assuming we can get at least a 2nd round pick for Johansson, I am 100% trading him next month

 

[Triumph]

I’d rather not even bother. Burakovsky does very little for the team.

Before this season, Burakovsky was a huge scorer in limited minutes. This is exactly the kind of player the Devils should want - it's a solid buy-low opportunity. If he's bad, they can just non-tender him at season's end.

 

[MichaelJ]

Before this season, Burakovsky was a huge scorer in limited minutes. This is exactly the kind of player the Devils should want - it's a solid buy-low opportunity. If he's bad, they can just non-tender him at season's end.

The team has other needs, I’d just as soon as about their defensive prospects or picks. I’d rather just see what the team has with Boqvist before rolling the dice on Burakovsky instead of inquiring about other assets.

 

[Bleedred]

Although I hope he keeps and resigns Johansson.

No way should we be re-signing him. He's produced a bit below his career norms here (although it's certainly gotten closer with his stretch of games before his recent injury) and he's had numerous injuries (namely concussions) since he's been here, after being pretty healthy in his career before coming here. I said earlier this year that I'd only consider re-signing him if he scored at least 45 points this year and that if he paced for 45 points but didn't play enough games to score 45 points due to injury, that's one other reason to not re-sign him.

Mojo might be a guy you keep in an effort to persuade Hall to sign this offseason as well.

Fair point.

How much are we re-signing him for? At what cost and term? It seems he's almost assuredly going to get a slight raise from his last deal, but his injuries this year and his slight drop in production post-Capitals is probably gonna cost him quite a bit of term, if not dollars too.

 

[Bleedred]

I was shocked to see Santini given a 3 year deal this past offseason and not just a 1 year bridge deal or 2 at the very most.

I wonder if they signed him the 3 years to use as one guy to not protect during the expansion draft? Remember, there were a lot of feelings that the expansion draft was happening in 2020 and Seattle would start in 2020-2021, up until fairly recently, then it was announced that it wouldn't be until 2021-2022. So in the end, he won't be under his current contract anymore by the expansion draft.

 

[Triumph]

The team has other needs, I’d just as soon as about their defensive prospects or picks. I’d rather just see what the team has with Boqvist before rolling the dice on Burakovsky instead of inquiring about other assets.

One of the bigger problems this season has been that the Devils have really gotten very little from their callups. Quenneville has done nothing, Seney has been meh, and we'll not even discuss the others. It would be nice to actually have depth.

I don't want another team's prospects, generally. They should have a better handle on who is good and who isn't.

 

[MichaelJ]

One of the bigger problems this season has been that the Devils have really gotten very little from their callups. Quenneville has done nothing, Seney has been meh, and we'll not even discuss the others. It would be nice to actually have depth.

I don't want another team's prospects, generally. They should have a better handle on who is good and who isn't.

I notice you only mentioned forwards, I specifically mentioned defense where the organization is even thinner. I’d happily take another team’s defensive prospect that would likely leapfrog most of who we already have in house.

As far as depth, of course it’s needed. Acquiring Burakovsky for Johansson isn’t really the answer for that, or is at least a misuse of resources. If ‘no’ to a defensive prospect, I’ll be happier with a 2nd round pick. At least that can potentially be bundled in another deal. You mentioned if Burakovsky doesn’t work out the Devils can just NT him at the end of the year. Why take that gamble on a deadline asset? The Devils trade Johansson, get 20 or so games from AB and then that’s the end of it. The deadline is the time to squeeze teams.

If the Devils want to take a chance on Burakovsky, great. Dealing Johansson for him is a mistake, they should only pay a low price for a buy low gamble like that.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

MoJo has been underwhelming, but the team is still better when he is in the lineup than when he is out. Last few games there haven't been much puck control, but MoJo brougth that element to the game against the Flyers. And earlier he has done that against the tougher competition. MoJo is irritatingly soft, but he has also some good qualities which makes him a decent complementary player for the Devils.

I'm fine if Shero trades MoJo, but I'm also fine if he makes an extension with him (especially if it's only a 2–3 year deal).

 

[Nubmer6]

I notice you only mentioned forwards, I specifically mentioned defense where the organization is even thinner. I’d happily take another team’s defensive prospect that would likely leapfrog most of who we already have in house.

As far as depth, of course it’s needed. Acquiring Burakovsky for Johansson isn’t really the answer for that, or is at least a misuse of resources. If ‘no’ to a defensive prospect, I’ll be happier with a 2nd round pick. At least that can potentially be bundled in another deal. You mentioned if Burakovsky doesn’t work out the Devils can just NT him at the end of the year. Why take that gamble on a deadline asset? The Devils trade Johansson, get 20 or so games from AB and then that’s the end of it. The deadline is the time to squeeze teams.

If the Devils want to take a chance on Burakovsky, great. Dealing Johansson for him is a mistake, they should only pay a low price for a buy low gamble like that.

How much do you do you think it's worth to take a chance on Buurakovsky? Would you give a 2nd? Or a 3rd?

What can we get for Johansson? A 2nd? Or a 3rd?

The answers to these two questions make it obvious whether we should pull the trigger on that or not. Because of Johansson's history with us, I don't quite think he'll get a 2nd. I am, however, undecided on how much i'd spend to take a shot with Burakovsky. Maybe a low 2nd, but he's being overpaid, and I'm not sure we'd want to re-sign him at 10% above his current contract (or however much the CBA requires for his raise).

 

[MichaelJ]

How much do you do you think it's worth to take a chance on Buurakovsky? Would you give a 2nd? Or a 3rd?

What can we get for Johansson? A 2nd? Or a 3rd?

The answers to these two questions make it obvious whether we should pull the trigger on that or not. Because of Johansson's history with us, I don't quite think he'll get a 2nd. I am, however, undecided on how much i'd spend to take a shot with Burakovsky. Maybe a low 2nd, but he's being overpaid, and I'm not sure we'd want to re-sign him at 10% above his current contract (or however much the CBA requires for his raise).

This is a very good point. I’m personally bullish on a Johansson return at the deadline for no other reason than multiple teams always seem to be looking for additional top6 scoring. I don’t see a 2nd as out of the question at all.

For a two month gamble/rental of Burakovsky for this, a non-playoff team, a 3rd is the most I’d like Shero to part with. I can’t see contenders lining up to add him. A Beau Bennett price would be reasonable. Then again, I still wouldn’t necessarily be desperate to add him now. I’d wait until the offseason, it’s not like he’s a must-have acquisition.

My position on the trade deadline has been and remains the same - gather assets to head into the offseason trading season with.

 

[Triumph]

I notice you only mentioned forwards, I specifically mentioned defense where the organization is even thinner. I’d happily take another team’s defensive prospect that would likely leapfrog most of who we already have in house.

As far as depth, of course it’s needed. Acquiring Burakovsky for Johansson isn’t really the answer for that, or is at least a misuse of resources. If ‘no’ to a defensive prospect, I’ll be happier with a 2nd round pick. At least that can potentially be bundled in another deal. You mentioned if Burakovsky doesn’t work out the Devils can just NT him at the end of the year. Why take that gamble on a deadline asset? The Devils trade Johansson, get 20 or so games from AB and then that’s the end of it. The deadline is the time to squeeze teams.

If the Devils want to take a chance on Burakovsky, great. Dealing Johansson for him is a mistake, they should only pay a low price for a buy low gamble like that.

Maybe they could get a 4th or 5th round pick along with Burakovsky, given the need to qualify Burakovsky at 3.2M next season. And certainly they could get a conditional pick if they don't re-sign Burakovsky. It doesn't have to be straight up.

The Devils don't need a defensive prospect that's someone else's leavings. They don't need Madison Bowey. They should have Davies coming into the organization next season as well as Smith, and they have plenty of young bodies at the D position already in Mueller and Santini. If you look at the records of prospects who are traded, it's not pretty - I'd rather get picks.

 

[MichaelJ]

Maybe they could get a 4th or 5th round pick along with Burakovsky, given the need to qualify Burakovsky at 3.2M next season. And certainly they could get a conditional pick if they don't re-sign Burakovsky. It doesn't have to be straight up.

The Devils don't need a defensive prospect that's someone else's leavings. They don't need Madison Bowey. They should have Davies coming into the organization next season as well as Smith, and they have plenty of young bodies at the D position already in Mueller and Santini. If you look at the records of prospects who are traded, it's not pretty - I'd rather get picks.

Bowey’s going to be 24, it’s a stretch to call him a prospect. If that’s all they could get for Johansson then I’d rather just take the pick. Adding a 4th or 5th to Burakovsky doesn’t really do much, with apologies to Castron and his abilities. If that conditional is a 2nd then maybe, but it’s still a maybe. I’d prefer to have something the Devils could add to a trade package for a real upgrade rather than a backup middle6 forward.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Before this season, Burakovsky was a huge scorer in limited minutes. This is exactly the kind of player the Devils should want - it's a solid buy-low opportunity. If he's bad, they can just non-tender him at season's end.

Burakovsky has very little hockey IQ and is EXTREMELY soft

People think Johansson is soft? Watch Burakovsky play

 

[Nubmer6]

The Devils don't need a defensive prospect that's someone else's leavings. They don't need Madison Bowey. They should have Davies coming into the organization next season as well as Smith, and they have plenty of young bodies at the D position already in Mueller and Santini. If you look at the records of prospects who are traded, it's not pretty - I'd rather get picks.

My take on the D is not a popular one here. I firmly believe that the D are not nearly as bad as what they've shown, and that the exact same personnel would be middle of the pack under a different defensive system with different coaches who don't let loyalty to force Greene into a 1st pairing role, and aren't afraid to bench older players to let the younger defenders grow. I also believe that we have enough depth for potential 2nd and 3rd pairing D men that I don't need to spend resources upgrading unless it's either a trade for a 1st pairing defender or a high draft pick to have a shot at one.

At this point in time, I see our most glaring hole at 2C because I don't see an heir apparent for the position, as I i currently see Zacha as more likely to be an heir to Zajac's 3C position, and I see McLeod as less likely to be a future 2C than I do Smith being a future 1st pairing D, and I see Seney being moved to wing purely because of his size and defensive ability.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

My take on the D is not a popular one here. I firmly believe that the D are not nearly as bad as what they've shown, and that the exact same personnel would be middle of the pack under a different defensive system with different coaches who don't let loyalty to force Greene into a 1st pairing role, and aren't afraid to bench older players to let the younger defenders grow. I also believe that we have enough depth for potential 2nd and 3rd pairing D men that I don't need to spend resources upgrading unless it's either a trade for a 1st pairing defender or a high draft pick to have a shot at one.

At this point in time, I see our most glaring hole at 2C because I don't see an heir apparent for the position, as I i currently see Zacha as more likely to be an heir to Zajac's 3C position, and I see McLeod as less likely to be a future 2C than I do Smith being a future 1st pairing D, and I see Seney being moved to wing purely because of his size and defensive ability.

I also think the same defense is not as bad as some make it seem

2C is definitely our biggest hole as it completes the ENTIRE offense practically.

Another reason I want to move Severson, we have two guys able to replace his RD2 spot (Smith or Butcher) or even Vatanen if we acquired a RD. Severson could get us that 2C or assets for a 2C

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I also think the same defense is not as bad as some make it seem

2C is definitely our biggest hole as it completes the ENTIRE offense practically.

Another reason I want to move Severson, we have two guys able to replace his RD2 spot (Smith or Butcher) or even Vatanen if we acquired a RD. Severson could get us that 2C or assets for a 2C

We would be wise not to think Butcher can handle what Severson does. Butcher simply is not a good defender. He is fine as a 5/6 in limited, favorable minutes. I don't think it's smart to expect any more than that. While intelligent, it doesn't make up for his other deficiencies.

Put Butchers brain in Sevs body and we would have a good D man.

 

[Triumph]

Bowey’s going to be 24, it’s a stretch to call him a prospect. If that’s all they could get for Johansson then I’d rather just take the pick. Adding a 4th or 5th to Burakovsky doesn’t really do much, with apologies to Castron and his abilities. If that conditional is a 2nd then maybe, but it’s still a maybe. I’d prefer to have something the Devils could add to a trade package for a real upgrade rather than a backup middle6 forward.

A 4th or 5th round pick is a little more than half as valuable as a 2nd round pick. I don't think Castron is any sort of magician but every pick helps.

Burakovsky is a real upgrade on something like Boqvist or a free agent. He doesn't have to be signed long-term. He has excellent results in limited minutes in his career.

I'd want a right-handed shot but I'm just not sure the market for Johansson will be very big - there will be a lot of sellers and it's not like he was thought of as super-valuable when he was moved. I think the Capitals would be interested in having him back, though.

 

[Triumph]

We would be wise not to think Butcher can handle what Severson does. Butcher simply is not a good defender. He is fine as a 5/6 in limited, favorable minutes. I don't think it's smart to expect any more than that. While intelligent, it doesn't make up for his other deficiencies.

Put Butchers brain in Sevs body and we would have a good D man.

He's been playing 2nd pairing minutes for the last month and excelling. What's not smart is assuming that he's being used the same way he was used last season. He's not.