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

[Emperoreddy]

Do people want Adam Larsson back? I'd gladly take him back and be done building up the right side for a while, assuming we can get a good price.

Larsson and Puljujarvi for Zacha, Santini, 2019 2nd round pick, 2020 2nd round pick?

Nope. He has been trash this year. Watch him for s few games and see how lost he is out there. He still can’t skate either.

 

[Zippy316]

Do people want Adam Larsson back? I'd gladly take him back and be done building up the right side for a while, assuming we can get a good price.

Larsson and Puljujarvi for Zacha, Santini, 2019 2nd round pick, 2020 2nd round pick?

Take out one second round pick and I absolutely would. Would be the ideal partner for Butcher or Smith moving forward.

Next year you'd be looking at something like this. Add a top six forward and that's pretty solid.

Hall - Hischier - Palmieri
Bratt - Zajac - Puljujarvi
Wood - Coleman - Anderson
Agostino - Rooney - Noesen

Greene - Vatanen
Butcher - Severson
Smith - Larsson.

 

[MadDevil]

If Larsson was a LHD he'd probably be a good partner for Severson.

 

[My3Sons]

Unless Larsson could regain his role as a first pairing guy he isn’t going to move the needle enough to move someone like Zacha plus multiple good picks as I see it.

 

[MadDevil]

Unless Larsson could regain his role as a first pairing guy he isn’t going to move the needle enough to move someone like Zacha plus multiple good picks as I see it.

That's the thing, assuming Vatanen and Severson are back (which they should be) you'd most likely be playing Larsson as a third pairing guy, which still wouldn't address the bigger issue, which is the left side. Unless you believe one of Mueller/Butcher/Smith are capable of being a top pairing guy, with the other two filling in the remaining LHD slots.

Although I wonder how likely upgrading the left side really is anyway. The type of defenseman we need is usually pretty damn valuable to the teams that have them. You'd almost have to get lucky with some GM being stupid enough to give up on a young(ish) top 4 guy, or find one that is ready to break out that might be behind others on a deep defense. And we already have 3 NHL defensemen plus Smith on the left side for next year. Unless we trade Mueller or Butcher for that upgrade (which also doesn't seem all that likely).

 

[My3Sons]

That's the thing, assuming Vatanen and Severson are back (which they should be) you'd most likely be playing Larsson as a third pairing guy, which still wouldn't address the bigger issue, which is the left side. Unless you believe one of Mueller/Butcher/Smith are capable of being a top pairing guy, with the other two filling in the remaining LHD slots.

Although I wonder how likely upgrading the left side really is anyway. The type of defenseman we need is usually pretty damn valuable to the teams that have them. You'd almost have to get lucky with some GM being stupid enough to give up on a young(ish) top 4 guy, or find one that is ready to break out that might be behind others on a deep defense. And we already have 3 NHL defensemen plus Smith on the left side for next year. Unless we trade Mueller or Butcher for that upgrade (which also doesn't seem all that likely).

A top pair LD would dramatically impact this team.

 

[glenwo2]

In a heartbeat I’d take him back.

Especially when you consider it would mean that we ultimately got a Hart-Trophy winner for....NOTHING if Larsson is back.

The Trade is ZERO-for-ONE. lol@Chia


I just want him back for THAT reason. hehehe...

View attachment 201961
Yes! And in my opinion you need some beef in your lineup!

 

[Bleedred]

A top pair LD would dramatically impact this team.

Now this is why I say we can't keep around every little bottom pairing guy. We're gonna keep someone like Carrick or Mueller, even though we need upgrades? Both are good players as bottom pairing D, but both would be expendable if we acquired a pretty good defenseman somehow.

 

[Nubmer6]

Now this is why I say we can't keep around every little bottom pairing guy. We're gonna keep someone like Carrick or Mueller, even though we need upgrades? Both are good players as bottom pairing D, but both would be expendable if we acquired a pretty good defenseman somehow.

"Good" is the enemy of "Great".

 

[MadDevil]

Carrick probably ends up being an AHL guy who might get a call up if we have injuries next year. Although I honestly can't say he's any worse than Santini right now. At least he brings a little offense to the table. What does Santini actually do well? He's kind of like the JQ of the defense to me.

And we're not even factoring in Yak if he stays, or the annual European defenseman signing, or one of the kids other than Smith having a great camp. Although I guess it would be a good problem to have too much depth at defense than not enough (especially given Vatanen seems to get hurt every year lately).

 

[Nubmer6]

Carrick probably ends up being an AHL guy who might get a call up if we have injuries next year. Although I honestly can't say he's any worse than Santini right now. At least he brings a little offense to the table. What does Santini actually do well? He's kind of like the JQ of the defense to me.

And we're not even factoring in Yak if he stays, or the annual European defenseman signing, or one of the kids other than Smith having a great camp. Although I guess it would be a good problem to have too much depth at defense than not enough (especially given Vatanen seems to get hurt every year lately).

The problem is Carrick probably won't pass through waivers due to how high he was drafted. At least I think he has a much higher probability of being claimed than Santini.

 

[Bleedred]

Carrick probably ends up being an AHL guy who might get a call up if we have injuries next year. Although I honestly can't say he's any worse than Santini right now. At least he brings a little offense to the table. What does Santini actually do well? He's kind of like the JQ of the defense to me.

And we're not even factoring in Yak if he stays, or the annual European defenseman signing, or one of the kids other than Smith having a great camp. Although I guess it would be a good problem to have too much depth at defense than not enough (especially given Vatanen seems to get hurt every year lately).

Add Yak to the list of bottom pairing guys. At some point, we have to cut bait with some of these guys. Or we can't keep complaining about how our defense sucks while wanting to bring back every bottom pairing guy on the roster, even when some of them are on expiring deals. Even though a couple are RFA's. But like I said, even if we don't keep them, you know there'll be ''Why didn't we keep Yak?'', ''Why did we let Mueller walk? He's better than Severson and Butcher!'', ''Why didn't we re-sign Carrick? Look at all those points he had for us!'', ''Santini is a scratch? Really? While guys like Severson keep playing? What is the world coming to?! You know Santini is actually really good! He plays defense, unlike these other guys and knows how to stay in his own end the entire game AND he hit some dude from the Panthers in a game back in November of 2017!'' posts.

The problem is Carrick probably won't pass through waivers due to how high he was drafted. At least I think he has a much higher probability of being claimed than Santini.

I don't think either would pass through waivers, but I think you're right, in that I think there's a higher probability that Santini passes through waivers than Carrick. Someone will claim Santini because he's played over 105 NHL games (probably at least 110 before the season is over, he's currently at 106) and because he was picked in the 2nd round. Carrick was actually picked in the 5th round a year before Santini in 2012, so he's not a high pick, but he will have (probably) played over 200 games in the NHL by the end of this season.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If he gets claimed he gets claimed. No one should lose sleep over a 7th rotational Guy.

 

[Nubmer6]

Carrick was actually picked in the 5th round a year before Santini in 2012, so he's not a high pick, but he will have (probably) played over 200 games in the NHL by the end of this season.

Oh weird. For some reason I thought he was a high 1st rounder for some reason. *shrug*.

 

[BahlDeep]

View attachment 201961
Yes! And in my opinion you need some beef in your lineup!

Well you actually do, obviously not to the extent Dano wants it.

Name me a team that won the cup with an undersized top 6 recently?

And by undersized, i mean like if we had Hall-nico-palms
Bratt-Zacha-eberle

 

[BahlDeep]

Take out one second round pick and I absolutely would. Would be the ideal partner for Butcher or Smith moving forward.

Next year you'd be looking at something like this. Add a top six forward and that's pretty solid.

Hall - Hischier - Palmieri
Bratt - Zajac - Puljujarvi
Wood - Coleman - Anderson
Agostino - Rooney - Noesen

Greene - Vatanen
Butcher - Severson
Smith - Larsson.

RIP Zacha

 

[devilsblood]

RIP Zacha

Zacha's disappearance is pretty concerning.

Has there been any word on his injury?

 

[devilsblood]

RIP Zacha

Zacha's disappearance is pretty concerning.

Has there been any word on his injury?

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

I know most of us don't watch many Oilers games, but this pool party talk is nuts. He's young and talented no doubt, but he is one of the dumbest hockey players in the NHL. During the draft process Laine said he was incredibly dumb and it has shown, I would prefer to add players who don't have very low hockey IQ.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

 

[Emperoreddy]

Well you actually do, obviously not to the extent Dano wants it.

Name me a team that won the cup with an undersized top 6 recently?

And by undersized, i mean like if we had Hall-nico-palms
Bratt-Zacha-eberle

People have already done this. I am not sure why you keep asking a question that has been answered.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I know most of us don't watch many Oilers games, but this pool party talk is nuts. He's young and talented no doubt, but he is one of the dumbest hockey players in the NHL. During the draft process Laine said he was incredibly dumb and it has shown, I would prefer to add players who don't have very low hockey IQ.

I absolutely would not trade Zacha for him or Lars. Adding picks on top of it? Hell no.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I don't really want anything to do with Larsson at this point. He's not an upgrade over Vatanen or Severson and we don't need another bottom pairing defenseman, especially not at $4M.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't really want anything to do with Larsson at this point. He's not an upgrade over Vatanen or Severson and we don't need another bottom pairing defenseman, especially not at $4M.

He was more valuable as a trade asset then he ever was as a player.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Love Lars but he doesn't do anything for us at this point, especially as a righty.

Wish him all the best and hope he's out of that toxic dump Edmonton sooner than later.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

Let's talk about Agostino, impressive possession numbers his whole career and now gets a bigger opportunity and the points start to come. Dude is at 55% Corsi on this depleted team (9.3 CF% rel!!!) with 10 points in 19 games. He was at 57% in Montreal! I'm not expecting anything more than a quality 4th liner but he was a nice pickup that could have a future here beyond this season. f*** Delbarton though.