Devils 2018-19 team discussion (news and notes) - Preseason

[RangerDoggo]

Not taking anything away from Wood and the value he brings to this team...but he was a 4th line winger last year and only averaged 12:28 of ice time.

But he still scored 19 goals in that small amount of average ice time.

 

[njdevils1982]

has stafford been released yet?

 

[RangerDoggo]

has stafford been released yet?

He’d better be by the end of preseason. If Stafford makes the team that should be a red flag for our prospect talent.

 

[HBK27]

But he still scored 19 goals in that small amount of average ice time.

Yeah, which is why I want to see him get signed quickly. I'm a huge fan of Wood and was pumping his tires this time last season. He can/should hopefully breakout this season into a top 6 role.

I still think he has more to lose than the Devils. They have a bunch of guys knocking on the door for roster spots, that it might not be the worst thing for NJ to have him miss a few games early in the season and a player like JQ take his place on the 4th line LW.

Shero comes across as being rather fair with contracts and doesn't have a history of really digging in like Lou did. That makes me think that the Wood camp might be asking a bit too much, but it's also a complicated issue as he did do a lot with his limited ice time last season.

I wonder if the two sides would consider a one-year deal if they can't agree on terms for 2 years.

 

[MadDevil]

He’d better be by the end of preseason. If Stafford makes the team that should be a red flag for our prospect talent.

Not necessarily. They might want him just as an extra forward. I'd rather have Stafford in that role than to have one of the kids up in the press box.

 

[Patrik26]

But he still scored 19 goals in that small amount of average ice time.

And he was crap after the suspension.

 

[MadDevil]

Wood probably belongs somewhere between the 1.85 million per year Anderson got last summer and the 2.6 million per year Kase got this summer.

 

[njdevils1982]

Not necessarily. They might want him just as an extra forward. I'd rather have Stafford in that role than to have one of the kids up in the press box.

a 13th forward does not play 59 games…..which i would be afraid of if there are injuries of the likes of palms' and mojo's last season.

jettison the 2017-18 stopgap and move on…..if shit happens, deal with it as it comes.

no need for this kind of 'safety valve'

 

[Bcap88]

Can’t stand when unproven young players hold out. In reality it’s hurting them more in terms of development and growth as a player. Sign the contract and suck it up and play, to many players acting entitled

 

[Nubmer6]

Amanda won’t be at the morning skate so unless Morales is there we won’t have any idea who is playing tomorrow since Ryan is slow to update and Abbey is useless.

Since we're playing the Isles, it's possible Gross will have the lineups for both teams.

 

[Emperoreddy]

So our actual home opener is the Caps game despite our official one being the Oilers game, right?

 

[FooteBahl]

So our actual home opener is the Caps game despite our official one being the Oilers game, right?

That is correct sir

 

[Billdo]

I'd say 2 years and 5.5 is fair. Just sign the deal already. The longer this goes on the worse it is in the long term.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Did Sevo pull this stunt? I can't remember.

 

[Zezel22]

Ihappen to be a big Wood fan - I think hes a unique player that is not only an "identity" player but has unique abilities that are hard to find in one package: uncanny speed, toughness and scoring ability.

I'm frustrated by this board's consistent rush to judgement in favor of the organization and due to that I tend to over-correct in the other direction at times. It's true that we have no idea what the real holdup is and who is at fault, and I agree that you can't set a precedent of being a guy who will overpay for things just because you have money (space) because then everyone will think they can holdout and get good results. I get that.

But at the same time, it is frustrating to have a team that has zero outside activity with the given reason being that it is saving cap space to sign its own young promising players, and then one of the more promising of those isn't signed.

That's the bottom line. It's a results business. On this board people bend over backwards to give every reason why the organization should not be held responsible for things happening. This player didnt want to sign here, this team didnt want to trade into this division etc etc... and i find that bizarre. The Football Giants, for example have an OL crisis right now and you just don't hear that. You hear people saying that it was the Giants job to improve the OL and they didn't. You just don't here people sneering things like "Well they TRIED but maybe players just didn't want to SIGN here, did you ever think of that??? or It's too early to call Flowers a bust he's only 24!" or "I'm sure they were involved in every trade discussion that happened this offseaosn but I'm glad they didn't make any of those deals and pay those ridiculous prices all those other teams got ripped off!"

No, mostly people are just saying - its their job to make it happen and they didn't do it. Thats whats frustrating. The Devils have to find a way here to get Wood into camp.

 

[devilsblood]

a 13th forward does not play 59 games…..which i would be afraid of if there are injuries of the likes of palms' and mojo's last season.

jettison the 2017-18 stopgap and move on…..if **** happens, deal with it as it comes.

no need for this kind of 'safety valve'

Last year he was not the 13th fwd. He started the year as like the 3rd liner.

Yes as an extra fwd he'd prob get a couple games if a regular misses a game or two, but if there are longer term injuries that is when they would dip into the Bingo pool, which should have better options this year then it did last year.

So I have no problem with Stafford as an extra.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Did Sevo pull this stunt? I can't remember.

no, he signed right before camp last year

 

[Zezel22]

Since we're playing the Isles, it's possible Gross will have the lineups for both teams.

You know the old saying in hockey media - when all you have is Andrew Gross, you have nothing at all.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Ihappen to be a big Wood fan - I think hes a unique player that is not only an "identity" player but has unique abilities that are hard to find in one package: uncanny speed, toughness and scoring ability.

I'm frustrated by this board's consistent rush to judgement in favor of the organization and due to that I tend to over-correct in the other direction at times. It's true that we have no idea what the real holdup is and who is at fault, and I agree that you can't set a precedent of being a guy who will overpay for things just because you have money (space) because then everyone will think they can holdout and get good results. I get that.

But at the same time, it is frustrating to have a team that has zero outside activity with the given reason being that it is saving cap space to sign its own young promising players, and then one of the more promising of those isn't signed.

That's the bottom line. It's a results business. On this board people bend over backwards to give every reason why the organization should not be held responsible for things happening. This player didnt want to sign here, this team didnt want to trade into this division etc etc... and i find that bizarre. The Football Giants, for example have an OL crisis right now and you just don't hear that. You hear people saying that it was the Giants job to improve the OL and they didn't. You just don't here people sneering things like "Well they TRIED but maybe players just didn't want to SIGN here, did you ever think of that??? or It's too early to call Flowers a bust he's only 24!" or "I'm sure they were involved in every trade discussion that happened this offseaosn but I'm glad they didn't make any of those deals and pay those ridiculous prices all those other teams got ripped off!"

No, mostly people are just saying - its their job to make it happen and they didn't do it. Thats whats frustrating. The Devils have to find a way here to get Wood into camp.

and you bend over backwards to always cast blame on the organization, ownership, etc.

Miles Wood is a RFA with no arbitration rights. He has absolutely no leverage. He is basically almost "slotted in" to the type of contract he can get, and its been reported that both Shero and Wood's agent agree on the term (bridge deal), so we can assume the only hold up is money. There are other players who have proven way more than him that have signed for relatively reasonable contracts. Kase is one, Reinhart is one, Anderson last year from CBJ is about on par with Wood's production and he got $1.85 AAV.

Since the team/organization seemingly does so many things wrong in your eyes, why do you watch? Why don't you go be a fan of someone else?

 

[Zezel22]

and you bend over backwards to always cast blame on the organization, ownership, etc.

Miles Wood is a RFA with no arbitration rights. He has absolutely no leverage. He is basically almost "slotted in" to the type of contract he can get, and its been reported that both Shero and Wood's agent agree on the term (bridge deal), so we can assume the only hold up is money. There are other players who have proven way more than him that have singed for relatively reasonable contracts. Kase is one, Reinhart is one, Anderson last year from CBJ is about on par with Wood's production and he got $1.85 AAV.

Since the team/organization seemingly does so many things wrong in your eyes, why do you watch? Why don't you go be a fan of someone else?

And I just said I may be guilty of over-correcting at times. But I'm sure the truth is firmly planted somewhere in the middle.

As for the very tired "If you have a problem with the team root for someone else" thing, which is like the throwing out the "If you dont like Murica, why don't y'all pack up and leave!" during a discussion about a political issue, its not even worth addressing that silliness.

I've been passionate about this state and this organization for much of my life and my family, and now myself directly, has poured a significant amount of money into their coffers and continues to for literally decades.

On the issue of hockey operations budget... if the Devils do have the approach that I believe they do, I would accept it and continue to support the program. I would not be happy about it, but I would. My issue right now is the uncertainty of it and my suspicion that they are being misleading about it.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

But at the same time, it is frustrating to have a team that has zero outside activity with the given reason being that it is saving cap space to sign its own young promising players, and then one of the more promising of those isn't signed.

The “more promising” players are Nico, Butcher and Bratt. Those are the guys that will get richer deals, if Shero were to cave to Wood’s agent and set a poor precedent.

I like Wood a lot, but I do not consider him to be one of the “more promising” players out of our group of young, emerging forwards. Certainly not one you’d overpay for, especially when he has no arbitration rights and the organization holds all of the cards.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

On the issue of hockey operations budget... if the Devils do have the approach that I believe they do, I would accept it and continue to support the program. I would not be happy about it, but I would. My issue right now is the uncertainty of it and my suspicion that they are being misleading about it.

Do you think this’ll magically become true if you continue to parrot it ad nauseum?

The owners bought a double-digit million dollar scoreboard last summer. They’re willing to spend, ffs. Christ.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the Miles Wood contract situation has nothing to do with the owners willing to spend or not. There is no need to bring that up every single time you post. The problem is, aside from that and the team having weak prospects (in your eyes), thats all you really post about.

 

[Zezel22]

Do you think this’ll magically become true if you continue to parrot it ad nauseum?

The owners bought a double-digit million dollar scoreboard last summer. They’re willing to spend, ffs. Christ.

Of course they are willing to spend money - they are smart. They have also invested millions in the development of the city and areas surrounding their building and are now doing significant renovations inside the building again. They know how to make money. Smart guys. I have always said I am grateful to them for solidifying the teams future in New Jersey. Not relevant to their approach to hockey ops, or basketball ops in their other business. But they absolutely do invest in those things and I have always appreciated that.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Of course they are willing to spend money - they are smart. They have also invested millions in the development of the city and areas surrounding their building and are now doing significant renovations inside the building again. They know how to make money. Smart guys. I have always said I am grateful to them for solidifying the teams future in New Jersey. Not relevant to their approach to hockey ops, or basketball ops in their other business. But they absolutely do invest in those things and I have always appreciated that.

Not relevant, why? Because you say so?

If they’re willing to invest multi millions in a piece of hardware for the arena, I don’t think it’s outlandish to surmise that they’re willing to invest in the team that plays in it.

Josh Harris said himself that he loves Taylor Hall, is looking forward to working with him for a while, and is excited to get him extended.

What exact information are you using to draw your conclusion? Because it seems to me you’re just parroting baseless assertions.