Devils 2018-19 team discussion (player news and notes) - offseason part III

[KingsHockey24]

Just to clarify NJ's only off-season moves was acquiring Gryba and Gabriel?

And then Moore, Gibbons, Hayes, Maroon, and Grabner are out?

 

[Devils731]

what are you guys expecting from Santini?

Play solid defense, use his skating in the defensive zone to win pucks in areas other defenseman wouldn’t be comfortable being in, use his skating to support the team in the neutral zone, and make smart pinches along the boards in the offensive zone.

 

[Bleedred]

Just to clarify NJ's only off-season moves was acquiring Gryba and Gabriel?

And then Moore, Gibbons, Hayes, Maroon, and Grabner are out?

Moore sucked. Gibbons overachieved. Hayes sucks and is probably out of the league now. Same goes for Stafford. Grabner was a non-factor here and we only had him for a quarter of a season. Maroon took less money to play in St. Louis to be with his son. We also only had him for a quarter or a season. Maroon is the only one we’ll miss.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Just to clarify NJ's only off-season moves was acquiring Gryba and Gabriel?

And then Moore, Gibbons, Hayes, Maroon, and Grabner are out?

You’re correct.

Maroon was the only guy we really cared about having back. Very excited for him to be with his son, and for his opportunity in St. Louis.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Moore sucked. Gibbons overachieved. Hayes sucks and is probably out of the league now. Same goes for Stafford. Grabner was a non-factor here and we only had him for a quarter of a season. Maroon took less money to play in St. Louis to be with his son. We also only had him for a quarter or a season. Maroon is the only one we’ll miss.

I wasn't expecting Gibbon's to put up the same kinda numbers that he did this year; though someone is gonna have to step up to the plate this year for NJ.

Adding a 7thD and a 4th line scrapper isn't gonna cut it. Also the Devils are my 2nd favorite team so don't think I'm just trying to bag on you guys.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

@KingsHockey24 what’s LA’s top-6 on D looking like for next year?

 

[dzubrus8]

What would it take to get Mark Stone in NJ? Currently a 26-year old RFA, arbitration can only get him a 1-year contract. Could become a UFA next week if Ottawa's ownership is really that penny-pinching. Even if they do bring him back on a 1-year, he's a UFA next year and probably doesn't wanna go back to a team that sent him all the way to arbitration and undervalued him.

Could Devils start the talks with 2019 1st and Marcus Johansson?

 

[KingsHockey24]

@KingsHockey24 what’s LA’s top-6 on D looking like for next year?

Doughty, Muzzin, Martinez, Forbort, Phaneuf, and LaDue.

Then potentially Voynov coming back and MacDermid/Fantenberg fighting for the 7th spot.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think both #2 center and top 6 RW are more question marks then a hole. Cause I have Zacha and Bratt/Palms penned into those respective spots.

I honestly barely consider RW a question mark because we have so many potential options for it. Bratt obviously, but a guy like Anderson or even Mikey could take it too.

2C is more a question mark because right now it has to be either Zacha or Zajac unless Mikey makes some huge strides in camp. Zajac can do it, but it isn’t ideal. Not Greene levels of less then ideal, but not the best.

Both still have internal options. 1LD does not until Ty Smith arrives, barring something unlikely like Mueller or Butcher taking huge steps.

 

[Emperoreddy]

To go even further. If you feel comfortable with Palms and Bratt as your top 6 RWs (which isn’t bad at all if you have faith in Bratt) then the only open forward spot is 3RW.

One of Anderson, McLeod, Speers, Lappin can easily fill that spot. Hell Noesen could fill it and you put one of the above at 4RW.

We really don’t need to be wasting a contract on wingers outside an extra to sit in the press box, so the kids that don’t get a regular spot can get every day time in Bingo.

 

[Devilsfan118]

I honestly barely consider RW a question mark because we have so many potential options for it. Bratt obviously, but a guy like Anderson or even Mikey could take it too.

2C is more a question mark because right now it has to be either Zacha or Zajac unless Mikey makes some huge strides in camp. Zajac can do it, but it isn’t ideal. Not Greene levels of less then ideal, but not the best.

Both still have internal options. 1LD does not until Ty Smith arrives, barring something unlikely like Mueller or Butcher taking huge steps.

I have to disagree with the bolded. Zajac cannot be our 2C this season if we want to have any sort of success up front.

That's not to disparage Zajac as a player overall, but we need the second line to score. He won't facilitate that. We have to have him at 3C as a Madden-esque shutdown center who can occasionally chip in but not be counted on to score regularly.

Can't have him bring down his wingers on the second line imo.

 

[Billdo]

I have to disagree with the bolded. Zajac cannot be our 2C this season if we want to have any sort of success up front.

That's not to disparage Zajac as a player overall, but we need the second line to score. He won't facilitate that. We have to have him at 3C as a Madden-esque shutdown center who can occasionally chip in but not be counted on to score regularly.

Can't have him bring down his wingers on the second line imo.

I mean it's either Zacha or Zajac obviously. Zajac was fantastic on the third line last year and Zacha is going to get every chance to take 2C and run with it.

 

[pled]

would you take cammaleri back to try to had scoring on second line and have him or johansson take faceoff? if there's no trade I mean. at least for a pto during camp ?

 

[R8Devs]

i don't think they're going to put Zajac with Johansson again. it didn't work for either player. zajac will probably end up with more minutes per gamethan Zacha but I think it's more likely that Zacha plays with MoJo.

 

[Darkauron]

Camm is washed up...so no.

 

[pled]

Camm is washed up...so no.

I mean he can still score and its not like there's much competition isn't it worth a try during camp to see if he can outplay zacha ? or any overachiving prospect

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

would you take cammaleri back to try to had scoring on second line and have him or johansson take faceoff? if there's no trade I mean. at least for a pto during camp ?

No way.

Much better avenues to take for "scoring on the second line" -- sheesh

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Emperoreddy]

I have to disagree with the bolded. Zajac cannot be our 2C this season if we want to have any sort of success up front.

That's not to disparage Zajac as a player overall, but we need the second line to score. He won't facilitate that. We have to have him at 3C as a Madden-esque shutdown center who can occasionally chip in but not be counted on to score regularly.

Can't have him bring down his wingers on the second line imo.

I get that, but if Zacha doesn’t progress we don’t have another choice beside Zajac.

I am not saying Zacha will fail, but the reality is Zajac is the only backup plan we have at that position.

 

[Triumph]

What 'line' either guy plays on doesn't really matter, it's more critical that people like Hall, Bratt, Johansson, and possibly Palmieri are kept away from Zajac and guys who play a more north-south game like Noesen and Coleman and possibly Wood and possibly Anderson are put with Zajac. Zajac's been here forever and we know what types of players he's good with (Parise, Jagr) and what types of players he's not (Kovalchuk, Hall). That still holds true in his presently diminished state.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Coleman-Zajac-Noesen should absolutely be one of our top 9 lines to start the season next year. They all brought the best out of each other when they played together and were one of our best lines down the stretch.

If I could start the season with:
Hall-Hischier-Bratt
Johansson-Zacha-Palmieri
Coleman-Zajac-Noesen
Wood-Boyle-Insert RW here

Then I think that is a lineup where you can roll 4 lines consistently night in and night out and have success.

 

[njdevils1982]

would you take cammaleri back to try to had scoring on second line and have him or johansson take faceoff? if there's no trade I mean. at least for a pto during camp ?

no thanks.

its bad enough ray keeps picking up former pens.....we dont need him pulling off lou-like retread moves....would rather give someone already in the system a spot

 

[pled]

I didnt think camm was so unliked during is time in nj :\ hope somebedy else step up if zacha doesnt progress

 

[MasterofGrond]

If you're not signing elite guys, there's zero reason to rush out and start signing folks as soon as free agency drops. I'd rather have some more depth than we have now (even with some kids maybe ready to play a bit in the NHL), but I think there's always opportunities to acquire passable depth of the kind we need (i.e. not that kind that require multiyear commitments). We signed Stempniak and grabbed Parenteau off of waivers in consecutive Octobers.

2C is of course not going to be filled that way, but I don't think there was ever any chance of filling it externally anyway so, shrug.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Cammalleri wasn't disliked in NJ, it's just the reality of the situation in that he's not the player he once was and we'd rather give younger guys a shot rather than retreads.

We're already paying him to not play for us anymore anyway, I doubt they want to bring him back on top of that.