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

[Stephen Gionta]

Butcher, Wood + going to Ottawa for karlsson. Just waiting for training camp to start so we can see the drama on Devils hard knocks

Kidding, well sort of

Butcher won't be traded simply due to the fact that if he does, no high profile UFA coming out of college would ever sign with Ray Shero again.

If Devils do trade for Karlsson, I'd bet my house and kids that Severson is included

 

[Better Call Sal]

My starvation for hockey has me considering going to the only home game next Monday, but preseason hockey can be tough to watch.

I went to the first home game last year to see Nico which was great, but it also was the game of 1001 faceoff violation penalties.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

What day does camp open? Thursday or Friday? The first day is usually physicals.

I believe they report Thursday and practice Friday but I could be wrong

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

 

[ThePrideofStockholm]

Been watching some chl hockey, Josefsson is My teams leading scorer, 6 points in three games. Chl= Champions hockey leauge, a bunch of european hockey teams facing each other in a shitty tourney

 

[OmNomNom]

good shit, self motivation

 

[RememberTheName]

Welcome to Puck Drop Preview 2018-19, where Last Word On Hockey gives you a detailed look at each team around the NHL leading to the start of this hockey season and offers our insight and analysis. Make sure to stick around until the end of the series, where we’ll offer our full predictions for the standings in each division, and eventually our 2018-19 Stanley Cup Pick. You can check out all our articles on our Puck Drop Page. Today the series continues with the 2018-19 New Jersey Devils.

Puck Drop Preview: 2018-19 New Jersey Devils - Last Word on Hockey

Solid article, though those forward line projections are really awful

 

[Patrik26]

My starvation for hockey has me considering going to the only home game next Monday, but preseason hockey can be tough to watch.

I went to the first home game last year to see Nico which was great, but it also was the game of 1001 faceoff violation penalties.

Ahhhh, yes. Washington, right? I remember the fan reaction with the first violation. Then they started piling up.

 

[northwood09]

Longtime lurker, very infrequent poster. Thinking about line combos for the season and have an off the wall idea. This is contingent upon strong camps from Anderson/Seney/JQ, and also requires trying Johansson at center, but I think:

(a) the Zajac line is tremendously effective and needs to stay together;
(b) we need two competent scoring lines behind Nico and Hall and thus need to spread things out;
(c) assuming he's back, we need to maximize Wood's potential, and putting him with Boyle and another rookie does not accomplish that; and
(d) Boyle thus cannot be in the starting 12.

So, how's this:

Hall/Hischier/Anderson
Wood/Zacha/Palmieri
Seney/Johansson/Bratt
Coleman/Zajac/Noesen
ex. Boyle, Lappin/JQ/Stafford

Anderson is a prototypical glue guy, and he has excelled on scoring lines in the past (specifically w/ Keller and Bellows in USNTDP), so that might be a good fit.
Loved Wood/Zacha/Palmieri together last year in their limited sample.
Johansson and Bratt were a good combo as well, albeit, again, in a limited sample. Sample size aside, their playing styles would suggest a match.

Not getting into the D as it's a far less controversial subject.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Johansson shouldn't/can't play center

I think Coleman-Zajac-Noesen is the only line set in stone, at least to start, as the third line.

 

[R8Devs]

Butcher won't be traded simply due to the fact that if he does, no high profile UFA coming out of college would ever sign with Ray Shero again.

If Devils do trade for Karlsson, I'd bet my house and kids that Severson is included

maybe if it wasn't for a player as good as Karlsson I would agree with you. Ray also traded a player 1 year in of a six year deal and I don't think that's going to prevent anyone from signing long term deals here. Not that this matters anyway because I haven't really seen any insider mention the Devils. Everyone wants to include a player they don't mind trading in a deal for him but the Senators are going to want some young proven talent and Butcher fits the bill more so than any one else in the Devils (sans guys who should be close to untouchable). And anyway if the Devils get Karlsson he's going to take Butcher's spot on the PP.
But my original post was a joke so it's not that deep lol

 

[Cult of Hynes]

maybe if it wasn't for a player as good as Karlsson I would agree with you. Ray also traded a player 1 year in of a six year deal and I don't think that's going to prevent anyone from signing long term deals here. Not that this matters anyway because I haven't really seen any insider mention the Devils. Everyone wants to include a player they don't mind trading in a deal for him but the Senators are going to want some young proven talent and Butcher fits the bill more so than any one else in the Devils (sans guys who should be close to untouchable). And anyway if the Devils get Karlsson he's going to take Butcher's spot on the PP.
But my original post was a joke so it's not that deep lol

Butcher doesn't fit the bill and trading him puts an even bigger hole on the left side of the defense, which is a position of weakness right now.

If anyone is going to get traded on the defense it will be Severson, who is on a good contract and has room to continue to grow and since we wouldn't be creating a hole on the right side by trading him, especially when we would be trying to get another RD.

Besides, the Senators need another RD.

 

[tailfins]

Enough of Karlsson. I want Duchene.

I'm hoping that Melnyk's desire to build with youth will mean the Sens would take multiple lottery picks (meaning prospects / picks, not actual draft lottery picks) from the Devils.

Meanwhile, the Devils have too many depth forward prospects, not enough roster spots, and not enough top end talent.

Zacha + 2019 1st for Duchene? Devils prob need to add. Maybe Zacha + Wood + Quenneville or McLeod ?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Enough of Karlsson. I want Duchene.

I'm hoping that Melnyk's desire to build with youth will mean the Sens would take multiple lottery picks (meaning prospects / picks, not actual draft lottery picks) from the Devils.

Meanwhile, the Devils have too many depth forward prospects, not enough roster spots, and not enough top end talent.

Zacha + 2019 1st for Duchene? Devils prob need to add. Maybe Zacha + Wood + Quenneville or McLeod ?

oh dear God no

you do realize that Duchene has 1 year on his contract right?

 

[billingtons ghost]

Hall/Hischier/Anderson
Wood/Zacha/Palmieri
Seney/Johansson/Bratt
Coleman/Zajac/Noesen
ex. Boyle, Lappin/JQ/Stafford

Less lurking, more posting... pretty solid stuff.

I loved Wood/Zacha/Palms too; think your Zajac line is in stone, as ZBC said -

Bratt got the assignment that you are giving Anderson out of camp last year - so it isn't as preposterous as it might seem at first blush. Until we see some preseason and camp footage of him playing against the big boys we won't know anything, but it is fair to say that although the vets might get the first look for first line RW, putting a talented rookie or 2nd year player up there makes some sense if they can handle the grind, have the talent and can handle the responsibilities.

I don't think Bratt struggled as nearly as much as I would have expected him to last year - so...

The Seney/Mojo/Bratt line might be a little off of the rails - but it kinda underscores the fact that Coleman/Zajac/Noesen/Wood and Boyle present a problem of being 3rd/4th line tweeners

...and that Bratt/(Anderson in your case)/Mojo are certainly top6 talents enough to pencil in on the top lines, but aren't strong enough to put in ink.

I don't think Mojo brings enough to be on the top line with Hall and Nico for the long term, so it is important that someone else steps up.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Johansson with Zacha and Palmieri should be a solid line

Johansson is an excellent distributor and the other 2 have tremendous shots

 

[Devils Dominion]

7pm tonight, MSG+
Devils playoff birth clinching win vs TML

If we had lost, FLA would have made the playoffs instead of us

I don't think we would have won in Wash either way.

 

[R8Devs]

Butcher doesn't fit the bill and trading him puts an even bigger hole on the left side of the defense, which is a position of weakness right now.

If anyone is going to get traded on the defense it will be Severson, who is on a good contract and has room to continue to grow and since we wouldn't be creating a hole on the right side by trading him, especially when we would be trying to get another RD.

Besides, the Senators need another RD.

Senators probably want the best young player they can get. Butcher would become their replacement on the PP for Karlsson and would save them a lot of money this year. I made that original post as a joke but if the Sens would trade Karlsson for a package centered around Butcher I would do it. Severson too but Butcher should have more value and he can also play RD. I was just trying to semi-realistic because I don't think a package for Karlsson would be centered around guys that were healthy scratches multiple times last year but who knows with Shero

 

[Nubmer6]

What day does camp open? Thursday or Friday? The first day is usually physicals.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Johansson is an excellent distributor and the other 2 have tremendous shots

Well, one of them does, anyway.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Well, one of them does, anyway.

Zacha does

he just doesn't use it

 

[Nubmer6]

Johansson shouldn't/can't play center

I think Coleman-Zajac-Noesen is the only line set in stone, at least to start, as the third line.

Actually, I was thinking Johansson would be a decent backup option if Zacha proves he can't handle 2C. He's a good puck distributor and is great at controlled entries. I'd be willing to try him between Wood and Palms/Bratt, or even swapping him with Zacha on wing and Wood on the right. Again, that's only if things don't work with Zacha in the center.

 

[Cheddabombs]

If Bratt has a good showing in pre-season and camp I want him on the top line with Hall and Nico. And then a 2nd line of MoJo, Zacha and Palms.

I'm torn on the lines for the bottom 6. I want the Zajac and Texans line to stay together, but I don't really want Wood and whatever rookie (I trust one of them will be better than Stafford) makes it to play with Boyle.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Senators probably want the best young player they can get. Butcher would become their replacement on the PP for Karlsson and would save them a lot of money this year. I made that original post as a joke but if the Sens would trade Karlsson for a package centered around Butcher I would do it. Severson too but Butcher should have more value and he can also play RD. I was just trying to semi-realistic because I don't think a package for Karlsson would be centered around guys that were healthy scratches multiple times last year but who knows with Shero

Severson would be the best RD on their team if traded to them and would help with a position of weakness for them, even with his flaws and getting scratched. He's also more proven than Butcher even though Butcher had an amazing year, while also being sheltered for most of the season. We're not in a position to be moving Butcher given how Smith is a year away at least and how we don't know what Mueller truly is given the time he missed last year.

Greene is done, we can't rely on his decaying skills and body to pick of the slack if we traded Butcher who is the most skilled LD we have and the second most proven young damn we have next to severson.


The Sens don't need Butcher given how they have Chabot, who looks like he could challenge for the Norris at some point with the skills he has.

And Butcher was better on his strong side than his offside playing at the RD position.

Severson would make the most sense.

 

[tailfins]

oh dear God no

you do realize that Duchene has 1 year on his contract right?

Sorry - totally forgot that!

I'd still do Zacha + for Duchene as is. Would need to be now, obviously. I like Zacha enough, so not looking to just get rid of him. Duchene can be very good, though, and you have to give to get. Hischier / Duchene / Zajac would be a very strong down the middle.