Devils 2019-20 team discussion (news and notes) - part XI

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I'm actually amazed Zajac hasn't gotten more ripping this year considering other seasons where he was much better people acted like he was a waste of money.

I think Coleman stepping up his offsensive game and Gusev's success after a slow start, has taken the pressure of Zajac to perform offensively. The line is working well, and there isnt much expectation for Zajac to be a 50 point center, when the wingers are doing well.

That being said, I think his defensive game has definitely declined. Hischier will soon (if not already) take over the task of matching up against the opposition no. 1 line.

Next season will be really interesting to see what the coaching staff does with Zajac. The lazy thing to do would be to reunite him with Coleman and Gusev, but where does that leave Jack Hughes? Hughes shouldn't spend another season with 3rd line ice time.

A ruthless GM with an eye towards the future would trade Zajac this season at the trade deadline to bring back a future asset (draft pick or prospect). Play Hughes with Coleman and Gusev, and call up McLeod/Merkley to take Zajac's roster spot for the rest of the season. Too bad we dont have a GM at the moment to make that call.

 

[MadDevil]

Zajac has a NTC and he's said he doesn't want to go, so it doesn't really matter. Plus, what are you really going to get for him with another year left on his contract? A 2nd or 3rd round pick?

 

[markog]

I hope Zajac stays as career Devil, he's a great team guy and good person. His next contract should probably around half what he makes now.

 

[indfin]

So anything less than 50 points now equals a bad player? That's an interesting take...

Last year, Zajac had 46 p0ints ... that put him tied for 132nd in scoring. This is for all players, including defensemen, some of whom scored more than 46 points. Even if it were just forwards, that is the production level of a 2nd/3rd line forward ... who also kills penalties and was top-50 league wide in FO%.

Could you that production elsewhere for 5.75 million? Maybe, but not sure it matters, because that contract hasn't prevented the Devils from doing anything else that they want to do with the roster.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

I think Coleman stepping up his offsensive game and Gusev's success after a slow start, has taken the pressure of Zajac to perform offensively. The line is working well, and there isnt much expectation for Zajac to be a 50 point center, when the wingers are doing well.

That being said, I think his defensive game has definitely declined. Hischier will soon (if not already) take over the task of matching up against the opposition no. 1 line.

Next season will be really interesting to see what the coaching staff does with Zajac. The lazy thing to do would be to reunite him with Coleman and Gusev, but where does that leave Jack Hughes? Hughes shouldn't spend another season with 3rd line ice time.

A ruthless GM with an eye towards the future would trade Zajac this season at the trade deadline to bring back a future asset (draft pick or prospect). Play Hughes with Coleman and Gusev, and call up McLeod/Merkley to take Zajac's roster spot for the rest of the season. Too bad we dont have a GM at the moment to make that call.

It was reported the Devils presented Zajac with a trade opportunity back in January but he used his NTC to stop the trade.

In an additional report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Devils, at some point, gave Zajac the opportunity to move in a deal, but his agent, Kurt Overhardt, told Sportsnet Zajac opted to use his full no-trade clause to remain in New Jersey.
“We were presented with something, but Travis was not willing to waive at this time," Overhardt told Sportsnet. "We’ll see about the future after the season.”

NHL rumors: Did Devils’ Travis Zajac turn down trade?

 

[Alex NJD]

Love Travis, bought tickets to what will hopefully be his 1000th game in late March. While he has been underappreciated all these years he should probably be the 4C next season

 

[vtdevils2k]

Latest rumor on Coleman from the Edmonton Journal:

Could you get a Blake Coleman for Jesse Puljujarvi and either a 3rd or another prospect (say a Dmitri Samorukov or William Lagesson)?
I think maybe so. Stay tuned.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Latest rumor on Coleman from the Edmonton Journal:

Could you get a Blake Coleman for Jesse Puljujarvi and either a 3rd or another prospect (say a Dmitri Samorukov or William Lagesson)?
I think maybe so. Stay tuned.

I'd be somewhere between upset and mad if this happened.

 

[MartyOwns]

Latest rumor on Coleman from the Edmonton Journal:

Could you get a Blake Coleman for Jesse Puljujarvi and either a 3rd or another prospect (say a Dmitri Samorukov or William Lagesson)?
I think maybe so. Stay tuned.

what the f*** lol. did we hire chiarelli as GM and nobody reported it?

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Latest rumor on Coleman from the Edmonton Journal:

Could you get a Blake Coleman for Jesse Puljujarvi and either a 3rd or another prospect (say a Dmitri Samorukov or William Lagesson)?
I think maybe so. Stay tuned.

All i need to know that isnt happening.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Latest rumor on Coleman from the Edmonton Journal:

Could you get a Blake Coleman for Jesse Puljujarvi and either a 3rd or another prospect (say a Dmitri Samorukov or William Lagesson)?
I think maybe so. Stay tuned.

This is definitely more speculation than anything.

I would classify this as a "risky move" to put it in the nicest way possible. I'm sure Edmonton media thinks they're being smart in proposing to try and steal an underrated 20+ goal scorer with a castoff that doesn't want to be there and a random prospect/draft pick.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Latest rumor on Coleman from the Edmonton Journal:

Could you get a Blake Coleman for Jesse Puljujarvi and either a 3rd or another prospect (say a Dmitri Samorukov or William Lagesson)?
I think maybe so. Stay tuned.

This is pure speculation and insultingly bad at that. Poolparty has little value at this point

 

[MartyOwns]

Columbus Blue Jackets D Seth Jones out indefinitely - TSN.ca

sounds like they need a hot cup of vatanen

 

[Camille the Eel]

If we trade Coleman - still in his 20s, a player we developed and our best forward over the last 30 games - one of our 2 best over the past 2 seasons, what would that say about our club and management? You (I) would want to give up on following this team.

We should resign him in a year, extend him now, no matter. He is part of the core going forward.

 

[Camille the Eel]

Columbus Blue Jackets D Seth Jones out indefinitely - TSN.ca

sounds like they need a hot cup of vatanen

That is a huge loss for them. He’s the lynchpin of everything there. I wonder whether Hamilton is still out in Carolina? These are people you don’t replace; whose absence changed everything for a club.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

If we trade Coleman - still in his 20s, a player we developed and our best forward over the last 30 games - one of our 2 best over the past 2 seasons, what would that say about our club and management? You (I) would want to give up on following this team.

We should resign him in a year, extend him now, no matter. He is part of the core going forward.

If we dont extend coleman I'll be furious.

 

[Nubmer6]

Columbus Blue Jackets D Seth Jones out indefinitely - TSN.ca

sounds like they need a hot cup of vatanen

They have a lot of depth at D. I still think our best trade partner is Vegas. Winnipeg would be ideal too if they were a bit more assured of a playoff spot.

 

[Blackjack]

If we trade Coleman - still in his 20s, a player we developed and our best forward over the last 30 games - one of our 2 best over the past 2 seasons, what would that say about our club and management? You (I) would want to give up on following this team.

We should resign him in a year, extend him now, no matter. He is part of the core going forward.

We're terrible with Coleman, we're terrible without Coleman. What's the difference. The only reason I'm fine not trading him is because I'm sure the Devils would not get what he's worth in a trade. 30 goal scorer, fantastic point producer at 5v5, one of the best two way wingers in the league and he'd probably get less than Chris Kreider (a worse player) will get as a rental. So f*** it.

 

[Camille the Eel]

We're terrible with Coleman, we're terrible without Coleman. What's the difference. The only reason I'm fine not trading him is because I'm sure the Devils would not get what he's worth in a trade. 30 goal scorer, fantastic point producer at 5v5, one of the best two way wingers in the league and he'd probably get less than Chris Kreider (a worse player) will get as a rental. So **** it.

Sounds like you have given up on getting better. That’s the difference. I can’t see how we improve by getting rid of our best existing pieces. There’s a long term theory but it’s like waiting for some unknown cavalry to ride in.

Just my opinion, one of many plausible ones. Not trying to be snarky.

 

[TrufleShufle]

We're terrible with Coleman, we're terrible without Coleman. What's the difference. The only reason I'm fine not trading him is because I'm sure the Devils would not get what he's worth in a trade. 30 goal scorer, fantastic point producer at 5v5, one of the best two way wingers in the league and he'd probably get less than Chris Kreider (a worse player) will get as a rental. So **** it.

We are terrible with and without Nico, with and without Palms, with and without Jack Etc. At some point you need to start holding onto the good pieces while the fat falls off and is replaced.

We are never going to get better if we keep letting go of pieces who can help to get more scratch offs.

 

[Devils731]

I wouldn’t say no to trading Coleman but I’m not trading Coleman unless I’m getting full value with a team that understands his worth.

 

[MartyOwns]

They have a lot of depth at D. I still think our best trade partner is Vegas. Winnipeg would be ideal too if they were a bit more assured of a playoff spot.

yeah vegas works too. i don’t think columbus has anyone who could eat jones’ minutes, i would assume they’d want a veteran heading into the playoffs. i also heard carolina’s name a lot, seems like a likely destination as well.

we’ll see. hopefully, some competition drives the price up a bit. if we can nab a 1st, or a 2nd+, that would be fantastic

 

[Nubmer6]

yeah vegas works too. i don’t think columbus has anyone who could eat jones’ minutes, i would assume they’d want a veteran heading into the playoffs. i also heard carolina’s name a lot, seems like a likely destination as well.

we’ll see. hopefully, some competition drives the price up a bit. if we can nab a 1st, or a 2nd+, that would be fantastic

Historically a 1st is not that likely, but given how many teams are looking for an offensive defenseman on the right side and how little there is out there, there's definitely a chance.

 

[MartyOwns]

Historically a 1st is not that likely, but given how many teams are looking for an offensive defenseman on the right side and how little there is out there, there's definitely a chance.

agreed. from what i'm seeing, kreider will be the most expensive forward available, whereas vatanen may be the most expensive defenseman. slim pickins this year, which we can definitely use to our benefit.

i think we'll be the market for a goalie at the deadline, someone like desmith who i would be in favor of. blackwood still lacks consistency (which i'm not at all concerned with long term) so i think a competent guy who can split games 50/50 next year should be our target. i'm still not comfortable giving blackwood 50+ games a year. a move for a goalie could happen in the offseason, but i think our dipshit owners want that done sooner rather than later.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh