Devils 2019 offseason team discussion (news and notes) IIl

[Maine Fan]

If Im Ray Shero I wouldnt let Taylor play in a Devils uniform until he signs!

Really, what team has done that?

 

[Maine Fan]

It actually makes tons of sense.

If the Devils start out 25-5, he will have a completely different view of the future as opposed to if they start out 5-25.

If the young players + whoever is brought in give enough for Hall to see the light at the end of the tunnel reflecting off the Stanley Cup, then yeah he’s going to want to stay.

It does make sense considering what the Devils haven't done, improving the team last season. Hall wants a Cup.

 

[NJDevs26]

I don't think Shero's going to wait 30 games into the season before deciding on Hall...remember how direct he was with him in the 2017 offseason. And I think it'll be obvious by then if we've played the comatose approach and hope for everything to improve within or not anyway.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

if Hall is not signed by training camp, he should be traded. Its pretty simple.

 

[devilsblood]

Bratt is a top-6 F

Bratt needs to give us a full season. But if he can, and we stick him on Hughes wing, I think he will have a huge year.

 

[devilsblood]

I don't think Shero's going to wait 30 games into the season before deciding on Hall...remember how direct he was with him in the 2017 offseason. And I think it'll be obvious by then if we've played the comatose approach and hope for everything to improve within or not anyway.

This past season's woeful record was due to injuries, from Schneid's, to Bratt, to Vat's, to Hall.

With all those injuries we could have signed JVR(who missed a bunch of games himself), and DeHaan, and we still would have stunk.

 

[MartyOwns]

i actually don’t care if we sign hall or not. the only thing that would piss me off would be losing him in FA for nothing, but i don’t think shero allows that.

 

[MadDevil]

I don't think Shero's going to wait 30 games into the season before deciding on Hall...remember how direct he was with him in the 2017 offseason. And I think it'll be obvious by then if we've played the comatose approach and hope for everything to improve within or not anyway.

We'll probably know that by the time Hall can actually sign an extension. If we go through the draft and don't use any of our extra picks in a trade then it'll probably be a "build from within" approach. I highly doubt we do that though.

 

[tailfins]

So he is going to base this big life decision on what a bunch of teenagers do in their first 20 or so NHL games ever.

Makes zero sense.

Why does it have to be teenagers? Shero didn’t just have to acquire through the draft. Also, why not see what coaching is like next year? That’s not teenager stuff.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

theres absolutely no upside to NJ for us to go into the season with Hall not signed

Too many bad things could happen

 

[My3Sons]

i actually don’t care if we sign hall or not. the only thing that would piss me off would be losing him in FA for nothing, but i don’t think shero allows that.

It’s amazing how that lottery has changed the outlook for the team. I tend to agree with you but would prefer Hall sees the future and realizes it is here with the young talent Shero and Castron are assembling. The team likely can’t be built around Hall. Too many holes to fill on the roster to make that feasible. The team can be built around Nico Hughes Bratt Butcher Smith even Zacha and Sevs and Wood and MBW. Hall can certainly be the elder statesman as that unfolds and i hope he shares that role with Coleman. If Hall can’t see that future why let it fester into the season?

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

It’s amazing how that lottery has changed the outlook for the team. I tend to agree with you but would prefer Hall sees the future and realizes it is here with the young talent Shero and Castron are assembling. The team likely can’t be built around Hall. Too many holes to fill on the roster to make that feasible. The team can be built around Nico Hughes Bratt Butcher Smith even Zacha and Sevs and Wood and MBW. Hall can certainly be the elder statesman as that unfolds and i hope he shares that role with Coleman. If Hall can’t see that future why let it fester into the season?

I agree. IMO Hall became our 3rd valuable asset as soon as the Devils won the lottery. I would prefer he stay but would not be worried at all if we had to trade him. The choice is Hall's and I have no problem with any player going to FA. Hall will be 28 this year and has had to work where he was told his whole career. It will be interesting to see how this off season plays out.

 

[Triumph]

theres absolutely no upside to NJ for us to go into the season with Hall not signed

Too many bad things could happen

Trading him at training camp is the absolute worst time. I'd rather risk losing him for nothing than do that.

 

[MartyOwns]

It’s amazing how that lottery has changed the outlook for the team. I tend to agree with you but would prefer Hall sees the future and realizes it is here with the young talent Shero and Castron are assembling. The team likely can’t be built around Hall. Too many holes to fill on the roster to make that feasible. The team can be built around Nico Hughes Bratt Butcher Smith even Zacha and Sevs and Wood and MBW. Hall can certainly be the elder statesman as that unfolds and i hope he shares that role with Coleman. If Hall can’t see that future why let it fester into the season?

my preference would be for him to stay as long as his cap hit doesn’t reach 11M (which i don’t think it will). but if he goes for a blue chip defensive prospect and a high draft pick, i wouldn’t hate that

 

[Devilsfan118]

theres absolutely no upside to NJ for us to go into the season with Hall not signed

Too many bad things could happen

Hall gets hurt in game 1, out for 3 months.

Trade value is essentially 0, Devils get screwed.

I agree with you and others - if he's not signed by the start of camp, he MUST be traded.

 

[njdevil26]

I would look for Hall to sign on July 2nd to be honest. He needs to be assured that the Devils are set up to compete soon and surround him with more talent. We get Jack Hughes in the draft... maybe make some trades with the abundance of picks, then make a signing or two in free agency.

 

[My3Sons]

I would look for Hall to sign on July 2nd to be honest. He needs to be assured that the Devils are set up to compete soon and surround him with more talent. We get Jack Hughes in the draft... maybe make some trades with the abundance of picks, then make a signing or two in free agency.

I think the problem arises if NJ signs a player or two in free agency specifically to appease Hall and then he says he wants to explore UFA anyway. I think there should be a meeting of the minds before NJ signs anyone in UFA

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I don't think Shero's going to wait 30 games into the season before deciding on Hall...remember how direct he was with him in the 2017 offseason. And I think it'll be obvious by then if we've played the comatose approach and hope for everything to improve within or not anyway.

"The dinner" demonstrates Shero and Hall's direct and productive working relationship. Some of the questions Shero asked were incredibly blunt; if I'm remembering correctly, an Oilers' playoff game was on the TV in the restaurant, and Shero actually brought it up instead of letting it be the elephant in the room.

There's no shot Shero takes the wait-and-see approach. He'll have a decision, either way, by September.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I think the problem arises if NJ signs a player or two in free agency specifically to appease Hall and then he says he wants to explore UFA anyway. I think there should be a meeting of the minds before NJ signs anyone in UFA

Would that be that big of a problem, though?

The organization has accumulated a lot of young talent... enough to keep the forward group afloat in the event Hall leaves. Even if the free agent signings were a fruitless attempt to appease Hall, they'd still improve our group. I wouldn't construe that as a "problem" at all.

 

[My3Sons]

Would that be that big of a problem, though?

The organization has accumulated a lot of young talent... enough to keep the forward group afloat in the event Hall leaves. Even if the free agent signings were a fruitless attempt to appease Hall, they'd still improve our group. I wouldn't construe that as a "problem" at all.

Depends upon the specifics. If Eberle gets signed for extra term and cap hit and a NMC that’s not likely a needle mover and may have longer term ramifications for cap and expansion draft.

 

[Triumph]

Most teams who would want Taylor Hall are capped out by the time camp rolls around. They'd rather have him at the trade deadline anyway because they're probably counting on making the playoffs. Karlsson went for a 1st, a former low 1st (with unimpressive results), and a few other stragglers - that's the kind of package the Devils would get for Hall at camp.

 

[FooteBahl]

I would look for Hall to sign on July 2nd to be honest. He needs to be assured that the Devils are set up to compete soon and surround him with more talent. We get Jack Hughes in the draft... maybe make some trades with the abundance of picks, then make a signing or two in free agency.

I would say July 8th, once the teams don’t match our offer sheets .

But seriously, I think if he doesn’t resign by August 1st, that’s when trade talks should start.

 

[MartyOwns]

Most teams who would want Taylor Hall are capped out by the time camp rolls around. They'd rather have him at the trade deadline anyway because they're probably counting on making the playoffs. Karlsson went for a 1st, a former low 1st (with unimpressive results), and a few other stragglers - that's the kind of package the Devils would get for Hall at camp.

i’m pretty sure we won’t get a karlsson type of return. he’s a top pairing defenseman, the market for those will always be higher than a winger. but i do think we would get more for him at the deadline, the problem is that’s extremely risky

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

if Hall is not signed by training camp, he should be traded. Its pretty simple.

I would wait til last possible moment at trade deadline.

Hall's first intention might be to explore free agency.

But i think we can convince him midseason to change his mind, if we are in a playoff position and if Jack Hughes is his center, he may want to sign on because of that, when he realizes what a special player Hughes is, after playing with him for half a season.

Also, Hall's girlfriend (who is absolutely stunning, check out his instagram), is apparantly a new yorker. More incentive for him to stay.

 

[My3Sons]

I would wait til last possible moment at trade deadline.

Hall's first intention might be to explore free agency.

But i think we can convince him midseason to change his mind, if we are in a playoff position and if Jack Hughes is his center, he may want to sign on because of that, when he realizes what a special player Hughes is, after playing with him for half a season.

Also, Hall's girlfriend (who is absolutely stunning, check out his instagram), is apparantly a new yorker. More incentive for him to stay.

What if NJ is firmly in playoff position at the TDL and Hall says no to extension? Are you ok with a self rental and he walks in UFA? That’s not a very far fetched scenario. Would Shero be willing to trade him at that point and torpedo the season and maybe send a negative message of sorts to the young players? My preference would be to avoid that moment if possible.