Devils 2019 offseason team discussion (news and notes) IX

[Jack Be Quick]

If Subban plays well why arent we re-signing him?

And it also ignores the raises Nico, Hughes, Bratt, Butcher, and Smith will all be getting between then and now. Cory will be gone, but Blackwood will need a raise as well.

Tying up $22 million in two wingers isn’t going to work.

The cap will be (at least) ~$88mil by '22.

$11mil is the new 9.5.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Among my family and friends I was calling Subban to us for a little while

So Ive gone on record again - I think Hoffman ends up a Devil.

When you see Weber mention the Devils with cap space and willing to take on guys, I think Hoffman+ one other contract or even Hoffman straight up wont cost much and is a perfect fit as a pure shooter

 

[NJDevs26]

The cap will be (at least) ~$88mil by '22.

$11mil is the new 9.5.

That's another thing, we don't know for sure the cap will rise and rise forever. The Leafs got bumped this offseason with the Marleau deal after the cap became static and who knows what the landscape will be like after CBA War IV.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

The cap will be (at least) ~$88mil by '22.

$11mil is the new 9.5.

And Jack and Smith’s contracts will be modern numbers.

If Jack is what hes advertised to be, he could end up a top-5 paid player in the league

 

[tr83]

This would be my ideal starting night lineup, which requires another threeor so moves

Hall-Hischier-xxxx
Bratt-Hughes-Palmieri
Zacha-Zajac-Boqvist
Wood-McLeod-Coleman

xxxx-Subban
Butcher-Severson
Smith-Greene

Schneider
Blackwood

Move 1) acquire a top6 RW so Bratt can play his natural side

Move 2) trade Vatanen

Move 3) could be a part of move 2 but acquire a LD, doesnt need to be a true top pair guy but someone to hold for Smith for a few seasons

Id like a spot on the 4th for kids to get in. If Boqvist doesnt make it thats an easy slot to fill with Coleman, and if we cant acquire a LD im hesitant to put Butcher there.

Coleman is too good to play on the 4th line.

Unless Shero has an idea of how he can land one of Marner (not happening), Kapenen, or Meier (I still think no offer sheets are happening) then we STILL need a scoring winger.

Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Zacha-Hughes-Bratt
Wood-Zajac-??? (Agostino/Noesen/??)
Coleman-Seney-??? (Agostino/Noesen/??)

We don't know that Boqvist is going to show up and produce like an NHLer... we haven't seen enough from Bastian or McLeod to get me excited...

We need a top six winger. Like the post above me says, we can fit Panarin pretty easily once you consider what's coming off the books in the next few years.

You can't spell Noesen without NO

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't like having Russian players on the Devils. My only favorite Russian who played for us was Brylin and (briefly) Nemchinov.
Once you sign Panarin to a big contract, he will have a good first year or two and then be a dissapearing act. Russian players generally lack discipline and toughness. I want our roster to be filled with NA players and Scandinavians.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Coleman is too good to play on the 4th line.



You can't spell Noesen without NO

No offense to Coleman but what line hes on between 3rd and 4th is at the bottom of my worry list

 

[Jack Be Quick]

That's another thing, we don't know for sure the cap will rise and rise forever. The Leafs got bumped this offseason with the Marleau deal after the cap became static and who knows what the landscape will be like after CBA War IV.

If static is increasing by $2mil per then 88 is just about the exact number it will be in '22.

I find it hard to believe it's going to flatline.

 

[MartyOwns]

I don't like having Russian players on the Devils. My only favorite Russian who played for us was Brylin and (briefly) Nemchinov.
Once you sign Panarin to a big contract, he will have a good first year or two and then be a dissapearing act. Russian players generally lack discipline and toughness. I want our roster to be filled with NA players and Scandinavians.

this is a post of the year candidate

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Just for fun

Ekblad+Hoffman for Butcher++ would be a sweet deal and fills two spots at once

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

and yeah, we don't have as much "practical" cap space as you guys think we do.

If we were to give Panarin $11 million (as an example), that would REALLY put us in a crunch really soon.

As myself and a few others have been mentioning...if you wanna keep all our guys that need raises, we had about $12-15 million coming into this offseason to "play with" going forward....and that was with an assumed $83 million cap. Now that we took on Subban thats about a $7 million add (subtracting Santini/Davies).

The number we have to throw around is somewhere in the $6 million range. Again this is assuming you re-sign everyone we currently have, which probably won't happen one way or the other but its the best assumption we have at the moment.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

If static is increasing by $2mil per than 88 is just about the exact number it will be in '22.

I find it hard to believe it's going to flatline.

The cap likely wont raise next year as its the final year before expansion and the TV deal

 

[njdevil26]

I don't like having Russian players on the Devils. My only favorite Russian who played for us was Brylin and (briefly) Nemchinov.
Once you sign Panarin to a big contract, he will have a good first year or two and then be a dissapearing act. Russian players generally lack discipline and toughness. I want our roster to be filled with NA players and Scandinavians.

Jesus dude...

Btw Panarin has only missed 6 games in four years... has point totals of 77, 74, 82, 87 since he came to the NHL. So this picture you are painting of him because of his heritage is quite discriminatory.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Just for fun

Ekblad+Hoffman for Butcher++ would be a sweet deal and fills two spots at once

you're taking 2 of FLorida's 4 or 5 best players lol

that + is going to be enormous.

 

[MartyOwns]

Just for fun

Ekblad+Hoffman for Butcher++ would be a sweet deal and fills two spots at once

“++” is an understatement. florida isn’t going to start giving away guys. be prepared to lose bratt/palms/god knows who else

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

you're taking 2 of FLorida's 4 or 5 best players lol

that + is going to be enormous.

It would be but Ekblad hasnt been a fan favorite over there and hes paid quite a but

Obviously Hoffman alone or Hoffman+cap dump is realistic, but if Ekblad was available id send Butcher+Boqvist or a 1st and then whatever else is needed.

I get Ekblad was a 1st overall but ive heard Florida fans say theyre underwhelmed and that his cap hit is a bit of a problem

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Also I believe if it means upgrading our top LD id move next years 1st

Were already at a point roster wise where I doubt we bottom out, and sure top-5 protect it because I dont see us picking lower than 12-15

 

[R8Devs]

and yeah, we don't have as much "practical" cap space as you guys think we do.

If we were to give Panarin $11 million (as an example), that would REALLY put us in a crunch really soon.

As myself and a few others have been mentioning...if you wanna keep all our guys that need raises, we had about $12-15 million coming into this offseason to "play with" going forward....and that was with an assumed $83 million cap. Now that we took on Subban thats about a $7 million add (subtracting Santini/Davies).

The number we have to throw around is somewhere in the $6 million range. Again this is assuming you re-sign everyone we currently have, which probably won't happen one way or the other but its the best assumption we have at the moment.

it's not that -- I know it'll be a crunch but it won't be one like with Edmonton with Lucic, or Chicago with Bickell, etc. Devils will still have the flexibilty to maintain the roster. They wouldn't have to a do a Marleau like trade to get cap space. And most importantly the Devils will have a top end roster.


You said a guy you'd like to sign is around the ~6 million range -- so someone like Lee or Nyquist. Unless those guys are coming on shorter term deals I'd rather just avoid signing them in general (Nyquist I can bare more but I would still rather have it be under 5 years) but since they are UFA's they are going to get term. And then those guys turn out to be the ones who start costing you assets to move. Those are the ones to avoid -- not guys like Panarin.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

And Jack and Smith’s contracts will be modern numbers.

If Jack is what hes advertised to be, he could end up a top-5 paid player in the league

Fair.

But a legit top 10-20 winger makes us instant contenders for at least the next 3-5 years.

I'd be very tempted to pull the trigger and kick the can down the road.

Vegas may be in cap hell right now, but that's what it cost to almost win a cup and go to a conference final they arguably should have won.

Nashville is at the ceiling but they are contenders every year.

The Blackhawks got 3 cups even with cap trouble.

I'd be fine with another 5-7 years of mediocrity if it means being proper contenders for 5. That takes a shrewd gm and costs money. Both of which this franchise has.

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

Fair.

But a legit top 10-20 winger makes us instant contenders for at least the next 3-5 years.

I'd be very tempted to pull the trigger and kick the can down the road.

Vegas may be in cap hell right now, but that's what it cost to almost win a cup and go to a conference final they arguably should have won.

Nashville is at the ceiling but they are contenders every year.

The Blackhawks got 3 cups even with cap trouble.

I'd be fine with another 5-7 years of mediocrity if it means being proper contenders for 5. That takes a shrewd gm and costs money. Both of which this franchise has.

Id prefer the route of letting our two insanely talented centers make cheaper wingers higher end, like Pittsburgh has done. Get a Hoffman or a Dzingel and let those guys break career highs with Hughes or Hischier centering them. Saves money and gets great results because we do already have a top-5/7 winger in Hall. Its not a need to have two top-7 wingers to contend

Id just rather save that money for a big defensive upgrade than blow my whole load on offensive players. Weve won the lottery twice, I think its a bit greedy to try and splash further on first line forwards (again minus a Hoffman or Dzingel who can post 1st line numbers with our current makeup)

 

[Jack Be Quick]

The cap likely wont raise next year as its the final year before expansion and the TV deal

You think the players (or many owners for that matter) are going to accept a lowering cap?

And the league is all but guaranteed a (much) larger TV deal than the current one with NBC.

Hockey's Big Pay Day Is Coming

 

[R8Devs]

dzingel is a guy you avoid in free agency if it's a long term deal. I'm pretty confident in the Devils acquiring someone with picks or a prospect providing what Dzingel does at a lower cost than it would take to sign Dzingel at age 27. Avoiding deals like that is how you can avoid a possible cap crunch

 

[Nico the Draft Riser]

You think the players (or many owners for that matter) are going to accept a lowering cap?

And the league is all but guaranteed a (much) larger TV deal than the current one with NBC.

Hockey's Big Pay Day Is Coming

Theyve already lowered the cap increase this year, and next will be an even lower escrow most likely because of the lack of extra revenue coming in vs the higher salaries of players

Its already been discussed among cap structure nerds and TSN that the league may agree to keep the cap at 81.5 for the next two seasons, as to save a possible lockout before the tv deal and expansion. Then itll jump exponentially.

Players salaries will rise a lot this next year while revenue wont. Thats why the cap hit wont be higher than another 1-1.5 mil or none at al

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Id prefer the route of letting our two insanely talented centers make cheaper wingers higher end, like Pittsburgh has done. Get a Hoffman or a Dzingel and let those guys break career highs with Hughes or Hischier centering them. Saves money and gets great results because we do already have a top-5/7 winger in Hall. Its not a need to have two top-7 wingers to contend

Id just rather save that money for a big defensive upgrade than blow my whole load on offensive players. Weve won the lottery twice, I think its a bit greedy to try and splash further on first line forwards (again minus a Hoffman or Dzingel who can post 1st line numbers with our current makeup)

Oh, no doubt if you can get a Hoffman for 5-6 instead you do that. Dzingel not so much imo.

And you're also right that we don't need 2 top 10 wingers to succeed. But having the 2 best lines in the entire league all but guarantees it. That's firepower the Pens at their peak couldn't even match.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Theyve already lowered the cap increase this year, and next will be an even lower escrow most likely because of the lack of extra revenue coming in vs the higher salaries of players

Its already been discussed among cap structure nerds and TSN that the league may agree to keep the cap at 81.5 for the next two seasons, as to save a possible lockout before the tv deal and expansion. Then itll jump exponentially.

Players salaries will rise a lot this next year while revenue wont. Thats why the cap hit wont be higher than another 1-1.5 mil or none at al

Great. So the cap will take a massive leap in '21-'22, just in time for us to not end up in the Leafs current situation.