Devils 2020-21 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part V

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

continue.

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[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

here is Burnside's "Offseason priorities" for the Devils....kind of nothing we don't already know

Heading into the 2019-20 season there was some debate within the Devils organization about the state of the team’s goaltending and, specifically, whether they should have been looking at some veteran help in case veteran Cory Schneider and youngster Mackenzie Blackwood weren’t ready to carry the freight. The decision was to go with Schneider/Blackwood, and while it wasn’t the only reason the Devils’ season went off the rails, it was a factor as they stumbled early on and ended up trading Hall and then firing Hynes and GM Ray Shero. By the end of the season Blackwood, 23, had seemingly established himself as the team’s starter moving forward and now the team’s focus this offseason appears to be two-fold. GM Tom Fitzgerald is among the group of GMs of the seven teams not invited to the return to play tournament who have been pressing the league and the NHLPA to establish some sort of pre-training camp opportunity for those teams to get players on the ice. That will be critical in trying to figure out who has taken advantage of the pause to get bigger, faster and more NHL-worthy. In terms of personnel, look for the Devils, already brimming with youthful potential up front, to become bigger and more competitive on the back end. For instance, finding a right-hand shot partner for offensively gifted Will Butcher will help Butcher’s development and the overall team defense, which will, in turn, help the goaltending.

 

[TrufleShufle]

We need to add about 2 and maybe 3 dman this offseason and that’s with or without Severson.

True, losing Severson wouldn’t give us a better blueline but he wouldn’t be irreplaceable. There’s guys who have been on the block that can bring the same level of play in Ristolainen for example or Tyson Barrie can rejuvenate his career as a free agent. We also have Ty Smith who will be looking to crack our roster and he’s been playing the right side his entire career. All I’m trying to say is the if we were to lose Severson, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, just like it wasn’t the end of the world when we moved Larsson.

Yea but if it was Servrson for Laine 1 for 1, you would have a point and we'd be stupid not to. Trading away Sevs creates a bigger hole in an area of weakness that we already (hopefully) plan to address. You can't just take a player out and hope to refill, plus fill in more spots. You are either hoping to fill it through FA, which is a 1 in 31 shot of happening, or through trades that just became a lot harder because you gave up 2 firsts and a prospect.

You've admitted we aren't "a Laine away." So getting Laine and giving up 4 assets that can be used in the future in any number of ways would put us even further back.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the question I have for those that would sell the farm for Laine....

don't you see it as a little weird that the Jets would be even entertaining trading Laine if he is as good as you think he is?

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I would love to help out Vegas resign Lehner, by taking Fleury off their hands and at the same time, get a pretty solid sweetener for taking on 14M$ over 2 years.

He would be the ideal backup and mentor for Blackwood. With the number of games in a small period of time next year, they can almost go 50/50.

 

[Forge]

I would love to help out Vegas resign Lehner, by taking Fleury off their hands and at the same time, get a pretty solid sweetener for taking on 14M$ over 2 years.

He would be the ideal backup and mentor for Blackwood. With the number of games in a small period of time next year, they can almost go 50/50.

I don't see us doing that. One, I don't think this deal works out as a negative asset acquisition like you think. VGK isn't going to give something to send us MAF in my opinion; if we were to acquire him, feel reasonably confident that it would involve Cory going back (and they could then just buy him out) which would mostly cancel out any negative asset compensation.

Two, I still just don't believe that we are unloading Cory.

Obviously would much rather have MAF than Cory at this point, but I just don't think it would happen.

 

[My3Sons]

I would love to help out Vegas resign Lehner, by taking Fleury off their hands and at the same time, get a pretty solid sweetener for taking on 14M$ over 2 years.

He would be the ideal backup and mentor for Blackwood. With the number of games in a small period of time next year, they can almost go 50/50.

Maybe Vegas returns the picks NJ paid for Gusev? Hard to know if Fleury is ready to accept another time share or if he still sees himself as a frontline starter. If the latter, I don't want his agent anywhere near a young team.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Yea but if it was Servrson for Laine 1 for 1, you would have a point and we'd be stupid not to. Trading away Sevs creates a bigger hole in an area of weakness that we already (hopefully) plan to address. You can't just take a player out and hope to refill, plus fill in more spots. You are either hoping to fill it through FA, which is a 1 in 31 shot of happening, or through trades that just became a lot harder because you gave up 2 firsts and a prospect.

You've admitted we aren't "a Laine away." So getting Laine and giving up 4 assets that can be used in the future in any number of ways would put us even further back.

I wouldn’t personally give up the package offered by another poster but I would do whatever I can to land Laine. He’s that good and would completely change the face of our offense.

I think it’ll be a lot easier then you think in acquiring 2 or 3, 2nd pairing dman. There’s teams that will move players because they’re in cap hell and with the cap staying put, there’s going to be a lot of movement. There’s also the expansion draft that will generate a lot of movement and of course, free agency.

Like I said, if Carolina wants Laine, they’ll be able to give Winnipeg a better package. If they don’t want him and we can be a legit destination with Severson++, you pull the trigger and figure out a way to fix your defence over the summer.

There’s more options then you think if we have to replace Severson and add a couple of other dman.

 

[Camille the Eel]

here is Burnside's "Offseason priorities" for the Devils....kind of nothing we don't already know

The offensively gifted Will Butcher. Give me a break. Yes good vision and anticipation but quite limited and his liabilities on the defensive end outweigh his assets - we’ve seen his ceiling I believe and I really hope we aren’t seriously committed to him as more than a 3d pairing guy if that.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I wouldn’t personally give up the package offered by another poster but I would do whatever I can to land Laine. He’s that good and would completely change the face of our offense.

I think it’ll be a lot easier then you think in acquiring 2 or 3, 2nd pairing dman. There’s teams that will move players because they’re in cap hell and with the cap staying put, there’s going to be a lot of movement. There’s also the expansion draft that will generate a lot of movement and of course, free agency.

Like I said, if Carolina wants Laine, they’ll be able to give Winnipeg a better package. If they don’t want him and we can be a legit destination with Severson++, you pull the trigger and figure out a way to fix your defence over the summer.

There’s more options then you think if we have to replace Severson and add a couple of other dman.

if it is so easy to acquire a 2nd pairing DMan, why hasn't it been done already by all the teams that need defense...?

trading Severson (and much more) in any package for Laine, coupled with the fact that Laine is going to want a massive pay day, makes absolutely no sense for the Devils organizationally

You will be the first one on here next season when we the defense is being run over night in and night out asking why

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I don't see us doing that. One, I don't think this deal works out as a negative asset acquisition like you think. VGK isn't going to give something to send us MAF in my opinion; if we were to acquire him, feel reasonably confident that it would involve Cory going back (and they could then just buy him out) which would mostly cancel out any negative asset compensation.

Two, I still just don't believe that we are unloading Cory.

Obviously would much rather have MAF than Cory at this point, but I just don't think it would happen.

If they want to resign Lehner, they’re not keeping Flower around. They have been utilizing Fleury as the #2 since the start of the playoffs and his agent even had a brain cramp by tweeting a picture of his client getting stabbed in the back.

If he’s splitting duties with Blackwood, I don’t see any issues for a 37 year old goaltender.

These are the types of deals we need to make. We’d be getting a solid mentor for Blackwood, a legit asset to eat 14M$ over 2 years giving them the shot to resign the #1 goalie they really want for nothing else but cap space. It fixes our problem and we can gain an asset on top of it.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't see them buying out Schneider and then also spending that much money on the backup goalie

if they are going to dump Schneider (which I am skeptical about), I would imagine the backup comes way cheaper

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

if it is so easy to acquire a 2nd pairing DMan, why hasn't it been done already by all the teams that need defense...?

trading Severson (and much more) in any package for Laine, coupled with the fact that Laine is going to want a massive pay day, makes absolutely no sense for the Devils organizationally

You will be the first one on here next season when we the defense is being run over night in and night out asking why

If you would actually take the time to read and understand what you’re reading, you wouldn’t be asking the same question over and over.

I said that with the expansion draft and teams being in cap hell with a flat cap for at least the next 3 years, there is going to be more movement then in years past.

Why you’re not understanding that notion is beyond me since you keep pushing for Dunn, who will probably be moved by the Blues in order to sign their captain. The same can be said about several other players and guys like Dadonov, Bean and others will also be available because of the expansion draft. Will the Bolts move on from Cernak in order to resign Sergachev and Cirrelli, maybe, who knows.

Just like that, without costing us anything, I’d bring back Vatanen on a short term deal to replace Severson and we wouldn’t lose a step. Dillon is also a solid option for the left side of our defence without giving up an asset.

As for your question regarding Laine, he’s on the block for a very simple reason. The Jets are a contender without a legit dman on the right side and a proven 2nd line center. They do not want to spend half their cap space in Ehlers, Laine, Wheeler and Connor with Scheifele as their only center and Pionk as your best dman on the right side of their defence.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

The offensively gifted Will Butcher. Give me a break. Yes good vision and anticipation but quite limited and his liabilities on the defensive end outweigh his assets - we’ve seen his ceiling I believe and I really hope we aren’t seriously committed to him as more than a 3d pairing guy if that.

Yeah, that statement kind of proved that he doesn’t really have a grasp on our team.

 

[Triumph]

The Devils may not be on Fleury's no-trade list but you don't trade for a guy who is very clearly unhappy being a backup when that would be his presumed role here. I have no interest in Fleury.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Huh

 

[ScottyK]

Huh

Just released by Pittsburgh right?

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

The Devils may not be on Fleury's no-trade list but you don't trade for a guy who is very clearly unhappy being a backup when that would be his presumed role here. I have no interest in Fleury.

Fleury got screwed over by DeBeor and upper management, plain and simple.

The guy has been a rock for them and they go out and add Lehner at the deadline, with the sole purpose of resigning him as their new #1.

If he’s splitting duties with Blackwood, as a 36 year old goaltender, I don’t see it being an issue at all.

With that contract and his age, I don’t see him getting a starting gig unless Vegas eats a major amount of cash and that would go against the idea of adding Lehner.

 

[Patrik26]

Huh

Coaching staff on Devils website remains unchanged. Interesting to see if Kowalsky is there by the end of the day.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Interesting that he made his way up the rankings in the Pitt organization.

Was a player development coach in 2014 through their back-to-back cup years and director of player development/assistant coach in 2017 through this year.

 

[Triumph]

It's funny that my first thought with Recchi was, did he ever play with Fitzgerald or Ruff and did he ever play for a Ruff-coached team? I think the answer to all of that, surprisingly, is no, but it looks like he worked with Fitzgerald for a year in Pittsburgh and was a consultant in the Stars' organization when Ruff was a coach there.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Huh

Just saw that as well... what’s the deal with Recchi?

 

[Triumph]

Fleury got screwed over by DeBeor and upper management, plain and simple.

The guy has been a rock for them and they go out and add Lehner at the deadline, with the sole purpose of resigning him as their new #1.

If he’s splitting duties with Blackwood, as a 36 year old goaltender, I don’t see it being an issue at all.

With that contract and his age, I don’t see him getting a starting gig unless Vegas eats a major amount of cash and that would go against the idea of adding Lehner.

Fleury had a .905 SV% and is 35. Yes, he got screwed over in that management saw that their #1 goaltender was faltering and decided to add a guy who might be better.

You don't seem to understand that Fleury is clearly really upset that they brought in a goalie to play above him. MacKenzie Blackwood would absolutely be expected to play more than Fleury and this not even on a good team. And yeah, Vegas would have to take a bad contract back to deal Fleury, but he wants to start and will likely get that opportunity this off-season. I can imagine Detroit taking him on for one of their bad contracts.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If you would actually take the time to read and understand what you’re reading, you wouldn’t be asking the same question over and over.

I said that with the expansion draft and teams being in cap hell with a flat cap for at least the next 3 years, there is going to be more movement then in years past.

Why you’re not understanding that notion is beyond me since you keep pushing for Dunn, who will probably be moved by the Blues in order to sign their captain. The same can be said about several other players and guys like Dadonov, Bean and others will also be available because of the expansion draft. Will the Bolts move on from Cernak in order to resign Sergachev and Cirrelli, maybe, who knows.

Just like that, without costing us anything, I’d bring back Vatanen on a short term deal to replace Severson and we wouldn’t lose a step. Dillon is also a solid option for the left side of our defence without giving up an asset.

As for your question regarding Laine, he’s on the block for a very simple reason. The Jets are a contender without a legit dman on the right side and a proven 2nd line center. They do not want to spend half their cap space in Ehlers, Laine, Wheeler and Connor with Scheifele as their only center and Pionk as your best dman on the right side of their defence.

The point is we need to be looking to sign guys like Dillon to supplement guys like Severson. And just because those guys will be available does not mean the Devils will be able to get even 1 of them. Plenty of other teams need DMen and have expendable assets just like we do.

and I am not sure what Dadonov has to do with anything as he is UFA in a few weeks.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

It would be nice if we could break this Pit cast off obsession we have had since Shero took over...

That said, I don't mind the Recchi hire.