Devils 2021 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XXXI

[SJinNewJersey]

Wedgewood in goal tonight.

""

 

[Camille the Eel]

Except any competent GM will argue that 53 meaningless games in a weirdo/bullsh*t season doesn't constitute an accurate enough sample size to award a player, under team control for the foreseeable future, a 3+ year deal at 4m+ per year. That's absolutely crazy talk imo.

Yes it’s crazy talk. If anything this season has been a stress test.

 

[glenwo2]

whoever suggested protecting mcleod over zacha is out to lunch

Was it the same person who advocated protecting Mcleod over Bratt?

Then you shouldn't be surprised.

 

[Camille the Eel]

McLeod was good this year and shows a lot of promise but he is utterly replaceable.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Well I want to sign Shara to a long term deal, isn't that the point of having cap space, to sign key young players off ELCs to long term deals? Don't we regret the Bratt bridge already?

That is one way to show you are a sharp GM. Look at how much Sakic signing MacK to his long term deal before he broke out has helped the Avs. Obviously Shara is no MacK but if the organization projects him to be productive 2nd line type moving forward a small risk now could pay big dividends a few years down the road.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

does that contract projection for Sharangovich also factor in his KHL goal scoring totals or no?

They are trying to use a formula which is very difficult now since it is so hard to project what the cap will be down the road. They were high on their projections last year, not surprisingly. There will be more variance due to different organizations probably having different projections as to what the cap will be a few years down the road.

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

So this is what we're currently looking at at forward......

TOP 6 CENTERS- Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier
TOP 6 WINGERS- Jesper Bratt, Yegor Sharangovich, Pavel Zacha

BOTTOM 6 CENTERS- Michael McLeod, Jesper Boqvist, Mikhail Maltsev
BOTTOM 6 WINGERS- Janne Kuokkanen, Miles Wood, Nate Bastian, Andreas Johnsson (hes here until he isn't)

Ideally, this offseason we sign a 3C and acquire another legit top 6 winger somehow (trade/signing). Those moves plus the development of guys like Foote, Holtz, Clarke, Mercer I think puts our forward corps into the good category

 

[FooteBahl]

So this is what we're currently looking at at forward......

TOP 6 CENTERS- Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier
TOP 6 WINGERS- Jesper Bratt, Yegor Sharangovich, Pavel Zacha

BOTTOM 6 CENTERS- Michael McLeod, Jesper Boqvist, Mikhail Maltsev
BOTTOM 6 WINGERS- Janne Kuokkanen, Miles Wood, Nate Bastian, Andreas Johnsson (hes here until he isn't)

Ideally, this offseason we sign a 3C and acquire another legit top 6 winger somehow (trade/signing). Those moves plus the development of guys like Foote, Holtz, Clarke, Mercer I think puts our forward corps into the good category

Im much more concerned about what the backend is going to look like next year. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Im much more concerned about what the backend is going to look like next year. What are your thoughts on that?

TOP 4: Damon Severson, Ty Smith, PK Subban
BOTTOM PAIR: Jonas Siegenthaler (RFA), Will Butcher, Kevin Bahl

Murray is UFA and I think we would probably be all okay bringing him back or someone like Kulikov back for 1-2 years to help stabilize the top 4. Maybe we see one of the guys like Okhotiuk, Vukojevic or Walsh thrust themselves into the convo of being legit DMen just like guys like Sharangovich and Kuokkanen did this year at forward? We can only hope. I think we should see what type of DMan a package like the NYI 1st + Zacha (not getting into a debate here, just using this as an example) can bring back on D.

I think most of us would agree that we would like to see the top 5-6 pick spent on one of the top 3 DMen, but that that DMan is unlikely to be playing in the NHL next year.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

If Zacha's knee is so banged up he can neither practice or play for his national team, why would he be playing tonight?

 

[FooteBahl]

If Zacha's knee is so banged up he can neither practice or play for his national team, why would he be playing tonight?

Just so we can argue about it on here...duuuh

 

[Blackjack]

So this is what we're currently looking at at forward......

TOP 6 CENTERS- Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier
TOP 6 WINGERS- Jesper Bratt, Yegor Sharangovich, Pavel Zacha

BOTTOM 6 CENTERS- Michael McLeod, Jesper Boqvist, Mikhail Maltsev
BOTTOM 6 WINGERS- Janne Kuokkanen, Miles Wood, Nate Bastian, Andreas Johnsson (hes here until he isn't)

Ideally, this offseason we sign a 3C and acquire another legit top 6 winger somehow (trade/signing). Those moves plus the development of guys like Foote, Holtz, Clarke, Mercer I think puts our forward corps into the good category

Foote will be an older D+3 and Holtz and Mercer will be older D+2s . If the organization projects any of these guys as top six wings I'm not sure how much sense it makes to add another one. I also think the organization probably sees Kuokkanen as a top six wing. He's in a scoring slump, but was one of the strongest players on the team for a while.

I definitely agree on adding another center. Danault or RNH type that can slot up when Jack or Nico are injured.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Foote will be an older D+3 and Holtz and Mercer will be older D+2s . If the organization projects any of these guys as top six wings I'm not sure how much sense it makes to add another one. I also think the organization probably sees Kuokkanen as a top six wing. He's in a scoring slump, but was one of the strongest players on the team for a while.

I definitely agree on adding another center. Danault or RNH type that can slot up when Jack or Nico are injured.

I like Kuokkanen a lot, but I hope not.

 

[Hisch13r]

Foote will be an older D+3 and Holtz and Mercer will be older D+2s . If the organization projects any of these guys as top six wings I'm not sure how much sense it makes to add another one. I also think the organization probably sees Kuokkanen as a top six wing. He's in a scoring slump, but was one of the strongest players on the team for a while.

I definitely agree on adding another center. Danault or RNH type that can slot up when Jack or Nico are injured.

Kuokkanen is 2nd on the team in 5v5 P/60 and 2nd in raw 5v5 pts this year. I think he's a guy who you move around the line up and slot him wherever he's need.

Didn't Danault turn down like a 5x6 deal or something from Montreal? I can't see him signing on to a 3C. Same goes for Nuge. Both of those guys will want bigger roles

 

[AfroThunder396]

While Sharangovich could certainly play top-6 and not look out of place, I would love for him and Kuokkanen to be flanking one of the best 3rd lines in hockey. I would want the team to look something like this:

(A)-Hughes-(B)
Zacha-Hischier-Bratt
Sharangovich-(C)-Kuokkanen
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

In the long-term, (A) and (B) being some combination of Holtz/Mercer/Foote/1st 2021 (but in the meantime we could fill one of those holes with trade/UFA) and (C) being a veteran UFA center in the mold of a Brian Boyle.

Merkley, Boqvist, and Maltsev are the odd ones out. Merks is as good as gone, Malts still needs some work in the AHL but is a fine call up and could replace Bastian if he's claimed in the ED, and IMO Boqvist would best be used as trade bait.

 

[Hisch13r]

While Sharangovich could certainly play top-6 and not look out of place, I would love for him and Kuokkanen to be flanking one of the best 3rd lines in hockey. I would want the team to look something like this:

(A)-Hughes-(B)
Zacha-Hischier-Bratt
Sharangovich-(C)-Kuokkanen
Wood-McLeod-Bastian

In the long-term, (A) and (B) being some combination of Holtz/Mercer/Foote/1st 2021 (but in the meantime we could fill one of those holes with trade/UFA) and (C) being a veteran UFA center in the mold of a Brian Boyle.

Merkley, Boqvist, and Maltsev are the odd ones out. Merks is as good as gone, Malts still needs some work in the AHL but is a fine call up and could replace Bastian if he's claimed in the ED, and IMO Boqvist would best be used as trade bait.

They'd need to be far better than a Brian Boyle

Boyle's SH% through his career is hilarious. During his 5 seasons with the Rangers his highest SH% was 9.63, and the other 4 were in the 5.48, 6.67, 3.57, and 4.38. Every other season in his career he had at least a 10.7% (excluding 16-17 where he had an 11.7% with Tampa but then a 0% in his 21 games with Toronto for a 9.9% on the season). The Rangers ability to consistently ruin all good things is astounding. Panarin somehow leveling up after going to the Rangers blows my mind

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

Kuokkanen is 2nd on the team in 5v5 P/60 and 2nd in raw 5v5 pts this year. I think he's a guy who you move around the line up and slot him wherever he's need.

Didn't Danault turn down like a 5x6 deal or something from Montreal? I can't see him signing on to a 3C. Same goes for Nuge. Both of those guys will want bigger roles

That is what he did this year and IMO that should be his role going forward. He started on Mikey's line, went to the Zacha line, played well with Zajac and finished up with Hughes. IMO he should be looked at as our "utility knife" wing.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

That is one way to show you are a sharp GM. Look at how much Sakic signing MacK to his long term deal before he broke out has helped the Avs. Obviously Shara is no MacK but if the organization projects him to be productive 2nd line type moving forward a small risk now could pay big dividends a few years down the road.

They got a bit lucky that McKinnon started his career slow, the comparable player NJ has to sign to McKinnon would be Hughes imo, and my dream this offseason is Fitz signs him to an 8 year extension (to start after 2021-22 season ends). My guess is Hughes and his family are too savvy to ever agree to it but that's the dream offseason contract to sign imo.

 

[FooteBahl]

They got a bit lucky that McKinnon started his career slow, the comparable player NJ has to sign to McKinnon would be Hughes imo, and my dream this offseason is Fitz signs him to an 8 year extension (to start after 2021-22 season ends). My guess is Hughes and his family are too savvy to ever agree to it but that's the dream offseason contract to sign imo.

Perhaps he would be more inclined to take a team friendly deal once we draft baby bro?

 

[Oneiro]

Kuokkanen can be our new Zubrus with less hitting and techno, I guess.

 

[Blackjack]

Kuokkanen is 2nd on the team in 5v5 P/60 and 2nd in raw 5v5 pts this year. I think he's a guy who you move around the line up and slot him wherever he's need.

Didn't Danault turn down like a 5x6 deal or something from Montreal? I can't see him signing on to a 3C. Same goes for Nuge. Both of those guys will want bigger roles

I've heard that bit about Danault and RNH not wanting to be a 3c, but if they're getting power play opportunities, ice time, and quality wingers, does it matter so much if they're a nominal "3c"? Don't players want to play with other good players?

I know Jack and Nico were 1OAs, but they're not Crosby and Malkin, there's a lot of room for another center.

 

[Hisch13r]

I've heard that bit about Danault and RNH not wanting to be a 3c, but if they're getting power play opportunities, ice time, and quality wingers, does it matter so much if they're a nominal "3c"? Don't players want to play with other good players?

I know Jack and Nico were 1OAs, but they're not Crosby and Malkin, there's a lot of room for another center.

Let's say they're ok with it. If you're us and Danault is turning down a 5x6 type deal then are you really going to want to commit even more money and term than that to a guy you project to be your 3C? I don't see the fit with us

 

[Goomba]

Perhaps he would be more inclined to take a team friendly deal once we draft baby bro?

Thats what Im hoping for

 

[FooteBahl]

Thats what Im hoping for

Unless Graeme becomes a superstar and then he takes a team friendly deal when we draft Brandt...it’s a win/win lol