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

[devilsblood]

Ty Smith playing RD would not only improve Ty's offensive output but also spread out the talent we have.

Smith should trial RD in camp and the start of the season, as hes played it before and Ty is a smart enough player to adjust relatively quickly

Don't see many d-men playing their off hand.

And at the NHL level, we are already better on the right side with Sev's and Subban then we are at left.

Take Smith off that left side and we have an unsigned Murray, and either Seig's or Bahl.

 

[MadDevil]

I know I'm in the minority but I would have liked to see a GM change. Early returns on the last draft do not look good at all. I'd hate to look back at it and feel like the two most important drafts being handed to an 'interim' GM are what derailed the rebuild.

He's done well at selling some assets, but that's about it so far.

Nothing says "stable organization" more than being on your third GM in like 16 months.

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm not on the side of judging the draft after 7 months, but guys on this board act like we are the only team that had to deal with the pandemic.

I mean if you’re referring to drafting obviously the pandemic affected everyone equally there. It certainly didn’t affect everyone equally on the ice though. Not when only a few teams had outbreaks compress their schedule even further during the season than it already was (us, Buffalo, Dallas, Philly and Vancouver), and of those teams only us and the Sabres had ten months between any games with no real camp.

I’m not one for making it THE excuse for our horrible season given our recent track record either but facts are facts, the deck was stacked against us more than pretty much any other team.

 

[Goomba]

Don't see many d-men playing their off hand.

And at the NHL level, we are already better on the right side with Sev's and Subban then we are at left.

Take Smith off that left side and we have an unsigned Murray, and either Seig's or Bahl.

Subban and Severson arent signed past two years. So the right side has nothing.

moving Ty there for now is for the future. Also a good amount of defenseman play their offhand in the NHL, especially offensive defenseman like Ty (who has experience playing his offside for this exact reason)

edit: about 65% of NHL defenseman are left handed, so at worst 10-15% of NHL defenders are playing their offhand

 

[Goomba]

Vegas needs cap relief this summer

give me Alex Tuch please

 

[The 29th Pick]

Vegas needs cap relief this summer

give me Alex Tuch please

they say Tuch's brings relief

 

[KovalSNIPE]

Subban and Severson arent signed past two years. So the right side has nothing.

moving Ty there for now is for the future. Also a good amount of defenseman play their offhand in the NHL, especially offensive defenseman like Ty (who has experience playing his offside for this exact reason)

edit: about 65% of NHL defenseman are left handed, so at worst 10-15% of NHL defenders are playing their offhand

I would say Ty has more than just "experience" on the right side. That's basically his natural side that he played all throughout juniors. The fact he had so much success on the left side his rookie season speaks volumes to his potential and adaptability.

 

[Blackjack]

I would say Ty has more than just "experience" on the right side. That's basically his natural side that he played all throughout juniors. The fact he had so much success on the left side his rookie season speaks volumes to his potential and adaptability.

That's been brought up here before, but I think we were told that he played on the right side in Spokane out of necessity rather than it being the side he's more comfortable with.

 

[TheDuke93]

lol what? you might not like holtz’s year but they wanted a goal scorer to slot next to hughes or nico and he could very much excel there. mercer looks great and muk played very well for his age in the khl and had a very good wjc.

Muk also was trending up the entire season then got hurt. Holtz was playing fantastic then got hurt and his season started trending down, while still flashing. Mercer started very slow and then his play picked up a ton.

Now Mercer is an amazing prospect and the other two are bad? This shit makes no f***ing sense. Zacha was dog and spun tires for 6 years. Better fire the GM right now!

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I'm not on the side of judging the draft after 7 months, but guys on this board act like we are the only team that had to deal with the pandemic.

who said that? Certainly not me.

The point still remains. Making rash judgments (one way or the other) literally half a year after these guys were picked is moronic.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Vegas needs cap relief this summer

give me Alex Tuch please

in my dreams

I have been banging the table for him for like 4 years at this point

 

[Triumph]

Mercer's season is not that amazing. It's very good, it is not spectacular.

Zacha: 1.25 PPG
McLeod: 1.28 PPG
Mercer: 1.57 PPG

It's clearly better, but it's also a short season and I would not be at all surprised if McLeod or Zacha have a 23 game run in their seasons with 37 points. The playoff performance by Mercer is also quite encouraging, but he is not ripping up junior hockey.

 

[The 29th Pick]

I want these guys to work their way up to the big club, not just hand them a spot cause we're a desperate team

 

[devilsblood]

Mercer's season is not that amazing. It's very good, it is not spectacular.

Zacha: 1.25 PPG
McLeod: 1.28 PPG
Mercer: 1.57 PPG

It's clearly better, but it's also a short season and I would not be at all surprised if McLeod or Zacha have a 23 game run in their seasons with 37 points. The playoff performance by Mercer is also quite encouraging, but he is not ripping up junior hockey.

I'd also note that his stretch with Drummondville last year, in terms of production, was very similar to his production this year. So as you say very good, but not necessarily a big jump in play.

 

[devilsblood]

I want these guys to work their way up to the big club, not just hand them a spot cause we're a desperate team

Agree, and while we may not be a good team, we are certainly not a team desperate for young fwd talent. It's the one thing we have plenty of actually.

Let Mercer start the year in the AHL. And let the young guys who were in the NHL try and build off the foundation they laid down this past year.

 

[The 29th Pick]

Agree, and while we may not be a good team, we are certainly not a team desperate for young fwd talent. It's the one thing we have plenty of actually.

Let Mercer start the year in the AHL. And let the young guys who were in the NHL try and build off the foundation they laid down this past year.

yeah we have needs on D and in goal, we can sign a vet or two there, the forwards for the most part are in good shape

 

[Guttersniped]

I don’t think need had jack to do with the Muhk pick, it was an upside/skill play with a third first rounder. The fact his early season scoring likely played into the pick just underscore the complications of drafting last year and this year even more so. People also make too much of need being used as a tiebreaker between guys in the same tier of prospects, it’s always easy to remember the so-called need picks that went awry.

It wasn’t wrong to use the European pro leagues earlier starts when drafting in 2020. Muk playing in the KHL allowed the team to see him play, it wasn’t like the team just his box scores.

Who I want a different GM? I like our scouts and picks generally so I’m not interested in “cleaning house”. Fitz isn’t my ultimate dream GM but who’s the potential replacement? Why would they be better? Is it worth the upheaval? Is now the time for that?

 

[Guttersniped]

My understanding of the Blackwood pick was that Shero told Conte to take his highest rated goalie in the 2nd.

IIRC, Shero said they were going to take Aho but Carolina got him with their pick so he traded back for a goalie.

 

[Triumph]

Mukhamadullin's early season success probably had a decent amount to do with the pick but I'd be pretty surprised if the Devils didn't think that production would go down. His team was going through a covid/injury problem at the time so he got a bigger role/usage and did well in that role but once all the vets returned they're not going to give an 18 year old defenseman that same usage.

Not only that, but he still afaik set the KHL record for a points in a season by a 18/19 year old D. This is just not a league where they get ice time. For him to be a 7th D getting 13 minutes of ice time is by itself impressive.

 

[nugg]

Vegas needs cap relief this summer

give me Alex Tuch please

Just looking for some Tuch...

 

[RSeen]

I wouldn't mind going after Tuch as well. 5 more years at 4.75M and is 25.

Though last season was pretty horrible, he seems to have rebounded. Even though I have more of a propensity to value strong even strength metrics, watching the playoffs reminds me of just how much of a shift there is in terms of physical play relative to the regular season. Tuch could be a good top 6 winger for us that could make an impact in the playoffs.

 

[RSeen]

Also in regards to physical play, got to like our 4th line of Wood-McLeod-Bastian and how their play can transfer to the playoffs.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I have to think if Vegas was looking to dump salary they'd find guys to get rid of before Tuch.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

isn't the Q different scoring-wise than the OHL?

Also 1.25 vs 1.57 is kind of a decent difference if we're being fair

 

[Forge]

I have to think if Vegas was looking to dump salary they'd find guys to get rid of before Tuch.

Yeah, I don't see that happening either. I don't even think they are in awful shape. May not being Martinez back, but at 33, you're at that point regardless