GDT: Devils..Free Agent signing day

[Hisch13r]

I like that you're a little more blunt than me

A week ago I would've just said f*** it and let's see how it goes. Now with Dougie I'd at least like to make a push for the playoffs. Unless he's improved a ton you're not doing it with him

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

There has to be a plan for the 3C right? They can't possibly have let a guy like Bonino just stroll right by them for a massive bargain with no alternative in mind because they think Boqvist or say Zacha can take that spot instead. You're not going anywhere with that as your 3C and they seem to want to make a push. There just has to be something else coming

Zacha should be nowhere near the center ice spot, either play him at the wing or trade him. Guy looked lost at center last year and did well once he was attached on the wing.

 

[Hisch13r]

Zacha should be nowhere near the center ice spot, either play him at the wing or trade him. Guy looked lost at center last year and did well once he was attached on the wing.

I more than agree but Fitz said recently he thinks Zacha can play center. If we don't get another center I wouldn't be surprised if they throw him back in there

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

A week ago I would've just said f*** it and let's see how it goes. Now with Dougie I'd at least like to make a push for the playoffs. Unless he's improved a ton you're not doing it with him

Jesper Boqvist is not making or breaking the 2021-2022 Devils, lol.

 

[TheDuke93]

The only possible downside I can see to Tatar is his questionable playoffs. I don't care about that because I'm far more worried about just getting there while also not hampering the future. Tatar is great option to make that happen

This technically Zajac was always awesome in the playoffs but we repeatedly failed to get there. Being a "playoff performer" doesn't mean shit if they can't get there.

 

[Guttersniped]

Uh oh @Guttersniped

 

[Nubmer6]

Any thoughts on signing Danton Heinen for 3C? It seems he wasn't qualified, and my fit that slot, or at least be an insurance center.

 

[Hisch13r]

Any thoughts on signing Danton Heinen for 3C? It seems he wasn't qualified, and my fit that slot, or at least be an insurance center.

If there’s nothing else then maybe. He hasn’t been all that good though

 

[Emperoreddy]

A week ago I would've just said f*** it and let's see how it goes. Now with Dougie I'd at least like to make a push for the playoffs. Unless he's improved a ton you're not doing it with him

They have to sign someone so we aren't going in with too many unproven wingers, but I wouldn't blame them if it was just one or two stop gaps as they might not want long term blockers for our better forward kids.

Not the worst idea to give someone like Zacha a full year at wing and finally settle whether he can be a top 6 forward or not.

 

[Forge]

I feel like we have two medium-big sized moves planned for

 

[Hisch13r]

They have to sign someone so we aren't going in with too many unproven wingers, but I wouldn't blame them if it was just one or two stop gaps as they might not want long term blockers for our better forward kids.

Not the worst idea to give someone like Zacha a full year at wing and finally settle whether he can be a top 6 forward or not.

I agree on stopgaps. What I want is Krejci and Tatar as 1-2 year stopgaps. At the very least the 3C needs to get sured up and you’d hope there’s a good winger on top of that

 

[Auto Pilot]

Tarasenko, Hamilton, Bernier, hell and possibly Saad as well given how we offers him a contract? Nice off season.

saads charts.

 

[Auto Pilot]

I more than agree but Fitz said recently he thinks Zacha can play center. If we don't get another center I wouldn't be surprised if they throw him back in there

I disagree big time with Fitz about Zacha playing center. His metrics are terrible and he’s better off on the wing.

 

[TheDuke93]

I disagree big time with Fitz about Zacha playing center. His metrics are terrible and he’s better off on the wing.

I like a lot of what Fitz has done prior to the Dougie signing. With that said Zacha is the perfect "body" to be a center, hope he and the scouting/development staff can differentiate a players actually strengths and if they can play center at the level required to be effective.

 

[Devil made me do it]

I am impressed with Fitz. Drafted 3 solid prospects with the first 3 picks, all positions of need. Got Graves in a trade to bring defensive depth which we lacked, acquired a proven veteran backup in Bernier and then got the best player in free agency and a RD in Hamilton who fills our most important need as a team. Got rid of Butcher. These are smart moves that a savvy GM typically makes. If he adds a LW, I would rate this offseason an A+.
The team is being constructed in the smartest way possible.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I disagree big time with Fitz about Zacha playing center. His metrics are terrible and he’s better off on the wing.

Hopefully Cane and Dellow make Fitz aware of this before the season since we can see it as well as fans

 

[Emperoreddy]

I agree on stopgaps. What I want is Krejci and Tatar as 1-2 year stopgaps. At the very least the 3C needs to get sured up and you’d hope there’s a good winger on top of that

Long term LW is going to need to be addressed. Bratt is the only guy that is locked in there. I am not convinced Zacha is the answer, and while I like Foote, I rather not bet it all on him being the answer either.

Sooner or later we will need to go big game hunting again for that.

Short term RW is shallow, but long term we are in far better shape. Lots of depth in the organization to fill that whole side internally if we are lucky.

3C is definitely an issue too. It would be ideal if Zacha could lock that down assuming if top 6 winger doesn't work, but again not something I want to totally bank on. Some insurance there would go a long way

Short term one more stop gap LD (or someone comfortable playing both sides) also makes sense. Long term we should be rock solid on the left side. Smith is the real deal and Hughes should be too. Good depth there so one of the big boys should be able to eventually lock down that 3rd pairing shutdown, PK machine.

Right side depends a lot on Severson. Will need to go outside to find a shut down guy on the right.

Very curious to see how Subban looks in a more limited role. I think he might excel at it. If he does it might not be the worst idea to bring him back on a more team friendly short term deal.

I feel really good about where our D is overall though once everyone grows into their roles.

Forward is trickier but the hardest part is the top 6 center spots and I think we are set there

 

[Hisch13r]

Long term LW is going to need to be addressed. Bratt is the only guy that is locked in there. I am not convinced Zacha is the answer, and while I like Foote, I rather not bet it all on him being the answer either.

Sooner or later we will need to go big game hunting again for that.

Short term RW is shallow, but long term we are in far better shape. Lots of depth in the organization to fill that whole side internally if we are lucky.

3C is definitely an issue too. It would be ideal if Zacha could lock that down assuming if top 6 winger doesn't work, but again not something I want to totally bank on. Some insurance there would go a long way

Short term one more stop gap LD (or someone comfortable playing both sides) also makes sense. Long term we should be rock solid on the left side. Smith is the real deal and Hughes should be too. Good depth there so one of the big boys should be able to eventually lock down that 3rd pairing shutdown, PK machine.

Right side depends a lot on Severson. Will need to go outside to find a shut down guy on the right.

Very curious to see how Subban looks in a more limited role. I think he might excel at it. If he does it might not be the worst idea to bring him back on a more team friendly short term deal.

I feel really good about where our D is overall though once everyone grows into their roles.

Forward is trickier but the hardest part is the top 6 center spots and I think we are set there

We might not need long term LW. It could end up being something like Bratt, Sharangovich, Foote and that might work with the right side being Holtz, Mercer, Kuokkanen. It won't end up playing out that way but I don't think it's necessarily something that'll need to be addressed with 5 potential guys in Bratt, Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Zacha, Foote.

We have a HUGE need for a stop gap 3C. There's no chance Zacha locks up the 3C. He's legitimately one of the worst players in the league when he plays center. He gets it to work on the wing or he's nothing and he's gone. My hope is Mercer develops into the long term 3C. I don't hate the idea of trying out Kuokkanen in the middle at some point and seeing how that goes

I don't think we need a stop gap LD. Smith, Graves, Siegenthaler should be good enough in the short term before guys like Hughes, Bahl, Muk, Vukojevic, etc. start to push for spots.

Agreed on the right side. Locking down Severson would solidify our RD in a big way

 

[Emperoreddy]

I completely forgot about Rango