Confirmed with Link: Devils re-sign Mirco Mueller (2 years, $850k AAV)

[Sgt Brylin]

In Jim's defence, most people here wrote this off as a "s**t trade" and "waste of picks" when it happened. Without (like Jim) knowing a single thing about what Shero and his staff saw in him (which was clearly something).

 

[GameSeven]

In Jim's defence, most people here wrote this off as a "s**t trade" and "waste of picks" when it happened. Without (like Jim) knowing a single thing about what Shero and his staff saw in him (which was clearly something).

I don't think there's anything to defend at all yet. These are only a couple of preseason games after all.

That said, what we've seen from MM is encouraging. In addition to the points, his all around play has been pretty solid. His combination of size, skating, and sound decision making gives hope that he could be a solid contributor at the NHL level. If his shot develops into a plus attribute, that would be great as well.

 

[Burner Account]

In Jim's defence, most people here wrote this off as a "s**t trade" and "waste of picks" when it happened. Without (like Jim) knowing a single thing about what Shero and his staff saw in him (which was clearly something).

Which is a poor evaluative model to begin with.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

Beautiful

 

[AfroThunder396]

It's almost like he's an NHL caliber defenseman that's been polishing his game in the minors for three years because he's 22 and his NHL team had veteran depth on defense

 

[njdevil26]

Wow. Been VERY impressed with him

 

[HBK27]

In Jim's defence, most people here wrote this off as a "s**t trade" and "waste of picks" when it happened. Without (like Jim) knowing a single thing about what Shero and his staff saw in him (which was clearly something).

Some, but not most in my opinion.

I think a lot of people questioned the trade, not knowing much about Mueller and it seemed to be a lot to pay for his track record - but I think most people figured there must be some reason why Shero was willing to pay this price for him and were willing to wait and see how he plays versus writing off the trade.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Some, but not most in my opinion.

I think a lot of people questioned the trade, not knowing much about Mueller and it seemed to be a lot to pay for his track record - but I think most people figured there must be some reason why Shero was willing to pay this price for him and were willing to wait and see how he plays versus writing off the trade.

I was one of those. Shero's trading has so far been a net-very-positive. In my eyes, he's earned the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

It's almost like he's an NHL caliber defenseman that's been polishing his game in the minors for three years because he's 22 and his NHL team had veteran depth on defense

also kinda like Pete Deboer was unable to correctly use and/or coach a young Euro defenseman with a pretty sound defensive game but not much offensive flash.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Beautiful

The pass was nice and all, but how does Todd Cordell watch that clip and it's the pass that he raves about?

Did he miss the part where Mueller stripped 1 forward of the puck and then faked the 2nd forward out of his jock and onto the ice before the pass?

 

[BenedictGomez]

It's almost like he's an NHL caliber defenseman that's been polishing his game in the minors for three years because he's 22 and his NHL team had veteran depth on defense

I know, right?

I mean, WHOEVER could have possibly seen that coming!?!?

 

[MichaelJ]

The pass was nice and all, but how does Todd Cordell watch that clip and it's the pass that he raves about?

Did he miss the part where Mueller stripped 1 forward of the puck and then faked the 2nd forward out of his jock and onto the ice before the pass?

I thought he was referencing the entire sequence

 

[BenedictGomez]

I thought he was referencing the entire sequence

You're correct. My bad. Comprehension fail on my part.

 

[Bleedred]

His offense probably isn't this good, but he's looked pretty good in other areas. I didn't catch any of last night, other than highlights. He's actually a pretty decent ''Puck mover'', in the sense that he can skate and escape his zone, not so much in the sense that he will rack up points offensively.

 

[GameSeven]

His offense probably isn't this good, but he's looked pretty good in other areas. I didn't catch any of last night, other than highlights. He's actually a pretty decent ''Puck mover'', in the sense that he can skate and escape his zone, not so much in the sense that he will rack up points offensively.

Agreed. But this team sorely needs some of that from the back-end, so I'm fine if that's what he is, along with chipping in the odd chance here and there.

 

[Classic Devil]

His offense probably isn't this good, but he's looked pretty good in other areas. I didn't catch any of last night, other than highlights. He's actually a pretty decent ''Puck mover'', in the sense that he can skate and escape his zone, not so much in the sense that he will rack up points offensively.

Given that moving the puck out of our zone has probably been the franchise's biggest deficiency for the last two years, I'm very happy with this. You really don't need that many defensemen who will rack up lots of points.

 

[Bleedred]

Agreed. But this team sorely needs some of that from the back-end, so I'm fine if that's what he is, along with chipping in the odd chance here and there.

Given that moving the puck out of our zone has probably been the franchise's biggest deficiency for the last two years, I'm very happy with this. You really don't need that many defensemen who will rack up lots of points.

I don't think his passing is nearly as good as Larsson's, but his ability to skate and skate with the puck is quite a bit better.

I remember watching college highlights of Santini a few years ago, and thinking he exited his zone with the puck quite nicely. Even though it seemed he was billed as a more talented Colin White.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Mueller-Santini seems like it could be a good mobile shutdown pairing for the modern NHL. I doubt either ever becomes anything offensively, but they both look like they have the skillset to be solid defensive dmen.

 

[Missionhockey]

I think the fear with Mueller is that Shero might have traded for him strictly on draft pedigree. There is a lot of evidence out there that Mueller has not performed to expectations with SJ, even Cordell didn't like the trade when looking at the advanced numbers he posted in the minors, so I think the skepticism was deserved.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Given that moving the puck out of our zone has probably been the franchise's biggest deficiency for the last two years, I'm very happy with this. You really don't need that many defensemen who will rack up lots of points.

You mean since Rafalski left in 2007? Other than a few years of Zidlicky we've been completely impotent in this area.

 

[Wingman77]

You mean since Rafalski left in 2007? Other than a few years of Zidlicky we've been completely impotent in this area.

From 2008-2015, along with Zidlicky, we were able to get by with the likes of Martin, Oduya, and Greene who weren't on Rafalski's level of offensive contribution, but were still able to add offense and move the puck out of the zone. Since trading Zidlicky, it's been an offensive wasteland outside of Damon Severson who was at the time just breaking in and to this day still growing.

 

[tailfins]

I was skeptical of the trade from day 1. I've missed the two games Mueller has played, but I'm excited about the reports from this board.

Still, I don't know how much to really read into pre-season results or even performance. As others have noted, the Avs were undefeated in pre-season last year. Particularly in early pre-season games, there are lots of players playing in new roles, lots of junior / AHL talent, vets just trying to avoid getting injured, and very little offensive cohesion.

The thing that concerns me is what happens when time and space are taken away from our D?

If Mueller and the rest of our D are able to keep up their play when the intensity ramps up, it'll be fantastic to see.

 

[NJDevs26]

I was skeptical of the trade from day 1. I've missed the two games Mueller has played, but I'm excited about the reports from this board.

Still, I don't know how much to really read into pre-season results or even performance. As others have noted, the Avs were undefeated in pre-season last year. Particularly in early pre-season games, there are lots of players playing in new roles, lots of junior / AHL talent, vets just trying to avoid getting injured, and very little offensive cohesion.

The thing that concerns me is what happens when time and space are taken away from our D?

If Mueller and the rest of our D are able to keep up their play when the intensity ramps up, it'll be fantastic to see.

I'm also dialing down the optomism a little till the games count (just last year Auvitu was a camp darling and actually had a couple of good games before falling off) but considering Mueller wasn't even producing in the AHL last year in a way it's an odd step up he's producing in preseason this year.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

I'm also dialing down the optomism a little till the games count (just last year Auvitu was a camp darling and actually had a couple of good games before falling off) but considering Mueller wasn't even producing in the AHL last year in a way it's an odd step up he's producing in preseason this year.

Auvitu while putting up points in pre-season games, never looked defensively sound like Mueller has been so far.

 

[devilsblood]

I think the fear with Mueller is that Shero might have traded for him strictly on draft pedigree. There is a lot of evidence out there that Mueller has not performed to expectations with SJ, even Cordell didn't like the trade when looking at the advanced numbers he posted in the minors, so I think the skepticism was deserved.

1)My thought, or at least it became my thought somewhere along the line is, he traded for him because he could skate. Yes other things played in as well, great size, from what I saw looked to be solid defensively, looks like he can shoot it, but his prominant skill is his skating, and we know Shero likes that in his d-men.

2)Ya even his +1 year in juniors was very unspectacular. His offensive #'s in the AHL were not impressive, and the Sharks brought in vet d-men via free agency which squeezed him out. So I'm not buying this idea that Mueller was actually playing great over there just couldn't crack the lineup because they were so stacked on the blue line.

I also think Shero was probably willing to overpay a little given we had such an immediate need, and we had and still have a ton of picks.