Confirmed with Link: Devils Sign RW Wayne Simmonds (1 Yr., $5,000,000)

[TheDuke93]

Provided Hynes uses him correctly - PP1 time, but not a top 6 RW, this will be fine. He shouldn't be playing significant minutes at even strength.

If Hynes understands that, I think it's fine.

If

I actually mentioned this exact thing to @Zajacs Bowl Cut this morning. Funny how that worked out. Tomorrow, I will win the mega millions on a quick pick ticket purchased at a Wawa self service machine.

If that happens you better getting the HF boys tickets to at least one game.

 

[MadDevil]

As of right now, i don't really like this deal.... the only good thing is the term...

I didn't catch up on full thread, yet. I thought people were really unhappy with his performance last season to the eye test...

He had a down season, and given his age and playing style it's entirely likely it was him hitting the wall that similar type players hit. Or he could have simply had a bad year. Either way I think it's fine to give him a chance. We have plenty of cap room and it's only for a year, so if he is finished we can bury him on the 4th line or scratch him. I think the only way it could hurt is if he's terrible and the coaching staff refuses to admit it and keeps overplaying him.

 

[Billdo]

As of right now, i don't really like this deal.... the only good thing is the term...

I didn't catch up on full thread, yet. I thought people were really unhappy with his performance last season to the eye test...

What exactly don't you like?

 

[MadDevil]

If Simmonds doesn't play with either Nico or Hughes, a Coleman-Zajac-Simmonds third line could be an absolute pain in the ass to play against.

 

[jkrdevil]

What exactly don't you like?

I’m not going to speak for him, but his 5-on-5 numbers were comparable with Drew Stafford. Potentially pairing him with an 18 year old center and another non-play driving winger is not a recipe for success. It is something i worry about given he exactly haven’t driven play over all under this coaching staff.

They still basically have a forward slot to fill. Hopefully it is someone who can drive play a little.

 

[Triumph]

Wayne Simmonds isn't even big. He is taller than the average NHL player but he is also lighter than the average player - he's listed at 6'2" 185.

Simmonds hasn't played with guys who are going to lug the puck as much as Hughes and Hall. Can he be a pure finisher? His stats don't exactly suggest it. but we'll see.

 

[NJDevs26]

BTW perhaps an explanation for his down year last year (per Morreale):

Simmonds had surgery May 1, 2018 to repair a pelvis tear on his right side and a torn abdominal muscle on his left side. He also missed the Predators final three playoff games after being hit in the knee with a shot during Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round against the Dallas Stars.

"When you have (pelvis and groin) surgery like that they tell you to take 9-12 months to recover," Simmonds said. "It's safe to say it kind of hurt me a little bit last year but at the same time I'm going to continue to play hockey to help my team. Last year, from those surgeries I didn't get a lot of time to train in the summer and the summer was spent primarily rehabbing so there were a lot of ups and downs last year. I've already been in the gym for six weeks this year so it's going to be a big change and I'm just looking forward to proving everybody wrong to be honest with you."

Simmonds agrees to one-year contract with Devils

 

[My3Sons]

Takes two to tango. If I'm Nico, I honestly don't know any reason why I would sign this deal at that point.

Because if you don’t sign maybe you get injured next season and maybe your next contract isn’t until after a lockout that kills an entire season and doesn’t end until 2021 and you aren’t getting paid until then and maybe you don’t get to make up that difference if the landscape post lockout isn’t as rosy as anticipated.

Maybe you throw out a number you’d like on a long term deal since the team won’t have much incentive to sign a short term deal that only favors the player prior to the lockout?

This stuff works both ways.

 

[bodda]

As someone who watched most of the games from Boqvists injury-free dominant season in SHL (2nd in entire SHL in 5v5 points on a bad team), I think he'll impress enough in camp to get a spot. Kid is a great hockey player. Nothing left to prove in SHL imo.
But he's kind of a top-6 or bust player, so I think he'll get an audition there. If it doesn't work out, and when the injury bug hits, Simmonds could be a good player to move up from the bottom-6.
Could be a good mentor for Bastian as well.
And if the season goes to shit, we could always sell him at the deadline to get a 2nd back for next years draft.

 

[Whaddagoal]

What exactly don't you like?

Mostly the cost vs. perceived value. 5m seems a lot for an early aging grinding power fwd guy. He's played a very heavy style for a long time...it may have caught up to him. Just my opinion, of course.

I hope he doesn't end up on 3rd or 4th line. we have other guys that could be there, younger or cheaper.

I hope he does well here for us, of course, not to be mistaken.

He had a down season, and given his age and playing style it's entirely likely it was him hitting the wall that similar type players hit. Or he could have simply had a bad year. Either way I think it's fine to give him a chance. We have plenty of cap room and it's only for a year, so if he is finished we can bury him on the 4th line or scratch him. I think the only way it could hurt is if he's terrible and the coaching staff refuses to admit it and keeps overplaying him.

I'm open for chances as well, hopefully it was just a bad year, but I remember watching him a bit, and reading some posts on him earlier last season. I just hope some young, talented cheaper guys don't lose out a spot or better opportunity if he ends up not doing well. Obviously 1 year, so its only this year, but still, 1 year is 1 year of some youngsters development growth.

 

[Billdo]

And if the season goes to ****, we could always sell him at the deadline to get a 2nd back for next years draft.

To Nashville for our 2nd rounder back

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

who cares how much his salary is honestly

I still am not sold on signing him but its 1 year. He could make $15 million for all I care.

 

[Nubmer6]

I'm open for chances as well, hopefully it was just a bad year, but I remember watching him a bit, and reading some posts on him earlier last season. I just hope some young, talented cheaper guys don't lose out a spot or better opportunity if he ends up not doing well. Obviously 1 year, so its only this year, but still, 1 year is 1 year of some youngsters development growth.

I think we're already going to have Hughes, Smith, and probably Boqvist on the team, with Anderson and Bastian getting a shot. That's already a lot of rookies. I don't think he'll be holding anyone back.

 

[Triumph]

who cares how much his salary is honestly

I still am not sold on signing him but its 1 year. He could make $15 million for all I care.

This, it's almost impossible to sign players with Simmonds' background for 1 year, and that's what the Devils want. I'd like it if they offered Gardiner 1 year at $8M too. They're nowhere close to the salary cap.

 

[Whaddagoal]

I think we're already going to have Hughes, Smith, and probably Boqvist on the team, with Anderson and Bastian getting a shot. That's already a lot of rookies. I don't think he'll be holding anyone back.

True, just my initial feel on the signing. Did anyone try to build lines with him yet? Hypothetically if nothing else changed?

This maybe moot anyway as there's still half an off season to go, who the hell knows who signs or gets dished out before October.

 

[RangerDoggo]

If Simmonds plays on the 2nd line with Hughes and Bratt, I hope it’ll be because he earns his spot and not out of some misguided notion that they need to be protected by a big burly man. As critical as I can be about Hynes, I’m confident that he’ll need to earn it first, because that’s how it’s been under his tenure.

We’ll see. It’s hard to hate it given that it’s one year and teams have done so much worse today.

 

[Call Me Al]

its one year and low risk/high reward. it’s perfectly plausible that his hip and lower body injuries which required surgery caused his down years. he still has a body and still has hands, let’s see what a full offseason can do. he still put up 24 goals playing on a f*cked hip 2 seasons ago. 31 isn’t geriatric in the nhl anymore the way these guys train

worse comes to worse he sets a good veteran example and plays bottom six for one season

 

[Forge]

Because if you don’t sign maybe you get injured next season and maybe your next contract isn’t until after a lockout that kills an entire season and doesn’t end until 2021 and you aren’t getting paid until then and maybe you don’t get to make up that difference if the landscape post lockout isn’t as rosy as anticipated.

Maybe you throw out a number you’d like on a long term deal since the team won’t have much incentive to sign a short term deal that only favors the player prior to the lockout?

This stuff works both ways.

The injury thing is a little overblown in my opinion. It seldom happens (especially in Hockey), and there is typically insurance that they can carry.

The lockout thing is legit though...that could be a driving force to getting an extension as quickly as possible.

 

[Missionhockey]

Shero took out an insurance policy to protect Hughes. I wanted Ferland but Simmonds has a more proven track record on the PP and we really needed a net front presence. Makes perfect sense and his contract won't hurt us so it's hard to be mad at in my opinion.

 

[Camille the Eel]

He can finish around the net, has good hands, can play down low, is extremely (repeat extremely) competitive. An unselfish player too. Shero and the staff must believe there’s tread left on the tires.

A veteran for the dressing room too and someone who will lead by example.

This is a nice signing. He can do a lot of what Maroon does in terms of playing a heavy game down low. He punches harder than his weight.

I also think this reflects a push to win this year, not just be a bubble team but do some damage. I doubt Shero is done yet.

 

[Classic Devil]

I think this is a great signing. He's motivated and should bring a bit of grit, and can play up and down the lineup, and does no damage to the team's future cap situation. It's perfect.

If he sucks, he sucks. I mean, worst case scenario he's Stafford.

 

[TonySoprano]

I am just scared that Hynes will use him as a 2nd line winger, and he may not be that anymore.

 

[Devil made me do it]

Solid move once again by Shero. We needed a RW and he got the player that was best fit without overpaying on a multi year deal.
Devils have enough elite/impact players on their squad to not have to overspend on more top offensive wingers. We need a solid veteran LD and this team is looking like a cup contender next season.
It is remarkable how Shero has transformed this Devils team into perennial contender so quickly, with a bit of lottery luck and shrewd trade moves. The only really bad move he has made was drafting Mcleod. Everything else has been magic. Best GM in the league without a shred of doubt.

 

[kiwidevil]

Even in his worst season, he scored 17??? While shooting his lowest % ever in reality???

That's likely to be within the top 5-6 goal scorers on this team, worst case scenario.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Simmonds is going to be keeping our boys safe out there. I wanna see Coleman and Simmondsplay on the same line while getting under the skin of the other teams.