Confirmed with Link: Devils sign Tlusty to one-year one-way deal

[Emperoreddy]

theres always the waived option if it doesnt work out

…shero stockpiling and starting some real competition for spots.

What I like. Let the hungriest guys win. Gives something for the kids who go back to Albany to learn from and if they don't. They get the boot.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I think the common consensus (At least I feel this way) is that nobody expects every prospect who cracks the lineup this year will pan out and become legit NHL caliber players. But over the last several seasons there have been players held back or set back in their development path because of the status quo mentality. I would rather miss the playoffs and see hope for the future, see some direction and have some optimism that we are a step closer to competing than miss the players with a bunch of past their prime useless players. Check how many forward we had in our lineup the past two seasons under the age of 30 and get back to me. PLayers like Boucher and Matteau (whether some feel they are ready or not or will end up meeting their potential or not) could have already been in the league in favor of Zubrus and Jagr or Gomez. Despite how productive they were. We were going nowhere.

We still have players with NHL experience. Nobody thinks or expects us to be a all rookie or unproven team of prospects that are rounding out a roster. Even with Tlusty, if you asked me my prediction on the guys that will end up making the team that fall into the prospect or kids category I think it will be Kalinen, Zacha, Matteau and Boucher. And there is room for them. Whether they establish themselves as a mainstay and effective players that are a part of our future or not remains to be seen. But our player development and utilization of players we drafted have been effected over the recent years because we were a veteran team that rans its course.

This was all very well said.

Depending on who is in the top 6 that can be a second line. Thoigh I thought Blandasi played RW when he didn't play center?

I'd read that as well, though he's a lefty. Hopefully that's not some point of contention anymore, because that was maddening in a lot of cases.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think the common consensus (At least I feel this way) is that nobody expects every prospect who cracks the lineup this year will pan out and become legit NHL caliber players. But over the last several seasons there have been players held back or set back in their development path because of the status quo mentality. I would rather miss the playoffs and see hope for the future, see some direction and have some optimism that we are a step closer to competing than miss the players with a bunch of past their prime useless players. Check how many forward we had in our lineup the past two seasons under the age of 30 and get back to me. PLayers like Boucher and Matteau (whether some feel they are ready or not or will end up meeting their potential or not) could have already been in the league in favor of Zubrus and Jagr or Gomez. Despite how productive they were. We were going nowhere.

We still have players with NHL experience. Nobody thinks or expects us to be a all rookie or unproven team of prospects that are rounding out a roster. Even with Tlusty, if you asked me my prediction on the guys that will end up making the team that fall into the prospect or kids category I think it will be Kalinen, Zacha, Matteau and Boucher. And there is room for them. Whether they establish themselves as a mainstay and effective players that are a part of our future or not remains to be seen. But our player development and utilization of players we drafted have been effected over the recent years because we were a veteran team that rans its course.

I'm quoting this again because it's really well said.

Five star post. Would read again.

 

[MichaelJ]

Depending on who is in the top 6 that can be a second line. Thoigh I thought Blandasi played RW when he didn't play center?

I just put Blandisi on the LW because of his LH shot. If he's more comfortable on the right that's cool.

My hope is that they're good enough to be a 2nd line but that the talent put together in the top6 pushes them down. I really hope Shero can build depth.

 

[ghdi]

I like this signing, but I don't like the fact that it might mean the trade market is dry. Oh well.

Absolute nonsense. It's September. There is no trade market at all yet and rarely beyond a few players is there one at this point. Teams are just getting into the process of preparing for camp and there's only two teams that have work to do to become cap compliant and a few others that want to make more room but have time to do it. The trade market will start to manifest once the preseason gets rolling/players make teams, guys get hurt, etc. Its far too early to think like this. Every team is a contender until the season starts.

Love the signing. Tlusty is a no-risk, high reward acquisition. If he comes in and tears it up we can re-sign him as he's still young enough that he can contribute for a few more years or we can use him at the deadline as a sort of low rent Jagr. Worst case he sucks, gets scratched/buried for someone else and hes gone in less than a year. Best, we turn him into another mid round pick/prospect or he has some staying power and lasts a few years.

 

[Devilsfan992]

I honestly feel bad for Tlusty. Thirty point campaign for the last three years only gets you 800K? Zacha will be paid more than that before his first NHL game.

 

[R8Devs]

Zacha has been paid 92.5k. There's no way Zacha he's already made more than 800k haha--that would be crazy. His base salary is 125k more than Tlusty's.


But yeah a guy like Tlusty should be making more than 3mil at this stage in his career, he'll probably get that next year if he does well.

 

[mtnet]

Diggin this signing for another NHL'er on the cheap who at best could contribute and at worst is backfill for a forward roster where a great deal of uncertainty abounds anyway. Like keeping a stash of petty cash around in the event we already wrote some bum checks to unproven players that don't pay off next year.

At least Tlusty is a known quantity so if things don't work out here we all part ways no worse for the wear. We've got an open field so I'm hoping some new additions can appreciate the opportunity to make a name for themselves amongst a largely underwhelming roster. That said, welcome aboard.

 

[Devilswede]

Don't forget who reported about the interest in Tlusty back in July.

I really like the deal. It's cheaper than I thought. I think he will fit in nicely and given a nice opportunity here.

 

[Bleedred]

Suppose this guy scores 20 goals by the deadline, he's gotta be worth a 2nd round pick to somebody. He got Carolina a 3rd round pick last year after 23 points in 52 games. Even if he's at a similar pace this year for us, he's still probably worth a third rounder to someone.

Also I wanna note, it's not likely he'll score 20 goals by the deadline. I wouldn't bet on it or expect it, neither should anyone else. Though stranger things have happened and even worse players have achieved greater. Steve Bernier last season, and David Clarkson scored 30 one year and had 10 goals in 14 games the next season. If Tlusty hits a Clarkson like hot streak like the one to start out the lockout season, he could hit a decent amount of goals for us. Also provided he doesn't completely grenade after those 14 games like Clarkson did. Even Clarkson still had 14 or 15 goals in 48 games that season with how incredibly useless he was in the last 30+ games, just because of that 10 goals in 14 game streak to start the season. Even Tlusty himself scored 23 goals in 48 games that same season. With a lot of luck and some unsustainable shooting percentage, he can possibly overachieve and get us at least a good pick at the deadline.

Once again, I wanna stress that I don't believe there's a good chance he'll hit that number. I think the chances are very low. It's just some food for thought for people who think this will slowdown the rebuild. If he can do what he did for Carolina last year pre deadline, he probably gets us a third. If he can outproduce that, he might get us a second. If he stinks and becomes Brunner, we get nothing, but it only cost us a measely $800k grand and one year. And his roster spot won't be blocking anyone this time next year, whether that's a young player who should be in the lineup by then, or a better signing that we could be making (think Gomez not being signed because they didn't want him on the 4th line and we still had Brunner) to someone else.

Right now, I don't see him really blocking anyone. Boucher? I'm sorry but Boucher hasn't looked like an NHL player outside of his first call up 2 years ago and a couple preseason games last year. And maybe literally one or two games in his call up last season.

 

[Bleedred]

I honestly feel bad for Tlusty. Thirty point campaign for the last three years only gets you 800K? Zacha will be paid more than that before his first NHL game.

I'm thinking he priced himself out of the market or something.

Worse players or ones on par with him had deals way before he did.

We've had far worse players than this signed in the last couple years. We actually paid Rostislav Olesz a million for a one year contract after he was bought out and he had been playing in the AHL for like 2 or maybe even 3 years?

We hardly paid him anything after terminating the contract, he didn't look like he was gonna be very useful when we signed him though. And we were actually supposed to be competing then.

Bobby Butler a few years back? We had a lot of really bad players that lockout season.

 

[MichaelJ]

Don't forget who reported about the interest in Tlusty back in July.

I really like the deal. It's cheaper than I thought. I think he will fit in nicely and given a nice opportunity here.

Thanks as always. Any scuttle? Don't leave us hanging lol

 

[day1devilsfan]

Don't forget who reported about the interest in Tlusty back in July.

I really like the deal. It's cheaper than I thought. I think he will fit in nicely and given a nice opportunity here.

Anything else that should be on our radar?

 

[SeidoN]

Tlusty wearing #9 at camp

 

[Devils Dominion]

Tlusty wearing #9 at camp

John Moore #2.

The rest:

http://devils.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=779442

**I didn't think Pelley was still in our organization.

 

[NHL Fanatik*]

Don't forget who reported about the interest in Tlusty back in July.

I really like the deal. It's cheaper than I thought. I think he will fit in nicely and given a nice opportunity here.

no offense, but did you just rain-made us? (the wire reference)

 

[MoonDragn]

So somebody in the main boards mentioned that Tlusty's hip is destroyed. Anyone know anything more about this?

 

[glenwo2]

So somebody in the main boards mentioned that Tlusty's hip is destroyed. Anyone know anything more about this?

I think that person might be exaggerating things....a tad.


If he had a destroyed hip, he wouldn't be in the NHL anymore.

 

[Triumph]

So somebody in the main boards mentioned that Tlusty's hip is destroyed. Anyone know anything more about this?

There's no mention of a hip injury to Tlusty either by google or by this TSN log of his NHL time. In addition, if Tlusty had failed his physical today, I imagine we'd've heard about it by now.

 

[Emperoreddy]

So somebody in the main boards mentioned that Tlusty's hip is destroyed. Anyone know anything more about this?

It's the main board. Don't trust without some kind of source. Lots of trolls.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Absolute nonsense. It's September. There is no trade market at all yet and rarely beyond a few players is there one at this point. Teams are just getting into the process of preparing for camp and there's only two teams that have work to do to become cap compliant and a few others that want to make more room but have time to do it. The trade market will start to manifest once the preseason gets rolling/players make teams, guys get hurt, etc. Its far too early to think like this. Every team is a contender until the season starts.

Love the signing. Tlusty is a no-risk, high reward acquisition. If he comes in and tears it up we can re-sign him as he's still young enough that he can contribute for a few more years or we can use him at the deadline as a sort of low rent Jagr. Worst case he sucks, gets scratched/buried for someone else and hes gone in less than a year. Best, we turn him into another mid round pick/prospect or he has some staying power and lasts a few years.

You must've misinterpreted my original post because, reading yours, it seems we're on the same page. Entirely.

 

[Bleedred]

So somebody in the main boards mentioned that Tlusty's hip is destroyed. Anyone know anything more about this?

They also think Shane Doan has always been better than Patrik Elias over there, which has never been the case.

 

[MichaelJ]

Anything else that should be on our radar?

Either he's sitting on something of note or he's sick of us asking lol.

 

[Devilsgrl35]

I've always liked Tlusty. He's always been underrated and can put the puck in the net. Love the signing.

 

[billingtons ghost]

It seems some people want young guys just for the sake of playing young guys.

Most of your young guys are either probably not ready for the NHL yet (though I think one or two could surprise) or they just probably aren't very good (*cough* Paul Thompson *cough* and I can't believe I just called him a young guy too).

I like the signing - of the available options, he's probably the best.

I am definitely in the camp of 'play young guys for the sake of playing young guys' overall - if only because I would prefer 30 games of determining Boucher is a *good* NHL player or not an NHL player, than 25 games of Stempniak proving that he is Stempniak and 5 games of Boucher proving ... well... we still don't know.

Tlusty I think, may be a different story, because his ceiling is so much higher.

Stempniak, Bernier, etc are just plugs.

Boucher might not be an NHL player - or he might score 25 someday. I'd lean heavily towards the former, but we can always harken back to Stamkos's record and the fact that the kid DOES have a plus shot and some people's careers are built on that alone.