Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part I

[guitarguyvic]

I am the last poster here who ever over-rates our players...but I'm am extremely concerned that if Fitz trades Holtz for someone like Markstrom we will lose that trade badly and rue the day.

 

[guitarguyvic]

- Calling the coaching staff terrible is a drastic overstatement. Things didn’t work out, and they could have been better, but getting a read on how “bad” they were would be tough considering how injured the team was.

- There is nothing “horrible” about firing him - if he doesn’t fit with organization that will be the end result - but it’s unnecessary to formally fire him at the end of the season. Like I said, very few interim coaches get “fired” right as the season ends, and since he is under contract they might want him around for something other than coaching. They will have conversations about the future in the coming weeks I’m sure but the existential dread everyone is projecting about him is over the top.

- I don’t care about fan perspectives, if fan perspectives drove organizational decision making on assistant coaches there would be a much larger problem. It’s a classic case of rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.

Green is very low on the list of problems (as assistant are in most cases)- but he is an easy target.

This is all fine and dandy if it works out with Green not coming back. Unfortunately Fitz' behavior and public outlook on things this entire season has planted seeds of doubt with many of us. If this was a year ago I'd be a lot more confident that it will work itself out as it should.

 

[JK3]

Will I get in trouble if I lock every single thread on this forum for a week?

This garbage season just ended not even 24 hours ago. Take a break, go outside or something, holy shit.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Kasan's state media season look back put all the blame on injuries and goaltending and otherwise thinks everything else is fine and dandy

That’s probably like 80% true. We were never, ever, going to be last year’s team with no Dougie and a cooked Jack Hughes. Add in a few other things going wrong, and you get the disaster we just watched.

If you could magically go back in time and replay the season again, we make the playoffs the majority of the time, as reflected by the odds makers.

 

[Zippy316]

I am the last poster here who ever over-rates our players...but I'm am extremely concerned that if Fitz trades Holtz for someone like Markstrom we will lose that trade badly and rue the day.

In all honesty, looking at the make up of this team, I just don’t see where Holtz fits in.

Aside from his shooting and puck skills, all of his other skills are lacking. We don’t really have the line-up to accommodate that type of player right now.

Just strikes me as someone who will be productive in a depth role, not able to play in our top six, and would not fit in with the identity of whatever third or fourth line we want to send out.

He would definitely be a nice piece to hang onto if Fitz can get the big pieces we need without dealing him, but think Fitz would rather swap him out for an established guy like Arvidsson that could give us a bit of what we’re missing.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Will I get in trouble if I lock every single thread on this forum for a week?

This garbage season just ended not even 24 hours ago. Take a break, go outside or something, holy shit.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Sorry, but I'll take the patient route of waiting before reacting to anything concerning Travis Green.

I think it's pretty apparent he is not going to be the next head coach. I think it's also wasted energy to be concerned about him getting the job.

If he does, you'll see me react accordingly. But I don't give that much of a chance, so I'm not concerned.

Woah woah woah. What is this realistic and level headed approach doing here?

 

[NJDevs26]

We’ll probably trade Holtz for a lot less than Markstrom lol, or he won’t even be the main piece there

 

[JimEIV]

Fishing sucked. One 10'' stocked rainbow. I decorated a lot of trees with flies today and tied a lot of knots. But at least it was a gorgeous day.

Oh and my wadders leaked worse than our goaltending.

 

[NJDfan86]

This is all fine and dandy if it works out with Green not coming back. Unfortunately Fitz' behavior and public outlook on things this entire season has planted seeds of doubt with many of us. If this was a year ago I'd be a lot more confident that it will work itself out as it should.

Fair enough, we will see what happens.

 

[My3Sons]

Fishing sucked. One 10'' stocked rainbow. I decorated a lot of trees with flies today and tied a lot of knots. But at least it was a gorgeous day.

Oh and my wadders leaked worse than our goaltending.

View attachment 853058

that wetness inside your waders was not a leak from outside the waders gramps.

 

[MadDevil]

Trading Mercer or Holtz + for Saros/Ullmark

I like Holtz, but I'd trade him for Saros in a heartbeat. Mercer would be harder for me to part with, because I think he's going to bounce back next year and is the perfect kind of supporting cast player who could still become a core guy. But if we're talking 5+ years of Saros and finally plugging the hole in goal...I could live with it I guess. I have a feeling Mercer isn't going to be the one to move though.

 

[My3Sons]

I like Holtz, but I'd trade him for Saros in a heartbeat. Mercer would be harder for me to part with, because I think he's going to bounce back next year and is the perfect kind of supporting cast player who could still become a core guy. But if we're talking 5+ years of Saros and finally plugging the hole in goal...I could live with it I guess. I have a feeling Mercer isn't going to be the one to move though.

I'm not sure if Saros is what he was a couple of years ago. NJ has had such mediocre goaltending for so long that I'm not sure what good consistent goaltending looks like anymore.

 

[MadDevil]

I'm not sure if Saros is what he was a couple of years ago. NJ has had such mediocre goaltending for so long that I'm not sure what good consistent goaltending looks like anymore.

Makes you realize how completely and utterly spoiled we were to have Marty for two decades.

 

[Bleedred]

Makes you realize how completely and utterly spoiled we were to have Marty for two decades.

I just hope we aren't stuck with him for two more decades!

 

[ZYXWVUT]

I like Saros. But that being said, I’m not in favor of that potential idea. Between the acquisition cost plus the extension. And someone also framed it in an interesting way talking about smaller goalies. Making saves for them is much more difficult and requires so much more effort so-to-speak, because they aren’t like those bigger bodied guys where pucks just inherently hit them way more often.

 

[ZYXWVUT]

I am the last poster here who ever over-rates our players...but I'm am extremely concerned that if Fitz trades Holtz for someone like Markstrom we will lose that trade badly and rue the day.

I just don’t see how Markstrom can justifiably cost a big price. I’ve been saying this for a bit now. And if the ask is something costly, then no way I’m doing it. That is why I still think it might be the most likely acquisition - he’s 34 years old or whatever it is, makes $6 million on top of his age, his numbers since the deadline fiasco have been meh, he is owed a sizable bonus on July 1 (assuming a deal is done prior to that, the acquiring team would be on the hook) and he has a NMC. I could be totally wrong, but I just don’t see a high cost. Unless they just hang onto him because offers aren’t high value, which idk how that would go over with him. Plus if Fitz pays something stupid (i.e. anything involving Holtz, a 1st round pick, etc), it’s an absolute debacle.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Will I get in trouble if I lock every single thread on this forum for a week?

This garbage season just ended not even 24 hours ago. Take a break, go outside or something, holy shit.

You have my blessings

 

[HughesCorporation]

Fishing sucked. One 10'' stocked rainbow. I decorated a lot of trees with flies today and tied a lot of knots. But at least it was a gorgeous day.

Oh and my wadders leaked worse than our goaltending.

View attachment 853058

roll cast....

 

[JimEIV]

roll cast....

I got hung up doing stupid stuff. I was nymphing with an indicator underneath over hanging branches....ever set end up in the trees. I hate nymph fishing anyway...was hoping to get into some bug activity and rising fish this afternoon but it was dead. There's always tomorrow

 

[DrBSmooth]

I just hope we aren't stuck with him for two more decades!

I assume you worry about his recommendations on goalies and goalie coaches.

How bout the other reason to worry.....his Jersey designing skills.

 

[Bleedred]

I assume you worry about his recommendations on goalies and goalie coaches.

How bout the other reason to worry.....his Jersey designing skills.

I've said countless times I'm actually afraid he'll be the team's next GM.

That could be in 1-2 years, or it could be in 8-10 years.

Hopefully if we make it 8-10 more years he won't want to take his first ever GM job in his 60s.

 

[JrFischer54]

As other posters have mentioned, going 'all in' on a goalie upgrade this summer will be the undoing of this franchise

So addressing a massive huge absolute must need is going to be the undoing of the team? Hf never fails me

 

[Guadana]

I've said countless times I'm actually afraid he'll be the team's next GM.

That could be in 1-2 years, or it could be in 8-10 years.

Hopefully if we make it 8-10 more years he won't want to take his first ever GM job in his 60s.

Yeah. I dont want Brodeur as GM at all. He was great goalie, thanks for his career, etc. But no general manager work please for him. Its better to stay in decorative role.

 

[Emperoreddy]

There is also a reality where Holtz tops out as a streaky goal scorer that is a replacement level passenger in all other departments where as Markstrom provides good enough goaltending at a price that leaves both cap space and assets to address the other holes in the roster (of which there are quite a few)