Devils Team Discussion (team/player news and notes) ‎2015 offseason V

[Bleedred]

I wish Semin WAS going to the KHL lol, it's been three straight years of an obsession with him here and it'll probably be another when he's a FA again after next season

I wish he would sign with the Honolulu High Surf or some ****, that way everyone would see he's all about money.

You'd have to be all about money to take $7.5 million a year to play for the cheap Greek. Especially since no one but him (and Rutherfool he was the FOOL that signed him) would give Semin that kind of money. He had to wait around until July 28th or was it August? Who even remembers? And that one guy mocking me that Semin isn't about money because he did some charity event. **** that.

I'd probably still take him for a very cheap deal on a one year contract, wouldn't hurt much.

With that said, we might have to outbid the Samoa Sea Dogs or the Oahu Hula Hoops to get him. He'd probably sign with the Oahu Hula Hoops after seeing what they offer him, then he finds out they're a ****in basketball team and not a hockey club.

I remember what it was now. He played for free in some very low level Russian league during the last lockout. Wonder if he'd play there permanently for free?

 

[DirtyJerzey]

Be optimistic that someone like Coleman can crack the lineup and surprise, or that someone like Blandasi, Kahlin, Kuja, can slot into that RW spot and make Semin irrelevant. Or that JJ is going to find his game and break out this year. Same with Lars and company on the blueline.

That is where I am putting my optimism, though I would like another Kyle like trade for a young forward we would have under control.

If some of these things happen our future looks a LOT brighter.

very true, i totally understand where you are coming from. i can go with that

 

[glenwo2]

I wish he would sign with the Honolulu High Surf or some ****, that way everyone would see he's all about money.

You'd have to be all about money to take $7.5 million a year to play for the cheap Greek. Especially since no one but him (and Rutherfool he was the FOOL that signed him) would give Semin that kind of money. He had to wait around until July 28th or was it August? Who even remembers? And that one guy mocking me that Semin isn't about money because he did some charity event. **** that.

I'd probably still take him for a very cheap deal on a one year contract, wouldn't hurt much.

With that said, we might have to outbid the Samoa Sea Dogs or the Oahu Hula Hoops to get him. He'd probably sign with the Oahu Hula Hoops after seeing what they offer him, then he finds out they're a ****in basketball team and not a hockey club.

I remember what it was now. He played for free in some very low level Russian league during the last lockout. Wonder if he'd play there permanently for free?

Well said.



By the way, under your name, you put up the header "Buyout Bone Dust". Isn't "Bone Dust" referring to One-Eyed Whitey?

 

[Eggtimer]

Signing Semin on a one year deal has both positives and negatives,
He "could" be a cancer and bad example for work ethic for the kids.
If that's the case , he sits in the press box though and shows the kids accountability.shows that it doesn't matter how long you have been in the league or how skilled you are , if you don't give the effort , you sit. If its only for one year , so be it , not a big deal.

He also could be a very pleasant surprise. A motivated Semin on a one year deal could be very beneficial. He has the skill to be at least a 20/20 guy. If he produces and is not a cancer , decide if you flip him for a pick at the deadline or retain him and sign him for another one year deal if need be to bridge the gap until a prospect or someone from within the organization can step up.

In a perfect world , I would prefer Shero waits things out , and hopefully another Palmeri type deal or player becomes available (Boedker / Hoffman / Galchenuk) ????

Would Stewart be > Semin on a one year "show me" deal?
Would be fine with either if nothing else pops up for young forwards but ONLY if its a one year deal, I do NOT want to have to be committed to a two year or longer deal if Semin Stewart craps out and becomes the new Ryder

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Not interested in Semin. Rather give some of our kids a shot or I'm down with a trade if it happens.

FYI
Not to bring up the past, but I still get pissed when I see a contract as the one ROR signed and I don't see Big bad Bill Daly give a press conference.

 

[Maine Fan]

That's not true.

Boucher scored at a 30g pace in his rookie ahl season as a 20yr old. He followed that up with a 20g pace last year while increasing his shots on goal and suffering from bad puck luck.

Boucher has accomplished more than any forward prospect we've had since henrique.

I hope you are correct. We need forwards he has to improve his game in every area. This will be a make or break year.

 

[JimEIV]

I think a lot of us forget how young Matteau and Boucher are because they seemingly have been around for a while.

We look at Severson as a fresh faced kid with the world in front of him at 20 years old and we forget Matteau is the same exact age from the same exact draft and Boucher is only 5 months older than Matteau.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Flames fan here wondering what your teams plans to meet the salary floor are.

sign our RFAs

and, thats it.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I find the Semin thing hilarious. some on here have been obsessed with acquiring him for 3 years now. give it up.

 

[tailfins]

Not signing Semin doesn't mean the team is throwing in the towel. That isn't what is happening this year at all even if we don't make another move.

The team is going to go out there, put a system in place and try to win every game they can. Shero and the coaching staff is going to see if they can get gems out of any of these kids that are all flooding into Albany this year.

Its not a tank. Its a development year to let the D continue to grow, see if some of our younger forwards (JJ) can grow and if we have anything in the kids coming up.

If some of these kids don't step up then one extra borderline RW like Semin isn't going to change our fortunes. What our next moves long term are depend on what we have and don't have with the prospects coming up this and next year.

Tomato, tomahto. I like the way you're looking at things, and hopefully can get myself there by the start of the season. The coach and players won't tank - I feel reasonably confident of that. I feel less certain of the front office. If Palmieri, an unidentified rookie, and Josefson are half of the Devils top six this year, it sure smells a lot like tanking to me. Could that team win? Sure. Is it likely to win? No.

This feels like the opposite of "do whatever you can to get into the playoffs, because once you do, who knows?" This feels like, "you can't win it all unless you've got great young players, so let's focus on developing and/or drafting young talent until greatness emerges."

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

Tomato, tomahto. I like the way you're looking at things, and hopefully can get myself there by the start of the season. The coach and players won't tank - I feel reasonably confident of that. I feel less certain of the front office. If Palmieri, an unidentified rookie, and Josefson are half of the Devils top six this year, it sure smells a lot like tanking to me. Could that team win? Sure. Is it likely to win? No.

This feels like the opposite of "do whatever you can to get into the playoffs, because once you do, who knows?" This feels like, "you can't win it all unless you've got great young players, so let's focus on developing and/or drafting young talent until greatness emerges."

There is a difference between tanking and not making moves for the sake of making them. Shero said there are no shortcuts and he is 100% correct. I can't tell if you have a problem with that or not because you shouldn't. The FA class was garbage, save cap room for next year and give the young guys a shot when we don't have much of a chance in the metro this year. Shero has a plan and you can actually see the direction he is going so dealing with a losing season will be tolerable, interesting and even exciting.

 

[Tretyak 20]

This feels like, "you can't win it all unless you've got great young players, so let's focus on developing and/or drafting young talent until greatness emerges."

How is that tanking?

 

[Zippy316]

Tomato, tomahto. I like the way you're looking at things, and hopefully can get myself there by the start of the season. The coach and players won't tank - I feel reasonably confident of that. I feel less certain of the front office. If Palmieri, an unidentified rookie, and Josefson are half of the Devils top six this year, it sure smells a lot like tanking to me. Could that team win? Sure. Is it likely to win? No.

This feels like the opposite of "do whatever you can to get into the playoffs, because once you do, who knows?" This feels like, "you can't win it all unless you've got great young players, so let's focus on developing and/or drafting young talent until greatness emerges."

I've said it before but this season goes as far as the young kids -- to me that's exciting.

Essentially what Shero is saying, is the young guys are our future. Instead of covering up the young guys with veterans, he's letting the young guys take the reins. If they're not ready, then we are likely in for a pretty low finish which means we will get a higher tier prospect that we need. If they show they are ready, this team could possibly be a bubble team.

After watching the last three years of players over 30 trying to make the playoffs and still failing, I can't bear to sit through that again. I want to see our young kids with drive and effort and the willingness to get better rather than older guys who have already hit their peak and are dwindling down.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

There is a difference between tanking and not making moves for the sake of making them. Shero said there are no shortcuts and he is 100% correct. I can't tell if you have a problem with that or not because you shouldn't. The FA class was garbage, save cap room for next year and give the young guys a shot when we don't have much of a chance in the metro this year. Shero has a plan and you can actually see the direction he is going so dealing with a losing season will be tolerable, interesting and even exciting.

this has been my entire point all along. some people refer to this as tanking, I don't.

 

[Tretyak 20]

After watching the last three years of players over 30 trying to make the playoffs and still failing, I can't bear to sit through that again. I want to see our young kids with drive and effort and the willingness to get better rather than older guys who have already hit their peak and are dwindling down.

There's nothing worse than watching a bunch of over-the-hill veterans and bargain bin scrubs desperately try to make the 8th seed and come up way short. That had to end.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

There's nothing worse than watching a bunch of over-the-hill veterans and bargain bin scrubs desperately try to make the 8th seed and come up way short. That had to end.

I wish that was the case. Instead we had a bunch of over the hill vets and bargain bin scrubs content to cruise through the season and collect a pay check. I don't think they were desparetely trying to do anything outside of make money.

 

[Tretyak 20]

I wish that was the case. Instead we had a bunch of over the hill vets and bargain bin scrubs content to cruise through the season and collect a pay check. I don't think they were desparetely trying to do anything outside of make money.

You're probably right. I was thinking more about the upcoming season, though. I don't want to see more vets brought in to demonstrate the concept of futility. I can handle watching kids lose, since at least some of them will improve with time. I've been very happy with our free agent non-signings so far. I'm hoping Shero doesn't screw it up.

 

[217 Forever]

this has been my entire point all along. some people refer to this as tanking, I don't.

It is possible to rebuild and stay competitive at the same time but I wish I could understand why virtually everybody thinks that isn't possible or shouldn't even be attempted.

 

[Oneiro]

I'm not worried about the lack of vets because the vets we do have are prototypical Devils. You can hate on Zajac, Cammalleri, Elias, Schneider and Greene for whatever reasons, but they are terrific examples for any young kid coming up.

I have to give credit to Shero for showing the patience and restraint he has thus far. Going through the draft and free agency making only one truly questionable move (the goalie 2nd round pick) is a miracle to me.

 

[Tretyak 20]

It is possible to rebuild and stay competitive at the same time but I wish I could understand why virtually everybody thinks that isn't possible or shouldn't even be attempted.

It might be possible for teams in different situations, but not for us right now. We simply don't have the assets to make this team truly competitive now without mortgaging the future.

 

[NJDevs26]

It is possible to rebuild and stay competitive at the same time but I wish I could understand why virtually everybody thinks that isn't possible or shouldn't even be attempted.

Because it doesn't work all that often...the Devils tried that the last three years with diminishing returns every season.

 

[Missionhockey]

It might be possible for teams in different situations, but not for us right now. We simply don't have the assets to make this team truly competitive now without mortgaging the future.

Yeah I don't expect much out of next year but I am looking for improvement which I think can be accomplished quite easily by just subtracting Ryder/Havlat and adding Palmieri/Kalinin. I think a full year out of Matteau would be great and hopefully we can get something out of Boucher.

 

[217 Forever]

Because it doesn't work all that often...the Devils tried that the last three years with diminishing returns every season.

I don't think Lou ever really got out of "win now" mode. To the extent we went young on defense was more out of necessity than anything. I mean, Salvador was still playing significant minutes when healthy.

Obviously it comes down to obtaining the right players. Ryder, Brunner, Clowe, and Havlat just weren't the right guys for a variety of reasons.

Again, I'm only advocating signing a vet or two of the Brad Boyes variety in order to stabilize things and if we get lucky get us into the playoffs. I'm not at all looking to plug every hole with warm bodies.

 

[Edmonton East]

So our top 6: Zajac, Camm, Henrique, Elias, Palmieri, (insert Zacha here).

Camm-Zajac-Palmieri
Elias-Henrique-Zacha
Rutuu-Josefson-Boucher (- infinity for +/-)
Matteau-Kalinin?-Tootoo

No Zubrus. No Gionta.

If he impresses in camp/preseason, I really think Zacha jumps right to NHL this season simply because of the lack of NHL players. Based on Shero's comments, he expects Zacha to be a center down the road, but specifically referenced other Cs playing wing early in their careers.

 

[Emperoreddy]

There's nothing worse than watching a bunch of over-the-hill veterans and bargain bin scrubs desperately try to make the 8th seed and come up way short. That had to end.

And that is definitely what Shero intended. Team was way way to old and was relying on vet scrubs to get a couple extra wins (if that) then kids would.

It's not a tank because I expect they will attempt to claw to a 8th seed with youth. But at least this way if they fall short you can have something to look forward to.