Value of: Legit top 6 winger to NJ (offseason)

NjdevilfanJim

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Be patient and stick to the rebuild....I would leave JD in Montreal and try to swap Johnsson for Debrusk maybe change of scenery helps both players....If not stick to the rebuild and be patient hopefully Fitz makes the picks count....
 

NjdevilfanJim

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Imo I would rather the Devils add a right side defenseman....If we were to go trade route like to see Risto from Buffalo sign and trade deal...At least he's young entering his prime and strengthens an area of need and gives us a physical presence we lack in front of net.....
 

Spoiled Bratt

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If the Jackets are looking to cash in on Laine since that experience seems to be going nowhere, I’d offer a nice package for their rebuild.

Laine needs a legit center to feed him passes in his wheelhouse and that’s Jack Hughes bread and butter.

I know most of our board doesn’t want anything to do with Laine but he’s not a finish product by any means and no, he’s not a 2 way player but he’s a proven goal scorer and that’s exactly what we need.
 

Traitor Zach

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Most important for Devils at forward is finding the guys/mix that complement each other well and lift the tide/all boats. They may have found solid versatile up and down the lines forwards in Sharangovich and Kuokkanen but the sample size is small - but both deserve spots going into next year. McLeod suddenly looks like a guy that while he may not be a top forward, might be a guy who can stick as a speedy 4th line center. Zacha is a winger, not a center, but Zacha's playmaking ability in the offensive zone and ability to push/drive play in the neutral zone first as well I think needs to be better and more consistently utilized.

Right now, not having Hischier playing hurts how to project who fits best with him and the big gaping hole is having a skilled shooter with Hughes to help finish the pressures/opportunities being created and they probably need a forward with them who can handle board play and in the corners well. Could Holtz be that shooter? Maybe. I think Mercer/Foote/Holtz all have legit projection and impact ability but we don't know just how much they'll break in and who/where they'll fit best yet.
 

Monsieur Verdoux

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Vrana would be a great addition if he is available and the price isn't too high. For instance MoJo package, a 2nd and a 4th.

I like Meier even more, but his price is almost certainly too high.
 

Zajacs Bowl Cut

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The Devils haven’t had a lot of picks in first two rounds until the two extra 1sts last year. (But no 2nd.) I don’t see us as a team overflowing with high end prospects and not needing extra swings in the 1st round still.

I also don’t think wingers are bigger need than defense or are harder to get them defensemen and therefore what you spend your best assets on.
sorry we'll disagree there

I think scoring has been a way bigger issue than D this season

and no team is really overflowing with high end prospect. But the Devils do have a glutton of wing prospects right now so I would be totally fine packaging one for an upgrade immediately.

Not saying I would trade all these guys obviously, but Holtz, Mercer, Foote, Clarke, Thompson, Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Boqvist, etc is a nice stable of prospects/U-23 wingers
 
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Zajacs Bowl Cut

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Also, I don't get how potentially trading an extra late 1st (when you have another early 1st) means that is "rushing" the rebuild. Especially in an offseason with an expansion draft and the cap staying flat, there may be some opportunities to take advantage of a team or two who has their backs up against it.

the Devils need finishers for Jack Hughes and they need them ASAP. No one is saying to mortgage every future asset that they have to bring one in, but they are in a position now where they can put together a nice package and still not hurt the longterm rebuild.

Also, the UFA crop is underwhelming (as it almost always is).
 
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SnuggaRUDE

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"Legit" Top 6 Winger is usually HF code for (at least) top 30 in their position. You should probably come out and say what your perimeters are.
 

hidek91

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The Devils haven’t had a lot of picks in first two rounds until the two extra 1sts last year. (But no 2nd.) I don’t see us as a team overflowing with high end prospects and not needing extra swings in the 1st round still.

I also don’t think wingers are bigger need than defense or are harder to get them defensemen and therefore what you spend your best assets on.

I agree 100%.

Don't want to bring here the discussion about philosophy that we should have but maybe we would already have wingers for both Jack and Nico if Shero didn't hand out 2nd round picks out like candies.
 
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hidek91

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Also, I don't get how potentially trading an extra late 1st (when you have another early 1st) means that is "rushing" the rebuild. Especially in an offseason with an expansion draft and the cap staying flat, there may be some opportunities to take advantage of a team or two who has their backs up against it.

the Devils need finishers for Jack Hughes and they need them ASAP. No one is saying to mortgage every future asset that they have to bring one in, but they are in a position now where they can put together a nice package and still not hurt the longterm rebuild.

Also, the UFA crop is underwhelming (as it almost always is).

We've already done that with Johansson, Johnsson, Subban, Gusev etc. History shows that when teams are cap strapped they get rid of flawed assets for almost free rather than decrease price on the high quality asset. There are certain exceptions to that, like Toews from NYI but generally Shero tried to build a core like that and it failed. If he got even 1 quality young player from all those picks we'd be better off than we are now. That's why I think the correct move would be to draft a lot and play the numbers game.
 

HBK27

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If there's a deal there to be made by Fitz, he should take it - though I'd rather not force it or really even part with the Islanders first rounder.

I'd rather see Fitz weaponize his cap space to get a stopgap option like Killorn for dirt cheap or sign a UFA for a year or two above what they'd make elsewhere. I'd even overpay Palmieri a bit if you can get him to agree to a 2-3 year deal.

If we're using a 1st rounder or other prime assets on a young player, it should be for a defenseman - particularly ahead of the expansion draft since the Devils have an additional protection spot or two to use.
 
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Zajacs Bowl Cut

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I agree 100%.

Don't want to bring here the discussion about philosophy that we should have but maybe we would already have wingers for both Jack and Nico if Shero didn't hand out 2nd round picks out like candies.

this is crazy. Here are the times the Devils have selected since 2016 and the number in the first 3 rounds:

2016- 9 (4 in first 3 rounds)
2017- 11 (4 in first 3 rounds)
2018- 6 (1 in first 3 rounds)
2019- 11 (5 in first 3 rounds)
2020- 8 ( 4 in first 3 rounds)

so in the past 5 drafts, they have selected 45 times total and 18 times in the first 3 rounds.

Why are we acting as if we were just handing picks away without replenishing those picks....? You cannot keep picking 9+ times in every draft...you will eventually have too many prospects and not enough contract slots.

Also, he got Palmieri with those picks you're speaking of. He also got Johansson.
 

HBK27

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We've also only had 1 pick in the 2nd round the past 3 drafts and don't own our own 2nd round pick this year, which is going to be significantly higher than the 2nd rounder we acquired from the Islanders.

The 2nd rounders doled out the past few seasons for Grabner, Subban & Gusev have definitely hurt the rebuild process and not been replenished, especially considering they were mostly high 2nd rounders. All 3 of those deals completely backfired.
 

hidek91

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this is crazy. Here are the times the Devils have selected since 2016 and the number in the first 3 rounds:

2016- 9 (4 in first 3 rounds)
2017- 11 (4 in first 3 rounds)
2018- 6 (1 in first 3 rounds)
2019- 11 (5 in first 3 rounds)
2020- 8 ( 4 in first 3 rounds)

so in the past 5 drafts, they have selected 45 times total and 18 times in the first 3 rounds.

Why are we acting as if we were just handing picks away without replenishing those picks....? You cannot keep picking 9+ times in every draft...you will eventually have too many prospects and not enough contract slots.

Also, he got Palmieri with those picks you're speaking of. He also got Johansson.

Sorry but setting the bar at "first 3 rounds" is misleading.

In 2020, there were zero picks made in the second round, although three were made in the first round so that's an OK year for rebuilding team.
In 2019, we had just one second round pick but almost at the end of the round (#61).
In 2018, our second pick after Ty Smith was in the 4th round (we are rebuilding team).
In 2017, one first round pick and one second round pick.
In 2016, again, one first round pick and one second round pick.

I agree that we had a lot of quantity but not necessarily quality, which is the result of trading down a lot and also trading away 2nd round picks very frequently.
 

Zajacs Bowl Cut

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I think you guys are supremely overrating the value of 2nd round picks....

2nd round picks have what, maybe a 40% chance of even playing 100 NHL games?

Especially when you consider all the later round guys we've "hit" on recently. Bratt, Sharangovich, etc.
 
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Guttersniped

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this is crazy. Here are the times the Devils have selected since 2016 and the number in the first 3 rounds:

2016- 9 (4 in first 3 rounds)
2017- 11 (4 in first 3 rounds)
2018- 6 (1 in first 3 rounds)
2019- 11 (5 in first 3 rounds)
2020- 8 ( 4 in first 3 rounds)

so in the past 5 drafts, they have selected 45 times total and 18 times in the first 3 rounds.

Why are we acting as if we were just handing picks away without replenishing those picks....? You cannot keep picking 9+ times in every draft...you will eventually have too many prospects and not enough contract slots.

Also, he got Palmieri with those picks you're speaking of. He also got Johansson.
Now do the first two rounds because are the rounds that matter the most. Under Shero we picked nine players in the first two rounds and in 2020 we picked three. That’s bonkers considering how bad we were.

And he spent our 2021 2nd on a winger who Ruff doesn’t think is good enough for our current line-up. So we have three picks in first two rounds but the 2nd will be a late one again because it’s the fourth time we haven’t had our own 2nd in a row.

We would more top end talent in the system if had those early 2nds because that’s where you find it a hell of a lot more than any where else outside of the 1st round. Devils fans would be a lot more pissed at Shero if he didn’t win the lottery twice and his scouts didn’t find Bratt.

139 former 2nd round skaters have played a game so far in 2020-21 and twenty-eight of them were 22 or younger.

76 former 3rd round skaters have played a game so far in 2020-21 and six of them were 22 or younger. (Joey Anderson is one of the six btw.) Don’t talk to me about 3rd round picks.
 
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Traitor Zach

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I'm on board with the idea of using some of our capital to find a centerpiece player/winger to be part of the core with Nico/Hughes and whichever prospects we keep going forward.

If there's ever a time to strike, its now with the Cap issues and some teams and guys needing scenery adjustments in few cases. Key is identifying the right fit and a desired guy than just taking a range of 5-6 guys and just taking whichever one is available. I'd like Fitz if hes going to be the GM to make a signature move/gamble on a young talent on another team they want. We can't rely on bargain bin trades or UFA leftovers to help.
 

Guttersniped

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I think you guys are supremely overrating the value of 2nd round picks....

2nd round picks have what, maybe a 40% chance of even playing 100 NHL games?

Especially when you consider all the later round guys we've "hit" on recently. Bratt, Sharangovich, etc.
No, you’re right, 2nds our my weird obsession. And Carolina’s. And LA’s. And Montreal’s. And every team with a deep and top rated draft pool.

We have excellent scouts but it wasn’t until we traded for guys drafted in the 1st and 2nd round that our pool got ranked high. There’s only so much scouts can do with picks after 50. It is what it is in terms of the past but don’t be surprised that everyone isn’t on board with trading the extra 1st.

We don’t have the defensemen and wingers we need because we didn’t draft them, Hughes is 19, we can still draft them rather than get castoffs from other teams. I’m willing to risk the draft for a chance at better and younger talent. Shero’s way didn’t work before.
 

Poppy Whoa Sonnet

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I'm on board with the idea of using some of our capital to find a centerpiece player/winger to be part of the core with Nico/Hughes and whichever prospects we keep going forward.

If there's ever a time to strike, its now with the Cap issues and some teams and guys needing scenery adjustments in few cases. Key is identifying the right fit and a desired guy than just taking a range of 5-6 guys and just taking whichever one is available. I'd like Fitz if hes going to be the GM to make a signature move/gamble on a young talent on another team they want. We can't rely on bargain bin trades or UFA leftovers to help.

Problem with this thinking is you are limited to who teams are unable to protect in expansion (not a top 9/10 player on the team) and who they want to dump. We learned this lesson the hard way with Subban and Johnsson. No one is going to trade a key piece for just draft picks. For example if you look at a team like Vegas up against the cap this offseason, given the choice of trading Alex Tuch (probably a dream target for this plan) for the best futures package possible or adding a 2nd round draft pick to dump Reilly Smith they are going to choose the latter.

Devils should really just sign someone. They are gonna have like 30 million in cap space.
 

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