Patrik Laine to the devils for...?

[Captain3rdLine]

And that right there is exactly why we are, where we are, today. If Nico Hischier is labeled as one of your best players, you’re in trouble and guess what, we’re in trouble. Yes, our goaltending sucks blablabla but thrown in Vasilevski in nets and we’re still not making the playoffs.

Saying this team is better with Nico than without him is a fact but what’s being discussed here is to trade Nico for an equivalent or better asset, at a position of weakness in a area of weakness.

Add all those components together and I truly believe we’re a better team with the guys I’ve mentioned repeatedly over Nico Hischier.

Yes 999 out of 1000 people would agree that this team is without a doubt better with Nico than they are without him.

In terms of trading Nico for Laine I disagree with you. It’s been heavily discussed and I understand to an extent but I personally don’t believe trading Nico for Laine makes us a better overall team.
No matter what we would be trading from an area of some strength to address an area of weakness and we’d then have a new area of weakness at C. I also believe Mercer has more potential as a winger. As someone else said above we’d be “rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic”.

I don’t think Laine is a better player than Nico and I think once we get our current core players including Nico some support they will really thrive. That might take a couple more years and we should definitely look at trades to speed it up but I don’t think that’s the trade.

Nico is also our captain and clearly plays with his heart and soul and puts his body on the line every game. I think he’s actually a good leader on and off the ice from what we can see as fans and the players in the room clearly like him and I doubt they would want him to be traded unless it’s an obvious move that can’t be refused.

 

[JrFischer54]

Yes 999 out of 1000 people would agree that this team is without a doubt better with Nico than they are without him.

In terms of trading Nico for Laine I disagree with you. It’s been heavily discussed and I understand to an extent but I personally don’t believe trading Nico for Laine makes us a better overall team.
No matter what we would be trading from an area of some strength to address an area of weakness and we’d then have a new area of weakness at C. I also believe Mercer has more potential as a winger. As someone else said above we’d be “rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic”.

I don’t think Laine is a better player than Nico and I think once we get our current core players including Nico some support they will really thrive. That might take a couple more years and we should definitely look at trades to speed it up but I don’t think that’s the trade.

Nico is also our captain and clearly plays with his heart and soul and puts his body on the line every game. I think he’s actually a good leader on and off the ice from what we can see as fans and the players in the room clearly like him and I doubt they would want him to be traded unless it’s an obvious move that can’t be refused.

I think it’s easier to find a 2c maybe 3c in the near future then it is to find a legit top line sniper but that’s just me

 

[JimEIV]

I think it’s easier to find a 2c maybe 3c in the near future then it is to find a legit top line sniper but that’s just me

If Dawson doesn't get permanently switched to wing, he will displace Nico in a year and a half.

But I suspect they keep Dawson on the wing to avoid that situation.

 

[NJDfan86]

I think it’s easier to find a 2c maybe 3c in the near future then it is to find a legit top line sniper but that’s just me

Luckily we already have a great 2c and a legit top line winger in our organization.

 

[JrFischer54]

If a #1 overall needs significantly better players than him to surround him... you're in serious trouble.

You pick #1 because you suck...#1 doesn't get the luxury of going to a team chock full of ppg players...he has to do more with less....it's the very nature of picking in the top 5...

So the pedestrian #1 overall ensures you suck for another 5 or 6 years until enough talent is obtained...that is exactly what is happening in NJ.

We still suck in large part because Nico isn't very good. Not the sole reason but a significant reason.

this is exactly what I said weeks ago and got blasted on it. Nico not being the best player in the draft that year set the devils back. Is he good? Sure but a bottom place team doesn’t need good when picking 1. They need great

 

[SJinNewJersey]

I think it’s easier a to find a borderline 1c then it is to find a legit top line sniper but that’s just me

 

[JimEIV]

this is exactly what I said weeks ago and got blasted on it. Nico not being the best player in the draft that year set the devils back. Is he good? Sure but a bottom place team doesn’t need good when picking 1. They need great

I completely agree with that. To get mediocre is really devastating.

You have to be bad to pick #1. You are supposed to be adding players that can change the course.

It really is a tough pill to swallow.. We picked #1 in the summer of 2017 and then again in the summer of 2019...it's coming to the spring of 2022 we are closer to picking #1 again than a playoff spot.

 

[JrFischer54]

If that means I’m alone on this board I am 100000% fine with it lol

 

[JrFischer54]

Luckily we already have a great 2c and a legit top line winger in our organization.

totally agree it’s amazing can’t believe we are oh wait Nevermind

 

[NJDfan86]

totally agree it’s amazing can’t believe we are oh wait Nevermind

It’s a shame they can’t play goalie though, then we would really be going places.

 

[JrFischer54]

It’s a shame they can’t play goalie though, then we would really be going places.

well I mean from what I heard on here about laine defense and how bad he is with goals scored when on the ice and how important two way defensive play is. I guess the same should be for everyone.

 

[JrFischer54]

It’s a shame they can’t play goalie though, then we would really be going places.

didn’t someone post last week with average goaltending the devils would roughly be about 9-10 in conference basically 5 wins better. Setting the world on fire!

 

[NJDfan86]

well I mean from what I heard on here about laine defense and how bad he is with goals scored when on the ice I guess the same should be for everyone.

actually, come to think of it, Laine is 6’5 - put him in pads and we just might solve this thing.

 

[Buck Dancer]

Luckily we already have a great 2c and a legit top line winger in our organization.

And that isn’t enough unless you want to pick in the top #10 year after year. Mercer is more than capable of being our #2 center and finding a 3C who can take on the defensive responsibilities that Nico is taking for the moment, is lot easier than finding elite talent to pair with Jack or Dawson.

Relying on Bratt to do all the heavy lifting on the wing is a bad idea. Just like Jack, he needs someone else to step his game up on another line or else we’ll be super easy to contain.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

well good thing no one is forcing you to post here. I never understand this on here when people complain about what people are talking about.

This thread shouldn’t even exist considering there are no Laine trade talks or any links to the Devils. Don’t let me interrupt the trading Nico talk, sorry.

 

[NJDfan86]

And that isn’t enough unless you want to pick in the top #10 year after year. Mercer is more than capable of being our #2 center and finding a 3C who can take on the defensive responsibilities that Nico is taking for the moment.

Relying on Bratt to do all the heavy lifting on the wing is a bad idea. Just like Jack, he needs someone else to step his game up on another line or else we’ll be super easy to contain.

Wasn’t even talking about Bratt

 

[Buck Dancer]

This thread shouldn’t even exist considering there are no Laine trade talks or any links to the Devils. Don’t let me interrupt the trading Nico talk, sorry.

It’s a message board, people will talk about what needs to be done to improve the team and certain point of views won’t fit with the reasoning of others, that’s life buddy.

I’m certain people around you don’t have the same opinion you share let it be regarding the Devils or you’re everyday conversation. Do you reply to them the same you do to posters on HF?

 

[JrFischer54]

This thread shouldn’t even exist considering there are no Laine trade talks or any links to the Devils. Don’t let me interrupt the trading Nico talk, sorry.

Ok so rename it then to trading for top talent. Same thing

btw too I wonder if the jackets would even do a nico 1-1 if both players had same contracts

 

[JrFischer54]

Wasn’t even talking about Bratt

who’s the top line winger

 

[My3Sons]

If NJ had a core of hard to play against players sending one out would be fine. Sending out one of a small number of guys that play hard to add another soft player doesn’t sound like team building to me. Aside from the sour grapes element I look at teams that have added skill without being hard to play against and they have lost in the playoffs recently. TOR EDM COL have all lost to “worse” teams because the refs swallow the whistle when the games count. Laine will likely disappoint fans in tough games where he will get stocked and punched and gouged and held and kicked and spit on without any calls. I’d like to think NJ would be best served sending out soft players and adding more players that are hard to play against and have skill.

 

[MadDevil]

We finally have more than one good center, let's ship one of them out for a winger!

 

[Guttersniped]

Is it possible that Lundell is playing with better line mates against easier matchups? Just a thought.

55 points also isn’t 3rd line production at all. That’s just ridiculous. You provided an example of a top team that has really good producing centers while also ignoring the fact that those players production is aided by playing with better players. The first place team Colorado’s 3C is on a 37 point pace FYI. Tampa’s 3C Cirelli is on a 52 point pace and has spent some time in the that loaded top 6 this season with Point out.

If you want to talk about an average team. Based on the numbers you provided Hischier would be a top 4 producer on the average team in the NHL with his current numbers.

Hischier also plays with brutal wingers in tough matchups most games and it’s very fair to say that his production would be a decent bit better with better wingers, on a better team with a lesser defensive load to carry.

No he’s not an offensive star who’s gonna carry our offense but he’s a good top 6 C who plays very good defensively and all over the ice and is producing at a pretty decent rate given who he’s playing with on a bad team and the role he’s playing.

No, you’re imagining that playing on a line with Reinhart and Marchment, while Huberdeau anchors the 2nd line and Barkov anchors the 1st, leads to any opportunities.

Lundell had 5 assists in a 8-4 win over the Blue Jackets which is pretty wild (Marchment scored twice and Reinhart had a hat trick).

 

[Buck Dancer]

We finally have more than one good center, let's ship one of them out for a winger!

Nico Hischier is a good piece to have on your team, that’s true. However, he’s not as important as everyone here makes it sound.

 

[FinnishDevil]

actually, come to think of it, Laine is 6’5 - put him in pads and we just might solve this thing.

Laine played goalie until 12 yo before switching to forward full time.

 

[FinnishDevil]

If NJ had a core of hard to play against players sending one out would be fine. Sending out one of a small number of guys that play hard to add another soft player doesn’t sound like team building to me. Aside from the sour grapes element I look at teams that have added skill without being hard to play against and they have lost in the playoffs recently. TOR EDM COL have all lost to “worse” teams because the refs swallow the whistle when the games count. Laine will likely disappoint fans in tough games where he will get stocked and punched and gouged and held and kicked and spit on without any calls. I’d like to think NJ would be best served sending out soft players and adding more players that are hard to play against and have skill.

Wish I could like this post more than once.

Especially with Holtz in the system, NJ should be focused on adding the Tkachuk type rather than a pure sniper like Laine/Boeser.

Trade for Matthew Tkachuk extended.. I would give up a huge package for that. Wouldnt want to break up the core (13, 86, 7, 63) and would really like to hold onto Holtz and Luke but any of Mercer, Muk, Grit etc. and this years first, even if we won the lottery would be on the table.