GDT: Your New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: The Final Goodbye

[NJDevs26]

Moore's game really went to **** after coming back from injury. I'd like to see what he is at the beginning of next year before I completely wave the white flag but he shouldn't be in the the top four at the start of next year.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to think Santini could make the NHL after three years of college, him playing next year in the NHL is a little different than Larsson post-draft or Severson one year after he got drafted at 19 years old. By the same token we shouldn't expect him to win a spot automatically.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I don't necessarily think Santini is ready. All I care is that we keep Schlemko. If we lose him at the expense of anyone else I'll be pissed.

 

[Bleedred]

Best case scenario for me is Santini starts in the AHL and comes up for injuries (better than Helgeson who doesn't and shouldn't have any future here as an every night player) and then next summer, Moore goes to the expansion draft and Santini steps in full time.

It would be really stupid to lose Schlemko though, even though I do believe he somewhat overachieved. Look at some of those games in March and the first couple of April. Too many games with close to 40 shots on goal, I think we only had one or two games all season where other teams hit 40 shots on us before that game. And just in that month alone, we had more than the whole season combined prior to that.

 

[DerekDevils30]

Heck, who knows? Maybe one of Larsson, Santini, or Severson can play the left side in the future. Will be interesting to see if the staff goes that route at any point.

 

[MadDevil]

Moore's game really went to **** after coming back from injury. I'd like to see what he is at the beginning of next year before I completely wave the white flag but he shouldn't be in the the top four at the start of next year.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to think Santini could make the NHL after three years of college, him playing next year in the NHL is a little different than Larsson post-draft or Severson one year after he got drafted at 19 years old. By the same token we shouldn't expect him to win a spot automatically.

I think that's really the issue with him. If he was playing third pairing minutes instead of nearly 20 minutes a night (only Greene and Larsson had a higher ATOI) like he did this year it wouldn't be so bad. Plus his skating is an asset in OT.

 

[JimEIV]

I'm not buying in on the Schlemko train. I'm not saying he was bad, he's just nothing special...just not someone that needs to be resigned at all cost. I also think Schlemko's defense was as shoddy as anyone's at various stages of this season...especially right around the new year. This is not a player that is steady calming influence for our young players...not in the least. If he were to go on and have success somewhere else, I'd tip my cap.

And if he is resigned you'll have another player without a lot of upside with a multi year contract the other being Moore. If I could switch Moore for Schlemko I would in a second, but that isn't the reality of the situation.

 

[DerekDevils30]

I'm not buying in on the Schlemko train. I'm not saying he was bad, he's just nothing special...just not someone that needs to be resigned at all cost. I also think Schlemko's defense was as shoddy as anyone's at various stages of this season...especially right around the new year. This is not a player that is steady calming influence for our young players...not in the least. If he were to go on and have success somewhere else, I'd tip my cap.

And if he is resigned you'll have another player without a lot of upside with a multi year contract the other being Moore. If I could switch Moore for Schlemko I would in a second, but that isn't the reality of the situation.

Yeah, I much prefer Schlemko to Moore. I actually think Schlemko and Larsson would pair together nicely, although I'm not sure Schlem would look good getting tough assignments every game.

 

[MadDevil]

Yeah, I much prefer Schlemko to Moore. I actually think Schlemko and Larsson would pair together nicely, although I'm not sure Schlem would look good getting tough assignments every game.

We could use a reliable top 4 LHD to stabilize the top two pairings. Schlemko/Moore are really third pairing guys. I still have hope that Merrill can be a top 4 guy someday, but it might be better to let him play on the third pairing with somebody like Schlemko.

 

[Bleedred]

I'm not buying in on the Schlemko train. I'm not saying he was bad, he's just nothing special...just not someone that needs to be resigned at all cost. I also think Schlemko's defense was as shoddy as anyone's at various stages of this season...especially right around the new year. This is not a player that is steady calming influence for our young players...not in the least. If he were to go on and have success somewhere else, I'd tip my cap.

And if he is resigned you'll have another player without a lot of upside with a multi year contract the other being Moore. If I could switch Moore for Schlemko I would in a second, but that isn't the reality of the situation.

Then we dump one of them (or both if they're bad) in the expansion draft it's next summer.

If Santini doesn't impress and doesn't make the team, then we have Helgeson or Warsofsky playing every night....

 

[JimEIV]

Then we dump one of them (or both if they're bad) in the expansion draft it's next summer.

If Santini doesn't impress and doesn't make the team, then we have Helgeson or Warsofsky playing every night....

Or Mozik, or Hrabarenka, or Scarlett, or Jacobs, or maybe we see something from someone entirely new like Paul Geiger? And what if Santini really impresses? There is almost no option but start him in Albany with Schlemko here with a new multi year deal in hand.

There is no shortage of options for a 6th or 7th dman and having both Moore and Schlemko is more of a negative than a positive in my opinion.

 

[Bleedred]

Or Mozik, or Hrabarenka, or Scarlett, or Jacobs, or maybe we see something from someone entirely new like Paul Geiger? And what if Santini really impresses? There is almost no option but start him in Albany with Schlemko here with a new multi year deal in hand.

There is no shortage of options for a 6th or 7th dman and having both Moore and Schlemko is more of a negative than a positive in my opinion.

No offense dude, but Hrabarenka and Scarlett are not NHL caliber.

Both have gone the way of the Burlon and fell off the depth charts IMO. We're in trouble if we're icing either of them over Schlemko.

 

[JimEIV]

Scarlett was the youngest defender in Albany this season.

Edit: he's also 3 years younger than Warsofsky and Helgeson.

 

[Bleedred]

Scarlett was the youngest defender in Albany this season.

It's obvious he's very low on the depth chart, especially given that we called up MAG instead of him.

I don't think he's in the plans for our NHL team, nor is Hrabarenka.

Just re sign Schlemko, maybe he only takes one year? If not, one of him or Moore gets scooped up to the expansion draft.

Our D played good this year when healthy. If it ain't broke, down fix it.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I don't think it's wise to expect a repeat performance from Schlemko, he was in a contract year and was probably close to being out of the league. What we saw from him this year is about the ceiling of what we can expect from him.

He'll be a good #4 / very good #5 but we still need an upgrade on D. Merrill is still the odd man out, even with Helgeson and Warsofsky factored in.

 

[JimEIV]

It's obvious he's very low on the depth chart, especially given that we called up MAG instead of him.

I don't think he's in the plans for our NHL team, nor is Hrabarenka.

Just re sign Schlemko, maybe he only takes one year? If not, one of him or Moore gets scooped up to the expansion draft.

Our D played good this year when healthy. If it ain't broke, down fix it.

I think the fact that they are both Right handed defensemen makes them low on this teams depth chart...notice most of the scrubs getting opportunities are all left handed? Gragnani, Warsofsky, Helgeson all lefties. Mozik 7 games and 1 game for Santini were the right handed opportunities this season. I get the feeling that they want a left handed shot on the PP also...although I'm not completely sure about that. The other gap is the 2nd unit PK after Greene there is a massive void.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I don't think it's wise to expect a repeat performance from Schlemko, he was in a contract year and was probably close to being out of the league. What we saw from him this year is about the ceiling of what we can expect from him.

He'll be a good #4 / very good #5 but we still need an upgrade on D. Merrill is still the odd man out, even with Helgeson and Warsofsky factored in.

As was Stralman.

I see too many similarities here. Even Calgary fans said he played well for them and didn't understand why they didn't give him a contract.

I think our defense is vastly overrated, and Schlemko is better than the majority of the other options.

The real problem is Moore. He needs to go.

 

[JimEIV]

Our right side depth chart - even if you don't agree with list, the depth is insane.

Larsson
Severson
Santini
Jacobs
Mozik
Scarlett
Hrabarenka
*Rehill - I think Rehill replaces McPherson soon.
McPherson

 

[JimEIV]

As was Stralman.

I see too many similarities here. Even Calgary fans said he played well for them and didn't understand why they didn't give him a contract.

I think our defense is vastly overrated, and Schlemko is better than the majority of the other options.

The real problem is Moore. He needs to go.

You know I don't disagree...but one will be 25 years old the other is 29 , one has two years remaining on his contract the other is a UFA.

How are you getting around this? Trading Moore before the season starts? Nobody wanted him as a ufa?

 

[Bleedred]

How are you getting around this? Trading Moore before the season starts? Nobody wanted him as a ufa?

You get around it by keeping the defense status quo, or at least making an upgrade. I don't think another rookie defenseman will be an upgrade.

Why the need to make any changes? Why is is so imperative that Santini be on the NHL team next year?

 

[JimEIV]

You get around it by keeping the defense status quo, or at least making an upgrade. I don't think another rookie defenseman will be an upgrade.

Why the need to make any changes? Why is is so imperative that Santini be on the NHL team next year?

It's not imperative that Santini makes the team. But it is for him to make the team in the next two seasons....and Moore and Schlemko sitting there with 2 years remaining while Santini AND possibly Jacobs are trying to break in would be incredibly bad.

 

[NJDevs26]

It's not imperative that Santini makes the team. But it is for him to make the team in the next two seasons....and Moore and Schlemko sitting there with 2 years remaining while Santini AND possibly Jacobs are trying to break in would be incredibly bad.

A) You have a possible expansion draft after next year where one defense spot may well clear up
B) You can trade guys with one year left on their contracts making >$3 million easily if you need to clear up a spot after next season.

 

[JimEIV]

A) You have a possible expansion draft after next year where one defense spot may well clear up
B) You can trade guys with one year left on their contracts making >$3 million easily if you need to.

I've watched them do an expansion draft for San Jose then Ottawa and Tampa after...then it was the Ducks and Panthers followed by Atlanta and Nashville each time the protection criteria and draft rules were slightly different. As far as I know no rules have been approved by the Board of Governors?

We don't know how an expansion will be conducted and to sign a player with that in mind without rules etched in stone doesn't make sense.

 

[NJDevs26]

I've watched them do an expansion draft for San Jose then Ottawa and Tampa after...then it was the Ducks and Panthers followed by Atlanta and Nashville each time the protection criteria and draft rules were slightly different. As far as I know no rules have been approved by the Board of Governors?

We don't know how an expansion will be conducted and to sign a player with that in mind without rules etched in stone doesn't make sense.

There was a lot of speculation a while back and it was supposedly talked about. Rumor is the rules for unprotected players are going to be a lot more draconian now than they were then; i.e. they don't want the expansion teams being bad for a decade like they were in the 90's.

And no you can't really plan for something that doesn't exist yet but by the same token it's not like you're signing Schlemko to some monster deal you can't move or Moore you can't move/buy out if you need to. Schlemko probably signs a two-year deal. Three max. And Moore's only signed two more years.

 

[Bleedred]

It's not imperative that Santini makes the team. But it is for him to make the team in the next two seasons....and Moore and Schlemko sitting there with 2 years remaining while Santini AND possibly Jacobs are trying to break in would be incredibly bad.

I really think one or the other will be gone by the 17-18 season, no matter what.

 

[tr83]

We've seen what happens when D are rushed to the NHL (Larsson and Merrill and to some extent Severson) Larsson figured it out but the other two look a little lost. Santini needs at LEAST a year in Albany. The D is set for next year.

Moore and Helgeson will be gone next year (Though I wish Moore was cut tomorrow) and Merrill or Severson will be shipped out.

I also think it depends on the expansion. Keeping guys in the minors will prevent them from being exposed. It might be the only reason I keep Moore around.