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

[Japam]

I love Novo's trolling

 

[Triumph]

I agree with all of this, I just am unsure doing those things I highlighted will be as easy to do as we all expected/expect. The thinking was always "NJ got the hard part out of the way: they acquired elite young talent signed to team friendly contracts." This year has been eye opening in terms of how important it is to have a strong supporting cast, that plays in a way that supports that core and how you want to play.

The season really died with McLeod got arrested imo. He was a guy who never scored a ton so he was deemed a borderline replacement level guy in the offseason, but he played with pace and could go into corners and the dangerous parts of the offensive zone. Replacing him will not be easy, there really aren't that many guys that play at his speed and with his size. NJ will have to pick one or the other (e.g. Nosek versus Boqvist).

I just see adding all those things as being hard and/or expensive. NJ will have to do things like take Markstrom's full cap hit, or give Zadorov or Trenin a contract that makes us wince. It will be worth it, the time is now, but get ready.

Eh, the only top guy that avoided injury was Bratt. In addition to the obvious, Marino seems like he's been beat up all season, Haula came into the year hurt, Siegenthaler got injured twice. It's just been a really tough year for player health, in addition to everything else.

Losing McLeod hurt and he would've been fine playing the systemless jumble the Devils are doing right now.

 

[RandoDoomer]

It’s not been garbage time since January, we still had a real chance at the playoffs way after that.

We played meaningful games in February, and due to the playoff race being so weak, in March too. We just lost too many of those meaningful games.

Not saying anyone had to like it, or enjoy it, but that’s different than being out by Dec.

Well, I guess we're talking mathematics vs the eye test. The Devils have not looked like a good team in quite a while. But I suppose there are moral victories to be had, so there's that.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Look I know there were other issues but if you had told any of us before the year that Vanecek and Schmid would both be off the team by the deadline, Hamilton would only play 20 games, and 3 of our top 4 forwards would miss significant time/play hurt most of the year I don't think any of us would have liked our chances regardless of all the other shit that went wrong.

Doesn't mean there isn't work to do, and I definitely think some additional veteran leadership is needed after watching the team just sort of quit in March despite still being in the race, but I don't think it's fair to judge the long-term outlook of the core off of this season.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Look I know there were other issues but if you had told any of us before the year that Vanecek and Schmid would both be off the team by the deadline, Hamilton would only play 20 games, and 3 of our top 4 forwards would miss significant time/play hurt most of the year I don't think any of us would have liked our chances regardless of all the other shit that went wrong.

Doesn't mean there isn't work to do, and I definitely think some additional veteran leadership is needed after watching the team just sort of quit in March despite still being in the race, but I don't think it's fair to judge the long-term outlook of the core off of this season.

What is the point of a guy like Palat then? His entire existence to this team is for moments like that. You can't just burn assets on that, I much rather use it on shoring up the bottom 6 than vet depth to guys who are slower

 

[Devils731]

But he can’t do it with one arm, so actually he’s a big problem.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Finally eliminated, we're free

 

[JrFischer54]

if this team wants to return to last years form then jack has to find a way to stay healthy for a full 82 games. i dont know what he can do in the summer training differently is possible but he has to figure something out he can't keep getting his shoulders wrecked so easily

new coach will help new goalie will help the team return to last year i think but they aren't going to reach the next level if jack is missing 25 games.

 

[My3Sons]

They should have the makings of a decent third line with Haula and Palat but it just doesn't seem to coalesce. They really need Mercer to rebound and Holtz to take a step forward next season.

 

[Better Call Sal]

They should have the makings of a decent third line with Haula and Palat but it just doesn't seem to coalesce. They really need Mercer to rebound and Holtz to take a step forward next season.

I think the problem is that Haula has often needed (or desired is maybe the operative word) to play alongside Jack. Palat has also been bumped up every so often too. In the limited time they really spent playing together, I feel like they've played well. I remember a stretch where they were with Boqvist and were very productive in 2023.

 

[NJDevs26]

It’s not been garbage time since January, we still had a real chance at the playoffs way after that.

We played meaningful games in February, and due to the playoff race being so weak, in March too. We just lost too many of those meaningful games.

Not saying anyone had to like it, or enjoy it, but that’s different than being out by Dec.

The Devils themselves half treated it like garbage time once they sold off at the deadline

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Eh, the only top guy that avoided injury was Bratt. In addition to the obvious, Marino seems like he's been beat up all season, Haula came into the year hurt, Siegenthaler got injured twice. It's just been a really tough year for player health, in addition to everything else.

Losing McLeod hurt and he would've been fine playing the systemless jumble the Devils are doing right now.

A relatively normal season in terms of injuries and goaltending being even mediocre would definitely go a long way. It's also true that a healthy core playing well makes the supporting cast job's easier, e.g. the PP scores goals your even strength time is easier.

Just there are lots of examples of a team with elite talent not having the right support guys. A lot of Crosby/Malkin years wasted for example, I'm looking at TB right now and wondering what's going on with their bottom 6. There's some guys Fitz went after that make me concerned. You can show me 80 different graphs talking about how great Tyler Toffoli is for example but I just didn't see him as being the right fit for Jack Hughes's winger to make a controversial claim. A less controversial claim is it's crazy how many minutes Brendan Smith played this year for NJ, even as a depth dman they should have found some way to get him out of the lineup earlier.

NJ simply needs to make the playoffs next year and have it be relatively effortless instead of an 82 game grind if they want to be contenders, and I think we all expect them to contend next year (or at least I do).

 

[Rhodes 81]

What is the point of a guy like Palat then? His entire existence to this team is for moments like that. You can't just burn assets on that, I much rather use it on shoring up the bottom 6 than vet depth to guys who are slower

Porque no los dos? veteran doesn't automatically mean slow or bad.

They should have the makings of a decent third line with Haula and Palat but it just doesn't seem to coalesce. They really need Mercer to rebound and Holtz to take a step forward next season.

I think those two with a strong third would perform well over the course of a season, but they both spend a lot of time playing top 6 minutes when they really shouldn't. This is why adding a 2nd line center is the most important skater addition for me. Someone who can be the new Haula playing with Hughes interchangeably as a C/LW but also still provide good offensive production even when they're not with Hughes or Bratt or whoever. There's a decent number of potential UFAs that could fit the bill, just have to hope one of them is willing to sign a contract that works for us

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Eh, the only top guy that avoided injury was Bratt. In addition to the obvious, Marino seems like he's been beat up all season, Haula came into the year hurt, Siegenthaler got injured twice. It's just been a really tough year for player health, in addition to everything else.

Losing McLeod hurt and he would've been fine playing the systemless jumble the Devils are doing right now.

I think the issue here was not getting the proper McLeod replacement if you had an inkling of what was gonna come with Team Canada. Getting Nosek to replace him if something did come down from that investigation is like putting a square peg in a round hole

Porque no los dos? veteran doesn't automatically mean slow or bad.

I mean fair, but still. I think one would assume they're on the slow end of player since younger guys don't really command that presence of veteran leadership but I get your point now lol

 

[MartyOwns]

let’s just hope we lose out from here and pick up a really nice piece at the draft. i’m rooting for the avs now

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Losing McLeod was detrimental to this team. Losing Dougie hurt, shit goaltending sucked, but I think the Devils could've overcome those obstacles. Ever since McLeod left, this team has looked off.

At the time he was removed from the locker room, you could argue that he was the teams MVP of the season to date and that the Devils would have made the playoffs with him playing all 82.

 

[ndkjr70]

The good:

• The stadium series game rocked.
• Timo rocked.
• Luke and Nemec went from "elite prospects" to "foundational core pieces"
• Jack was f***ing filthy before his injury. He's an all-star while injured. Insane.
• Nico, Jesper, all had good seasons.

The bad:

• Dougie being injured sunk the season before we knew it.
• Dawson Mercer went from "promising fringe first line player" to "3rd liner at best?"
• Ondrej Palat is already a bad hockey player, and we have him for 4 more years at $6 per.
• The coaching and the goaltenders were devastating. I've never hated coaches more than Lindy and Travis, and I've certainly never hated goaltending quite as much as Vitek Vanecek.
• Even with everything listed above, this is a playoff team if they just got not-horrific injury luck from everyone else. Jack, Nico, Timo all missing significant time sunk the team. That won't happen every year. It likely won't ever happen that bad again.
• John Marino and Jonas Siegenthaler going from "important ancillary pieces" to "oh my god, these guys stink" was a shock and a disappointment.
• Alex Holtz usage was frustrating, but his production when he was being used was disappointing. Needed a step up from him and we really didn't get it (through his own fault or otherwise).
• The 4th line being a revolving door of useless players making useless plays, just one season after having a fringe-30 goal scorer getting health bombed. That was a shock to the system.

What can (and will) improve to get this team back to a Cup Contender:

• No more league-worst goaltending.
• No more league-worst coaching.
• No more league-worst injury luck.
• No more "key 3rd line center and locker room leader being kicked out of the sport for being a sex offender."
• Positive regressions to the mean for Marino, Siegenthaler
• Step-up prove it season from Dawson Mercer
• The addition of 2-3 bottom-6 players via UFA.
• The addition of 1-2 bottom-4 solid veteran defenseman via UFA.
• Either the addition of 1 solid but unspectacular goalie, or the addition of a true game-breaking goaltender.

My excitement for the future has not taken a hit, even if the season was a failure. Let's go find our coach and let's run this shit back.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

The good:

• The stadium series game rocked.
• Timo rocked.
• Luke and Nemec went from "elite prospects" to "foundational core pieces"
• Jack was f***ing filthy before his injury. He's an all-star while injured. Insane.
• Nico, Jesper, all had good seasons.

The bad:

• Dougie being injured sunk the season before we knew it.
• Dawson Mercer went from "promising fringe first line player" to "3rd liner at best?"
• Ondrej Palat is already a bad hockey player, and we have him for 4 more years at $6 per.
• The coaching and the goaltenders were devastating. I've never hated coaches more than Lindy and Travis, and I've certainly never hated goaltending quite as much as Vitek Vanecek.
• Even with everything listed above, this is a playoff team if they just got not-horrific injury luck from everyone else. Jack, Nico, Timo all missing significant time sunk the team. That won't happen every year. It likely won't ever happen that bad again.
• John Marino and Jonas Siegenthaler going from "important ancillary pieces" to "oh my god, these guys stink" was a shock and a disappointment.
• Alex Holtz usage was frustrating, but his production when he was being used was disappointing. Needed a step up from him and we really didn't get it (through his own fault or otherwise).
• The 4th line being a revolving door of useless players making useless plays, just one season after having a fringe-30 goal scorer getting health bombed. That was a shock to the system.

What can (and will) improve to get this team back to a Cup Contender:

• No more league-worst goaltending.
• No more league-worst coaching.
• No more league-worst injury luck.
• No more "key 3rd line center and locker room leader being kicked out of the sport for being a sex offender."
• Positive regressions to the mean for Marino, Siegenthaler
• Step-up prove it season from Dawson Mercer
• The addition of 2-3 bottom-6 players via UFA.
• The addition of 1-2 bottom-4 solid veteran defenseman via UFA.
• Either the addition of 1 solid but unspectacular goalie, or the addition of a true game-breaking goaltender.

My excitement for the future has not taken a hit, even if the season was a failure. Let's go find our coach and let's run this shit back.

They're going on the block for me especially Siegenthalar. I keep Marino most likely but I'm not hitching my whole ride to him bouncing back 100%.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Palat “already being a bad hockey player” is fake news. Marino should have a nice bounce back season on a lower pairing.

But the rest I agree.

 

[Triumph]

I think the issue here was not getting the proper McLeod replacement if you had an inkling of what was gonna come with Team Canada. Getting Nosek to replace him if something did come down from that investigation is like putting a square peg in a round hole

They clearly had an inkling but you're not going to replace McLeod via UFA. Nosek is another player who was hurt all year. Healthy, he would've been just fine replacing 2022-23 McLeod.

 

[Devils731]

Alex Holtz usage was frustrating, but his production when he was being used was disappointing. Needed a step up from him and we really didn't get it (through his own fault or otherwise).

I’m guessing he’s still top 40 in the league for 5 on 5 goal scoring per minute. He has good production for the minutes he gets, especially considering his linemates much of the time.

I think it’s fair to say he still has areas to improve upon but actual production per minute was pretty good.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Ultimately, literally everything else aside, this entire organization is riding on Jack Hughes being able to stay healthy. Coming into the year I wouldn’t have called his ability to do that in question, but now I think we have to.

We can’t have our best player hobbled or on the shelf every year. He stayed healthy last year and surprise, surprise, we were a good team (yes of course there are other variables here). Hopefully the surgery that he hasn’t gotten up to this point solves it all.

 

[Devils Trap]

Ultimately, literally everything else aside, this entire organization is riding on Jack Hughes being able to stay healthy. Coming into the year I wouldn’t have called his ability to do that in question, but now I think we have to.

We can’t have our best player hobbled or on the shelf every year. He stayed healthy last year and surprise, surprise, we were a good team (yes of course there are other variables here). Hopefully the surgery that he hasn’t gotten up to this point solves it all.

I think that's unfair. He literally went head and shoulder first into the boards. Any player gets hurt there lol.

 

[Patrik26]

let’s just hope we lose out from here and pick up a really nice piece at the draft. i’m rooting for the avs now

I'm rooting for whoever plays the rags and the lamoriellos.

 

[HBK27]

I'm rooting for whoever plays the rags and the lamoriellos.

Would really love to see a Rangers-Islanders 1st round matchup. Would be great to see the Rangers get knocked out again in the 1st round by one of their biggest rivals. At the very least, the two teams would probably beat the crap out of each other.

As long as the Rangers lose at some point, I'm fine. Maybe I'll root for Edmonton as I'd like to see McDavid, Draisaitl & Henrique win a Cup.