aylbert

Yes!!! I can’t wait to see Hughes as a Devil! This will be a great off season.

It’s no threepeat.... jk Congrats! are in order to Zamboni Warrior.for a great season. I look forward to next season already for both the Devils and The SD!

Right; and that was my point. Marchand is a solid keeper who will produce well.... but I wasn't in the market for him, because I wouldn't keep him over Aho (22), Eichel (22) or Draisaitl (23) for Marchand (31) (ages at the start of next season). I imagine other teams are in that camp as well... where they have young talent that they value over high scoring veterans... I swapped my star goalie in Bobrovsky for Draisaitl and lost this year on goaltending. Aho was drafted his rookie season and kept since by me. And I paid an arm and a leg to pry Eichel away (1st rounder, Ovi, Toews) You certainly got the better deal with Marchand in the short term... but I'm hoping Eichel continues to develop and is a top 10 talent by like 2022.

I mean yea... we all knew Marchand was on the market; and if that was the best offer... that was the best offer. I think keeper prices will come down as we lock into our keepers and don't have spare slots. Like I wasn't going to trade for Marchand who is now on the wrong side of 30... I was interested in swapping Aho for Laine+; but Laine was ultimately kept.

I think if I didn't trade for Eichel, I'd be top 3 currently... Hopefully I can navigate my first round hole next season (my keepers and two 2nd rounders helps).

You could be like me on top of the shutout board with the worst goal-tending. I'm in the same boat, as I kept Murray over Duchene (or possibly Ekblad knowing me) This year my keepers are more than obvious... and next season I can work on making up that 1st rounder I gave to you. (At least I have 2 2nds)

Right, and that's kinda the point I was getting at with Larsson vs Couturier. You can't skip over can't miss talent... even if they kinda miss. And it's unfair to say the Devils are poorer at drafting because of it. 

@CRASHER, you ready?

*4th overall, lottery pick moved us from the 8th overall to the 4th (not 5th) This is a difficult thing to compare and you're trying to assess draft skill - which really needs to look at draft positioning. Do I take Adam Larrson or Sean Couturier in 2019? I still think this team needs that defenseman; then and now. Does Couturier ever have the value of Hall? No. But to be fair neither did Larrson lol. Prior to winning the lottery; Couturier was on this boards short list along with Dougie Hamilton; but then we won the lottery and grabbed Larsson. I'm almost glad we didn't get the 1st overall pick; because we would have taken RNH and would have passed over Landeskog and Huberdeau which would hurt... rather than just missing out on them - which is life. But to reiterate, especially at the top of the draft - you're almost pre-slotted into like 2-3 guys... looking back 8 years later to say what we should have done is some really generous hindsight. Judging against draft peers +/- a pick or two... and wider as you go down the first round. The end point... our drafting has sucked. Against our division sure... but more importantly our drafting peers.

Hey, I can say I was part of a deadline deal... as I watched my first trade hands. It will suck next year to not be in the 1st round, but at least I have 2 2nd... oh and Jack fvckING Eichel.

5k frankly seems light to buy the domain and IP

That 2022 5th round pick is key. You heard it here first, we'll get a Jamie Benn in the 5th in 2022. Good job Ray turning UFAs into assets for later.

Sworn Defenders send Semyon Varlamov and NeoThrashers 16th rounder to Squirtle Squad for Collin Delia and their 13th rounder. Thanks for the shutout Varly, but you know what that means... off you go. Mats Zuccarello has been on fire this past month and can be had cheap.

You sound like a guy who needs Mats Zuccarello as we near the trade deadline.

It's fun seeing all my jettisoned players still doing well... goaltending still blows though and I don't think I was ever going to fix that this season. I'm happy walking away this season with Eichel... but I do miss competing.