Devils 2014-2015 Off Season Thread

[fsu1852]

Rumor has it that they are trying to trade RoR. But he wants big money

[ghdi]

Rumor has it that they are trying to trade RoR. But he wants big money

 

This is pretty much common knowledge. I dont have a problem giving him big money. We have it to offer a 24 year old forward who has the potential to be even better than he already is. The problem I have is what they want in return for him without any security of him re-signing here.

[2ELIAS6]

This is pretty much common knowledge. I dont have a problem giving him big money. We have it to offer a 24 year old forward who has the potential to be even better than he already is. The problem I have is what they want in return for him without any security of him re-signing here.

just seems a bit risky to give up anything for a player who isnt locked up, if they could find a way to come to some type of a contractual agreement then things could be done

[ghdi]

just seems a bit risky to give up anything for a player who isnt locked up, if they could find a way to come to some type of a contractual agreement then things could be done

 

Well, yeah. Thats the sticking point besides the return. Its not going to be easy to get him even with one year left. I don't think either team would even consider it without both sides having an idea of if he would sign here or not. 

 

That said, I don't think it happens and I wouldnt be mad if it didn't. Its a risky proposition from every angle.

[William D'Aquila]

What competition does ROR go up against, is he playing against the other teams number 1 line and top d pairing?

[Devs3cups]

Qualifying offers sent to Larsson, Gelinas and Matteau

Per TG

Can a qualifying offer be, let's say, a 4-5 year offer? Or does it have to be a specific number of years? I'm not really similar with qualifying offers.

[jagknife]

Can a qualifying offer be, let's say, a 4-5 year offer? Or does it have to be a specific number of years? I'm not really similar with qualifying offers.

 

A qualifying offer protects the team from the player becoming a UFA. There's a base number that their minimum contract has to be, if I'm not mistaken, that is broken down specific to each player. I.e. it's not league minimum, but I think it's actually written into their contract.

 

The player then can elect to accept the offer, negotiate with the team to a deal for longer term and/or money, or not accept the contract and go to arbitration.

[Zubie#8]

How about Merril #6 for ROR and #10.

I know we lack left handed defensemen but I think that would be a sweet deal for both teams, I believe they need a LHD. We pick up a center and can still draft a top forward from this draft. Maybe they can draft someone like a Rantannen Zacha with that 10th pick or better yet maybe Barzal. In a few years your forward group looks like this.

Henrique O'Reilly ???

Boucher Barzal ???

Cammalleri Zajac Matteau

Add Quenneville in there as well if he pans out and hope to god guys like Blandisi Thompson and Kuja surprise us. Having Boucher and Matteau become top 9 players would help tremendously as well.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Zubie#8

[2ELIAS6]

the problem is you dont know if ror is going to sign here.. thats what makes me nervous about trading anything for a player in that situation then we would be losing merril and dropping down to the 10th slot if he decides not to and there is no prior deal in place

[William D'Aquila]

@TSNRyanRishaug: Big interest in Frolik, met with 6 teams to this point, NJD among them.

[Onddeck]

@TSNRyanRishaug: Big interest in Frolik, met with 6 teams to this point, NJD among them.

we've all said it.. a few years at 4 or 4.5 per is a good signing

he'll get Soderberg-similar money

[RizzMB30]

Frolik, Vermette, or Stafford should really be the only forwards we should be looking at for UFA.  I'd take Vermette and one of Stafford/Frolik.  

[Zubie#8]

Hell no to Vermette. Isn't he 33 already?

[jagknife]

Frolik, Vermette, or Stafford should really be the only forwards we should be looking at for UFA.  I'd take Vermette and one of Stafford/Frolik.  

 

Gotta love we have a shot at Stafford after we lose Parise. The two played well together at UND. Really wanted him before the Finals run, even with 3 years and $4 mill per left on his deal then.

[RizzMB30]

Hell no to Vermette. Isn't he 33 already?

So?  He just came off a Stanley Cup playing as a 3rd line center.  He's easily still a number 2 on most team and even if we have someone who can play in a top 6 center role (which I don't think we do), he can play 3rd line center and then slot Josefson in the 4th line and regulate the ice time.  Delegate Gionta to the minors where he belongs.  

Stafford has goal-scoring and finishing touch.  I'd take him over St. Louis.  Frolik I would argue can't really hurt us. but obviously, we shouldn't sign all 3 and likely not even two of them if the Devils are serious about letting the youngsters play.  

[Marshall]

I want no part of Stafford: http://jetsnation.ca/2015/5/19/winnipeg-jets-by-the-numbers-drew-stafford-2014-2015

 

 

Stafford is a decent scorer, although not as strong as he performed for the Jets. Given the right team and the right conditions, Stafford can be a player used effectively in improving the team.

The issue with players like Stafford is their negative impact on outscoring opponents tends to be under estimated by management, coaches, teams, media, and fans. Stafford is a decent scorer but his impact on two-way numbers is far greater and in a negative fashion.

A prototypical player you want to avoid in free agency is one with poor shot metrics, at or near career highs in many percentages, and is a decent scorer who performs like an elite scorer in a short sample.

Production carries a large impact in how a player gets paid. It however is not the largest impact on the likelihood of outscoring the player's opponents. You want to try and beat the market, not match or be beaten by it.

While Stafford may or may not be worth 3 million AAV, it would be wiser to try and find another market inefficiency like Mathieu Perreault rather than give another shot with Stafford.

[MadDog2020]

@TGfireandice: Ray Shero said Devils will not try to re-sign Gomez, Bernier, Fraser, Harrold

Edited June 27, 2015 by MadDog2020

[Onddeck]

@TGfireandice: Ray Shero said Devils will not try to re-sign Gomez, Bernier, Fraser, Harrold

Bernier over gionta?

[2ELIAS6]

@TGfireandice: Ray Shero said Devils will not try to re-sign Gomez, Bernier, Fraser, Harrold

thank god! time to move out some of the old garbage for some new garbage.

[DevsMan84]

Devils need to look forward and not backward. I am not upset by this.

[GoArmySports]

The transperency that Shero gives us is light-years ahead of what Lou would be telling the media.

[BostonNala370]

The transperency that Shero gives us is light-years ahead of what Lou would be telling the media.

I like it this way, thanks Shero.

[RizzMB30]

I want no part of Stafford: http://jetsnation.ca/2015/5/19/winnipeg-jets-by-the-numbers-drew-stafford-2014-2015

Wow, I'll admit, those metrics are really really bad, but how in any way in that indicative of how he'll continue to play?  In addition, the article claims that he is a decent scorer that performed like an elite one in a short sample, but Stafford is a proven scorer, not a Matt Beleskey or David Clarkson.  Also, the article even agrees that their sample size is very small so how does that a constitute a trend that will continue?  So he played out of his mind for 26+ games and scored a lot, but isn't that what the Devils want/need is scoring?  A player who is horrendous in terms of defensive play can learn and improve inside of a system that favors defensive play.  Don't tell me the Devils have never acquired an offensive-focused scorer that improved his play without the puck.  On top of that, he's a right-handed right winger, which the Devils have none besides Palmieri 

Edited June 27, 2015 by RizzMB30

[TheMazz]

What we need are three things to really get things into high gear.

- A second pairing veteran defenseman (which should be easy enough to find. Johnny O, Mike Green, Erhoff...all options)

- A complimentary top six winger. - Frolik has been mentioned, I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Chris Stewart, who would come at a much cheaper price however. Stafford, as much as it would please me on a shallow level, because I interviewed the guy, I think we should stay away from.

Lastly, we need a legitimate top line RW. You can make the case for a top line C as well, but hopefully Zacha lives up to his potential. The reason I advocate for someone like MSL is pretty simple:

Extremely cap space and budget friendly. At the worst possible case, he bombs and we either choose not to re-sign him or flip him for whatever return his humanly possible. A 1 year, no risk/high reward deal is something that I would make 10/10 times.

Last year MSL had a 50 point season (around that number anyway), I don't believe that he will decline and turn to a sloth on the ice in the span of a year. The logistics are there and are in the favor of MSL being a top contributor for the Devils if the choose to give him the 1 year flyer.

Next year's UFA class will be much stronger and we can address a more permanent fixture for our top line RW then, in the mean time a no risk/high reward deal for a single season just makes too much sense to me. What else would you do? Trade assets for Sharp? Who is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, trade a king's ransom for Kessel and pay for it in the long run?

No thank you.

Cam-Zajac-MSL
Henrique-Elias-Frolik
Ruutu-JJ-Palmieri
Zubrus-Gionta-Tootoo.

It's a start. That bottom line is a complete dumpster fire, yes. But I don't want to rush Zacha, I think another year or so of development would do wonders. Zubrus, UNLESS they buy out will logicially stay on the team, plus I don't think Boucher is NHL ready as of yet to take Zubrus' spot and you could always slot in Matteau or Boucher over Zubrus in time. Tootoo though? great 4th line RW.

I'm a fan of Ruutu and think he's vastly underrated on this team, I see the contracts of Gionta and Zubrus being rode out to the end of next year and then then more suitable options will be on our forth line (Matteau/Boucher, Kalinin..etc)

Those lines above would be a great step in the right direction.

Next year's UFA RWs

-Grabner
-Okposo
-Voracek
-Versteeg
-Vrbata

We will definitely have options for 2016

There are a lot of pipe dreams for UFA Centers but some I don't think aren't completely unrealistic. For example, David Backes.

 

Also as far as defense:

 

Larsson-Greene
(one of) Oduya/Mike Green/Ehrhoff-Severson
Merrill-Gelinas.

That's what I want to see.

We are definitely in better shape than we were a season or two (or three) ago. No one can deny that.

Edited June 28, 2015 by TheMazz

[nessus]

I like your game plan! I agree that St. Louis for one year would be great. I feel like the presence of a veteran who has had a lot of success will be helpful for mentoring purposes, especially now that Shero is committed to making this team younger. I also agree about Ruutu - that line with JJ and Palmieri would be a good one, but I wonder whether Palmieri will play in the top 6.

 

The fourth line will be quite a problem. Shero really needs to buy Zubrus out. I'm hoping Kalinin can take his spot there. Maybe we'll even see Matteau get some time on the fourth line.