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Devils 2014-2015 Off Season Thread


Jerzey

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This season will depend on if the vets still have one season left in them somewhere and if the newer guys can actually keep up.  I really could see this season being just like last year, albeit at least the team should in theory be faster paced.

 

While Haynes has been preaching a more up-tempo style, past Devils coaches did that as well and had at best partial success.  Sutter abandoned it after only a few games in his first season, it failed miserably for MacLean and while DeBoer preached a forechecking style, it was a mixed result IMO.

 

By this time next year, we will be looking at a completely changed Devils team.  Besides the guys locked up on long term contracts (Greene, Schneider, Larsson, Henrique) and a few other players, the rest of the slots will be filled with guys who weren't here 3 years ago.

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I really think this team may impress a little bit more than what seems of us may think they are capable of. Solid goaltending, we will have a pretty solid D I think and if the young forwards can figure it out as well as the older guys here.. we won't be so bad

 

But even if we are a bit better, our whole division has gotten a lot better (except the Rangers who are still very good).

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I think we'll be a much more fun team to watch than last year. New players, new management, new coaches, new style (hopefully), etc. Even if we aren't any better than last year I think it will still be exciting just because so much has changed.

 

In the end though, like Eco said, just about everyone around us got a lot better this offseason. I like what we're doing and where this team is headed though. Being patient with the rebuild.

 

I would prefer one more year of a nice draft pick but if these guys surprise us all and finish close to the playoffs I'll be happy too. 

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Also, I'd love to cross out Havlat and Ryder in the original post. Any chance either of these guys are signed by anyone this season? I'm guessing they'll have to wait for injuries to start before anyone signs them.

Edited by Jerzey Devil
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With Zubrus gone, we probably have 9 forwards that are locks to make the team (Cammy, Zajac, Palmieri, Henrique, Elias, Ruutu, Josefson, Tootoo, Matteau*) with another spot likely going to one of O'Brien or Gionta, so that leaves 4 spots at forward to be battled for by youngsters. Guys that will probably get serious looks are gonna be Zacha, Boucher, Kalinin, Coleman, Blandisi, and maybe Thompson. Kujawinski and Pietila could maybe even make a bid for a spot if they have a good camp. I think I'd still like to see another UFA signing for a forward, but as of now I'd like an opening night roster up front of:

 

Zacha - Zajac - Cammalleri

Henrique - Elias - Palmieri

Matteau - Josefson - Kalinin

Ruutu - O'Brien/Gionta - Tootoo

 

I wouldn't want to see any of our kids get plugged in as 4th liners or healthy scratches, so I think a signing for a 3rd or 4th line RW like Kopecky would remedy this. Considering our status on the right side, I wouldn't be surprised to see them try Cammy on the RW, I believe he played on the RW at times in Calgary as well.

 

EDIT: Forgot about Tootoo lol

Edited by CommonDreads
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I wouldn't be upset or surprised to see Pietila get a shot in the bottom 6 if he has a good camp because realistically, that's likely where he'll end up long term anyway and he plays the perfect style for such a role.

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Really have to say I like the moves that Shero has made so far. Parting with someone like zubes is never easy especially when you have all of the idiot fans talking sh!t about him now. The guys was a solid player for us during his years here so let's not forget that. However this was a smart move his time has clearly been up for a while now and moving forward comes in time with everyone and it's been time for zubrus and nj to move on. Iam really hoping ray trades for atleast just 1 impact player up front that we need here

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I still think Shero signs or trades for one or two forwards. He even mentioned that today as Chere reported.

 

Shero did, but not in a "could happen any minute" kind of way.  I think he's going to be pretty patient with this. 

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Toronto beat writer Kyle McKenna: Rumored ‪#‎NJDevils‬ contacted Toronto in terms of JVR.

 

Well its just a rumor but i'm still really excited just to imagine the possibilities haha

 

so of course this is simply a rumour but what do you guys think we'd have to give up for him? he was once traded for Schenn so who knows

Edited by SterioDesign
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Toronto beat writer Kyle McKenna: Rumored ‪#‎NJDevils‬ contacted Toronto in terms of JVR.

Well its just a rumor but i'm still really excited just to imagine the possibilities haha

so of course this is simply a rumour but what do you guys think we'd have to give up for him? he was once traded for Schenn so who knows

I don't want to be on the other side of a Lou trade. He knows us too well. He'd fleece us. Edited by Jerzey Devil
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2nd + Boucher + one of our defenders, just haven't decided who yet. Definitely not Severson, Larsson, Greene, or Santini. Probably not Merrill. Maybe though.

Probably not enough for Leafs though. Who would Lou want to take from us? He does have quite a relationship with Merrill.

I do love the idea of JVR on the Devils but I hate thinking about what we'd have to give up to get him. I also like the idea of collecting guys from NJ.

Edited by Jerzey Devil
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Toronto beat writer Kyle McKenna: Rumored ‪#‎NJDevils‬ contacted Toronto in terms of JVR.

 

Well its just a rumor but i'm still really excited just to imagine the possibilities haha

 

so of course this is simply a rumour but what do you guys think we'd have to give up for him? he was once traded for Schenn so who knows

 

I heard the conversation went something like this:

 

"Hello? Toronto? I heard you might want to trade JVR?"

 

"It's possible. Who is this?"

 

"The Devils"

 

*click* dial tone

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I heard the conversation went something like this:

"Hello? Toronto? I heard you might want to trade JVR?"

"It's possible. Who is this?"

"The Devils"

*click* dial tone

C'mon, it's Lou. He wouldn't just hang up on the Devils like that. He'd politely say goodbye first, and then hang up. [emoji12]
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I wouldn't be upset or surprised to see Pietila get a shot in the bottom 6 if he has a good camp because realistically, that's likely where he'll end up long term anyway and he plays the perfect style for such a role.

I'm with you there.  I'd love to see Pietila outplay Gionta for that 4th line center spot.  I'm also VERY interested in possibly seeing Josefson on the second line.  Someone else on the board forwarded this idea originally.  What do we have to lose by giving him a shot in the top 6?  It's been fairly unanimous that we aren't going to be contending anyway.  We've also been saying that the kid hasn't had top 6 quality linemates ever.  So give the kid a shot to slot in behind Zajac as the no. 2  

Especially if our argument is, "Well we're going to suck anyway."

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So evidently, a Toronto beat writer had mentioned that Shero inquired into the availability of JVR.  (Can't find a link right now unfortunately.) 

 

Would it be worth it to take on the great bulk or perhaps Phaneuf's entire contract so that the most the Devils would have to give up would be Merrill and other pieces you can live without?

 

I would say yes.  The Devils are barely a floor team right now and in all likelihood won't be a cap team to the point that an albatross like Phaneuf's contract will prevent them from doing something else.  And as bad as Phaneuf's deal is, he's still an NHL caliber defenseman and probably won't be Salvador bad by the end of the deal. 

 

EDIT:  Looks like I'm a day late on this one.... carry on.

Edited by Daniel
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No thanks. It's got to be BS too. Shanny has put an end to leaks from over there and adding Lou will only make that ship tighter.

As for the deal: don't want to touch Phaneuf's contract. The Devils are not ready to make deals like this. Goal should be to be bad and see where everyone in the organization is after a year. Just too early in a rebuild to be making major deals like the one you are proposing.

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If JVR is available I would go after him pretty hard. Three years left on his current deal and he's not being paid that much, significantly less than Zajac and similar/same as Cammalleri. 

 

I'd sign on for that, especially with the NJ connection, maybe you can extend him or re-sign him after he goes UFA. 

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