2018-19 Around the League Thread

[jagknife]

3 hours ago, NJDevils1214 said:

Well my buddy, not from Buffalo, is a fan and every time I go there as a visiting team fan I am never mistreated. Everyone is nice, seems like they just love hockey, and the food is awesome. I can understand how living there would be a different story than visiting, but in all fairness I can't stand 90% of our fanbase so I won't hold it against Buffalo that they have toxic casual a$$hole fans too. I would guess, though nothing more than a guess, that the treatment in Buffalo towards visiting fans is better than visiting fans coming to NJ for a game. (on average)

That is the only arena I’ve actually had stuff thrown at me, and that includes wearing Devils jerseys to MSG, Nassau and even freaking Red Sox jerseys to Yankee Stadium. Funny thing is at Yankee, I’ve had a bunch of fun conversations with fans, hell a few of us have even bought beers for one another. 

I obiviously hate a good number of our fans, just like some of the special ones we have as well. I like the city though, primarily Amherst, but yeah, definitely wore out on their fans over my time there. Glad I moved on.

[CommonDreads]

I've been to hockey events in Buffalo a few times: a Devils game early in the 2015-16 season, the 2016 Draft, and a few games at last year's World Juniors. At least from my impression, the fans in Buffalo were pretty knowledgeable, gracious, and it just seemed like they were dying to finally have a good team to root for, at least those are the fans that I encountered.

It could just be me as a Bills fan being happy for the other Buffalo team, but I'm really happy to see the Sabres going on this run. At least all the fans I've encountered, they deserve it, and Jack Eichel also happens to be one of my favorite non-Devils.

[Lateralous]

2 hours ago, Daniel said:

I'm only going based on what Friedman noted, but it seems like we're in a unique position give Toronto what it wants, which is a promising young player who is an everyday NHL player making the league minimum through next year and not have to send them back significant salary.  In addition, we can take on a contract they surely don't want in Zaitsev. 

You also add to the fact that something has to get done by Saturday or he can't play for the rest of the season.  If they can't sign him before then, adding Bratt and Mueller or even Santini makes a very good Toronto team even better right now and allows them to not worry as much about what they need to do for the future.   

Interesting.   I didn't realize Zaitsev had fallen off that badly.   Also, I would hate to lose Bratt in that deal since I'm not totally convinced that Nylander is really that much better than him long term.

    

[NJDfan1711]

Call me crazy, but I wouldn't give up a combination of Bratt/Butcher/1st for Nylander.  One of those and something else of lesser value, but not two of those three things.  Nylander's stats are good, but they're a small sample size, and it kind of rubs me the wrong way that there's already contract issues with him and he's only 22.  I have no idea what he was asking for and what the Leafs were offering, but you don't often see guys his age holding out, and to me it's just not a good sign.

[Daniel]

2 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Call me crazy, but I wouldn't give up a combination of Bratt/Butcher/1st for Nylander.  One of those and something else of lesser value, but not two of those three things.  Nylander's stats are good, but they're a small sample size, and it kind of rubs me the wrong way that there's already contract issues with him and he's only 22.  I have no idea what he was asking for and what the Leafs were offering, but you don't often see guys his age holding out, and to me it's just not a good sign.

The sample size is big enough, and he has excellent 5X5 numbers.  You only kind of worry whether that had to do with him playing with Matthews, although I can't tell you who his most common linemates were the past two season.

The money doesn't bother me and probably wouldn't bother the Leafs but for the fact that they have two massive deals to give out next season, one of which will likely end up being the richest contract in the league on top of what they gave to Tavares. 

At this point though, I'm not giving up a first rounder unless it's a conditional one that's based on being in the bottom ten picks of the round or something like that. 

[NJDfan1711]

4 minutes ago, Daniel said:

The sample size is big enough, and he has excellent 5X5 numbers.  You only kind of worry whether that had to do with him playing with Matthews, although I can't tell you who his most common linemates were the past two season.

The money doesn't bother me and probably wouldn't bother the Leafs but for the fact that they have two massive deals to give out next season, one of which will likely end up being the richest contract in the league on top of what they gave to Tavares. 

At this point though, I'm not giving up a first rounder unless it's a conditional one that's based on being in the bottom ten picks of the round or something like that. 

True, I guess maybe the other contracts they have to deal with is why they can't afford to give him what he wants, but that still makes me wonder what he does want, because if he's asking for Tavares/Matthews money then I think he's nuts.  

And 2 1/4 years isn't nothing, but it's still not very big if you ask me. Like you said, could have had a lot to do with who he was playing with, and if he were to come here he wouldn't exactly have the same caliber of linemates.  The thing that scares me which is very relevant at the moment is basically him becoming a Johansson 2.0.  A guy who we all thought was pretty damn good and had solid numbers, then comes here and is pretty much invisible.  I'd hate to bring in Nylander, give up one or more things to get him in the process, and then have him really not pan out.  I don't think we can afford that.

[Daniel]

5 hours ago, NJDfan1711 said:

True, I guess maybe the other contracts they have to deal with is why they can't afford to give him what he wants, but that still makes me wonder what he does want, because if he's asking for Tavares/Matthews money then I think he's nuts.  

And 2 1/4 years isn't nothing, but it's still not very big if you ask me. Like you said, could have had a lot to do with who he was playing with, and if he were to come here he wouldn't exactly have the same caliber of linemates.  The thing that scares me which is very relevant at the moment is basically him becoming a Johansson 2.0.  A guy who we all thought was pretty damn good and had solid numbers, then comes here and is pretty much invisible.  I'd hate to bring in Nylander, give up one or more things to get him in the process, and then have him really not pan out.  I don't think we can afford that.

Apparently he’s at anywhere between $6.9 and 7.5 million AAV.  He’s not asking for Matthews or Tavares money.  

Anything’s possible, but I don’t see him disappointing like Johansson wherever he ends up.  He’s a much better player already and was a much better player during the course of his development.

[Steadevils]

Valentin Zykov put on waivers by Carolina..I think I'd put in a claim on him. Scored 33 goals in 66 games in the AHL last year and is only 23...https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/155382/valentin-zykov

[NJDevils1214]

43 minutes ago, Steadevils said:

Valentin Zykov put on waivers by Carolina..I think I'd put in a claim on him. Scored 33 goals in 66 games in the AHL last year and is only 23...https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/155382/valentin-zykov

Dea had better numbers than that in Scranton. Like 50pts in 70 games I think.

[Steadevils]

21 minutes ago, NJDevils1214 said:

Dea had better numbers than that in Scranton. Like 50pts in 70 games I think.

Zykov a year younger than Dea and while AHL pts are similar Zykov had a large advantage in goals last year. 

 

GP; Goals; Assists; Pts. 

Dea: 70    18    32    50

Zykov: 63    33    21    54

[NJDevils1214]

30 minutes ago, Steadevils said:

Zykov a year younger than Dea and while AHL pts are similar Zykov had a large advantage in goals last year. 

 

GP; Goals; Assists; Pts. 

Dea: 70    18    32    50

Zykov: 63    33    21    54

Def could be worth looking into but I doubt they will. 

[mfitz804]

On 11/27/2018 at 10:46 PM, CommonDreads said:

Not that it really matters, I'd eat my shoe if we actually traded for Nylander, but going over the what if is still a fun exercise.

This belongs over in the betting thread. I'll expect video if it happens. 

[Devilsfan118]

I just can't imagine the Leafs let him sit out the whole year and waste a year of his development / production.

I think they come to an agreement right before the deadline.

[ilzz89]

Zykov on waivers, 23 yo with similar skillset to zacha, with the right fit can be a solid addition.

 

[NJDevils1214]

https://www.tsn.ca/leafs-flyers-chat-as-nylander-deadline-nears-1.1218615

This is annoying...

[NJDfan1711]

Another game, another pointless night for Kovy.  This guy's gonna do harm to his legacy - when he left the NHL he was exactly a point per game player, I think 872 in 872 games or something like that.  I hate him for what he did to us, but I used to love watching him play and now it looks like he may truly not longer be a good fit for this league. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

21 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Another game, another pointless night for Kovy.  This guy's gonna do harm to his legacy - when he left the NHL he was exactly a point per game player, I think 872 in 872 games or something like that.  I hate him for what he did to us, but I used to love watching him play and now it looks like he may truly not longer be a good fit for this league. 

That game was actually a bit better for him, in some ways...he did register four shots on goal.  He got some more ice time in this game than he did in the two previous, so maybe he's starting to fight his way out of the doghouse.  But yeah, 11 games and counting...LA sure as hell didn't sign up for THAT. 

Not really sure Kovy had much of a legacy, in spite of the nice glamour numbers...he spent a big chunk of his career being a one-way player who had a ton of shortcomings in the rest of his game, then came to NJ and became more rounded (thanks to Lemaire), but just when it seemed like he was all-in for the long haul, the lockout happens, and he decides he no longer wants to play out the contract that the Devils bent over backwards to sign him to.  If he has any legacy at all, I'd say it's for playing well on a stacked team in an inferior league.  Now he looks like a guy who forgot how much better the NHL really is. 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[NJDfan1711]

4 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

That game was actually a bit better for him, in some ways...he did register four shots on goal.  He got some more ice time in this game than he did in the two previous, so maybe he's starting to fight his way out of the doghouse.  But yeah, 11 games and counting...LA sure as hell didn't sign up for THAT. 

Not really sure Kovy had much of a legacy, in spite of the nice glamour numbers...he spent a big chunk of his career being a one-way player who had a ton of shortcomings in the rest of his, then came to NJ and became more rounded (thanks to Lemaire), but just when it seemed like he was all-in for the long haul, the lockout happens, and he decides he no longer wants to play out the contract that the Devils bent over backwards to sign him to.  If he has any legacy at all, I'd say it's for playing well on a stacked team in an inferior league.  Now he looks like a guy who forgot how much better the NHL really is. 

Can't argue with much of that.  To me his legacy was the fact that he was the first Russian every taken 1st overall in the draft, and when he came into the league he was seen as a pure sniper, which I think he was.  Personal feelings for him aside, the guy could skate seamlessly into the zone like very few others, and he was always a constant threat when on the ice, pretty much from any area.  Part of my definitely didn't want him to succeed when he returned, so I'm not at all sad to see this happen really, but had he actually lit it up upon his return here, I have to admit, the hockey fan in me probably would have marveled at that, because I do appreciate the skill he had/has.

[mfitz804]

30 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Another game, another pointless night for Kovy.  This guy's gonna do harm to his legacy - when he left the NHL he was exactly a point per game player, I think 872 in 872 games or something like that.  I hate him for what he did to us, but I used to love watching him play and now it looks like he may truly not longer be a good fit for this league. 

As we say in Staten Island, fvck that guy.

[mfitz804]

2 hours ago, ilzz89 said:

Zykov on waivers, 23 yo with similar skillset to zacha, with the right fit can be a solid addition.

 

We should jump all over that, another Zacha is exactly what we are missing. 

[DevsMan84]

Oilers claimed Zykov.

FML

[mfitz804]

15 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

Oilers claimed Zykov.

FML

Cool, now McDavid is available. 

[Devilsfan118]

Surprised he made it past so many teams to Edmonton, to be honest.

Rumor mill is that Nylander verbal agreement has been reached.  6 years at 7M, seems like market value.

Nothing confirmed, of course.

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, Devilsfan118 said:

Surprised he made it past so many teams to Edmonton, to be honest.

Rumor mill is that Nylander verbal agreement has been reached.  6 years at 7M, seems like market value.

Nothing confirmed, of course.

Kind of ponderous that he had to sit out for training camp plus three months to get what I agree is probably market value. 

[NJDfan1711]

6 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Kind of ponderous that he had to sit out for training camp plus three months to get what I agree is probably market value. 

I'm guessing he was asking for 8 or 9, the Leafs knew they couldn't do it (or maybe didn't want to, but couldn't either way), and eventually he knew that, didn't want to sit out the whole season, and opted to settle for what is, like you said, FMV.