2019 Offseason Thread

[CommonDreads]

Follow up to the Hall nonsense from yesterday: https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1781527/shero-agent-deny-report-that-halls-not-interested-in-extension-with-devils

"No idea where (the website) got that aside from a 'source,'" Shero told NHL.com's Mike Morreale in a text. "Nothing on our end has changed and I have never heard differently from Taylor or Darren Ferris."

Hall's agent said, "I'm not going to speak to it because it's all fictitious and I'm just not going to respond to any of those questions out of respect to the conversations and discussions that are going on."

[glenwo2]

2 minutes ago, CommonDreads said:

Follow up to the Hall nonsense from yesterday: https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1781527/shero-agent-deny-report-that-halls-not-interested-in-extension-with-devils

"No idea where (the website) got that aside from a 'source,'" Shero told NHL.com's Mike Morreale in a text. "Nothing on our end has changed and I have never heard differently from Taylor or Darren Ferris."

Hall's agent said, "I'm not going to speak to it because it's all fictitious and I'm just not going to respond to any of those questions out of respect to the conversations and discussions that are going on."

First off, your avy is LEGENDARY.   lol.

Anyway, whomever came up with that "rumor" was obviously looking for clicks :

" The Fourth Period reported Monday...."

The Fourth Period can go pound sand with their clickbait.

[Nicomo]

10 hours ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I'd tell Dubas to fvck off and call Edmonton for a swindle like that.

Marner is talented yes, but also a mini-mite who would get eaten alive in a long series with men like the current Stanley cup final.

 

 

You know Brad Marchand is like 4 feet tall right? And he’s leading the playoffs in points...

[CMONPETEYD]

Outside of Hughes, does anyone have a sinking feeling like Shero is going to blow this offseason?  

Seems like there is a ton of opportunity, but does anyone truly believe we are going to do the following:

1.  Sign/Trade for Top 6 Fwd

2. Sign/Trade for Top 4 Def

I think there is a better chance we sign/trade for guys who are traditionally 3rd line or 3rd pairing guys and try to push them up....  like the Brian Boyle/Ben Lovejoy signings.

Then we will be forced into trading Hall and not get true value because of his injury status....  

Still things with our FWD corps and some other pieces are looking up, but something inside me thinks it will be a rocky off-season and we will have another 2-3 years of building before we get back to playoffs.

We all want this magic pill to take us to contention this year, but I do not know if Shero can make it happen!

At least we should have Jack and Nico.....

[Devil Dan 56]

18 minutes ago, CMONPETEYD said:

Outside of Hughes, does anyone have a sinking feeling like Shero is going to blow this offseason?  

Seems like there is a ton of opportunity, but does anyone truly believe we are going to do the following:

1.  Sign/Trade for Top 6 Fwd

2. Sign/Trade for Top 4 Def

I think there is a better chance we sign/trade for guys who are traditionally 3rd line or 3rd pairing guys and try to push them up....  like the Brian Boyle/Ben Lovejoy signings.

Then we will be forced into trading Hall and not get true value because of his injury status....  

Still things with our FWD corps and some other pieces are looking up, but something inside me thinks it will be a rocky off-season and we will have another 2-3 years of building before we get back to playoffs.

We all want this magic pill to take us to contention this year, but I do not know if Shero can make it happen!

At least we should have Jack and Nico.....

I don't see any reason that Shero can't use his extra picks to get some good talent. He's done it with Palmieri, Mueller, and Johansson 

[Devilsfan118]

36 minutes ago, CMONPETEYD said:

Outside of Hughes, does anyone have a sinking feeling like Shero is going to blow this offseason?  

Seems like there is a ton of opportunity, but does anyone truly believe we are going to do the following:

1.  Sign/Trade for Top 6 Fwd

2. Sign/Trade for Top 4 Def

I think there is a better chance we sign/trade for guys who are traditionally 3rd line or 3rd pairing guys and try to push them up....  like the Brian Boyle/Ben Lovejoy signings.

Then we will be forced into trading Hall and not get true value because of his injury status....  

Still things with our FWD corps and some other pieces are looking up, but something inside me thinks it will be a rocky off-season and we will have another 2-3 years of building before we get back to playoffs.

We all want this magic pill to take us to contention this year, but I do not know if Shero can make it happen!

At least we should have Jack and Nico.....

Man maybe I'm just sippin' on the Kool Aid, but I'm expecting big things from Shero this year and have a ton of confidence in him that he'll get it done.

He's talked for the past few years about not jumping feet-first into Free Agency until the time was right.. well, the time is clearly right.  I think he makes some very serious and competitive offers to the top UFAs this season. 

I also think he makes a move at the draft to address the defense.

[NJDfan1711]

7 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

I don't see any reason that Shero can't use his extra picks to get some good talent. He's done it with Palmieri, Mueller, and Johansson 

Palmieri and Johansson clearly have skill, and while one of those worked out well for us and the other didn't, I'll be the first to admit that I was optimistic and excited when we traded for Mueller, but definitely pretty disappointed in that move now.  I thought we were getting someone who was more versatile than he is.  To me, he's like a poor man's Anton Strahlman.  But I do agree, there's no reason to be pessimistic and assume Shero isn't going to improve this team this off-season.  He has some assets to work with, so I think he might bring in an impact player or two.  

[Nicomo]

41 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

I don't see any reason that Shero can't use his extra picks to get some good talent. He's done it with Palmieri, Mueller, and Johansson 

Well, calling Mueller good talent is probably being a tad generous... 

[vadvlfan]

We don't know what goes into a lot of this stuff too. Ray may make a decent run at a player, but shouldn't you set  limits?  We don't know who he made an effort to get, (cept maybe Maroon-Shattenkirk) we all thank God that didn't come to fruition.  GM's give a stupid contract out, and 2 years later trying to move him?  Maybe Van. trade Virtanen to us for Mcleod or Q /pick.  That's type of player I love us to pursue. In addition to a top 6 guy/ top 4 D man.

Edited June 5, 2019 by vadvlfan
Spelling errors

[mfitz804]

2 hours ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

I don't see any reason that Shero can't use his extra picks to get some good talent. He's done it with Palmieri, Mueller, and Johansson 

Agreed, its kind of his thing. And the reason why he stockpiled all of those picks, I am sure. 

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by mfitz804

[Rob_Ottawa]

14 hours ago, Nicomo said:

You know Brad Marchand is like 4 feet tall right? And he’s leading the playoffs in points...

Good counter point. I looked it up and the 2 players are almost identical in size and height.

I guess it's just a trick of the eyes, Marchand always came across as more of a muscular player to me.

Maybe I don't watch enough Leaf games... but then I would have to put up with the homer announcers which make me want to retch

Edited June 5, 2019 by Rob_Ottawa

[mfitz804]

2 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

Good counter point. I looked it up and the 2 players are almost identical in size and height.

I guess it's just a trick of the eyes, Marchand always came across as more of a muscular player to me.

Maybe I don't watch enough Leaf games... but then I would have to put up with the homer announcers which make me want to wretch

0.93 points per game over his first 3 years, had more assists last season (68) than any player on our team had total points, and it wasn't even close (Palmieri, 50).

Aside from Palmieri as our top scorer, Marner outscored any TWO of our players. nico and Zajac were our 2nd and 3rd high scorer and they add up to only 93. 

For more fun, Marner outscored Bratt, Zacha, Wood, and Noesen by four points.

I'll take a "small" guy like that (6'0", 175 btw), any day of the week. 

[Rob_Ottawa]

wow I never actually looked at our team season totals before.  50 points for our best is abysmal. I don't think I ever remember team high of that level before.

 

[Nicomo]

4 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

wow I never actually looked at our team season totals before.  50 points for our best is abysmal. I don't think I ever remember team high of that level before.

 

Rico lead the team with 43 in 2015...

[Rob_Ottawa]

22 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

0.93 points per game over his first 3 years, had more assists last season (68) than any player on our team had total points, and it wasn't even close (Palmieri, 50).

Aside from Palmieri as our top scorer, Marner outscored any TWO of our players. nico and Zajac were our 2nd and 3rd high scorer and they add up to only 93. 

For more fun, Marner outscored Bratt, Zacha, Wood, and Noesen by four points.

I'll take a "small" guy like that (6'0", 175 btw), any day of the week. 

Not for Taylor Hall  + Ty Smith + whoever else you were saying.

Marner is ok sure, but don't give up 3+ top line players for him

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

6 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

wow I never actually looked at our team season totals before.  50 points for our best is abysmal. I don't think I ever remember team high of that level before.

You had Hall missing a ton of games, and Nico missed some as well.  Fully healthy, they both would've had a lot more than 50 each. 

1 minute ago, Nicomo said:

Rico lead the team with 43 in 2015...

And unfortunately that's what can lead guys like Rico to be overrated by a segment of that team's fanbase:  "But he was our leading scorer!"  Being less unproductive than the rest of your largely unproductive teammates doesn't make you a good player by default. 

And man, was that 2014-15 team beyond dreadful.  I have no idea how they managed 78 points. 

[mfitz804]

22 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

Not for Taylor Hall  + Ty Smith + whoever else you were saying.

Marner is ok sure, but don't give up 3+ top line players for him

I think he's a little better than OK, but that's a matter of perspective. 

That said, if Hall said "I'm not re-signing" and the money worked out, I would put a package together with Hall as the main piece. That deal would to include Smith. But I don't think Toronto is in a position to take on Hall right now anyway, they'd only be doing that trade because they can't afford Marner. 

[DevsMan84]

26 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

You had Hall missing a ton of games, and Nico missed some as well.  Fully healthy, they both would've had a lot more than 50 each. 

And unfortunately that's what can lead guys like Rico to be overrated by a segment of that team's fanbase:  "But he was our leading scorer!"  Being less unproductive than the rest of your largely unproductive teammates doesn't make you a good player by default. 

And man, was that 2014-15 team beyond dreadful.  I have no idea how they managed 78 points. 

That was the same season where Tootoo was on our top line for a stretch and Bernier was on our #1 PP unit.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, DevsMan84 said:

That was the same season where Tootoo was on our top line for a stretch and Bernier was on our #1 PP unit.

[DevsMan84]

lol literally the one thing that kept us out of being dead last (or even in the bottom 3!) was Cory with his .925 save %.

Ya know, the guy who many of our fans now say not only does he suck but was never any good in his entire time here.

[mfitz804]

5 minutes ago, DevsMan84 said:

lol literally the one thing that kept us out of being dead last (or even in the bottom 3!) was Cory with his .925 save %.

Ya know, the guy who many of our fans now say not only does he suck but was never any good in his entire time here.

Nooo...the narrative is he's only good when its meaningless. So of course he was good then lol. 

[glenwo2]

5 hours ago, CMONPETEYD said:

Outside of Hughes, does anyone have a sinking feeling like Shero is going to blow this offseason?  

 

No.   

No I don't.   

I trust in Shero and what he's trying to do. 

I think your reasoning is that "blowing the offseason"  = trading Hall.    

 

I actually feel that way, too.    While we'd still have Nico, Bratt, Hughes, and company, we will still be rebuilding next season(No playoffs again) without Hall to lead.

All Shero has to do is get Hall to re-sign (and I'm sure he'll do everything possible to make that happen) and the offseason (and Future) is saved. 

 

Or maybe I'm wrong and this group CAN get to the playoffs without Hall....

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by glenwo2

[Rob_Ottawa]

59 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

I think he's a little better than OK, but that's a matter of perspective. 

That said, if Hall said "I'm not re-signing" and the money worked out, I would put a package together with Hall as the main piece. That deal would to include Smith. But I don't think Toronto is in a position to take on Hall right now anyway, they'd only be doing that trade because they can't afford Marner. 

Why on Earth would we want to trade Smith for anyone, when he is our best defensive prospect in this organization since Larsson.  He is an immediate non-include in any trade save for Conner McDavid

The trade is one for one...

[mfitz804]

55 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

Why on Earth would we want to trade Smith for anyone, when he is our best defensive prospect in this organization since Larsson.  He is an immediate non-include in any trade save for Conner McDavid

The trade is one for one...

I certainly wouldn't trade him, but would Toronto ask for him? Probably. 

He falls into the category of what we need, and you don't trade away that which you need.

[Rob_Ottawa]

Just now, mfitz804 said:

I certainly wouldn't trade him, but would Toronto ask for him? Probably. 

He falls into the category of what we need, and you don't trade away that which you need.

Ok, miscommunication. I thought you were saying that he should be offered by NJ in the trade as bait.  Toronto would certainly ask for him, along with most other teams in the league.

I'm old fashioned, but I still believe in building a team defense first, and guys like Smith are what I covet.