2019 Offseason Thread

[mfitz804]

6 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I was critical of Ray last summer. I still am. The point you are missing is that last year sucked very badly after finally getting to the playoffs after several years.

I don't care that we have buckets of cap room this year, it was still a sh!t year last year. Looking at that roster, any competent GM would see how awful that defense was and that goalie regression was likely. I mean, Cory couldn't win one freaking game after Jan 1 2018.  We needed to shore up our defense and goaltending and Ray did nothing after Shattenkirk failed.

I am happy for this summer, it's going really well for NJ, but last summer was still very poor.

Any chance that was by design to improve draft position? I mean fans were calling for a tank pretty early, any chance that was in full effect for longer than we think?

I mean, look at the team we put out there. Even with a full season of Taylor Hall we would’ve been sh!t with all of those AHLers out there. 

[Rob_Ottawa]

I doubt that. The draft is lottery protected now, so banking on getting the top pick is fools gold. I mean, ya we are lucky as hell but look at the Vancouvers of the world who get nothing.

[mfitz804]

Well I think it’s a better explanation than Ray just having forgotten to be a GM last year and then pulling this off this year. 

[Neb00rs]

I wonder if at this point, CBJ is going to be like, fvck it, let's take a shot with Puljujarvi.

[nessus]

1 hour ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I was critical of Ray last summer. I still am. The point you are missing is that last year sucked very badly after finally getting to the playoffs after several years.

I don't care that we have buckets of cap room this year, it was still a sh!t year last year. Looking at that roster, any competent GM would see how awful that defense was and that goalie regression was likely. I mean, Cory couldn't win one freaking game after Jan 1 2018.  We needed to shore up our defense and goaltending and Ray did nothing after Shattenkirk failed.

I am happy for this summer, it's going really well for NJ, but last summer was still very poor.

This is why it's a good thing Shero's job isn't to please the fans. Why does last season's lack of moves matter?

[Devil Dan 56]

1 hour ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I was critical of Ray last summer. I still am. The point you are missing is that last year sucked very badly after finally getting to the playoffs after several years.

I don't care that we have buckets of cap room this year, it was still a sh!t year last year. Looking at that roster, any competent GM would see how awful that defense was and that goalie regression was likely. I mean, Cory couldn't win one freaking game after Jan 1 2018.  We needed to shore up our defense and goaltending and Ray did nothing after Shattenkirk failed.

I am happy for this summer, it's going really well for NJ, but last summer was still very poor.

You don't make moves just to make moves. There wasn't much out there last off season and Ray made the right call staying pat. That is showing right now

[SterioDesign]

4 hours ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I was critical of Ray last summer. I still am. The point you are missing is that last year sucked very badly after finally getting to the playoffs after several years.

I don't care that we have buckets of cap room this year, it was still a sh!t year last year. Looking at that roster, any competent GM would see how awful that defense was and that goalie regression was likely. I mean, Cory couldn't win one freaking game after Jan 1 2018.  We needed to shore up our defense and goaltending and Ray did nothing after Shattenkirk failed.

I am happy for this summer, it's going really well for NJ, but last summer was still very poor.

There's a few points that you are missing...

1- Like it's been mentioned. Shero's job is not to entertain you every year. His job it to build a team that can win a Stanley Cup. You dont achieve that by throwing 7 years insane money at guys like James Neal. You follow a plan and use opportunities when they materialize.

2- The fact that we made the playoffs 2 years ago is a miracle and an INCREDIBLE achievement for Shero. Looking at what he started with 3-4 years prior and to make the playoffs that early? We should appreciate that we got a little taste of it VS being entitled and expect that from now on as it's the new standard. We weren't supposed to make the playoffs that season. Florida were a way better team than us by the end of the season, they only dug themselves a hole early and couldn't recover in time.

3- I'm sorry but you really sounds like someone who really doesn't understand how challenging being a GM is. Well really anyone saying a GM did "nothing" cause nothing "happened" is truly clueless of how much work goes into it and that stuff simply doesnt pan out more often than not.

4- Even if Shero would have signed Tavares last summer, which was the best UFA available. I'm convinced we were still not making the playoffs. Way too many injuries and a very average roster.

5- We didn't have assets to make big moves either and the timing wasn't right as we were not supposed to be contenders for a few years again. There's no point signing a 30 years old guy to a 7 years contract who's going to be declining by the time you really need him to produce. thats just patching work to "win now". Again... that's exactly that mentality that got us in the terrible mess we were in. 

Edited July 30, 2019 by SterioDesign

[Nicomo]

10 hours ago, Crisis said:

Underrated?  He was the 1st overall pick..

Underrated since then. Some of our own fans don’t even think he’s that good...

[Neb00rs]

It's pretty futile right now to even try and predict what the Devils lineup is going to look like on opening night. I have to imagine they're going to trade someone for a draft pick or a couple of someone's for a player for the sake of consolidation. Even if the plan is to keep Bastian, Anderson, and McLeod in the minors for another year, the Devils will still have one extra player on their NHL roster with no one they can send down aside from Boqvist or Smith, both of whom I am assuming are going to make the team. If one of them doesn't, this all changes.

If they trade for a player, it will likely be for a left shot D, meaning that one of our current D and a forward are most likely on their way out. The more probable scenario though, is that we trade players for picks. If we can ship out one of Carrick/Mueller and one of Rooney/Hayden/Wood, we can maybe take a run at Gardiner on D and get that left-handed shot. The question for us regarding Gardiner is term. If he's looking for a two-year deal or less, we can do it. If he wants a long-term deal, it ain't gonna happen.

Vatanen is certainly a tempting player to trade as well with one year remaining on his contract. But he's a top 4 guy who might find himself playing some 3rd pairing TOI this year. In other words, keeping him allows us to have our best possible defense this year. On the other hand, he's our best shot at recouping our 2020 2nd round pick.

Edited July 30, 2019 by Neb00rs

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

5 hours ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I was critical of Ray last summer. I still am. The point you are missing is that last year sucked very badly after finally getting to the playoffs after several years.

I don't care that we have buckets of cap room this year, it was still a sh!t year last year. Looking at that roster, any competent GM would see how awful that defense was and that goalie regression was likely. I mean, Cory couldn't win one freaking game after Jan 1 2018.  We needed to shore up our defense and goaltending and Ray did nothing after Shattenkirk failed.

I am happy for this summer, it's going really well for NJ, but last summer was still very poor.

You say your share of dumb things on here, so this take doesn’t surprise me much.

You don’t get it at all.  You don’t get that this year’s moves don’t happen without Shero realizing that it wasn’t worth killing valuable cap space on what was available to him last season.  He took on a big hit with PK, still needs to lock up Butcher, and will still have money left over to re-sign Hall.  And with some ELCs about to expire, Shero will have guys to hand out big raises to very soon.

You don’t realize that after a season like 2017-18, it can make a ton of sense to take a step back and see how many guys who factored into helping the team make the playoffs could build off their seasons.  If you have cheap, cost-controlled options in house who can develop for you, that’s your best-case scenario.  

It’s not always about instant fvcking gratification, and fans like you will never understand that.  It’s about trying to build a sustainable winner.  Shero’s gone about this the best possible way.  Like the old saying goes, sometimes it’s as much about the moves you don’t make.  Instead of making the instant-grat crowd happy with a consolation back-page signing, he stuck to his plan.  As he should have.

[Rob_Ottawa]

8 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

There's a few points that you are missing...

1- Like it's been mentioned. Shero's job is not to entertain you every year. His job it to build a team was can win a Stanley Cup. You dont achieve that by throwing 7 years insane money at guys like James Neal. You follow a plan and use opportunities when they materialize.

2- The fact that we made the playoffs 2 years ago is a miracle and an INCREDIBLE achievement for Shero. Looking at what he started with 3-4 years prior and to make the playoffs that early? We should appreciate that we got a little taste of it VS being entitled and expect that from now on as it's the new standard. We weren't supposed to make the playoffs that season. Florida were a way better team than us by the end of the season, they only dug themselves a hole early and couldn't recover in time.

3- I'm sorry but you really sounds like someone who really doesn't understand how challenging being a GM is. Well really anyone saying a GM did "nothing" cause nothing "happened" is truly clueless of how much work goes into it and that stuff simply doesnt pan out more often than not.

4- Even if Shero would have signed Tavares last summer, which was the best UFA available. I'm convinced we were still not making the playoffs. Way too many injuries and a very average roster.

5- We didn't have assets to make big moves either and the timing wasn't right as we were not supposed to be contenders for a few years again. There's no point signing a 30 years old guy to a 7 years contract who's going to be declining by the time you really need him to produce. thats just patching work to "win now". Again... that's exactly that mentality that got us in the terrible mess we were in. 

 

[Rob_Ottawa]

4 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

You say your share of dumb things on here, so this take doesn’t surprise me much.

You don’t get it at all.  You don’t get that this year’s moves don’t happen without Shero realizing that it wasn’t worth killing valuable cap space on what was available to him last season.  He took on a big hit with PK, still needs to lock up Butcher, and will still have money left over to re-sign Hall.  And with some ELCs about to expire, Shero will have guys to hand out big raises to very soon.

You don’t realize that after a season like 2017-18, it can make a ton of sense to take a step back and see how many guys who factored into helping the team make the playoffs could build off their seasons.  If you have cheap, cost-controlled options in house who can develop for you, that’s your best-case scenario.  

It’s not always about instant fvcking gratification, and fans like you will never understand that.  It’s about trying to build a sustainable winner.  Shero’s gone about this the best possible way.  Like the old saying goes, sometimes it’s as much about the moves you don’t make.  Instead of making the instant-grat crowd happy with a consolation back-page signing, he stuck to his plan.  As he should have.

Thanks for flaming me you jackass troll.

I guess anyone who disagrees with you is 'dumb'

All I wanted was depth moves, I never said anything about crazy huge contracts

The previous poster was respectful in counter arguments without being a douchebag like yourself

Edited July 30, 2019 by Rob_Ottawa

[RunninWithTheDevil]

1 hour ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

Thanks for flaming me you jackass troll.

I guess anyone who disagrees with you is 'dumb'

All I wanted was depth moves, I never said anything about crazy huge contracts

The previous poster was respectful in counter arguments without being a douchebag like yourself

Dude he really didn't flame you. I thought he did a good job at breaking down why each one of your points was idiotic.

[Rob_Ottawa]

'you say mostly dumb things here'

how is that not the definition of flaming?

[RunninWithTheDevil]

4 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

'you say mostly dumb things here'

how is that not the definition of flaming?

If that's considered "flaming" here, I think you really need to go back and read some more content. Lighten up, Francis.

 

edit: keep in mind, I don't share his opinion. I don't think you say "mostly" dumb things. There are plenty of far worse posters. But this is a message board, and people are going to call you out if their opinion is different. CR is a decent guy and he wasn't personally attacking you, just your bad take.

Edited July 30, 2019 by RunninWithTheDevil

[mfitz804]

4 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

'you say mostly dumb things here'

how is that not the definition of flaming?

He said "your share of dumb things". He didn't specify that you say mostly dumb things. He didn't quantify your share.

[ajsgolf]

As dumb as this post will be, I thought it would just be somewhat fun.  Of course this is beyond hypothetical but if McDavid was ever traded, who do you think he would go to and what would Edmonton get in return?

Again, I know it’s dumb to bring up since it’s not gonna happen but just a fun hypothetical.

[Rob_Ottawa]

I honestly don't know how to even contemplate a trade like that. There really isn't any precedent, except maybe Gretzky.  That trade was pretty awful for Edmonton, but they did win a cup without him so I guess it didn't hurt too bad.

I guess I would start with three first round picks, 2 mid-tier roster players (forwards most likely) and then a top prospect as well.

 

Edited July 30, 2019 by Rob_Ottawa

[NJDfan1711]

19 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

'you say mostly dumb things here'

how is that not the definition of flaming?

While I agree that what he said was pretty direct, and yes, technically an insult, I wouldn't be all that upset about being called dumb - we all call each other dumb around here every now and then, because frankly, we are all dumb every once in a while.

[Devil Dan 56]

16 minutes ago, ajsgolf said:

As dumb as this post will be, I thought it would just be somewhat fun.  Of course this is beyond hypothetical but if McDavid was ever traded, who do you think he would go to and what would Edmonton get in return?

Again, I know it’s dumb to bring up since it’s not gonna happen but just a fun hypothetical.

It would be a monster of a trade for sure. And I don't think it's dumb at all.  If he continues to be the best in the league and that team keeps going nowhere, he may very well start getting restless. Who knows? 

[mfitz804]

5 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

we all call each other dumb around here every now and then, because frankly, we are all dumb every once in a while.

Some more than others!

That's a self-reflection lol. 

[mfitz804]

5 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

It would be a monster of a trade for sure. And I don't think it's dumb at all.  If he continues to be the best in the league and that team keeps going nowhere, he may very well start getting restless. Who knows? 

He'll never be content to be the best player in the league and not compete for a championship. i wouldn't rule out him demanding a trade down the line. 

18 minutes ago, Rob_Ottawa said:

I guess I would start with three first round picks, 2 mid-tier roster players (forwards most likely) and then a top prospect as well.

He probably commands the best forward on the roster of most NHL teams as part of the package. 

[ajsgolf]

McDavid knowing he’s the best in the league, I wonder what that feeling must be like.  Other than him knowing he’ll always get a maximum contract in terms of salary and pretty much getting any girl he wants it probably still has an empty feeling knowing he won’t win a cup with the team he’s currently on.  Just always goes to show you need a supporting cast to make it work.

[mfitz804]

8 minutes ago, ajsgolf said:

McDavid knowing he’s the best in the league, I wonder what that feeling must be like.  Other than him knowing he’ll always get a maximum contract in terms of salary and pretty much getting any girl he wants it probably still has an empty feeling knowing he won’t win a cup with the team he’s currently on.  Just always goes to show you need a supporting cast to make it work.

I think he could do better than current. 

[RunninWithTheDevil]

Looking like Point to TBL