2021 Trade Deadline Thread April 12, 3pm ET

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

50 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

And I’m just saying, he already had little to no protection and I don’t think it’s going to get worse, it already IS worse. 

Things can always get worse. 

[mfitz804]

3 minutes ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

Things can always get worse. 

I guess. You can always slam your d!ck in the car door a second time. 

[jagknife]

46 minutes ago, Lateralous said:

Seems expensive for Mantha, no?  Like really really expensive 

I dunno, but my fantasy team heading into a win-or-break week just got much better with Mantha going there. And if I make the playoffs, Foligno in Tor should help too

Edited April 12, 2021 by jagknife

[Antiquated Colorado Rockie]

1 hour ago, DevsMan84 said:

Let's say Palmieri's production didn't drop like it did this year.  Why else should we keep a guy who is 6-10 years older than the supposed new "core" of the team?  His timeline simply doesn't match up to ours.  You can argue leadership qualities, but if he is getting passed over the captaincy for Nico and adding guys like Wood to the rotation of alternate captains, then that tells you everything that management thinks of how much of that he brings to the table.  

this rebuild(s) is really starting to lag. The sad thing is that Palms was traded for near the beginning of the rebuild as an up and coming scorer in the younger age range we wanted and now leaves a seasoned veteran as we are still rebuilding. 

[NJDevils1214]

I would have kept Kulikov for that return given he's the only physical defensively capable defense man the team had. Maybe Fitz was doing him a favor by sending him to a playoff team? 

Fitz likely shopped Vats around before he exposed him on waivers. I can't imagine that he's dumb enough to lose an asset for nothing that he could have gotten something for. 

[NJDfan1711]

7 minutes ago, NJDevils1214 said:

I would have kept Kulikov for that return given he's the only physical defensively capable defense man the team had. Maybe Fitz was doing him a favor by sending him to a playoff team? 

Yeah, I'm really disappointed in losing him.  I mentioned in another thread a few weeks ago that we have enough puck moving d-men and not enough stay at home guys.  

Maybe he didn't want to be here, or maybe Fitz was indeed doing him a favor like you mentioned, but getting only a fourth in return is pretty underwhelming.  We basically swapped Kulikov, who I think has played well this season, for this new guy Siegs, who we don't know much about. Seems like a lateral move at best, probably a downgrade. I guess perhaps the upside may be that Siegs is 23, and I think Kulikov was 30....but that's not much to get excited about. 

[mfitz804]

13 minutes ago, NJDevils1214 said:

I would have kept Kulikov for that return given he's the only physical defensively capable defense man the team had. Maybe Fitz was doing him a favor by sending him to a playoff team? 

Fitz likely shopped Vats around before he exposed him on waivers. I can't imagine that he's dumb enough to lose an asset for nothing that he could have gotten something for. 

But again, keep him for what? If they were going to keep him past this year, or if he wanted to stay past this year, there would have been an extension. Without it, it’s stupid to keep him for 18 games that don’t matter and then lose him for free in free agency. 

Just like you’re sure he shopped Vats, I’m sure Fitz considered whether or not Kulikov could be extended. 

[NJDevils1214]

Just now, mfitz804 said:

But again, keep him for what? If they were going to keep him past this year, or if he wanted to stay past this year, there would have been an extension. Without it, it’s stupid to keep him for 18 games that don’t matter and then lose him for free in free agency. 

Just like you’re sure he shopped Vats, I’m sure Fitz considered whether or not Kulikov could be extended. 

Everyone around here complaining about actively trying to lose. I'd rather have had 3 more wins, or whatever, at the end of the season because we kept him than get a conditional 4th. 

[mfitz804]

18 minutes ago, NJDevils1214 said:

Everyone around here complaining about actively trying to lose. I'd rather have had 3 more wins, or whatever, at the end of the season because we kept him than get a conditional 4th. 

If Kulikov was the difference between winning and losing, I would be all for it.

I’ve never been an advocate of tanking, but selling your expiring contracts at the deadline, when there are no extensions to be had, that’s just common sense to me. 

I would have traded Murray too. 

[mfitz804]

Anyone know what our average age is now? Vatanen and Kulikov were definitely pushing it up. 

[titans04]

1 hour ago, Lateralous said:

Seems expensive for Mantha, no?  Like really really expensive 

Not according to Weeks/Boudreau and some of the the other "experts" that were covering the deals today on the NHL network.  They couldn't tug on Mantha enough and gave this win to Caps and made it seem like a no-brainer.

[NJDfan1711]

29 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

I would have traded Murray too. 

I completely understand trying to get something for guys who may otherwise depart for nothing, but you can't keep trading away guys every single year.  It seems like a revolving door.  How can you possible develop and build a system, a culture, chemistry...if the lineup and roster constantly changes?  This was our first year with Murray, Kulikov too.  Subband only been here two years.  Smith is brand new.  Vatanen has come and gone once.  What does the front office expect from the defense when it's essentially a patchwork group of guys?

[MadDog2020]

36 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

just common sense to me. 

I would have traded Murray too. 

For what? Another 4th? May as well just keep him.

[Lateralous]

3 hours ago, DevsMan84 said:

Rangers played that game with the Devils in last year's draft with Schneider.  Albeit calling that a "minor move" is relative, GM's do indeed game each other.

Fitz could have held onto Vats until today, but blinked.  At worst, he doesn't get traded and we just play out the rest of the season with him in the lineup and get nothing.  Instead, he comes out of the lineup and we get nothing.  I would consider both of those outcomes about even, but I wish we could have gotten something.

Vatanen clearing waivers in theory would have increased his value in that a team acquiring him could stash him on the taxi squad as insurance.   I’m sure Fitz thought he could get him through and then the Sekera injury screwed up that plan.   

[mfitz804]

58 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

I completely understand trying to get something for guys who may otherwise depart for nothing, but you can't keep trading away guys every single year.  It seems like a revolving door.  How can you possible develop and build a system, a culture, chemistry...if the lineup and roster constantly changes?  This was our first year with Murray, Kulikov too.  Subband only been here two years.  Smith is brand new.  Vatanen has come and gone once.  What does the front office expect from the defense when it's essentially a patchwork group of guys?

 

53 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

For what? Another 4th? May as well just keep him.

He’s on a 1 year deal. If they wanted to extend him, that’s fine. If not, get something. 

I honestly think we could have done better for Kulikov, but I assume if we could have, we would have. 

[CarpathianForest]

I imagine this is one of the multitude of reasons the Devils can't attract top UFAs. The Devils basically strip down their roster every trade deadline. I'm sure being dealt late in the season is a pain in the ass. Basically you're living out of a suitcase until your team is out of the playoffs. I also imagine more often than not, the player moves to their new destination while their family stays behind to have the kids finish school. I mean, is there one veteran on the roster outside of SoupCan who is still here?

[Antiquated Colorado Rockie]

4 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

Anyone know what our average age is now? Vatanen and Kulikov were definitely pushing it up. 

Probably not far from the average age at Newark High

[mfitz804]

4 minutes ago, Antiquated Colorado Rockie said:

Probably not far from the average age at Newark High

So like 25, 26?? Lol

[DevsMan84]

14 hours ago, Lateralous said:

Vatanen clearing waivers in theory would have increased his value in that a team acquiring him could stash him on the taxi squad as insurance.   I’m sure Fitz thought he could get him through and then the Sekera injury screwed up that plan.   

Fitz said either last night or this morning that he was told that several teams put in a claim for Vats and not just Dallas.

[DevsMan84]

15 hours ago, Antiquated Colorado Rockie said:

this rebuild(s) is really starting to lag. The sad thing is that Palms was traded for near the beginning of the rebuild as an up and coming scorer in the younger age range we wanted and now leaves a seasoned veteran as we are still rebuilding. 

In an alternate timeline where we continue to build off the 17-18 run, Palmieri would probably be worth sticking around another 3-4 years.  However, since then we have done another hard reset and we are back to almost square one.

[DevsMan84]

11 hours ago, CarpathianForest said:

I imagine this is one of the multitude of reasons the Devils can't attract top UFAs. The Devils basically strip down their roster every trade deadline. I'm sure being dealt late in the season is a pain in the ass. Basically you're living out of a suitcase until your team is out of the playoffs. I also imagine more often than not, the player moves to their new destination while their family stays behind to have the kids finish school. I mean, is there one veteran on the roster outside of SoupCan who is still here?

Yes and no.  With guys like Zajac and Palmieri finally gone this finally feels like a real reset of the team rather than another half-in, half-out sort of rebuild.  My nightmare would be if in the off-season the Devils sign Palmieri to anymore more than 1 or 2 years and signing Zajac and Vats to anything at all.  Unfortunately, I do think there is real temptation on the part of management to bring Zajac back since he seems to like playing here, would probably play for cheap, and likely will have few options to go to anyways (we are team of Last Resort).

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 hour ago, DevsMan84 said:

Yes and no.  With guys like Zajac and Palmieri finally gone this finally feels like a real reset of the team rather than another half-in, half-out sort of rebuild.  My nightmare would be if in the off-season the Devils sign Palmieri to anymore more than 1 or 2 years and signing Zajac and Vats to anything at all.  Unfortunately, I do think there is real temptation on the part of management to bring Zajac back since he seems to like playing here, would probably play for cheap, and likely will have few options to go to anyways (we are team of Last Resort).

I wouldn't have much issue with Zajac coming back on a one-year deal...he played pretty well for much of this year, and as long as he's not blocking someone else, one year isn't a killer.  But I think Fitz might have already moved on (see below).

What I'm curious to see is if Fitz decides to do a little vet-hunting this offseason, who he decides to sign (or try to sign).  I could be wrong, but I have a feeling that regardless of how he feels about Zajac and Palms (I think he likes both players), Fitz is ready to go in an entirely different direction.  I think part of the "Real Reset" scenario that the Devils seem to be undertaking is establishing a whole new identity...that the new team face will be built around Jack and Nico (no news there), with more youth joining the fray.  And then key vets, preferably brought in from franchises who've actually done some winning in recent years.  

Again, I could be wrong (just speculating), but now I think Fitz is now firmly in complete "Turn the Page" mode...originally I did think that Palms and/or Zajac could be back, as long as it was on Fitz's terms (short-term deals).  I believe Fitz is more in "Build This Thing MY Way" mode, more than ever.  We'll see where that road takes us.   

[vadvlfan]

1 hour ago, DevsMan84 said:

Yes and no.  With guys like Zajac and Palmieri finally gone this finally feels like a real reset of the team rather than another half-in, half-out sort of rebuild.  My nightmare would be if in the off-season the Devils sign Palmieri to anymore more than 1 or 2 years and signing Zajac and Vats to anything at all.  Unfortunately, I do think there is real temptation on the part of management to bring Zajac back since he seems to like playing here, would probably play for cheap, and likely will have few options to go to anyways (we are team of Last Resort).

We also have a history of signing "fringe" players to a one year contract, those players knowing full well they'll be traded somewhere at deadline. You're right about attracting UFA's to sign here. It's clear we're rebuilding & likely won't make playoffs.  I wish Fitz could land a Laine type trade. Zajac loves NJ (and the team). He'll sign a one year deal with us I believe.

 What's crazy to me is the price teams are now willingly paying for size/grit (Savard/Foligno/Riley Nash/Josh Anderson/ Goodrow ('20_) Mantha) 

[MadDog2020]

Nico in. Zacha out. Wack-a-mole.

[nessus]

The reason I don't think Fitzgerald handled the Palmieri situation poorly is that there were expectations this season that the Devils could fight for a playoff spot. And even if the team wasn't quite there, I much rather would have had Palmieri on board to come close to it than to give up on the season before it even started.

Instead, the team got slammed with COVID, Crawford bounced, and our best player was out for a good chunk of the season. We weren't anywhere close to a playoff spot, but it was definitely not wrong to think that things could have gone the other way. Some more luck on Hughes's side and a better season from Palms and without all of those aforementioned factors that slowed us down, and we could be looking at a much different situation.

Fitz still got a first for him. I honestly can't really complain about that.