The 2021 Offseason Thread

[Devilsfan118]

12 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

I’m calling it now, if they add Hamilton, and if the most important guy’s stay healthy (Jack, Nico, Mac, Ty, Hamilton) they’re a playoff team. 

[SterioDesign]

 

2 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

I’m calling it now, if they add Hamilton, and if the most important guy’s stay healthy (Jack, Nico, Mac, Ty, Hamilton) they’re a playoff team. 

Maybe not next year but it should naturally happen very soon. We're still in a very very good division so it's hard. Our best years are obviously ahead literally ALL our guys are not in their prime yet but getting close. While other teams have their core getting older and doesn't have that much young talent coming up.

Pittsburgh is currently trending down. Capitals are currently down. Philly has been trending down. The Bruins are now stable but will trend down as Bergeron and Marchand's production should start dropping. Islanders are most likely at the top of their ceiling at the moment with everyone in their prime mostly. The Rangers have a really good prospect pool so they should stay the same or get a little better. The Sabres... lol.

So by other teams naturally falling while we're getting better we should soon be a staple in the playoffs.

I'm actually quite okay with "losing" now in the sense that you can really learn through that. You learn early how hard it is to win and what it takes. We don't have a really gritty or big team so we should learn from teams like Tampa or the leafs who plowed through the season easily based on skills but couldn't get it in second gear for awhile (or ever when it comes to Toronto). So that our young group is going through it early and staying positive IMO is a good thing. 

[MadDog2020]

We move onto the Flyers, who continually think they can solve their goaltending problems by finding more sh!tty defensemen. They gave up Robert Hagg and a first-rounder to acquire Rasmus Ristolainen from Buffalo. Ristolainen has been a punchline for most of his career, and the league should have learned through Tyler Myers that anytime Buffalo calls offering one of their blue liners, you have to hang up the phone immediately, if not throw it against the wall. Ristolainen has a relationship with positioning and angles that could be best described as “estranged,” and Flyers fans will have the batteries out by Thanksgiving for this dope.   And again, might not be the most bewildering trade of the weekend. The New York Rangers, in a quest to prove they can be the most knuckle-dragging organization after seemingly “getting it” during their rebuild, launched genuine top-six winger Pavel Buchnevich to St. Louis for plow-horse Sammy Blais (“TO BLAIS! Which we all know means to bluff, so you two were playing cards….”). The Rangers are going through that phase that every team gets afflicted with seemingly where they think the answer to their problems is being more “grind-y” because some palooka in the blue seats kept screaming about it on WFAN once (do the blue seats at MSG exist anymore? You get it). This decidedly makes the Rangers worse, but you can’t really count on a GM like Chris Drury, who retired due to head injuries, to notice that the Rangers’ problem was having just one line and that Kaapo Kakko might not be any damn good.https://deadspin.com/the-flat-cap-has-caused-nhl-gms-to-get-even-dumber-1847358494?rev=1627233106955&utm_campaign=Deadspin&utm_content=1627233289&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1vryO-QJ5VS4wcHDgeBXOFzzIvtPvcvey-l16uCyFmjAjNt2MN9cAHIS0

Edited July 25, 2021 by MadDog2020

[SterioDesign]

12 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

I mean, it would seem that is correct. And, If we could add a solid 3C (Coleman) and maybe a lesser but still good D-man as a complement to Hamilton, even the better. 

 

I still say we should overpay slightly for a guy like Danault who's a beast defensively and can effectively shut down top lines. That'd help our "so-so" defense. You sign Coleman for the RW and match a Wood-Danault-Coleman against the top lines and they'd kill out there

[NJDevils1214]

24 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

the real question is, what do you think Coleman should do?

 

Fridge also said in his 31 thoughts that at some point a team was asking VGK about Lehner and he thinks, but doesn't know, that it was NJ.

[SterioDesign]

the good news is. Dougie left a very strong team before for more money. Boston made him a fair offer coming out of his ELC and he turned it down so they didnt think he'd coming long term so they traded him

[MadDog2020]

 

[jagknife]

@SterioDesign don’t forget, the divisions go back to normal next year. Buffalo and Boston won’t be in ours.

if we make the moves we hope we do, I see us being competitive with both NY teams, better than Philly & CBJ

[SterioDesign]

Just now, jagknife said:

@SterioDesign don’t forget, the divisions go back to normal next year. Buffalo and Boston won’t be in ours.

if we make the moves we hope we do, I see us being competitive with both NY teams, better than Philly & CBJ

oh thats right! Well that's unfortunate cause we were Boston's kryptonite last year haha

Well IF we land Hamilton. Carolina will definitely won't be as good and Colombus are also trending down

 

[bobilly45]

1 hour ago, mfitz804 said:

I feel like that’s exactly what Carolina needs to offer for us to swoop in and offer him more. 

Yes, they can offer the 8th year, but if we are offering $1.5m more per year, that more than makes up the dollar difference of the extra year. 

It's a random guy on Twitter, not what I'd call a reliable source

[SterioDesign]

23 minutes ago, bobilly45 said:

It's a random guy on Twitter, not what I'd call a reliable source

So because a random dude on twitter mention the numbers brought up by Friedman then it makes the information not reliable? lol

Edited July 25, 2021 by SterioDesign

[Nicomo]

1 hour ago, jagknife said:

@SterioDesign don’t forget, the divisions go back to normal next year. Buffalo and Boston won’t be in ours.

if we make the moves we hope we do, I see us being competitive with both NY teams, better than Philly & CBJ

CBJ looks like ass on paper (at least at forward), but they have always given us fits so who knows. Hopefully the new coach doesn’t “fix” Laine…

This division definitely looks more wide open than it has in quite a while. 

[SterioDesign]

I just read something on twitter and it makes a lot of sense.

How 'bout trading Holtz for Meier?

Meier would join Hischier who he has amazing chemistry with. And Holtz would join Eklund who he has amazing chemistry with. 

I'd be 100% on board with this as im not high on Holtz at all and i remember really loving watching Meier play in juniors when he was in Halifax

Edited July 25, 2021 by SterioDesign

[Nicomo]

Just now, SterioDesign said:

I just read something on twitter and it makes a lot of sense.

How 'bout trading Holtz for Meier?

Meier would join Hischier who he has amazing chemistry with. And Holtz would join Eklund who he has amazing chemistry with. 

I'd be 100% on board with this as im not high on Holtz at all

I’d do that in a heartbeat. 

[Guadana]

1 minute ago, SterioDesign said:

I just read something on twitter and it makes a lot of sense.

How 'bout trading Holtz for Meier?

Meier would join Hischier who he has amazing chemistry with. And Holtz would join Eklund who he has amazing chemistry with. 

I'd be 100% on board with this as im not high on Holtz at all and i remember really loving watching Meier play in juniors when he was in Halifax

May be. What we gonna do with Zacha after?

[SterioDesign]

6 minutes ago, Guadana said:

May be. What we gonna do with Zacha after?

Well then that'd actually help keeping Zacha on the left wing in a top 6 role vs 3rd line center. Cause if we don't Holtz, zacha or Kuakkonen will be battling for top 6 role on the left side. Not a bad problem obviously. But we already have wood and Foote on the left side too

So trading a LW for a RW would balance things a bit and solidify our top 6. We'd have a player ready next season for sure so that'd speed up our rebuild too. Meier is still pretty young at 24. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by SterioDesign

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Since the start of last season, Meier’s scored 34 G and added 46 A in 124 GP.  I’m not so sure about Holtz either, but Meier’s basically has one breakout kind of season and will be 25 next year.  I could see him being kinda meh.  

[Nicomo]

Just now, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Since the start of last season, Meier’s scored 34 G and added 46 A in 124 GP.  I’m not so sure about Holtz either, but Meier’s basically has one breakout kind of season and will be 25 next year.  I could see him being kinda meh.  

20+ goal scorer in every full season he’s played in. Plus the chemistry with Nico. It would be too tempting to pass up if SJ was interested, imo. 

[Guadana]

2 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

Well then that'd actually help keeping Zacha on the left wing in a top 6 role vs 3rd line center. Cause if we don't Holtz, zacha or Kuakkonen will be battling for top 6 role on the left side. Not a bad problem obviously. But we already have wood and Foote on the left side too

So trading a LW for a RW would balance things a bit and solidify our top 6. Meier is also established so we know what we're getting vs Holtz, god knows 

Zacha is top-6 player now. He svck as center. And he will get payment year after. Yegor has great offensive and defensive abuility and better shot. And he will be cheaper for some years. If we have them do we really need 3 top-6 left wingers. I will trade Zacha for Meier easily, but if we trade Holtz for Meier, I dont think Zacha will play good on the Hughes wing. They didnt click before because Zacha isn`t good forecheker and cant protect the zone. Now 3rd line role is misuse for him. Ofcourse we can put him on the second\third line, but in the day when Meier will come in the devils locker room, I will say "get your things together, Pavel" and trade him for something worthwhile. Ofcourse, it`s me, a man, who love balance and distribution of roles,  but collecting all the best at once will make a team of the best maybe. 

[Devilsfan118]

Friedman thinks we are the team to beat for Hamilton. Talks about it on the latest 31 thoughts podcast.

Says a lot of the teams that would have been competing for his services are out due to the events of this past weekend.

Trying....to... Keep... Hopes...in... check...

[NJDevils1214]

I don't see the Sharks trying to trade Meier this year. They're still in win now mode. They even tried to move their 1st rnd pick this year before the draft. They aren't ready to admit to a rebuild yet.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

16 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

20+ goal scorer in every full season he’s played in. Plus the chemistry with Nico. It would be too tempting to pass up if SJ was interested, imo. 

Something else to consider is that Meier is due $10 million in 2022-23 ($6 million cap hit)…and he’d only be under team control for a couple of years, before he becomes a RFA.  I know cap room is hardly an issue for the Devils, but Holtz will come in on a cheap entry level deal to start…it’s never a bad thing to have inexpensive young talent coming up.  Is Meier the kind of player you want taking up what will likely be over $6 million in cap space going forward?  I’m definitely not opposed in the slightest to moving Holtz in a deal, just not sure that I’d do it for Meier.  

Edited July 25, 2021 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Nicomo]

I sincerely hope not. Holtby has looked washed for quite a while. 

[SterioDesign]

4 minutes ago, Guadana said:

Zacha is top-6 player now. He svck as center. And he will get payment year after. Yegor has great offensive and defensive abuility and better shot. And he will be cheaper for some years. If we have them do we really need 3 top-6 left wingers. I will trade Zacha for Meier easily, but if we trade Holtz for Meier, I dont think Zacha will play good on the Hughes wing. They didnt click before because Zacha isn`t good forecheker and cant protect the zone. Now 3rd line role is misuse for him. Ofcourse we can put him on the second\third line, but in the day when Meier will come in the devils locker room, I will say "get your things together, Pavel" and trade him for something worthwhile. Ofcourse, it`s me, a man, who love balance and distribution of roles,  but collecting all the best at once will make a team of the best maybe. 

Well my logic is that we have multiple LW and a bit weaker on the right side. Holtz is still unknown and maybe 1-2 years away from having an impact in the NHL if he has one. Meier is ready now and he has a proven chemistry with Hischier. So he'd be a perfect RW on the 2nd line for awhile. 

Zacha we know what he can bring and he's pretty versatile, he can play on the PK, on the wing and center. So you want player like this. If we can land Coleman then we get another. So that'd give us tremendous flexibility down our lineup with Zacha and Coleman who can both kill penalties, play center or wing.

I'm still not sold fully on Kuokkannen but he did produce pretty good this season. If anything we can just develop him and also flip him for something else down the line. 

[Nicomo]

1 minute ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Something else to consider is that Meier is due $10 million in 2022-23 ($6 million cap hit)…and he’d only be under team control for a couple of years, before he become a RFA.  I know cap room is hardly an issue for the Devils, but Holtz will come in on a cheap entry level deal to start…it’s never a bad thing to have inexpensive young talent coming up.  Is Meier the kind of player you want taking up what will likely be over $6 million in cap space going forward?  I’m definitely not opposed in the slightest to moving Holtz in a deal, just not sure that I’d do it for Meier.  

As far as Timo re-signing I would hope playing with Nico would be enough to ensure that, but yeah, I would like it better if he had more than 2 years left.