The 2021 Offseason Thread

[mfitz804]

6 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

To all...

According to Capfriendly, Nico is signed to exactly ONE year more than Eichel

Well that certainly narrows the gap. That went really quick, I thought Nico was 7 and Eichel had 4. 

6 and 5 makes that decision harder. I think you would have a better shot at signing Nico at the end. But will Nico be a PPG player in the next 2-3 years?

[DevsMan84]

5 minutes ago, devlman said:

I don’t agree with the logic that safe moves in the past now means we must take a highly risky move to go forward. The whole point of making safe moves w careful drafting and patience is so that drastic moves don’t have to be done down the line. 

We won't get help (or at least enough to matter much) from UFA.  That means we either have to win our way through trades or hit a lot on our picks.  We do have some nice prospects in our pipeline, but few that I see that are surefire hits.  What if two of either Holtz, Mercer or Foote do not work out?

The trades we have made in the past 5 years have so far been pretty safe and often to our advantage.  However, what have they resulted in?  We have some picks and some bottom 6 players for the most part.  If the team really wants to move forward, we need to make a move for a guy who is a surefire talent that will improve our team.

[DevsMan84]

2 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Well that certainly narrows the gap. That went really quick, I thought Nico was 7 and Eichel had 4. 

6 and 5 makes that decision harder. I think you would have a better shot at signing Nico at the end. But will Nico be a PPG player in the next 2-3 years?

5 years is a long time in hockey where a lot of things can change.  I think it is foolish to worry about what may happen then to nix any idea of improving your team now, especially since we are far from cap hell.

[MadDog2020]

26 minutes ago, devlman said:

Nico is also two years younger, which is two years closer aligned with the age of our  core/prospects.  Eichel is good but he’s a loser. Would rather win with our homegrown boys than trade them away. Besides, the final difference between the two players at the end of the day won’t be all that significant.

Agreed. Something about Eichel rubs me the wrong way. Just seems like a douche.

[mfitz804]

1 minute ago, MadDog2020 said:

Agreed. Something about Eichel rubs me the wrong way. Just seems like a douche.

The other thing is, obviously, he’s coming from a losing team. If you think he would be happy here, that’s probably not the case. And it’s not like his being in Buffalo turned them into a winner, they did a lot of losing with him. 

A guy already disenfranchised with his former club, probably not what you want in your locker room full of guys that have barely started puberty. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by mfitz804

[MadDog2020]

13 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

The other thing is, obviously, he’s coming from a losing team. If you think he would be happy here, that’s probably not the case. And it’s not like his being in Buffalo turned them into a winner, they did a lot of losing with him. 

A guy already disenfranchised with his former club, probably not what you want in your locker room full of guys that have barely started puberty. 

 

[titans04]

ha, eat sh!t. WTF,

 

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by titans04

[mfitz804]

2 minutes ago, titans04 said:

ha, eat sh!t. WTF,

 

 

Fire Ruff. 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Just seen that Eichel us wanting some form of experimental surgery to fix his herniated disk in his back. The Sabres medical team were not down with it. 

Eichel has only played more than 70 games in a season twice. He has never played a full 82 game season. If we have concerns about Nico staying healthy , then Eichel would be a major worry.

 

[DevsMan84]

Edit: This is in regards to Ruff keeping his assistants.

Edited May 12, 2021 by DevsMan84

[Devil Dan 56]

Ruff is keeping all of his assistants? Cool cool. 

How's the 2022 draft looking? 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

3 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

Ruff is keeping all of his assistants? Cool cool. 

How's the 2022 draft looking? 

Yeah I mentioned this in another thread, but I'm kinda done with Ruff now.  I could understand the "he's only been here a year argument", as far as Recchi is concerned.  But no one can sell me on more nASS.  My lasting memory of him will be the Devils calling time-out, nASS diagramming god-knows-what, and the opposing team (I already forget who...was it Boston?) going right down the ice and scoring.  I don't care if it wasn't all his fault.  I just don't like losers getting to hang around season after season.

[RunninWithTheDevil]

Are we seriously gonna have to crowdfund a billboard on McCarter hwy to get rid of nASS? What the absolute fvck

[Nicomo]

Well that’s disappointing. I hope this isn’t a case of Fitz being overly loyal to “his guy” like Shero was (multiple times). I’m surprised Ruff is so on board with bringing both Nas and Recchi back, but at the end of the day isn’t it ultimately Fitz’s decision?

I understand the lack of practices hurt the special teams in particular, but they were so epically bad you’d think there’d be some changes. 

[MadDog2020]

53 minutes ago, RunninWithTheDevil said:

Are we seriously gonna have to crowdfund a billboard on McCarter hwy to get rid of nASS? What the absolute fvck

I’m in for that if we can get enough people lol. Let’s put it on 280 though, more eyes.

Edited May 12, 2021 by MadDog2020

[Crisis]

Also disappointed to hear that Nas will probably be brought back.  But like Nicomo said, the condensed condensed schedule was a killer.  I think the Devils had like 1 or maybe 2 full practices from the time they got back from the team COVID lockdown.  Special teams is what you work on in practice.

[jagknife]

100% unsat on Ruff and Fitz to allow nASS to come back. I’m too angry to not spew even more hatred in this thread so I’ll leave like the one rapper in 8 Mile said:

”fvck you and have a nice day.”

[Devils Pride 26]

Trading Nico for Eichel straight up would be terrible. Nico is the only center on the roster with any ounce of defensive acumen. Put him with Kouks and and Sharangovich. Deploy them against other teams top lines. Give Hughes softer minutes and let Nico do the heavy lifting

[vadvlfan]

6 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

Agreed. Something about Eichel rubs me the wrong way. Just seems like a douche.

I had thought the same thing.  Wonder if he's a whiney b>cht?  We have no idea if any skeletons exist.  Also, his "disc" issue could turn into something long term, missing a lot of games. 

[Devil Dan 56]

1 hour ago, vadvlfan said:

I had thought the same thing.  Wonder if he's a whiney b>cht?  We have no idea if any skeletons exist.  Also, his "disc" issue could turn into something long term, missing a lot of games. 

I know this could just be a media thing, but he seems to always be pouting. There seems to be a rumor every year about how unhappy he is. Much like Laine though, we don't know what's true and what's just a reputation. 

[jagknife]

2 hours ago, vadvlfan said:

I had thought the same thing.  Wonder if he's a whiney b>cht?  We have no idea if any skeletons exist.  Also, his "disc" issue could turn into something long term, missing a lot of games. 

 

36 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

I know this could just be a media thing, but he seems to always be pouting. There seems to be a rumor every year about how unhappy he is. Much like Laine though, we don't know what's true and what's just a reputation. 

So i feel like he’s “pouting” cause the wonderful Buffalo media is literally pinning the team’s results on him and he’s sick of their bullsh!t (fvck you, Mike Harrington).

also reading Friedman’s 31 thoughts and him wanting to get the artificial disc replacement for his neck that has helped even MMA fighters return to the octagon when the team is trying hard to deny it, against the NHLPA “second opinion” clause, is some bullsh!t on the Sabres’ part.

[jagknife]

Oh and no, I don’t want Nico for Jack. In case that’s a question. Sorry, America.

[Jerrydevil]

7 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Yeah I mentioned this in another thread, but I'm kinda done with Ruff now.  I could understand the "he's only been here a year argument", as far as Recchi is concerned.  But no one can sell me on more nASS. 

Pressure's on. If the special teams are atrocious again in 2022, all three of them will be out. 

[Lateralous]

13 hours ago, Devils Pride 26 said:

Trading Nico for Eichel straight up would be terrible. Nico is the only center on the roster with any ounce of defensive acumen. Put him with Kouks and and Sharangovich. Deploy them against other teams top lines. Give Hughes softer minutes and let Nico do the heavy lifting

Yeah, I'm pretty happy just riding Hughes and Hischier as our top centers.   One looks like a budding offensive force and the other a top end two way center.  Until proven otherwise, I see no reason to make a move.   These two should improve naturally.  It's the rest of the roster that needs an upgrade.  

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, Lateralous said:

Yeah, I'm pretty happy just riding Hughes and Hischier as our top centers.   One looks like a budding offensive force and the other a top end two way center.  Until proven otherwise, I see no reason to make a move.   These two should improve naturally.  It's the rest of the roster that needs an upgrade.  

Arguably, center is where we need the least amount of help. We have two guys who may turn out great and enough other guys to cover 3rd and 4th line duties, even if you make Zacha a permanent wing. 

I think we should focus more on filing in the wings and more importantly, a backup goalie and defense. To use a music analogy, the goalie and defense are like your rhythm section. No matter how flashy and talented your guitar player and singer are, your band will suck if your rhythm section can’t hold it down.