Fitz?

[MadDog2020]

2 minutes ago, Bonginator11 said:

also didn’t use Dougie’s LTIR to get any help on defense

Hey, not true; he helped Dallas acquire help on defense 🙄

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

3 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

It’s hard to be in touch with reality when your entire working life has essentially been a vacation. Fitz played hockey his whole life, got paid well for it, and stayed in the game to become a GM. People who have never worked in the real world aren’t gonna be in touch with the average Joe. Being a pro athlete is a vacation of an existence. Not that they aren’t real people with real problems, but these are folks who have literally played or managed in a children’s game their whole lives, and gotten paid more than any of us will ever come close to making. They don’t relate to a 9-5 person. 

In some ways, I get what you're saying.  The days of pro athletes having to work a second job in the offseason are long gone.  Dwight Gooden's rookie salary was $40,000 in 1984...as we know, higher-round NHL players are already getting life-changing kind of money on their ELCs.  Some guys are able to land nice jobs in broadcasting after they retire, or basically live off their earnings while making appearances as they wish, etc.

BUT, it's fair to point that just as they can't relate to us "normal" working folk...in a lot of ways we can't relate to them either.  They can only do what they do for so long...many aren't able to continue as they reach their early 30s.  Sure, many of them can make insane money while playing, but for every player who's making millions, there's several others bouncing up and down between the AHL and NHL, just trying to stick.  And of course, it's always a mistake to assume that money automatically buys ease and happiness.  As we've seen, it doesn't always, and some of these guys deal with the physical toll of their bodies having been beat up through years of hard contact, being drilled into the boards, etc.  I'm not saying it's a lousy existence by any means, but I don't think it's necessarily this spotless dream for everyone involved either.  Also fair to keep in mind that for players to get THIS far, it's not like all of them were just able to coast solely on their talent.  Many of them worked hard to get the absolute most of what they had to work with, and had to continue working hard not to lose their job to someone else.

Also fair to point out that when you, I, or any of us fvck up at our job or have a bad day, we don't have millions of people talking about how much we suck or trying to get inside our heads.  We don't have to read about how disappointing we are all over the internet or have to watch talking heads speculate about why we're not getting it done (sometimes even bringing an athlete's personal life into it).  Sure, in many cases there's nice financial compensation involved so we assume that these guys should just be able to shake it off, but just like in every walk of life, for people who are thinner-skinned or especially sensitive, it's not that easy even if they ARE making lots of coin.

And as we're seeing, being a GM ain't easy at all...lots of people from various backgrounds have failed at it spectacularly.  You can be good at it for a while and then after a couple of rough years, everyone's talking about what a dumbass you are.  Or you can make plenty of fine "on paper" moves that made perfect sense and watch them all blow up in your face.  You have to know a lot about ALL of the financial considerations involved in building your team, worrying about not just your on-ice product, but drafting, scouting, finding those players to fit your system, finding the right coaching staff, etc.  There's a lot that goes into all of that...I don't envision all of that as a country club existence...some of these guys live and breathe their front office jobs to an insane degree.

Edited March 6 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[NJDevils1214]

The roster is good with exception of not having an enforcer, probably seriously overvaluing Palat, and lacking a true starting goalie. Having terrible goaltending doesn't mean the rest of the team is automatically also awful, as seen with the team two years ago, and I just don't know how they decided what they saw was good enough. Night after night nothing changed. The team sleepwalked most of the season and it felt like no one was really able to step up and get them going.

I am shocked Fitz even bothered to fire Lindy now given the season is already pissed away. I can only conclude it was an old yeller situation and he wanted to save Lindy having to stand there while the fans chant for his head again.

sh!t happens. It wasn't the year anyone wanted. It just kind of feels like it was allowed to happen to some degree.

[capo]

4 hours ago, NJDevils1214 said:

The roster is good with exception of not having an enforcer, probably seriously overvaluing Palat, and lacking a true starting goalie. Having terrible goaltending doesn't mean the rest of the team is automatically also awful, as seen with the team two years ago, and I just don't know how they decided what they saw was good enough. Night after night nothing changed. The team sleepwalked most of the season and it felt like no one was really able to step up and get them going.

I am shocked Fitz even bothered to fire Lindy now given the season is already pissed away. I can only conclude it was an old yeller situation and he wanted to save Lindy having to stand there while the fans chant for his head again.

sh!t happens. It wasn't the year anyone wanted. It just kind of feels like it was allowed to happen to some degree.

I don't think the roster is great at all. The Devils are one dimensional and the Devils "star" players are of similar ilk and they lack tenacity.  I don't think an old school enforcer is needed.  I would just like to have tougher get in the trenches types spread out through the line up.  This roster needs work.

Also, as bad as the goaltending has been a lot of that lies on the system in front of them.  The Devils have talent but they aren't well put together and their system is garbage.

I also do not have any faith in Tom Fitzgerald to do what is right here based on his refusal to can Lindy Ruff in a timely manner and his handing of jobs to his buddies. Fvck that dude.

[point]

"You don't knowwho is swimming naked until the tide goes out." Fitz and Lindy both turtled when blindsided by injuries. Sure fans were expecting a nice follow up season after years in purgatory, but management's job is to plan for injuries or at least respond to them. Neither Fitz or Ruff did their jobs. Fitz looked ok with last season's team but froze like a deer in headlights with the injuries this year. This was his glaring weakness combined with an unprofessional soft spot for his HC. 

Ruff? I don't get what he has been tbinking all season. I just don't.

[Devils01]

Fitz getting smoked on TSN

https://www.tsn.ca/video/the-smokehouse-the-undercooked-devils~2880218

[Nicomo]

Well, good thing Toffoli and his agent are completely out of their minds. 5-6??

And if Fitz really gives him 4 years it’s going to be disastrous. 

[Devils01]

Guy is 31 going on 32 next month… his term should be 2-3 years max. Send him his way for picks/prospects

Edited March 7 by Devils01

[ButlerBulldog]

8 minutes ago, Nicomo said:

Well, good thing Toffoli and his agent are completely out of their minds. 5-6??

And if Fitz really gives him 4 years it’s going to be disastrous. 

Yeah, as has been stated numerous times elsewhere, anything more than two years is asking for trouble.  Does Fitz really think that Toffoli’s going to be able maintain his currently level of productivity once he loses a step?  He already doesn’t fit with the Devils’ top two centers, who have better chemistry with other forwards, so his decline will be particularly ugly if he remains in New Jersey.  Better to let another team give Toffoli a bad contract.

Edited March 7 by ButlerBulldog

[devlman]

Great timing @DevilMinderin adding the vomit emoji. It’s been extremely relevant this season.

[slasher72]

3 hours ago, Devils01 said:

Fitz getting smoked on TSN

https://www.tsn.ca/video/the-smokehouse-the-undercooked-devils~2880218

Fitz f'ed up by not addressing goaltending all year. And now he wants to package a player (Holtz) that he trashed in a press conference.. pure genius. Lol

 

[jagknife]

31 minutes ago, slasher72 said:

Fitz f'ed up by not addressing goaltending all year. And now he wants to package a player (Holtz) that he trashed in a press conference.. pure genius. Lol

 

Big brain Fitzy.

[NJDfan1711]

48 minutes ago, slasher72 said:

Fitz f'ed up by not addressing goaltending all year. And now he wants to package a player (Holtz) that he trashed in a press conference.. pure genius. Lol

 

Everyone is quick to say he messed up by not addressing goaltending - how exactly was he supposed to address it?  Who exactly is available aside from Markstrom, and maybe Saros? On top of that, no one here wants to give up Nemec, or Luke, or Holtz. So what are we supposed to give up, picks?  We aren't exactly stocked with them either. 

I do agree that 5-6 yrs for Toffoli is too much.  3 would be great, 4 not the best but doable. Maybe front load the deal.

 

[Lateralous]

50 minutes ago, slasher72 said:

Fitz f'ed up by not addressing goaltending all year. And now he wants to package a player (Holtz) that he trashed in a press conference.. pure genius. Lol

 

You could tell me he wrapped up his offseason convinced he built a contender,  watched us crush the preseason and then decided go on an a around the world sailing trip until right before the deadline so he could make minor additions with his only instructions to Madigan before turning his cell phone off being “you can make minor waiver wire pickups if you think you need to but otherwise just let Lindy run the show”  and I would believe it.  I mean honestly, what would have been different?   

[Lateralous]

25 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Everyone is quick to say he messed up by not addressing goaltending - how exactly was he supposed to address it?  Who exactly is available aside from Markstrom, and maybe Saros? On top of that, no one here wants to give up Nemec, or Luke, or Holtz. So what are we supposed to give up, picks?  We aren't exactly stocked with them either. 

 

I was fully on board with going into the year with VV and Schmid but in hindsight, I think our GM should have known that he needed a third serviceable option somewhere in Jersey or Utica, especially once he found out Dawes needed hip surgery and he had no reason to count on Nico even being able to provide the 2-3 week bump that he did.  I understand not getting the big fish but I think the above is more than reasonable to have expected our GM to have had the foresight to address.  

Edited March 7 by Lateralous

[MadDog2020]

56 minutes ago, jagknife said:

Big brain Fitzy.

 

[MadDog2020]

38 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Everyone is quick to say he messed up by not addressing goaltending - how exactly was he supposed to address it?  Who exactly is available aside from Markstrom, and maybe Saros? On top of that, no one here wants to give up Nemec, or Luke, or Holtz. So what are we supposed to give up, picks?  We aren't exactly stocked with them either. 

I do agree that 5-6 yrs for Toffoli is too much.  3 would be great, 4 not the best but doable. Maybe front load the deal.

 

Conor Hellebuyck was the guy everyone was talking about last summer. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

3 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

Conor Hellebuyck was the guy everyone was talking about last summer. 

Being that no one bit on him, I'm guessing the asking price was beyond prohibitive.  The guy wanted out and wound up having no choice but to stay with Winnipeg.  So far it is working out for them, but his next deal doesn't even start until next season.

[MadDog2020]

Just now, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Being that no one bit on him, I'm guessing the asking price was beyond prohibitive.  The guy wanted out and wound up having no choice but to stay with Winnipeg.  So far it is working out for them, but his next deal doesn't even start until next season.

Yeah he signed an 8-year extension I believe. He’s only 30, but Winnipeg will be paying for his decline. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Just now, MadDog2020 said:

Yeah he signed an 8-year extension I believe. He’s only 30, but Winnipeg will be paying for his decline. 

He and Scheifele each signed 7-year extensions, but being that they each had a year left on their existing deals, they each have another eight seasons total (including this one) with the Jets.

It's one of those "If they win a Cup (or even get to a SCF), they'll live with some decline years"-type of scenarios.    

[NJDevs4978]

The fact that Winnipeg doubled down on their core suggests Helle was never truly available.  I'm not sure Saros is either judging by Trotz's reported ridiculous ask.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 minutes ago, NJDevs4978 said:

The fact that Winnipeg doubled down on their core suggests Helle was never truly available.  I'm not sure Saros is either judging by Trotz's reported ridiculous ask.

Devils would've probably had to START with Nemec just to get them to pick up the phone.  Which was obviously a non-starter.

[MadDog2020]

9 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Devils would've probably had to START with Nemec just to get them to pick up the phone.  Which was obviously a non-starter.

Nemec is off limits. His name is even mentioned, I’m laughing heartily before hanging up. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

35 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

Nemec is off limits. His name is even mentioned, I’m laughing heartily before hanging up. 

Yeah even though Luke's obviously having a brutal time lately, most teams would kill to have either him or Nemec.  Devils have both.  No way am I giving them up.

Edited March 7 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[MadDog2020]

Just now, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Yeah even though Luke's obviously having a brutal time lately, most teams would kill to either him or Nemec.  Devils have both.  No way am I giving them up.

Both are untouchable.