OT: NJ Devils 2023-2024 Thread
- Thread starter Tango Two
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Markstrom is also owed 2 more years at $6mil per. So that needs to be factored in as well. Not only would we be giving up assets, we'd be allocating a significant amount of cap space to said 34 year old goalie with an injury history.
I'm not overly versed on the goalie market, but I like Kahkonen. Should be fairly cheap in terms of assets needed to acquire him, not owed a lot this year, and is a UFA at end of the year. His career numbers are not great so he probably wouldn't demand a big contract if we decided to keep him, and he's played on some lousy teams which have dragged his number down. And he's still only 27.
It is bargain bin shopping, but I think there is some good upside there.
I would LOATHE that deal for NJ. Markstrom is a short term solution and Tanev, who I like, is another oft-injured player. Calgary is one place I wouldn't mind seeing Holtz dealt for the sole reason that we wouldn't have to see him. By Fitzgerald's own admission last offseason, Holtz has been handled badly here. The fact that nothing has changed and he's still getting 9 minutes/night on a line with ECHLers makes it all the more maddening.
Given all the crap that has gone on with this team this year, I think Fitz would be smart to let the chips fall where they may. Given the injuries, the young D, the bad goaltending etc, I wouldn't sell off future assets to make a run this year. If they get healthier and shore up some of the back-end issues, I still think they have one in them. But I'd let that come from within.
Last year, FLA had the final WC spot at 92 points, which was unusually low. If you figure it'll take maybe 96-97 points this year, NJ would need to finish something like 21-11-3 to get there - aggressive, but not undoable. To do so, the slow starts have to stop - getting scored on first in 34 of 47 games is ridiculous and completely changes the way you approach your game. Also, they have to be better than 10 wins in 23 games at home. They're home a ton in February and have to figure that out.
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Learn from this years roster building mistakes and regroup for next season.
Would be foolish to trade assets for this season
Burkes tavern nice little quiet place about 8 minute walk to the rock . Good drink and food . Not over crowded like the bars on Edison place
I am looking to win right now. The goalie need isnt going away until it is addressed. Holtz isn't a superstar, he is on our 4th line.
3 playoff games at the Rock probably brings in $8+ million for the owners.
3 playoff games at the Rock probably brings in $8+ million for the owners.
I like the Kahkonen idea . Need another NHL experienced netminder for rest of season and he shouldn’t cost much .
Great place to sit and actually enjoy a meal or drink pregame . Good luck eating at redds or American whiskey
He’s currently putting up better save percentage numbers on one of the worst teams in NHL
Montreal is a Saturday 2pm start. Don’t think it’s gonna be a big pregame crowd
They do have 2 games in hand. 168 could be 180 they way things gaven been going
Kahk has a .901 save % and a 3.59 gaa.
VV has .886 and a 3.24.
More goals against with a higher save % means a lot more shots faced.
I do acknowledge not all shots are the same, but I doubt SJ is allowing a ton of shots but doesn't make those mistakes which often leads to great chances against.
Trading Holtz for North of 30 injury prone player(s) looks like Ruff is insisting on getting rid of Holtz, and fanboy Fitz just wants to make his idol happy.
It would be an awful decision!
Keep in mind Kenny D. swears a defenseman needs 300 games to develop. Only 26 year old Marino just hit that number. I don't want a panicked Fitz to trade a Bahl or Nemec for an aging quick fix, because I think we would regret the trade in the long run. Sadly I think that is what we will get.
It would be an awful decision!
Keep in mind Kenny D. swears a defenseman needs 300 games to develop. Only 26 year old Marino just hit that number. I don't want a panicked Fitz to trade a Bahl or Nemec for an aging quick fix, because I think we would regret the trade in the long run. Sadly I think that is what we will get.
Fitzgerald knows this is a punt season.
But the ownership may pressure him to make damaging moves
We need to keep both.
Both have skill sets that will improve and be highly important when they physically fill out in a few years.
I don't understand the logic in some of these posts. First off, you need to move assets to acquire them. It's fine if you want to keep players but then don't expect much of a return.
Second, I keep seeing people saying their window is a few years out. That's wrong - their window is now. Sure, a lot of their young players will improve with experience, but not to a level that will commensurate with their increased cap hit. Hughes, Nemec, Mercer, Holtz are on ELC, add in Toffoli, who I know might be gone this summer, but those players alone + goalies will require 25-30M in cap space in 2-3 years. Sign em all sure - good luck filling out the rest of the roster.
Second, I keep seeing people saying their window is a few years out. That's wrong - their window is now. Sure, a lot of their young players will improve with experience, but not to a level that will commensurate with their increased cap hit. Hughes, Nemec, Mercer, Holtz are on ELC, add in Toffoli, who I know might be gone this summer, but those players alone + goalies will require 25-30M in cap space in 2-3 years. Sign em all sure - good luck filling out the rest of the roster.
Could be, but I don't think this ownership cares about winning.
Fitz may get taken up in how wide open things are this year.
With very little ice time Holtz has as many 5 on 5 goals as some top NHL forwards.
Devils don’t have many good shooters.
It would be a mistake to trade him.
True, and I think we have enough in the system for most trades. Although I wanted the goalie instead, ( Askorov) that year, the Devils picked the sniper of the class, Alexander Holtz.
I want to keep Mercer, Nemec, and Bahl. Nico and the Hughes will not be traded. That is why I landed on Holtz, but only for a blue chipper in a need position, with many years to play.
Question: What is the hit rate of a mid 1st round draft pick in terms of being a solid NHL player?
This summer will be interesting. They'll have about $20M in space to play with, including $2.3M in dead cap coming off and a cap lift to $87M. They'll have a decision to make on Toffoli and should re-sign Mercer, despite his struggles. Barring any moves at the deadline, they need to sign an NHL goaltender and at least 1 defenseman. I'd also like to see them bring in another center. With McLeod gone, and given Hughes/Hischier's injury history, a position of strength has become one of need.
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Bad post. One that actually supports my point because it seems like you don’t have an argument to counter it.
This year was tight with the cap . Next year Cory buyout is gone 2.3 million and cap goes up 4.4 million. Devils looking at 20 million in space to fill 7 roster spots. That gives fitzy the room to make some adjustments this offseason. Haula , Palat , Vanecek Marino are gone in next 3 years. That’s 17 million . Plus with yearly cap increases and the devils offensive core lock up I don’t see a problem signing the likes of Mercer , Luke , nemec and holtz
Good post. The problem isn't the ability to sign those them - it's the ability to fill out the rest of the roster with what's left (if I recall Nico contract expires that year too). My point is simply that you have more flexibility and larger options NOW with 4-5 impact players on ELCs than when those same players are getting paid 20-30M
Not a lot of flexibility this year but there is some next season. There’s also the 2 year bridge deals that a lot of RFAs get off of their first contract
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