Why does everyone else out there see this, but the ownership doesn't? I'll tell you why. This franchise is nothing more then an asset in their portfolio and as long as the valuation goes up (which it did), there's nothing to see here. If Fitzgerald and Keefe weren't fired on the bus ride home from UBS after the 9-0 game, I feel it's never going to happen. Which is disappointing because EVERY team that makes a leadership change at the appropriate time gets some sort of bump. I say appropriate time because Devils got no bump when firing Lindy Ruff because it was WAY too late.
Sure we can change all of the players - but these are a lot of the same guys who excelled under Lindy. Maybe the grass isn’t always greener. Seems like a coaching shakeup might be the only thing that they can do to turn this around. If they ain’t playing the right way then we need a new way to play. DeBoer is just sitting waiting for a call. This team should not allow them to trade an unprotected fist.
Having followed this team since they arrived in New Jersey, this season is most goofiest except for 2010-2011 season. The defense is mostly solid. The Devils need a top goalie who can start 50 to 55 games. Daws or Malek could be that guy? What would it take to obtain Igor Shesterkin? Yes pipe dreaming but maybe Drury is holding a fire sale and willing to deal.
Like the Palat trade, this move would have been very solid last summer or early in the season. But now...what's the point?
I get that Fitzy can't just snap his fingers and conjure a plus 3C or top-6 scoring winger with great finishing ability. But Luke Glendening has failed to play NHL-quality hockey for months, and a competent (not even great!) 4C should be very get-able throughout the season. The fact that Fitzy didn't make this trade until we were all but eliminated from the playoffs demonstrates an astonishing lack of urgency.
Except if he's part of the problem and not the solution, just getting rid of him helps. And then we use the $8.6M of new cap space that we'd have to replace him. You can get a very good player for that much money. I'm torn on him. I tend to think he's not worth his contract at all. What do you think?
I think you have a higher regard for his worth than I do, and I'm not just referring to this season. I think he's simply overpaid for what he brings to the table, even before this season. And in a salary cap world, we can't afford to overpay anyone.
Don’t think it is an apples to apples comparison because Matthew Tkachuk has played 8 games and Brad Marchand/Seth Jones have also missed double digits.
Season ticket holder here...I drive 1:10 to get to the games. At least when they sucked in the past they played hard. Not anymore. Last night I played on the internet more than I watched the game. It was pathetic. This team is poorly constructed and totally unmotivated. The only point I'll disagree on is Nico. I think he plays hard all the time. He leads a shit team in goals, wins faceoffs, and plays the toughest match ups. You're pretty much dead on otherwise. Brown and Glass were nice acquisitions, and the whole world was wrong about Dadonov so I'll give Fitz a pass there. The NMC's killed this team and kept them from getting at worst the second best offensive D man in the league.
My thought now is to get a new GM in place ASAP and salvage the trade deadline. They should be able to at least shed salary and bring in some bottom six help for next season. After that they can go big game hunting in the off season and bring in help where they need it.
Why does everyone else out there see this, but the ownership doesn't? I'll tell you why. This franchise is nothing more then an asset in their portfolio and as long as the valuation goes up (which it did), there's nothing to see here. If Fitzgerald and Keefe weren't fired on the bus ride home from UBS after the 9-0 game, I feel it's never going to happen. Which is disappointing because EVERY team that makes a leadership change at the appropriate time gets some sort of bump. I say appropriate time because Devils got no bump when firing Lindy Ruff because it was WAY too late.
Sure we can change all of the players - but these are a lot of the same guys who excelled under Lindy. Maybe the grass isn’t always greener. Seems like a coaching shakeup might be the only thing that they can do to turn this around. If they ain’t playing the right way then we need a new way to play. DeBoer is just sitting waiting for a call. This team should not allow them to trade an unprotected fist.
Having followed this team since they arrived in New Jersey, this season is most goofiest except for 2010-2011 season. The defense is mostly solid. The Devils need a top goalie who can start 50 to 55 games. Daws or Malek could be that guy? What would it take to obtain Igor Shesterkin? Yes pipe dreaming but maybe Drury is holding a fire sale and willing to deal.
Bjugstad to Jersey $1.75 this year and next.
Like the Palat trade, this move would have been very solid last summer or early in the season. But now...what's the point?
I get that Fitzy can't just snap his fingers and conjure a plus 3C or top-6 scoring winger with great finishing ability. But Luke Glendening has failed to play NHL-quality hockey for months, and a competent (not even great!) 4C should be very get-able throughout the season. The fact that Fitzy didn't make this trade until we were all but eliminated from the playoffs demonstrates an astonishing lack of urgency.
Should we trade Meier? If yes, what the heck could we get for him?
Jack and Luke for Boldy and Faber too?
Mercer and a 2nd for O'Reilly?
Meier has a NMC.
If we can get him to waive it....
You have to factor in what that means - we won't get close to value in return if he says he'll waive for just one location.
And the second we trade him, people will be complaining that we need a Timo Meier type power forward.
Except if he's part of the problem and not the solution, just getting rid of him helps. And then we use the $8.6M of new cap space that we'd have to replace him. You can get a very good player for that much money. I'm torn on him. I tend to think he's not worth his contract at all. What do you think?
Oh, so you don't want to just trade him, you want to straight salary dump him? That's just reactionary nonsense.
He was the answer until he played for Keefe. I stick with him, if I'm the Devils.
I think you have a higher regard for his worth than I do, and I'm not just referring to this season. I think he's simply overpaid for what he brings to the table, even before this season. And in a salary cap world, we can't afford to overpay anyone.
Jack has missed half of the season. Where are the Panthers w/o Barkov?
Don’t think it is an apples to apples comparison because Matthew Tkachuk has played 8 games and Brad Marchand/Seth Jones have also missed double digits.
The combo of Kovacevic and Luke is a defenseman missed season, there goes the 3 games of defensive depth. Noesen and Pesce missing huge chunks.
Sure, but a lack of scoring has been a problem for a long time
Season ticket holder here...I drive 1:10 to get to the games. At least when they sucked in the past they played hard. Not anymore. Last night I played on the internet more than I watched the game. It was pathetic. This team is poorly constructed and totally unmotivated. The only point I'll disagree on is Nico. I think he plays hard all the time. He leads a shit team in goals, wins faceoffs, and plays the toughest match ups. You're pretty much dead on otherwise. Brown and Glass were nice acquisitions, and the whole world was wrong about Dadonov so I'll give Fitz a pass there. The NMC's killed this team and kept them from getting at worst the second best offensive D man in the league.
My thought now is to get a new GM in place ASAP and salvage the trade deadline. They should be able to at least shed salary and bring in some bottom six help for next season. After that they can go big game hunting in the off season and bring in help where they need it.