Not trying to trade for the sake of it or to "give up" on developing young talents or to sign UFA who might hamper our abilities to sign long-term our homeground talents in the near future.
Of course, lineup combinations could change (and I think will) during the season, depending on injuries, chemistry, production. I think Lindy will go with something like a balanced offense, that's why Timo and Mercer on the 3rd line to START the season.
Moves/Signings :
- Timo : why would he pass a 10M/year season and AFTER that sign a long-term deal (with NJ or another team when he will be a UFA) ??
- Bratt : will sign a "bridge" deal which enables him to hit the FA market when he will be 27. I can't see Fitz giving him more than Hughes
- Haula : he wants to stay and will likely take a "team-friendly" deal. He can play on the 2nd line (but only because of Hughes, to take faceoffs) and will still be a good 3rd/4th liner at center (or wing) in a year or two
- Tatar : scored 44 EV points out of 48 ; his plus/minus differential was +41 (!!) ; has good chemistry with Nico and can play up/down the lineup (and he is from Slovakia, like Nemec so it will help the later if he comes in during the season). Giving him a 1-year contract (+1M) because we need to pay Mercer for the 24-25 season. Then, I do not know if he will agree to that term or if he will capitalize on his good season to get his last "big contracts" on the FA market
- McLeod : really liked his play during the playoffs. I think he can produce more with better talent aroud him. If things don't work that well, we can still put him on the 4th line. His faceoffs skills will be useful for the next 4 seasons at 1.5/year
- Boqvist : versatile and discipined forward (6 PIMs) who played 70 games while averaging 11:36 minutes per game and posting 21 points (every one of them at even strength). Signing him for 2 years (maybe too cheap on $$$ ??) and could be a perfect replacement of Tatar for the 24-25 season, with more skilled players on his line. If not, still good to have him as an extra forward or could be traded like Zetterlund)
- Grant : with McLeod being promoted to the 3rd C, we need a 4th C. He is a UFA, took 493 faceoffs and won 55.2 % of them last season. A plus/minus differential of -4 on a really bad Ducks team while averaging 14:51 of ice time (and spending 16.16% of it killing penalties, a bit more of 2 minutes a game) in 46 games and scored 18 points (16 at EVS). Can also play on the wing. 1.5Mm may be too much but Ii think a lot of teams will be interested
- 3rd Pair RD : I don't want to rush Nemec and would like to see him start the season in Utica to take a bigger role, develop his game even more and create chemistry with the young talents there, promised to make the big club in the near future (Holtz, Foote, Walsh, Thomspon, Clarke, Vilen, ...). As I'm writting this, 3M cap space and I need to fill the 3rd D pair and one more scratched player (let's say 1M), so I only have 2M to spend on a 6/7th D to play with Hughes (because I can see Bahl being a "replacement" of Graves, who was paired with Marino). So who could be available (would prefer a RD) in the FA market at max 2M/per for max 2 seasons ?
- Gudas (33) : would be great for 2 seasons (then be a 7th when Nemec joins the team). I feel like he would want to stay in Florida
- Holl (31) : previous cap hit of 2M per, I think he gets a raise on the FA market
- Cliton (27) : would be good, but I can't see him sign for around 2M/year only
- Let's sign Schenn (defensive and physical D)
Devils UFA & notables RFA :
- Graves : would sign him but can't ($$$)
- Severson : same
- Wood : bring something different to the table but too expensive
- Blackwood : won't get a QO and will sign as a UFA to a team where he could play more
- Sharangovich : seems to be the odd man out since the Timo trade. We would be better off trading his rights to a team now rather than signing him (would mean NOT signing Grant and giving a bit less to Tatar) and seeing his value drop
Any team but picked the Sharks because I would love Zetterlund back.
A 3rd+ should be fine (2025 because the Sharks don't have a 3rd in 2024). A 2nd seems too many for Sharangovich
seems to be the odd man out since the Timo trade. We would be better off trading his rights to a team now rather than signing him and seeing his value drop (less game and less ice time).
We don't need more prospects now but could welcome back a pick or two that we could use at the deadine
McDavid, Connor
$250,000)
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