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What are Devils best options for Hughes replacement

Created by: NHLfan10506
Team: 2021-22 New Jersey Devils
Initial Creation Date: Oct. 20, 2021
Published: Oct. 21, 2021
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
Hughes has dislocated shoulder and likely back this year, maybe as little as 6-8 weeks.

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Our current forward depth chart (with Hughes) is:

Kuokkanen -- Hughes -- Sharangovich
Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Johnsson -- Mercer -- Tatar
Wood/Geertsen -- McLeod -- Vesey

Its going to be impossible to replace Hughes' offense in this lineup.

---------------------------

Here are some options I can think of in meantime....

1. Move McLeod to 1C, add Gauthier to line-up at 4C. It sounds this is what they will be doing in short-term (tonight vs Caps). This is not a 2-month solution.

Kuokkanen -- McLeod -- Sharangovich
Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Johnsson -- Mercer -- Tatar
Geertsen -- Gauthier -- Vesey


2. Move Zacha to 1C, move Tatar to Hischier line. If this had happened in early training camp, this would have been my best guess at Lindy's thinking. And he is the most experienced option. But hopefully, he keeps Zacha on Nico's wing.

Kuokkanen -- Zacha -- Sharangovich
Tatar -- Hischier -- Bratt
Johnsson -- Mercer -- Studenic
Wood -- McLeod -- Vesey


3. Move Sharangovich to center, rotate in Bratt to 1RW (need some possession on that line), add Thompson to Hischier line. Or Clarke from AHL. (I only want to bring Holtz up if he is getting top-6 minutes). And I like Tatar with Mercer, but could add Wood, when he returns, to 3LW to roll 3 lines on regular shift.

Kuokkanen -- Sharangovich -- Bratt
Zacha -- Hischier -- Thompson
Wood -- Mercer -- Tatar
Johnsson -- McLeod -- Vesey

(I could also see Thompson getting the call up as 3C)


4. Go straight to kid line on 2nd line. Move Kuokkanen is 3C. This would be fun, but riskiest.

Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Holtz -- Mercer -- Sharangovich
Johnsson -- Kuokkanen -- Tatar
Wood -- McLeod -- Vesey


5. Give Boqvist his "its now or never" moment.

Kuokkanen -- Boqvist -- Sharangovich
Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Johnsson -- Mercer -- Tatar
Wood -- McLeod -- Vesey


6. Bring in a cheap veteran. Eric Staal is still UFA. Zajac could un-retire for a few weeks. Not Hertl or Eichel, but maybe minor acquisition. Chris Tierney? Johan Larsson? Who else? Cody Eakin?

Kuokkanen -- Mercer -- Sharangovich
Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Johnsson -- [TBD VETERAN] -- Tatar
Wood/Geertsen -- McLeod -- Vesey


What are other options??
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Jack Hughes, Damn you Jeremy Lauzon
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C, LW, RW
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RW, LW
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$3,400,000$3,400,000
LW, RW
UFA - 2
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$894,167$894,167 (Performance Bonus$400,000$400K)
RW, C
RFA - 3
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$4,500,000$4,500,000
LW, RW
UFA - 2
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$2,750,000$2,750,000
LW
UFA - 1
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$975,000$975,000
C
RFA - 2
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$800,000$800,000
RW, LW
UFA - 1
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Other Center, Options
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Zajac, Travis
$1,000,000$1,000,000
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C
UFA
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$800,000$800,000
C
UFA - 1
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C
UFA - 1
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C, LW
RFA - 1
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C, LW
UFA - 1
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C
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RW
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RW, C
RFA - 3
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RW
RFA - 1
ScratchesInjured Reserve (IR)Long Term IR (LTIR)
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Oct. 21, 2021 at 1:09 p.m.
#1
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FWIW, I think I like #3....

Kuokkanen -- Sharangovich -- Bratt
Zacha -- Hischier -- Thompson
Wood -- Mercer -- Tatar
Johnsson -- McLeod -- Vesey

....or #5....

Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Holtz -- Mercer -- Sharangovich
Johnsson -- Kuokkanen -- Tatar
Wood -- McLeod -- Vesey
Lenny7 liked this.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
#2
Hop on the Slaftrain
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Cody Eakin would be a very good Hughes replacement
NHLfan10506 liked this.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 1:25 p.m.
#3
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Justin Bieber or one of the Hanson's wink
JT Miller would fit like a glove in all seriousness
Oct. 21, 2021 at 1:26 p.m.
#4
Lenny7
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Quoting: NHLfan10506
FWIW, I think I like #3....

Kuokkanen -- Sharangovich -- Bratt
Zacha -- Hischier -- Thompson
Wood -- Mercer -- Tatar
Johnsson -- McLeod -- Vesey

....or #5....

Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Holtz -- Mercer -- Sharangovich
Johnsson -- Kuokkanen -- Tatar
Wood -- McLeod -- Vesey


Quoting: NHLfan10506
FWIW, I think I like #3....

Kuokkanen -- Sharangovich -- Bratt
Zacha -- Hischier -- Thompson
Wood -- Mercer -- Tatar
Johnsson -- McLeod -- Vesey

....or #5....

Zacha -- Hischier -- Bratt
Holtz -- Mercer -- Sharangovich
Johnsson -- Kuokkanen -- Tatar
Wood -- McLeod -- Vesey


I think you go the next couple of weeks with Mercer, but I'm not convinced that he's ready to be a full timer. Seems like a dangerous move with a high end prospect, unless the team is 100% sure he's ready.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 1:29 p.m.
#5
Ovchinnikov 137
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Kerfoot and helps on the PK
Oct. 21, 2021 at 2:55 p.m.
#6
Speak of the Devil
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In order: 2, 4, 3, 6, 5, 1
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Oct. 21, 2021 at 3:51 p.m.
#7
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Quoting: Lenny7
I think you go the next couple of weeks with Mercer, but I'm not convinced that he's ready to be a full timer. Seems like a dangerous move with a high end prospect, unless the team is 100% sure he's ready.


Too early to tell really. But man, he looks good.
He is probably the closest to a like-for-like that we could get.
Lenny7 liked this.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 3:52 p.m.
#8
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Quoting: MatthewsFan
Kerfoot and helps on the PK


I wouldn't be opposed to it as long as we are not giving up anything meaningful for him
Opie liked this.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 3:53 p.m.
#9
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Quoting: Fox_Czar_Cup
Justin Bieber or one of the Hanson's wink


Still better than Kakko
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Oct. 21, 2021 at 4:33 p.m.
#10
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Quoting: NHLfan10506
Still better than Kakko


I noticed you didn't say Laf
Oct. 21, 2021 at 4:51 p.m.
#11
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Quoting: Fox_Czar_Cup
I noticed you didn't say Laf


Yup, him too.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 4:59 p.m.
#12
B
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Quoting: NHLfan10506
Yup, him too.


For now. Or I guess Not wink

Quoting: NHLfan10506
Still better than Kakko


Looks like Big Kakko's big shoulders held up, hmmm lol
Oct. 21, 2021 at 5:01 p.m.
#13
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Quoting: Fox_Czar_Cup
Looks like Big Kakko's big shoulders held up, hmmm lol


Too bad Big Kakko can't skate.
Oct. 21, 2021 at 5:42 p.m.
#14
B
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Quoting: NHLfan10506
Too bad Big Kakko can't skate.


Actually very well for a big kid
Oct. 21, 2021 at 5:48 p.m.
#15
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Quoting: Fox_Czar_Cup
Actually very well for a big kid


Its like a regular player, just in slow motion.
Oct. 22, 2021 at 12:09 a.m.
#16
Opie
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I think the best move for the long term is standing pat... that is to say, leave the kids in AHL, stay away from short term acquisitions, play the long game & take your lumps now. This team has fight in them and reinforcements are on the horizon (Wood & Smith's return ).

Based on your options ... #1 all the way for me.

I greatly dislike the idea of splitting up Tatar - Mercer- AJ, as they have been the teams best / most consistent line this season (imo).

The Zacha - Nico - Bratt combo has been fairly uninspiring these first three games, despite Hischier's first class effort. Regardless, given last year's performance, I'd prefer to stick it out with this combo for continuity sake. Hopefully, they get some better production. Side note, Hischier looks great to me after last year's injury riddled season.

Now it gets dicey ... despite his early gaff over skating the play on Caps first goal, McLeod looks ready for a greater role. Seems natural to me to put him in the middle of Kuokkanen & Sharangovich, who I'd also keep together for continuity sake. Some close calls for Sharangovich and a goal from Kuokkanen tonight, but these two haven't started as strong as I would have hoped. Maybe McLeod's energy & physical play sparks them a bit.

Fourth line, I think it's mix to match the opposition... I dont see an ideal combination, but they just have to suck it up & deal with it until Hughes returns. Vesey has been far better then I expected. If you get Wood back soon, Wood - Gauthier - Vesey could be an acceptable hold. I dont think Boqvist has a role here or anywhere in NJ at the moment.

To state the obvious, Nico, Mercer & McLeod have to stay healthy for NJ to weather the storm.
 
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