Devils players expectations vs reality part 2

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Created by: jojoyutz

Initial Creation Date: Nov. 30, 2021

Published: Nov. 30, 2021

Team: 2021-22 New Jersey Devils

Team Explanation

I did one of these on November 1st, so now I am doing another to see how everything has changed.

LW: Exceeding expectations

Johnsson - Considering the fact that I would have been willing to trade him for "future considerations" during the off season and now he has 9 goals and 17 points in 19 games, he is preforming pretty well I would say.
Mercer - The guy was drafted 18th in 2020, and now the next year is one of the devils top forwards and is putting himself in contention for the calder. I knew he was pretty good, but NOBODY saw that coming.
Bratt - After starting the season with 0 points in the first 5 games, he has completely turned it around and has 17 points in the 14 games after that. This whole Bratt - Mercer - Johnsson line has been a very pleasant suprise for devils fans.
McLeod - Does not produce much offence, but he playes his role so well, and is very important to this team. He has impressed me quite a bit this year.
Vesey - Has been a nice suprise this year and played a good 200 ft game. Sort of reminds me of Coleman on the devils.
Graves - Playes his role so well as a defensive defensemen, is always reliable and plays so well with Hamilton, sometimes bailing him out when caught in the offensive zone.
Siegenthaler - Just like Graves, a great defensive defensemen, and can bail out Subban when he is caught in the offensive zone.

C: Meeting Expectations
Blackwood / Bernier - Give the team a chance to win every game. Blackwood has been the better of the two, but that is expected. Great duo in net, the first we have had in NJ since Brodeur and Schnieder.
Hamilton - One of the best defensemen in hockey, and is playing like that. No suprise here, his ability to jump into the play and score goals as a defensemen is incredible to watch. Worth every penny.
Subban - I am the rare devils fan who doesn't hate this guy. He is playing his best hockey since becoming a devil right now.
Zacha - He had a great start and was continuing his dominance from how he ended last season. Has slowed down recently but I am confident that he will pick it up again soon.
Geertsen - One of the last true fighters in the league, and I could not be happier to have him on the team.

RW: Under preforming
Hischier - He is great defensivley and plays a great role, but at his cap hit we need to see him finally break out offensivley, and that has not happened yet.
Sharangovich - Seems to be figuring it out, but needs to continue to play well if he can move up.
Tatar - Just like Sharangovich, getting there but not quite there yet.
Smith - Has probably been the most disappointing player on the team. All 3 of his points this year were from 1 game, besides that he has done nothing and has not been well defensivley either. Major sophomore slump it seems.
Severson - This guy may be the most overrated defensemen in the league. Makes way too many mistakes and does not make enough good playes to counter that. I would love to see what we can get in a trade for him once Walsh is ready, but they won't trade him.
Kuokkanen - Not lived up to expectations following a strong season last year.

Scratch: Has not played enough for me to rank

IR: Has not played enough due to injury
HUGHES IS BACK TONIGHT

Free Agent Signings

CREATED		YEARS	CAP HIT
Blackwood, Mackenzie		2	$2,800,000
Bernier, Jonathan		2	$4,125,000

Buyouts

Cory Schneider: $2,000,000

Retained Salary Transactions

Will Butcher: $910,569 (24%)

Recapture Fees

Ilya Kovalchuk: $250,000

Buried

Mackenzie Blackwood: $1,675,000 ($2,800,000)
Jonathan Bernier: $3,000,000 ($4,125,000)

DRAFT YEAR	ROUND 1	ROUND 2	ROUND 3	ROUND 4	ROUND 5	ROUND 6	ROUND 7
2022
2023
2024

ROSTER

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

EMBED

TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	OVERAGES	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
25	$81,500,000	$80,563,902	$0	$4,050,000	$936,098

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Mercer, Dawson $894,167 C, RW RFA - 3	Blackwood, Mackenzie $2,800,000	Hischier, Nico $7,250,000 C UFA - 6
Johnsson, Andreas $3,400,000 LW, RW UFA - 2	Bernier, Jonathan $4,125,000	Sharangovich, Yegor $2,000,000 LW, RW, C RFA - 2
Bratt, Jesper $2,750,000 RW, LW RFA - 1	Hamilton, Dougie $9,000,000 RD NMC UFA - 7	Tatar, Tomas $4,500,000 LW, RW UFA - 2
Mcleod, Michael $975,000 C RFA - 2	Subban, P.K. $9,000,000 RD UFA - 1	Smith, Ty $863,333 LD/RD RFA - 2
Vesey, Jimmy $800,000 LW, RW UFA - 1	Zacha, Pavel $2,250,000 LW, C UFA - 1	Severson, Damon $4,166,666 RD UFA - 2
Graves, Ryan $3,166,667 LD UFA - 2	Geertsen, Mason $725,000 LW, LD UFA - 1	Kuokkanen, Janne $1,825,000 LW, C UFA - 2
Siegenthaler, Jonas $1,125,000 LD UFA - 2

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)
Holtz, Alexander $925,000 RW, LW RFA - 4	Wood, Miles $2,750,000 LW UFA - 1
Bastian, Nathan $825,000 RW, C RFA - 2	Hughes, Jack $925,000 C UFA - 1
Gauthier, Frédérik $800,000 C UFA - 1	Thompson, Tyce $912,500 RW RFA - 1
De Leo, Chase $750,000 C, LW, RW UFA - 1	Boqvist, Jesper $925,000 C, LW, RW RFA - 1
White, Colton $750,000 LD UFA - 1	Jaros, Christian $800,000 RD UFA - 1
Studenic, Marian $750,000 LW, RW RFA - 1

Nov. 30, 2021 at 3:55 p.m.

NHLfan10506

Joined: May 2019

Posts: 21,482

Likes: 9,175

Underperforming: Smith, Tatar
Overperforming: Mercer, Johnsson, Siegenthaler

The rest are about where I expected them.

TheProtoType97 liked this.

Nov. 30, 2021 at 3:59 p.m.

TheProtoType97

Joined: Apr. 2019

Posts: 5

Likes: 3

I agree with everything here. But if I were to make changes it would be moving Mcleod and Hischier to meeting expectations. While Mcleod is extraordinary in his role and plays it so well his point production is below expectations. I am not saying Mcleod will give you incredible point totals because we know he won't. He just needs to contribute slightly more offensively to get exceeding expectation status. As for Nico I fully expected him to break out this year offensively. I would say that Nico plays the best 200 foot game on the Devils. I would also argue that extra offense from Nico should be considered a bonus. If he gets 50-60 points this year that in my opinion is meeting expectations as long has his defense stays supreme.

Opie liked this.

Nov. 30, 2021 at 4:08 p.m.

Opie

Joined: May 2017

Posts: 1,468

Likes: 592

Thanks, I really like this post, hope to see one again next month.

Hard to argue many of these points. That entire LW group has been an absolute pleasure to watch. Graves & Siegenthaler unsung heros, absolutely. Your take is perfect.

I have to defend Nico though. I get it, people want goals/points, but he continues to drive play (near team high CF rel%) & plays the most sound positional hockey of the entire forward group. Of his 10 assists, I don't have the stat, but Id hazard to guess 8 of them are primary. He makes the hard play on the cycle / against the wall / behind the net that sets up Zacha, Hamilton & Co with High Danger chances time & again. Could the production be better, sure, but he needs better finishers. Feels like guy is continually stuck with people who can't finish & hang him out to dry in defensive zone.

I think Kuokkanen is what he is ... youre right, not a strong follow up, but meh, it's about what I expected.

Sever is around because Walsh is still far away. Maybe like waaaay far away. Maybe like never gonna make it far away, imo. Butcher 2.0 with better wheels? (Hope I'm wrong)

Idk about using the word dominant with Zacha ... he's been meeting expectations, I agree with that, but being on Nico's wing certainly helps.

Thanks again, like format ... looking forward to next month.

TheProtoType97 and jojoyutz liked this.

Nov. 30, 2021 at 4:18 p.m.

TheProtoType97

Joined: Apr. 2019

Posts: 5

Likes: 3

Quoting: Opie

Love this take. 100% agree with you on Nico driving play. The points may not be there but he still is an absolute treat to watch. I agree with your take on Walsh as well, while we are all hoping he is going to be a contributor down the line I think its a bit farther away than any of us probably want or think. He also may not pan out just because he is great in the AHL does not mean it will translate to the NHL. Hope that I'm wrong too.

Opie and jojoyutz liked this.

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