I don’t think NJD moves the 2nd pick for Fiala. I’d rather take Nemec or Cooley at that point tbh. Slafkovsky has talent, but I wouldn’t want to bet on the Olympic stats of a guy who doesn’t play a premium position.

Add Wallstedt to any move regarding Fiala for 2OA and then youll get their attention.

That ain’t happening.

MN would need more to get 2OA. Think our first and a LHD prospect, that’s my guess.

Also, MN should have zero interest in PZ, especially at 3 mil. We’re cutting cap space not adding guys.

They have a lot of interest in Fiala and NJ has said they are willing to move it for an impact player. and for some reason many people suspect that player is Fiala because of his one extremely good year so im taking advantage of that. Not to mention I doubt you guys take nemec cuz yall have smith and hughes on the left side. and I also doubt u take cooley cuz ur centres are already good and theres no point in taking cooley if hes gonna end up being a 3rd C. Slaf is probably the best choice for yall if u do use the pick and if hes still available at 2.

NJ LD position is fine right now, they have smith and Hughes. NJ already said they would trade the pick for an impact player that can help them now and many say they are very interested in Fiala being that player. plus, I think PZ would be a great fit in MN since hes big and can make hits. without PZ MN depth is extremely weak and chances they make it to the second round is incredibly unlikely with PZ their chances are better (not totally better cuz its just one player but still better). MN needs depth and yall need to spend money to get it

After speaking with Devil fans that’s not correct, they would take one of our LHD prospects. We do not need Zacha or depth, we’ve got lots of prospects that fit the bottom 6 mold that will be on ELC. Zacha is a waste of precious cap space for us. Not sure where you heard we need depth in the bottom 6, but that’s not accurate.

I agree on NJD 2OA, I think the pick is available, I’m questioning your value here. Doesn’t feel like we’re giving enough up for 2OA and we wouldn’t want Zacha back.

that totally isn't happening. thats and overpayment for 2nd. I want to have high hopes for this draft but I just don't. this draft was supposed to be super good and deep but throughout the year it progressively got worse and worse and idek if this draft is gonna be that good anymore. plus Wallstedt is very possiblely the best goalie prospect in the league right now and for a team like MN who doesn't have anything like an amazing starter, hes not going anywhere. not to mention NJ has Blackwood, and Daws so I doubt they have any interest in Wallstedt at this point in time

I’m not a devils fan. Nemec is a righty so I would absolutely take him for the devils right side defense. Also when it comes to Cooley you can never have too many skilled young forwards.

Fiala isn’t worth #2 in my opinion. NJD will take a run at Johnny G and maybe Filip Forsberg in free agency. If you are gonna trade the 2nd pick I’d want someone like Mathew Tkachuck who isn’t available rather than Fiala.

They would have interest in Wallstedt but he’s not the best goalie prospect in the league imo. That probably goes to Askarov or Knight tbh.

It really isn't inaccurate, MN depth is pretty bad in ur FWD core. virtually none of them showed up in the playoffs for yall. and ur talking about prospect who have no expierence and if u decide to run with them next season they can end up not being good enough for the nhl yet and now MN in a worse situation. why do you think u lost against the blues? their depth is way better. if im gonna be completely honest, I think MN will be stuck in first round exits until parise and suter buyouts end cuz the only teams u have better depth than in ur divison is the yotes and blackhawks.

Don’t overthink the righty/lefty thing (when Devils won their first cup in 1995, they had six lefties on their blueline). But Nemec is a righty who plays RD.

Looking at Devils pipeline….

Lefties who play LD: Siegenthaler, Graves, Smith, Bahl, Okhotiuk, Edwards

Lefties who play RD: Hughes, Mukhamadullin

Righties who play RD: Hamilton, Severson, Walsh, McCarthy

And the Devils very well may draft another center. They are having Cooley and Wright visit NJ for extended tours, interviews, etc

This is a bad take. Our depth was phenomenal all season. The Blues played us very well and Bingington stood on his head. Our Centers were completely out matched and got exposed in that Blues series. If BG is fixing this roster, it’s finding a better top 6 C. Zacha isn’t that. I’m an actual Wild fan, maybe stop trying to explain to me what my team needs lol.

For 2nd overall, it would probably have to be something like…Fiala, 24th pick, prospect (maybe Lambos, O’Rourke, or Hunt) with Devils sending back cheaper winger if Wild want one (Kuokkanen).

But at the end of the day, I think Devils keep their pick and maybe make a stab at Fiala using other assets.

So maybe 37th pick plus a good young piece on favorable contract.

Damn honestly mixed but nemec with someone else for some reason I thought he was a LD. Also, that was in 95, not only before the cap era but hockey back that was played completely different from it is now. almost every team makes sure that defenseman play on their side although I don't fully agree w it, the professionals try to make sure its done and they know what their doing.

and when it comes to the perfect selection for NJ if they keep it is personal preference. I think be Wright and Cooley will be good players going forward I just don't think they are needed in NJ since ive heard that cooley plays like hughes and their C depth is already great. although I think if they can move them to the wing or Nico to the wing all the power to them cuz either or would be perfect if they could do so.

Zacha is probably 2LW, 3LW or 3C on most teams. Maybe 2C on some developing teams. He wants to play center, Devils want him on wing (where he produces more offense), but we have Holtz coming for his job, so he probably gets moved. I am thinking he goes to a non-playoff team to be a 2C.

I think Boqvist would be the guy I’d recommend for Wild. He has developed as 3C, but has a ton of skill and is fastest skater on Devils. He would be a bit cheaper than Zacha (both in trade and contract). He was miscast in Hynes years here as 4LW grinder. And under Ruff has tried to develop his defensive game, faceoffs, etc. But we have yet to see him between two speedy, skilled wingers.

Yeah we don’t need a 3C, we’ve got JEEK. Rossi is projected to take over 2C, 1C is available as Hartman I think is a placeholder to start the year. Just feels like those two guys are Risky
and add money we don’t have. MN looking for picks or ELC guys, not RFA guys. Maybe a Dumba for Zacha swap would work but Zacha isn’t headlining a package for Fiala. That doesn’t beat Sens 7OA package.

Nico can play anywhere, but would be face-off guy on any line. Still best at center though.

Hughes is 100% a center and will stay there. Want as much open ice as possible in front of him.

Boqvist, Mercer and Sharangovich are all 3C candidates, but have played a lot of wing and could stick there. At this point, Boqvist probably starts as 3C, with other two on Hughes’s line (Jack doesn’t take defensive zone faceoffs).

Zacha is a C and wants to play there, but is better offensively as LW (0.7 ppg as winger, 0.4 ppg as center). But he may get moved.

McLeod is 4C and will stick there.

So it’s crowded for sure, but plenty of flexibility, and wouldn’t preclude us from taking Wright or Cooley.

I meant Boqvist as separate, small-ball type deal. He is the best buy-low option on Devils.

So, Minnesota needs a 1C on an ELC? Not sure where that can be obtained, if at all. Rossi may be your best bet.

Devils wouldn’t want Dumba as they have Severson and Hamilton and a lot of kids who can play RD.

Ah gotcha, well, it’s possible that happens. I’ve seen some trade offers on here with him in the Fiala deal.

I don’t think 1C would be given to anyone on ELC, it’s not BGs style. That’s why Rossi spent all season in Iowa last year and is projected to be 2C. Hartman will start the year as 1C based on how they did together last year (Kaprisov and Zucc). But that certainly feels like a spot that needs upgrading. Maybe it’s Rossi or maybe it’s whoever we get for Fiala / draft. That’s why MN wants that 2OA or 7OA, to get that C prospect on an ELC. That’s also why I don’t think Holtz or any winger headlining a deal for Fiala makes sense. Our centers were exposed vs the Blues, that’s where we need to upgrade. JEEK was our only good C. Hartman and Freddie disappeared. I think 2OA is in play more than some think, weak draft and questions on all these prospects.

Yeah, I meant that’s the only swap I could see to make the money work for Zacha. Unless you wanted Jost and Zacha only got 2 mil? We’re in the money In - money out business, unfortunately.

re-sign middleton

the regular season is different than post season. if u think ur depth is better than any other team in ur division (excluding the yotes and blackhawks) than ur crazy and wayy too biased. hartman is not a 1 C if he can recreate a season like this one next year then hes a 2 C at best. I wasn't aware there Ek was on ur 3rd which makes his contract pretty awful since ur paying a 3rd liner 5 M. im not sure greenway is worth 3. but maybe, he is a good 3rd liner tho. Foligno is also a great depth player too, if he does what he did this year he has my vote for a 2nd liner but it from his past seasons he looks like a 3rd liner.

I was going to but idk how much he would be worth. not to mention I don't believe MN is going to resign him since they gave Merril that extension