If Knies is going to be an NHL ready player next season in any capacity, the Leafs would rather just keep him

Does not make a whole lot of sense for NJD as DeBrincat really isn't what NJD are looking for.

Yeah but consistent 40 goal scorers don’t grow on trees. Size aside, he’s exactly what we want.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Knies has committed to go back to college. But I guess that could always change.

"what we want" vs "what we need"

Our offense is developing well.
Getting to next level won't come with the addition of a goal-scorer.

Our offense will take the next step when we get better play in front of net and in corners.
We have plenty of skill on perimeter. We don't waste possessions there.
We waste them in front of the net without screens, tips, deflections, someone pouncing on rebounds. (This is our #1 need by far)
And we waste them when we cannot sustain pressure by losing puck in corners (we are fine in neutral zone, o-zone entries)

Defensively, we need more shot-blocking from wings (we allowed more shots from point to hit net than anyone).

DeBrincat would be nice, (especially for the power play).
But he is not likely to lead to many more wins as the price would suggest.
If we spending big this off-season, it should be on (1) goalie, (2) heavy skill forward.

Yeah hes committed to Univeristy of Minnesota

and would be eligible for NHL play at the end of their season.

DeBrincat is more than just a perimeter player, he fights for pucks in the corners and plays both ways. He’s far more than just a Powerplay guy and a lethal shot.

It’s so weird how whenever a good player is available for a high price a teams fans will try and talk themselves out of it. (Trust me my team was rumored to and did aquire Seth Jones I know what I’m talking about.) DeBrincat absolutely makes the devils a whole lot better, and adding a 40…soon to be 50…goal scorer to the devils lineup absolutely takes their offense to the next level.

Sure. I don't mean to miscast him here.
Its just a bit of a mismatch between NJ needs and DeBrincat's strengths, which are similar to a lot of players we have now.
We could fill our needs with smaller deals.
I think, Kubalik, for instance, would probably a more likely trade target for NJD.

If this is how the rebuild looks next season I'll be very happy with it

I am not trying to talk myself out of it.

I do not believe Devils will either trade #2 pick, nor add a winger like DeBrincat, since that is not what our GM has been talking about.

Fitzgerald has been on record talking about "heavier skill" on wing (guys who play in front of net, battle in corners).

He has even said "I don't want more of the same" (meaning smaller, skilled, mostly perimeter players).

You remind me so much of myself last summer before the hawks aquired seth jones

Blackhawks that keep using this line remind me of Sabres fans that couldn't look past Eichel-to-Rangers deals last summer.

You all made trade DeBrincat, I have no idea, but Devils are probably a very unlikely destination.

leafs decline. not trading knies

I do think that both what i'm saying and what you're saying are probably both correct. Most hawks fan aern't looking past the Devils as a Debrincat spot and most Devils fans are trying to talk themselves out of wanting cat and out of thinking Cat makes your team better

I don’t think that latter point is correct. Everyone thinks DeBrincat is a good player that will make any team better. But Devils fans are in tug-of-war between wants and needs. NJD does not need a scoring winger as much as we need other pieces (outlined above) and a goalie.

While probably 50% of Devils ACGMs will trade #2 for Fiala, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Laine, etc…in reality, there is probably less than 1% chance we make that sort of trade.

Time will tell I guess. You can look back and find the reciepts of me telling every CBJ fan it made no sesnse for the hawks to trade for Jones, but we did

I think it's their defence and goaltending holding them back though.