I am not buying DeBrincat, Miller, Gaudreau...any of the big fish...going to New Jersey.
Devils will likely make a move or two, but it will be unexpected name and/or smaller fish that aptly fits their needs (bigger winger for net front and corners, a goaltender, a mobile defensive dman).
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Not many "rumors" come out of NJD-land. So when they do, they have some purpose and its likely to push market prices higher on their competition. While most of the trades they actually make come out of nowhere.
Examples:
TARASENKO (July 2021): Tarasenko had asked for a trade last summer. By early August, the Devils were named "one of the front-runners" for Tarasenko and rumors began to fly. The rumored competition for Tarasenko was CAR (mostly prospects), NYI (Beauvillier, Bellows, or Wilde+), NYR (Kravtsov+) and PHI (Frost or Myers+). According to betting markets, NJD were projected to finish 7th in the Metro division. The Tarasenko sweepstakes competitors were projected 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th respectively. Later on, once all the teams had their rosters filled, we had heard that Devils internally were actually out of the running very early on after viewing his medical records...and they had then focused their attention on Saad and Tatar. But they likely remained in Tarasenko discussions publicly for nearly a month after (and they ultimately were considered on of the final two teams involved even though they had long since moved along).
Did Fitzy stay involved just to drive up prices on Metro competition?
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Fiala (July 2022): This one is fresh in everyone's memory. According to many sources, including MIN and LAK media, the NJ Devils were among the front-runners for Fiala. Other teams commonly listed were Senators, Islanders, Flyers, Kings and Ducks. As the Devils hung around in the rumors, the trade packages seem to rise as many Wild fans were suggesting NJD would be offering 2nd overall pick plus a major prospect. But MIN beat writer Michael Russo admitted the day after Fiala was sent to the Kings, "Devils weren't as interested as reporters said they were".
Was Fitzy pricing Fiala out of PHI and NYI?
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Meanwhile many of the trades that Fitzy has made were rarely discussed in NHL rumor mills (Coleman, Vatanen, Murray, Palmieri/Zajac, Siegenthaler, Johnsson).
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So now look at the names commonly linked to NJD and the other teams rumored to be involved. Mostly western conference players with a lot of interest in Metro division.
1. DeBrincat (NJD, NYI, ott, PHI)
2. Gaudreau (cgy, NJD, PHI)
3. Miller (NJD, NYI, NYR, PHI, PIT, tor, WAS)
4. Bertuzzi (NJD, bos, PHI)
5. Anderson (NJD, PHI)
While there are a lot of Metro competitors involved, there are also a lot of unrealistic prices being thrown around from the Devils.
Are any legit or is Fitzy once again pricing his competition out of the chase?
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Lastly, keep in mind that there were rumors last year that NJD was shopping their 4th overall pick. Even Elliotte Friedman said, "I think New Jersey would consider moving the fourth-overall selection for a good, young defenceman." on 32 thoughts. San Jose was rumored to have been calling. But there was little chance Devils were ever shopping that pick, especially if Luke Hughes was on the board.
1. The Devils have a log jam up front..... and in such a good way. Johnnson flushes out 100%, and I can see interest in Tatar and Wood's as well. I see two of the 3 moving to make room for the kids.
The way you have this team set up, there isn't much of a defensive presence in the bottom 6, I don't see that playing out well.
2. A RD. A bottom pairing RD was mentioned, but with Severson being a pending UFA, I am curious to see if Fitz goes hunting here for insurance. With Walsh coming (I see 23-24 realistically) Fitz has a fee ways to attack this.
3. I am not ruling out Fits going big game hunting. Zacha is a trade chip in such a deal, and looking at the return on Fiala, moving a Foote and/or Stillman and a 1st would sure as hell peak interest - and adding a guy like a Debrincat would give the Devils two very legit lines.
Too let the kids develop or dive in. It's the question of the offseason in Jersey.
1. The Devils have a log jam up front..... and in such a good way. Johnnson flushes out 100%, and I can see interest in Tatar and Wood's as well. I see two of the 3 moving to make room for the kids.
The way you have this team set up, there isn't much of a defensive presence in the bottom 6, I don't see that playing out well.
2. A RD. A bottom pairing RD was mentioned, but with Severson being a pending UFA, I am curious to see if Fitz goes hunting here for insurance. With Walsh coming (I see 23-24 realistically) Fitz has a fee ways to attack this.
3. I am not ruling out Fits going big game hunting. Zacha is a trade chip in such a deal, and looking at the return on Fiala, moving a Foote and/or Stillman and a 1st would sure as hell peak interest - and adding a guy like a Debrincat would give the Devils two very legit lines.
Too let the kids develop or dive in. It's the question of the offseason in Jersey.
1. Logjam - will figure itself out at minimum in training camp. Survival of the fittest. And best time to clear a guy through waivers.
2. I think probably if a Severson extension this summer is probably pretty high. Luke Hughes plays mostly RD. Mukhamadullin has played exclusively RD for two years (and played RD in his short stint in AHL). I think we are covered there over long-term. But adding a 1-year stopgap seems likely.
3. If we have learned anything about how Fitzy uses the press and rumor mill, it is either to drive up prices on players or to obfuscate and deflect attention from what he is actually working on. He very well may be big game hunting…but I am willing to bet DeBrincat, Miller and Gaudreau are not the targets (plus they don’t fit his description of the type of winger they want anyway). It very well could be some trade no one has discussed here. Think of the guys that are perfect fits, not the guys that are being sold everywhere.
1. Logjam - will figure itself out at minimum in training camp. Survival of the fittest. And best time to clear a guy through waivers.
2. I think probably if a Severson extension this summer is probably pretty high. Luke Hughes plays mostly RD. Mukhamadullin has played exclusively RD for two years (and played RD in his short stint in AHL). I think we are covered there over long-term. But adding a 1-year stopgap seems likely.
3. If we have learned anything about how Fitzy uses the press and rumor mill, it is either to drive up prices on players or to obfuscate and deflect attention from what he is actually working on. He very well may be big game hunting…but I am willing to bet DeBrincat, Miller and Gaudreau are not the targets (plus they don’t fit his description of the type of winger they want anyway). It very well could be some trade no one has discussed here. Think of the guys that are perfect fits, not the guys that are being sold everywhere.
Fitz as a GM has been nothing short of fabulous for the Devils, so I trust the right moves will be made.
As for the top 6 forward - agree. I think the right fit is going to be a power forward type, which none of the names in the rumour mill remotely fit. Making a play on a guy like Anderson (how has been in and out of said mill) seems more likely but for Fitz and his track record, that deal needs to male long term sense. To date, anything he does has a long term plan.
Not gonna lie, I would love to have the 2nd overall pick in CHI... Obviously. haha. But, from an outside perspective, I agree with your assessment. Doesn't make a lot of sense for NJD to be going after big fish in trade right now. They should probably make the playoffs first. Stay the course. Wait until Holtz, Luke Hughes, etc. are up and playing in the NHL for at least a full season and then re-assess if they need to go after anything in trade or free agency at all. But Bernier is gonna cost a significant amount more than that to dump.
I agree, it’s a pretty illogical destination for Miller to be traded to New Jersey given their timeline. Debrincat is 100% a better option at a slightly higher price.
That being said, Zacha isn’t worth a 2nd to Vancouver
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