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NHLfan10506

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May 5, 2019
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New Jersey Devils
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Forum: Armchair-GM6 hours ago
Thread: As of now this would be my team out of camp
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Devil</b></div><div>My ideal lineup

Holtz-Hughes-Palat
Sharangovich-Hischier-JBITBPITNHL
Tatar-Haula-Mercer
Wood-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Bastian, McLeod

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Severson
Bahl-Marino
Smith</div></div>

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>HeadHighSauce</b></div><div>I'd probably yeet Geertsen regardless and play Zetterlund in his spot until Nico returns. Figure out the Johnsson situation once he does.

I'd also probably have Bahl over Okhotiuk. Think he plays a more polished game even if it's not quite as noticeable.</div></div>

I used to think Bahl &gt; Okhotiuk in long-run. But I've loved Okhotiuk's game this pre-season.

I say tuck Bahl away in Utica for 22 minutes/night. Let Okhotiuk bring the noise in NJ.
Forum: Armchair-GM17 hours ago
Forum: Armchair-GMYesterday at 2:12 p.m.
Forum: Armchair-GMThu. at 3:32 p.m.
Forum: Armchair-GMThu. at 3:28 p.m.
Thread: Chychrun
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Ledge_And_Dairy</b></div><div>Im not arguing about their current roster players. I consider that their young core. What Im talking about is their prospects in Holtz, L. Hughes, Nemec, etc. They have excellent potential, but that takes time to cultivate. It's very rare that a defenseman reaches their prime before 25, Makar, McAvoy, and Fox are more exceptions than the regular.

Again I think they sell this year but not next year</div></div>

Someone once said, “good teams get good fast and bad teams get bad fast”. I tend to agree. Devils could very easily be the former. Last year, the goaltending was bad. Maybe worst season in a decade. If you put even average goaltending on the 2021-22 Devils, they would have been in playoff picture (primarily based on GD vs xGD, but also via eye test as there were so may many games when one bad goal would deflate the entire team).

This year they may end up sellers since they have some quality guys expiring. Even if they enter playoff picture, this will not be the peak, so they will look to maximize their window. But I doubt there will be a firesale…probably just Severson and Wood.

Dman rarely hit their prime before age 22/23, but Hughes and Nemec are both very special prospects, and even if their prime may be a few years away, their current level is probably close to NHL-worthy. Hughes was the first freshman dman to be a Hobey Baker finalist in 35 years and he did it as youngest dman in college hockey. He is 4 years younger than mean age in his league (this would be like an exceptional status player winning CHL dman of year). Nemec has looked great in limited pre-season action thus far. He has 3 years experience playing against adults and has only gotten better and better each year relative to his peers. Last year, he was probably the best dman in league after Olympic break. Neither probably play more than handful of games this year, but will both be NHL regulars next year.

Holtz also has 3 years experience playing against adults. Gritsyuk is in his second KHL season. Mercer played 82 games last year. It’s not like we are running out a bunch of juniors out there.
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