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Tintin

Face-off nihilist
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Sep. 28, 2020
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Forum: Armchair-GMWed. at 1:00 p.m.
Thread: 2022-23 New Jersey Devils
Zetterlund is no longer waiver-exempt, it's all but guaranteed that someone will claim him if sent down.
Anyway, lines look rather reasonable, McLeod is a big question at the moment however.
Would hope that one of Okhotiuk, Bahl or Walsh would have developed enough to play 3rd pair with Marino over B. Smith.

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>NHLfan10506</b></div><div>Holtz and Zetterlund have very real chances of making team out of camp.
I could see Walsh or Okhotiuk there too battling with Smith for that final spot.

Big question for me is how the starts end up getting split up between goalies.

Blackwood 35
Vanecek 28
Daws 12
Other 7

...maybe?</div></div>

You don't think that Vanecek and Blackwood will be unavailable / not start for a combined 19 games this season, do you?
Forum: NHLMon. at 4:44 p.m.
Thread: 2021-2022 NHL Offseason Discussion Thread #10 - Kadri oh Kadri, wherefore art thou Kadri?
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>SevenLeg</b></div><div>Of course both moves are understandable because players like Tavares &amp; Hamilton don't grow on trees, but since they were not near contending, it impacts the team a lot once the high picks' ELCs from the rebuild are starting to expire. The Leafs couldn't properly surround their high-quality stars (post-ELC) for years and the Devils have an even larger pool of ELCs who'll be looking for raises. Also, knowing they could transform Siegenthaler into a high-end defensive guy + signing him to a very reasonable 5-year deal + acquiring 5 years Marino + drafting Simon Nemec (not even mentioning Luke Hughes four days prior) in the <strong>span of one year</strong>, I simply feel like the Devils weren't savvy enough regarding the Hamilton signing.</div></div>

I'd like to reiterate that Hamilton's cap hit has a significantly less impact on the Devils now and in the future (due to lower number and higher future cap) compared to how Tavares's cap has impacted the Leafs.
But I do take your point, it has some validity to it, though at 33-34 years I could actually see a guy like Hamilton still being worth 8-9m.
And if you're just making your analysis by the cap sheet it's a perfectly apt one.
Though there should be plenty of space to go all out and sign someone like Patrick Kane at an 8m+ cap hit for two three years while Luke Hughes, Nemec, Holtz and Gritsyuk are all riding their ELCs simultaneously.

I think your analysis lacks some of the intangibles the Hamilton signing meant for the Devils.
Signing a top 5 D from the previous season was a statement signing, both internally as well as externally.
For one of the youngest teams in the league it provided both some comfort in a veteran presence but also intensified competition as signing a guy like Hamilton challenges the others to be better professionals, to work harder to become the best versions of themselves.

But I also think that the Devils benefited from the signing by how it changed the league's and the community's perception of them.
I view it kinda like purchasing confidence and better posture, if that makes sense.
Forum: Armchair-GMMon. at 4:02 p.m.
Thread: my take on why Fitz cannot sign Bratt long-term atm
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Devil</b></div><div>This is how my math is looking

22 man roster (with Zetterlund and Thompson signed 800k, Bernier on IR, and Bratt/Wood unsigned) = 7.2M
A long term extension for Bratt would come close to 7M (lets say 6.9M nice). Sending down Boqvist who Bratt will replace will create 1.15M in cap space.
After not playing last year, Wood's arbitration price will be lower considering his injury concerns. I would guess its around 2M. That fits under the cap with Bernier not being on LTIR

My main theory of the Devils not signing Bratt long term is because he only had one "elite" year. Maybe they give him the $ once he does it again. I wouldn't risk it though.</div></div>

I see two issues here:
1. Boqvist is no longer waiver exempt, will definitely get claimed. Thompson is still exempt however so my baseline is to have him (and Holtz) starting out in the minors.
2. I don't think Wood can be awarded anything lower than 2.975m.

I think it may be too late in the day to have Bratt extended long-term for this season by now anyways.

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>hero9154</b></div><div>Well thought out take. My question - is Miles Wood worth $2.975M on the 4th line? Seeing that he is behind Palat, Johnsson and Sharangovich at LW, I would think that money would be better off spent somewhere else (say giving a chunk of it to Bratt).</div></div>

Thank you.
The team really missed Wood in the lockerroom and he's one of few forwards that can elevate McLeod's game.
Wood's been amazing for the Devils in a bottom six capacity throughout his tenure here.
Ideally, Bernier's cap would be eliminated entirely. In which case, I'd jump on the opportunity of having Wood at 3-3.5m for one year.
But if I cannot guarantee Bernier is on LTIR for the entire season, I'd prefer to let Wood walk and signing Bratt longterm to 7-8m aav.
Forum: NHLMon. at 2:49 p.m.
Thread: 2021-2022 NHL Offseason Discussion Thread #10 - Kadri oh Kadri, wherefore art thou Kadri?
My take on Bratt and the arbitration info that dropped today:

Devils are in a weird position were they don't have an excess of cap space.
With Bratt, Wood and Zetterlund yet to sign, it's gonna be pretty tight.

I currently view it as the Devils having signed 11F (McLeod included, for now), 7D and 3GK (the third GK being Bernier) accounting for a cap hit of 73.75m (dead cap included).
Then, allowing for the assumption of signing Wood (2.975m) and Zetterlund (900k) brings the cap hit to 77.63m.
If Bratt comes in at anywhere above 4.85m, the Devils will be over the 82.5m limit, provided that Bernier spends no time on LTIR and aiming at a 21 man roster.

Now, Bernier will most likely spend a significant portion of this season on LTIR, but if he's cleared in Nov / Dec with Bratt signed at 5m+, the Devils are gonna be forced to make a bad trade for cap relief.
Given how little Patches and Björkstrand returned, I shudder at the thought of how a Johnsson or Tatar trade will have to go down for the Devils in season.

Anyway, this may partially explain why Bratt isn't extended long term already.
There is no doubt in my mind that signing Bratt to as big a contract as an 8x8 today, would be a major steal.

A lot of us Devils fans (and others in the community) have been going with the assumption that Bernier's 4.125m cap hit will be a non factor throughout the season.
This recent arbitration info suggests otherwise, to me anyway.
Also, Kuokkanen's buyout makes a lot more sense from this pov as well (pls come back Janne I miss you )': )

Thank you for attending my TedTalk.

edit: frikk it, will make this into an AGM to spread my gospel for and wide
Forum: NHLJul. 30 at 11:23 a.m.
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