you have a point

What do you guys think about someone like Kevin Hayes, Wayne Simmonds, or maybe Pat Maroon for a second or third line RW. Or any two because we are so lacking RW.

Hall - Nico - Palms
Bratt - Hughes - Hayes/Simmonds/Maroon
Zacha - Zajac - Simmonds/Hayes/Maroon
Wood - Coleman - Mcleod

or

Bratt - Nico - Palms
Hall - Hughes - Hayes/Simmonds
Zacha - Zajac - Simmonds/Hayes/Maroon
Wood - Coleman - Mcleod

What do you guys think about someone like Kevin Hayes, Wayne Simmonds, or maybe Pat Maroon for a second or third line RW. Or any two because we are so lacking RW.

Hall - Nico - Palms
Bratt - Hughes - Hayes/Simmonds/Maroon
Zacha - Zajac - Simmonds/Hayes/Maroon
Wood - Coleman - Mcleod

or

Bratt - Nico - Palms
Hall - Hughes - Hayes/Simmonds
Zacha - Zajac - Simmonds/Hayes/Maroon
Wood - Coleman - Mcleod
- TRDevil

nice players but with Hughes and Hall, we will be asking for and expecting better players to want to come over

What do you guys think about someone like Kevin Hayes, Wayne Simmonds, or maybe Pat Maroon for a second or third line RW. Or any two because we are so lacking RW.

Hall - Nico - Palms
Bratt - Hughes - Hayes/Simmonds/Maroon
Zacha - Zajac - Simmonds/Hayes/Maroon
Wood - Coleman - Mcleod

or

Bratt - Nico - Palms
Hall - Hughes - Hayes/Simmonds
Zacha - Zajac - Simmonds/Hayes/Maroon
Wood - Coleman - Mcleod
- TRDevil

I think Hayes could be okay for the right price, but i think he's better staying at center. You can probably slot Boqvist(hopefully) into a top 9 role. I actually really like Ferland, he'd add some scoring depth but also a much needed physical presence into our top 6/9. Wouldnt be opposed to Skinner or Eberle either. Obviously all of this depends on if we make any immediate impact trades around the draft before free agency starts, that could change everything

nice players but with Hughes and Hall, we will be asking for and expecting better players to want to come over
- RagingMike

I wonder if we could attract Panarin or Karlsson. Either would be so dope to have. Both would be a ton of fun. Would make us so much better but I don't think we could afford what Hall and both of those guys would command.

I wonder if we could attract Panarin or Karlsson. Either would be so dope to have. Both would be a ton of fun. Would make us so much better but I don't think we could afford what Hall and both of those guys would command.
- TRDevil

Would absolutely love to have Panarin but from everything i've read it seems real likely he ends up in Florida or NY, maybe we could change his mind by the thought of him playing along side Hughes and still being very close to the big city! Lol, as for Karlsson, i think we have a legit shot at getting him here if he hits the market, but he's playing on a reconstructed ankle and that's a bit worrisome to me, seems like its too big of a health risk to commit to that big of term/money. But when he's on the ice, he'd make us a lot better, and we'd have our #1 D that we desperately need. So its risky, but could be worth it if he stays healthy

My opinions seem to change from meal to meal lol. I'd rather a great center than great winger. With Hughes I feel like we can have 2 great lines. With Kakko, I feel like he gets put either with Hall or Hischier, and then we have to search around for a 2nd line center still.. effectively still giving us 1 complete line. Hughes can give us a 2nd line to put wingers around him and not worry about "1st/2nd line center" all the time.

.. which makes me want to go hard for Panarin to give Hughes and Hischer each at least 1 dynamic highly-skilled winger. Or we can wait and see what happens this year. Part of me is ok with another top 10 pick this year to add that final young piece. But on the other hand, we can't build forever through the draft because MVP Hall and 30 goal-scoring Palmieri likely won't be at this level in 6 years when they're 33. .. and we wanna kick ass to encourage Hall to stay.

So maybe doing the Panarin thing isn't so crazy. And we CANNOT minimize having the 34th overall pick! Finishing low in the standings doesn't just increase our odds at 1st overall, but puts us a few spots ahead of other teams in every round.

34th overall, 55th, 60th. All in the 2nd round. Huge. So we CAN still draft a very good player at 34, or trade that valuable pick along with some others, maybe trade some kids, maybe make some fancy packages.

Shero really could make us a playoff team THIS year. I'm ok doing that now, because even if we finish 1 point out of a playoff spot.. it's ok, because we're not completely devoid of young talent. We have Hischier and Hughes to build with, so missing the playoffs by 1 point isn't a wasted season anymore.. but a season of development for the younger players.

ALSO Important to note... Hischier and Hughes won't be on their ELC's forever. Next year (2019-2020) is the LAST YEAR for Hischier and Hall.. and BOTH will get paid, effectively costing us an additional 10k on the cap from what they currently make. Add Vatanen to that list too. Greene will be coming off the books in 2020, or taking a pay cut, but still.
.. crap I was going somewhere with that but I had to play with the puppy for 20 minutes and forgot.
so.. spend now and see what happens? Add a piece at the deadline if we're in a playoff spot??

Maybe it's lofty to be thinking playoff though. Yes, we've gotten better.. but other teams will add talent this off-season too, and there is MOST OF THE EAST that finished substantially higher than us. Yes, I know the injuries to key players, the goalie issues, but..Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Tampa Bay aren't going anywhere. Boston is Boston.. and will apparently always be Boston until Bergeron is done. Islanders will be steady with Trotz leading the way. And the Habs just missed. Of course the off-season will make a difference for other teams too. I'd say we could fight for a wildcard spot.

Just think if Hynes stacks the PP with H-H-H-Palms-Smith
- Leniwm1

Oh that’s hot

My opinions seem to change from meal to meal lol. I'd rather a great center than great winger. With Hughes I feel like we can have 2 great lines. With Kakko, I feel like he gets put either with Hall or Hischier, and then we have to search around for a 2nd line center still.. effectively still giving us 1 complete line. Hughes can give us a 2nd line to put wingers around him and not worry about "1st/2nd line center" all the time.

.. which makes me want to go hard for Panarin to give Hughes and Hischer each at least 1 dynamic highly-skilled winger. Or we can wait and see what happens this year. Part of me is ok with another top 10 pick this year to add that final young piece. But on the other hand, we can't build forever through the draft because MVP Hall and 30 goal-scoring Palmieri likely won't be at this level in 6 years when they're 33. .. and we wanna kick ass to encourage Hall to stay.

So maybe doing the Panarin thing isn't so crazy. And we CANNOT minimize having the 34th overall pick! Finishing low in the standings doesn't just increase our odds at 1st overall, but puts us a few spots ahead of other teams in every round.

34th overall, 55th, 60th. All in the 2nd round. Huge. So we CAN still draft a very good player at 34, or trade that valuable pick along with some others, maybe trade some kids, maybe make some fancy packages.

Shero really could make us a playoff team THIS year. I'm ok doing that now, because even if we finish 1 point out of a playoff spot.. it's ok, because we're not completely devoid of young talent. We have Hischier and Hughes to build with, so missing the playoffs by 1 point isn't a wasted season anymore.. but a season of development for the younger players.

ALSO Important to note... Hischier and Hughes won't be on their ELC's forever. Next year (2019-2020) is the LAST YEAR for Hischier and Hall.. and BOTH will get paid, effectively costing us an additional 10k on the cap from what they currently make. Add Vatanen to that list too. Greene will be coming off the books in 2020, or taking a pay cut, but still.
.. crap I was going somewhere with that but I had to play with the puppy for 20 minutes and forgot.
so.. spend now and see what happens? Add a piece at the deadline if we're in a playoff spot??

Maybe it's lofty to be thinking playoff though. Yes, we've gotten better.. but other teams will add talent this off-season too, and there is MOST OF THE EAST that finished substantially higher than us. Yes, I know the injuries to key players, the goalie issues, but..Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Tampa Bay aren't going anywhere. Boston is Boston.. and will apparently always be Boston until Bergeron is done. Islanders will be steady with Trotz leading the way. And the Habs just missed. Of course the off-season will make a difference for other teams too. I'd say we could fight for a wildcard spot.
- MartysBetter88

All those 2nd round picks are definitely going to be great. I do think they will be good to use some to juice up other deals but part of thinks it would also be awesome just use them all and get the pipeline as chock full of developing talent as possible to feed the team into the future. We never really had much depth. There was a pseudo, spoken about, perceived defensive depth a few years ago. But it never really articulated into anything significant. This seems to be a whole new chapter.

All those 2nd round picks are definitely going to be great. I do think they will be good to use some to juice up other deals but part of thinks it would also be awesome just use them all and get the pipeline as chock full of developing talent as possible to feed the team into the future. We never really had much depth. There was a pseudo, spoken about, perceived defensive depth a few years ago. But it never really articulated into anything significant. This seems to be a whole new chapter.
- TRDevil

freaking Urbom.

freaking Urbom.
- MartysBetter88

And Gelinas.. ugh

Columbus went all in to make the playoffs, drew Tampa, and are getting housed. Almost guaranteed to lose Bob and Panarin, and might lose Duchene too. Pretty brutal.

Columbus went all in to make the playoffs, drew Tampa, and are getting housed. Almost guaranteed to lose Bob and Panarin, and might lose Duchene too. Pretty brutal.
- Pomegrant

Tampa is a (frank)ing Juggernaut.

Tampa is a (frank)ing Juggernaut.
- TRDevil

if they don't win the cup it's a failed season for them.

Columbus went all in to make the playoffs, drew Tampa, and are getting housed. Almost guaranteed to lose Bob and Panarin, and might lose Duchene too. Pretty brutal.
- Pomegrant

four unanswered ...

Is it weird Im still geeking out over Hughes.

I still can't believe the talent we will have. Makes we wanna move back home and get season tickets.

four unanswered ...
- Pomegrant

Torts is working it!

Torts is working it!
- TRDevil

I cant believe they came back from 3-0! Awesome!

I cant believe they came back from 3-0! Awesome!
- TRDevil

Yeah, pretty unreal comeback.

Yeah, pretty unreal comeback.
- Pomegrant

Tampa will win the next 4.

Our team got so much better this season. Adding a top 6 forward, a top 4 dman (Smith), swapping Lovejoy for Carrick, and the goalie position appears stabilized. Hall will also be back next year.. and Palmieri.. and Bratt.. it seems like an eternity since we had those guys in the lineup. Zacha will forever intrigue me with his development.

Gotta say.. this is a great blog/forum/thingy. You guys are great. Todd is great. Queenie is great. Pomegrant and Shvincter and of course Larsson (rmdevil313).. and this Lewinen whatever it is kid. And all the other peoples lol. I don't do much social media, but I come here more than once a day most days. An enjoyable place for enjoyable discussion.
- MartysBetter88

Thanks MB88... I think you are just some type of happy from this draft. It’s a great way to end a rough season. But yeah, it’s been a lot of fun with everyone here.

It’s exciting to see the Devils getting some high end talent. The rebuild looked like a train wreck and now we are looking like the future is bright. So much depends on Hallsy... but even if he decides to leave Shero will make sure we gat a decent return on a trade. But there is a lot of town between now and then and hopefully he decides to stay...

We talk a lot about if only we drafted Barzal over Zacha. Barzal didn't start playing until 2017-18.. where he posted a lovely 85pts in 82 games. So maybe we would've still drafted Hischier but miss out on Hughes. So at the end of the day, if Hughes ends up being the better player than Barzal.. then we can chalk it up to a win for picking the underachieving Zacha compared to Barzal. So there's that. In my brain it's no longer Zacha vs. whoever in that draft. It's Hughes vs. Rantanen, Barzal, Provorov, Meier, Werenski, Connor, Boeser, etc.

Who are you guys rooting for overall? I'm pulling for the Avs and Isles personally

Who are you guys rooting for overall? I'm pulling for the Avs and Isles personally
- willschulme

Go Joe Go

Lovejoy with the assist on the gwg tonight lol