If the Devils want to try to save this season, maybe trade a B-level prospect to the Kings for Alec Martinez. He's not a superstar, but maybe he can solidify the LD for this year and next. I think the Devils can give up a B level forward prospect, they have an abundance of young forwards. No way Ty is ready next year so having Martinez hold the LD spot down for this year and next wouldn't be bad. At the end of his contract, let him walk away or trade him before the 2021 deadline. The Devils don't need to protect him in the expansion draft.

The Devils can go with (for this year)

Martinez-Subban
Butcher-Vatanen
Greene-Severson

Next season slide Ty in Greene's spot and extend Vatanen for 3 years if possible (especially if Hall is not resigning).

Babcock officially out as Leafs headcoach. The time is now, Ray. Make it happen.

Babcock officially out as Leafs headcoach. The time is now, Ray. Make it happen.
- Pomegrant

YES!! This is absolutely it! please. PLEEEEASE. Do what's best for the franchise!! Enough with the loyalty deal.. we've been loyal long enough. This is beyond the best move to make.

with that said.. why couldn't Babcock make it work with that team? Younger team with younger stars.. similar to us but with twice the talent. so.. maybe Babcock isn't the answer for a team like this?? He's already defeated in Toronto.. bringing his defeatedness to NJ??

sign him.

YES!! This is absolutely it! please. PLEEEEASE. Do what's best for the franchise!! Enough with the loyalty deal.. we've been loyal long enough. This is beyond the best move to make.

with that said.. why couldn't Babcock make it work with that team? Younger team with younger stars.. similar to us but with twice the talent. so.. maybe Babcock isn't the answer for a team like this?? He's already defeated in Toronto.. bringing his defeatedness to NJ??

sign him.
- MartysBetter88

Babcock is a systems coach and the Leafs didn't build around or buy into the system. Our team is perfect to bring him in, trade out players that don't fit and make the team around the coach with the young talent up and coming.

Babcock officially out as Leafs headcoach. The time is now, Ray. Make it happen.
- Pomegrant

He would be a great fit to instill a system and the discipline this team lacks. He will be expensive though, have to wonder if the owners would pay that on top of paying off the remainder of Hynes contract.

I think that Hynes has done so much damage to Hall’s value that it just doesn’t make sense to trade him right now. He looks so much worse than he did the past couple seasons, and I don’t believe it’s for lack of trying. The guy is in a contract year, and even the stupidest player knows that contract years are where you keep playing hard all season no matter what. I’d much rather they get the coaching staff as far away from the team as possible, find a coach who might try something wacky like actually having everyone play to their strengths, and trade him in January or February once he’s put together some quality games.

I truly don’t know why Shero hasn’t canned Hynes yet. I don’t know if he’s worried about the optics of firing a guy he just extended. Or if he’s worried about the owners and having to explain why it’s worth eating Hynes’s contract and paying another coach in a season where nothing substantial is gonna be achieved. Or if he just sees that this season is already lost and Hynes is probably the best coach available for a tank job, so keep him in place. Or if he thinks Hynes is actually a good coach, though somehow that seems the most far fetched.

I agree with some other commenters that you can’t really evaluate the players too much while the coaching is so disastrous. I think that some guys, like Nico and Zacha, have shown their ability by being able to shine even in a poopty system. I think Simmonds is frequently one of our better players and honestly don’t get a lot of the hate towards him. I think Blackwood continues to look like a good/not great goalie who might become starter-caliber but definitely isn’t there yet (and I have no clue why Shero would aim so low in finding another goalie to bring in).

I would say don’t shop Subban, because maybe he’d play better under another coach, and even if he doesn’t, the Devils shouldn’t be willing to pay half his salary to have him play elsewhere (and the acquisition of him really showed there are no other teams interested in taking him on at $9m a year).

I don’t really want to sit through several more years of mediocrity and lottery picks, but I’m not sure what the alternative is. Bringing in a couple veterans isn’t going to change the big picture, because realistically, the Devils aren’t even close. There is no area of the game where they even look average. Last in goals for, 25th in goals against, 27th in pp, 25th in pk, 25th in shooting percentage, 28th in save percentage. At even strength, they’re dead last in goals for and 22nd in goals against. The only thing that might change this is a dramatic change in team culture.

*Babcock is available. Hire him, Ray. Hire him now.

I think that Hynes has done so much damage to Hall’s value that it just doesn’t make sense to trade him right now. He looks so much worse than he did the past couple seasons, and I don’t believe it’s for lack of trying. The guy is in a contract year, and even the stupidest player knows that contract years are where you keep playing hard all season no matter what. I’d much rather they get the coaching staff as far away from the team as possible, find a coach who might try something wacky like actually having everyone play to their strengths, and trade him in January or February once he’s put together some quality games.

I truly don’t know why Shero hasn’t canned Hynes yet. I don’t know if he’s worried about the optics of firing a guy he just extended. Or if he’s worried about the owners and having to explain why it’s worth eating Hynes’s contract and paying another coach in a season where nothing substantial is gonna be achieved. Or if he just sees that this season is already lost and Hynes is probably the best coach available for a tank job, so keep him in place. Or if he thinks Hynes is actually a good coach, though somehow that seems the most far fetched.

I agree with some other commenters that you can’t really evaluate the players too much while the coaching is so disastrous. I think that some guys, like Nico and Zacha, have shown their ability by being able to shine even in a poopty system. I think Simmonds is frequently one of our better players and honestly don’t get a lot of the hate towards him. I think Blackwood continues to look like a good/not great goalie who might become starter-caliber but definitely isn’t there yet (and I have no clue why Shero would aim so low in finding another goalie to bring in).

I would say don’t shop Subban, because maybe he’d play better under another coach, and even if he doesn’t, the Devils shouldn’t be willing to pay half his salary to have him play elsewhere (and the acquisition of him really showed there are no other teams interested in taking him on at $9m a year).

I don’t really want to sit through several more years of mediocrity and lottery picks, but I’m not sure what the alternative is. Bringing in a couple veterans isn’t going to change the big picture, because realistically, the Devils aren’t even close. There is no area of the game where they even look average. Last in goals for, 25th in goals against, 27th in pp, 25th in pk, 25th in shooting percentage, 28th in save percentage. At even strength, they’re dead last in goals for and 22nd in goals against. The only thing that might change this is a dramatic change in team culture.

*Babcock is available. Hire him, Ray. Hire him now.
- Sashamook

Shero can’t can Hynes. He was given a 2 year extension that kicks in next year. The Devils aren’t going to pay that contract plus another one for two more years. I’d suspect we are stuck with Hynes for at least some of next season.

He would be a great fit to instill a system and the discipline this team lacks. He will be expensive though, have to wonder if the owners would pay that on top of paying off the remainder of Hynes contract.
- smellmyfinger

doubt it. call me a pessimist.

Shero can’t can Hynes. He was given a 2 year extension that kicks in next year. The Devils aren’t going to pay that contract plus another one for two more years. I’d suspect we are stuck with Hynes for at least some of next season.
- smellmyfinger

yea, there's that. freaking terrible. TERRIBLE. Babcock is a top 5 coach. Hynes is a bottom 5.

Shero can’t can Hynes. He was given a 2 year extension that kicks in next year. The Devils aren’t going to pay that contract plus another one for two more years. I’d suspect we are stuck with Hynes for at least some of next season.
- smellmyfinger

I can’t find specifics on Hynes contract. I thought it starts this year.

Babcock signed an 8 year $50M deal with the leafs in 2015. Toronto is eating a lot of money. We need to do the right thing and make a move.

Shero can’t can Hynes. He was given a 2 year extension that kicks in next year. The Devils aren’t going to pay that contract plus another one for two more years. I’d suspect we are stuck with Hynes for at least some of next season.
- smellmyfinger

It certainly seems unlikely, but I’d look at it this way. I don’t know how much Hynes will be making, but the owners are spending several tens of millions on the roster. This season, they added a huge contract in Subban, gave Gusev a fair amount of money, gave Simmonds 5 and gave Nico an extension. For all that spending, attendance has gone down. If nothing changes and next year it’s the same team but no Hall, I can’t imagine the fanbase is gonna get too enthusiastic. Bringing in a new coach definitely increases costs but also has the potential to boost revenue. Doing nothing means they’re resigned to having a poop team.

I can’t find specifics on Hynes contract. I thought it starts this year.

Babcock signed an 8 year $50M deal with the leafs in 2015. Toronto is eating a lot of money. We need to do the right thing and make a move.
- Queenie_5_hole

As I said in 2010 with MacLean, "I will do a dance, if Hynes was fired tomorrow".. and Babcock was immediately brought in. Eat the salary, because NO ONE is giving this team money with Hynes as the coach. You win some, you lose some. Bite the bullet for the sake of the franchise. Babcock is a wet dream right now. Sry, a bit too excited.

Like I have zero interest in going to a game right now. Cuz it's a joke and you never know just how bad they'll be. With Babcock, there's optimism.. I'm more likely to go.

I can’t find specifics on Hynes contract. I thought it starts this year.
- Queenie_5_hole

I believe you’re right. Bizarrely hard to find details, but it looks like the team exercised an option on his initial contract to keep him around last season and the extension should have started this season.

I can’t find specifics on Hynes contract. I thought it starts this year.

Babcock signed an 8 year $50M deal with the leafs in 2015. Toronto is eating a lot of money. We need to do the right thing and make a move.
- Queenie_5_hole

I believe it was a two year deal starting next season.

If babs comes to Jersey, the plus is he wont have all that ego like in Toronoto to deal with

I believe you’re right. Bizarrely hard to find details, but it looks like the team exercised an option on his initial contract to keep him around last season and the extension should have started this season.
- Sashamook

If this is true, it would make firing him easier.

For all we know Ray may have extended Hynes because he would extend on the cheap giving Shero more flexibility to spend on the roster. This team hasn’t really had to spend a ton since the new ownership group came in. They’ve been bottom 2 or 3 in payroll with many players on ELCs. Even acquiring Subbans entire contract left them bottom 5 in payroll. Halls extension seemed like it was going to be the first real test of this ownership giving out a mega contract. Now it looks like they may not even have to make a decision there given Hall may want out anyway.

I find Babcock to be overrated. Good coach for sure, but his reputation comes from his time in Detroit where he had a ridiculous team. He also loves putting 1 grinder on every line so if we do bring him in that means Hughes will play with Wood for the foreseeable future and probably something dumb like Hayden on the top line. I'll take him over Hynes but I don't know if he's a long term solution.

Also, I don't think we should be making any rash judgement on players until Hynes is gone. Vatanen is the only defensmen that is on pace for any decent type of point totals. I would much rather wait to see what Subban looks like in a good system where the team is actually playing up to its ability.

When hall gets traded please go back to Zacha-Nico-Bratt
- Senor_Elias

Hayden will get first line duties

I find Babcock to be overrated. Good coach for sure, but his reputation comes from his time in Detroit where he had a ridiculous team. He also loves putting 1 grinder on every line so if we do bring him in that means Hughes will play with Wood for the foreseeable future and probably something dumb like Hayden on the top line. I'll take him over Hynes but I don't know if he's a long term solution.
- rmdevil313

Totally agree and would be pissed if he was hired

The problem with Babs is we'd still he left with our assistants..
Yea he had great talent in Detroit, but he also did well with the Mighty Ducks, as they were gkoriously named. Toronto did well last year with their situation. Idk. Hes better than Hynes. Theres not that many Olympic level coaches to choose from here.

The problem with Babs is we'd still he left with our assistants..
Yea he had great talent in Detroit, but he also did well with the Mighty Ducks, as they were gkoriously named. Toronto did well last year with their situation. Idk. Hes better than Hynes. Theres not that many Olympic level coaches to choose from here.
- MartysBetter88

Why do you think the assistants would stay? If they fire Hynes I'd think at least Nesreddine would go also. The D has been as much if not more of a disaster then the offense. They got rid of Stevens so Hynes could put his guy in charge of the D so they should get rid of his guy when they get rid of him.

You might be right; just saying my guess is that they'd move out some people as well to give the new coach the opportunity to pick his staff.

I find Babcock to be overrated. Good coach for sure, but his reputation comes from his time in Detroit where he had a ridiculous team. He also loves putting 1 grinder on every line so if we do bring him in that means Hughes will play with Wood for the foreseeable future and probably something dumb like Hayden on the top line. I'll take him over Hynes but I don't know if he's a long term solution.
- rmdevil313

This 100%. Babcock is an old-school coach that would drive us fans crazy. He would give too many minutes to guys like Hayden and Wood and not enough to Hughes/Nico/Bratt etc. He hasn't won a playoff series since 2013. His gold medals are great and all but those were arguably the greatest hockey teams ever assembled. I could see Babcock giving the team an initial boost but definitely don't see him as a long term solution.

With how the season is going, is anyone in the boat of "I wouldnt mind just one more first overall?"

With how the season is going, is anyone in the boat of "I wouldnt mind just one more first overall?"
- Leniwm1

The odds of getting the first overall seem pretty long even if we stick with Hynes and continue to suck all season... and with Taylor Hall likely traded.

It would seem very likely we are sellers at the deadline again and that's fine (although I'd like to sign Vats). Move out Hall and other guys you might be able to get a good return on. I'm guessing Greene, Zajac, and Simmonds.