Todd Cordell: Predators 6, Devils 4: At least it was fun

First!!!

I agree 100% Todd, here is a quote from AATJ from a analyst on the Devils....

“John fell victim to goaltending. When it was dependable (2018 run) he was lauded for the Jack Adams. When it was horrendous, it was all his fault. It amazes me that the goaltending was this inconsistent for years and nothing was ever done about it. While he may be partially to blame, he is absolutely not fully to blame for the situation the Devils are in.”
- Rachel Doerrie (Devils Analyst, Player Information/Video, 2017-2019)

and I couldn't agree more. Yes the Devils are far from perfect but there is enough talent to be competitive ever night and not be a bottom dweller of the league. They just are not getting the "saves" ever game they need. When they do, like you said before Todd with Blackwood playing inconsistent, if he plays good we win if not we lose.

Next Year we need to get help in net either to split with Blackwood or even start over him until he shows he's ready to be a true #1 plus I believe this team needs some "real" leadership. Maybe we can trade for or sign in free agency a good veteran leadership type player (like a Boyle type). Hall will be gone as probably Vats, Greene and Simmons. Palms, Zajac and Subban are the only "vets" left so we need more veteran presence in the locker-room to help out the younger guys.

I agree 100% Todd, here is a quote from AATJ from a analyst on the Devils....



and I couldn't agree more. Yes the Devils are far from perfect but there is enough talent to be competitive ever night and not be a bottom dweller of the league. They just are not getting the "saves" ever game they need. When they do, like you said before Todd with Blackwood playing inconsistent, if he plays good we win if not we lose.

Next Year we need to get help in net either to split with Blackwood or even start over him until he shows he's ready to be a true #1 plus I believe this team needs some "real" leadership. Maybe we can trade for or sign in free agency a good veteran leadership type player (like a Boyle type). Hall will be gone as probably Vats, Greene and Simmons. Palms, Zajac and Subban are the only "vets" left so we need more veteran presence in the locker-room to help out the younger guys.
- Gambi99

Markstrom could be a nice add if Demko is ready to take over in Vancouver. That would give us 2 very large goalies !

I completelty agree on everything you said Todd. Well written article, thank you.

I am sure the state of affairs with this team makes it more difficult - and even depressing to present to us. Bad news after bad news about our team sucks for all of us, you included I could imagine.

It is an interesting time for us, as fans that have watched this all develop over the past few years. We know we aren't going to make the playoffs, but after a few firsts in row, I dont mind watching them win as many games as possible and get the tradables looking nice even if they do make it to being hopelessly a few spots behind from a wilcard and end up with mid/high first round pick.

If we get a decent 'haul for Hall', a mid first round pick in a package, we would have a few coming in either way. We are bare bones next year from what I recall in the later rounds so eat 50% of anyone with short term deals, let her rip. This is all actually not the end of the world and very good long term. This still sucks because this is the sexiest roster we have had in years. But like an engine with mismatched parts it just never had the horsepower it should have had on paper. Blackwood has been not what we all hoped and Cory fizzled, so here we are.

Main thing is I don't want to watch them tank anymore. Would love to see Mcleod and Bastian called up also.

A site that covers the Avs posted an article on twitter earlier that said they heard theres a "strong possibility" our return for Hall is Kaut, Helleson, 2020 1st, and a 2021 conditional pick. That would be extremely underwhelming if thats the case. I know Byram is just a dream, but if Ray cant pry away Timmins or even Newhook then its a failure on his part.

(frank) these lazy bumholes. Trade them all. Glad to hear nas called out people in his postgame.

A site that covers the Avs posted an article on twitter earlier that said they heard theres a "strong possibility" our return for Hall is Kaut, Helleson, 2020 1st, and a 2021 conditional pick. That would be extremely underwhelming if thats the case. I know Byram is just a dream, but if Ray cant pry away Timmins or even Newhook then its a failure on his part.
- vlongo4419

I wouldn’t mind Kaut, Timmins, and a pick
I don’t think the return for Hall is going to be very much. Certainly not Byrum, although i know a lot are getting their hopes up. Not without an extension agreement.

Markstrom for Wood and a 2nd

I wouldn’t mind Kaut, Timmins, and a pick
I don’t think the return for Hall is going to be very much. Certainly not Byrum, although i know a lot are getting their hopes up. Not without an extension agreement.
- FLdevilsFAN

Yeah i dont mind it if Timmins is involved, but the report was saying Timmins wouldnt even be involved, which is a failure from Shero imo. Byram isnt happening but doing this trade without Timmins or Newhook coming back is unacceptable

I completelty agree on everything you said Todd. Well written article, thank you.

I am sure the state of affairs with this team makes it more difficult - and even depressing to present to us. Bad news after bad news about our team sucks for all of us, you included I could imagine.

It is an interesting time for us, as fans that have watched this all develop over the past few years. We know we aren't going to make the playoffs, but after a few firsts in row, I dont mind watching them win as many games as possible and get the tradables looking nice even if they do make it to being hopelessly a few spots behind from a wilcard and end up with mid/high first round pick.

If we get a decent 'haul for Hall', a mid first round pick in a package, we would have a few coming in either way. We are bare bones next year from what I recall in the later rounds so eat 50% of anyone with short term deals, let her rip. This is all actually not the end of the world and very good long term. This still sucks because this is the sexiest roster we have had in years. But like an engine with mismatched parts it just never had the horsepower it should have had on paper. Blackwood has been not what we all hoped and Cory fizzled, so here we are.

Main thing is I don't want to watch them tank anymore. Would love to see Mcleod and Bastian called up also.
- TRDevil

I’d think we will be seeing guys called up as trades happen. Bastian has been pretty good but I hear McLeod has been a complete mess.

I have to say, I’m very disappointed that again Ray Ray failed to address the goaltending concerns for a couple years now.

Granted Schneider has made planning tough but this team with this D can’t survive even average goaltending.

Domingue may have been a cheap guy to acquire but he’s not good enough to survive on this team. We need a legit, established guy.

I’d think we will be seeing guys called up as trades happen. Bastian has been pretty good but I hear McLeod has been a complete mess.

I have to say, I’m very disappointed that again Ray Ray failed to address the goaltending concerns for a couple years now.

Granted Schneider has made planning tough but this team with this D can’t survive even average goaltending.

Domingue may have been a cheap guy to acquire but he’s not good enough to survive on this team. We need a legit, established guy.
- Queenie_5_hole

We couldnt complain because it was a conditional 7th but I think we all knew his decent numbers where a biproduct of playing behind a team that just destroyed everyone in Tampa.

I think Markstrom or Raanta could be nice place holders for Blackwood depending on cost.

Wood and a 2nd for Markstrom seems ok but we dont have any seconds for the next 10 years as it stands lol after all the deals Ray made the past year and a bit he has traded away like 4 of them.

Its kind of a pity since the early second round is becoming a nice place to pick up talent but the trades made overall are probably worth the risk.

We couldnt complain because it was a conditional 7th but I think we all knew his decent numbers where a biproduct of playing behind a team that just destroyed everyone in Tampa.
- Devilish4

To have him in the AHL would be much better then when we had Lack (because Lack had hip problems) so he wasn’t a bad guy to acquire for so little. But on the NHL level the Devils are a tough team for anyone to backstop. It’s a bad situation for a fringe guy. Ideally this team should have Blackwood as a backup; but with him getting a good amount of starts; which is probably exactly what Ray Ray was hoping for with Schneider but he's looking like he's done.

The part I find frustrating with Cory is there is no word about what his problem is or what to even think is possible moving forward. Is this hip problems and working thru recovery or is he just really done now? It's hard to guess what's going on because he didn't really miss much time after the "craps" episode but has been horrible ever since. There is no doubt he was playing better before that.

I think Markstrom or Raanta could be nice place holders for Blackwood depending on cost.

Wood and a 2nd for Markstrom seems ok but we dont have any seconds for the next 10 years as it stands lol after all the deals Ray made the past year and a bit he has traded away like 4 of them.

Its kind of a pity since the early second round is becoming a nice place to pick up talent but the trades made overall are probably worth the risk.
- Devilish4

I think you just ride it out and try to land a goaltender in the offseason. Nothing good is going to happen this season so no point in wasting assets. I'd try to sign a guy as a free agent in the offseason.

I think you just ride it out and try to land a goaltender in the offseason. Nothing good is going to happen this season so no point in wasting assets. I'd try to sign a guy as a free agent in the offseason.
- Queenie_5_hole

I agree thats why both those goalies are older and should only be relied upon for 2 to 3 years max.

I wouldnt expect goaltending to get addressed again this season but those are two maybe you target at the draft.

Todd Cordell: Predators 6, Devils 4: At least it was fun
- Todd.Cordell

Couldn't agree more Todd. Player development and featuring trade assets go hand in hand. Hall needs to be traded, hopefully sooner than later. Vats has been juggled throughout the lineup far too much. Give him top 4 minutes and shop him around. He still has alot of good hockey in him and could get a solid trade return. I still think we need to move Coleman, one of my favorite forwards, but could be a big factor on a contender. Sooner he is gone, the sooner we can up Boq/Bratt/Gus TOI. I like the idea of playing Domingue both to shelter Blackwood, and to potentially gain some trade vale in Louis. So please trade:
Vats/Greene/Simmonds/Hall/Coleman/Wood/Mueller/Domingue Even with them all gone:

Zacha Hischier Palms
Boq Hughes Bratt
Gus Zajac Anderson
Seney Rooney Hayden

Smith Severson
Butch P.K
White Morrow

Considering that is a $43M roster, it isn't that bad. Can't be much worse honestly.

Couldn't agree more Todd. Player development and featuring trade assets go hand in hand. Hall needs to be traded, hopefully sooner than later. Vats has been juggled throughout the lineup far too much. Give him top 4 minutes and shop him around. He still has alot of good hockey in him and could get a solid trade return. I still think we need to move Coleman, one of my favorite forwards, but could be a big factor on a contender. Sooner he is gone, the sooner we can up Boq/Bratt/Gus TOI. I like the idea of playing Domingue both to shelter Blackwood, and to potentially gain some trade vale in Louis. So please trade:
Vats/Greene/Simmonds/Hall/Coleman/Wood/Mueller/Domingue Even with them all gone:

Zacha Hischier Palms
Boq Hughes Bratt
Gus Zajac Anderson
Seney Rooney Hayden

Smith Severson
Butch P.K
White Morrow

Considering that is a $43M roster, it isn't that bad. Can't be much worse honestly.
- bikeguy99

I'm not trading Coleman. We need SOME NHL players on the roster. Do we expect Anderson, Seney, Rooney, Hayden to all or half be on the roster next year? They're NHLers. We need a Coleman in that lineup.

saw this on a Devils fb group and I have to quote the guy.. as it began my day with gloom.

"Rewind back to 2013. MOST importantly, and a serious mistake at that time was that Lou traded the number 9 pick. This decision was the start of a snowball effect which hurts the Devils to this day. The number 9 pick that year was Bo Horvat which was traded to acquire Schneider. This was detrimental not only for the appeal of a Bo Horvat on the team but because this mistake has serious consequences.
Think about the alternatives. If Lou decided to rebuild, rather than contend, he wouldn't of traded the #9 pick that year. Presently the Devils would of been rebuilt and not still in the process.
We would of finished last or close to last in 2014, 2015 and 2016 without Schneider in net, because frankly Schneider was a good goal tender at that time and helped the team not finish last or near last in those years.
In these drafts we would of picked up in 2013 Bo Horvat. In later years we had a chance of picking up players such as 2014-#1 Aaron Ekblad or #3 Leon Draisaitl or even #8 William Nylander.
2015 - you name it - #1 Connor Mcdavid, #2 Jack Eichel, #4 Mitch Marner.
2016 - #1 Austin, Matthews, #2 Patrick Laine, or even #6 and #7 Matthew Tkachuk or Clayton Keller."

we can share a bucket for our tears if you'd like. We would've had the perfect core with 2-way Horvat + either an elite offensive force, and/or Ekblad on D. It doesn't get much better. ugh.

Hindsight bias in full force. McDavid was the only player of those that was considered a generational talent during their draft. Nobody knew Draisaitl would be what he is now. The argument is valid that Lou prevented the rebuild from starting earlier, but it isn't guaranteed that we would have done well in the rebuild and Lou's track record with drafting toward the end was terrible. Also, it's not like Edmonton and Buffalo are currently NHL powerhouses because of their tanking during that time either.

I'm not trading Coleman. We need SOME NHL players on the roster. Do we expect Anderson, Seney, Rooney, Hayden to all or half be on the roster next year? They're NHLers. We need a Coleman in that lineup.
- MartysBetter88

Whoa....Who said they would be on the roster next year? Just for the tank. Coleman and Palms are our two most consistant players, but Coleman occupies a log-jammed LW, and would land a 2nd at worst (a 1st potentially if we retain 900k). Would you prefer to keep him until he is 29? Between free agency and the potential plethora of draft picks we have, we can attain true NHL players in the offseason. But if those boys have decent interest, move them.

saw this on a Devils fb group and I have to quote the guy.. as it began my day with gloom.

"Rewind back to 2013. MOST importantly, and a serious mistake at that time was that Lou traded the number 9 pick. This decision was the start of a snowball effect which hurts the Devils to this day. The number 9 pick that year was Bo Horvat which was traded to acquire Schneider. This was detrimental not only for the appeal of a Bo Horvat on the team but because this mistake has serious consequences.
Think about the alternatives. If Lou decided to rebuild, rather than contend, he wouldn't of traded the #9 pick that year. Presently the Devils would of been rebuilt and not still in the process.
We would of finished last or close to last in 2014, 2015 and 2016 without Schneider in net, because frankly Schneider was a good goal tender at that time and helped the team not finish last or near last in those years.
In these drafts we would of picked up in 2013 Bo Horvat. In later years we had a chance of picking up players such as 2014-#1 Aaron Ekblad or #3 Leon Draisaitl or even #8 William Nylander.
2015 - you name it - #1 Connor Mcdavid, #2 Jack Eichel, #4 Mitch Marner.
2016 - #1 Austin, Matthews, #2 Patrick Laine, or even #6 and #7 Matthew Tkachuk or Clayton Keller."

we can share a bucket for our tears if you'd like. We would've had the perfect core with 2-way Horvat + either an elite offensive force, and/or Ekblad on D. It doesn't get much better. ugh.
- MartysBetter88

-2014 was the forfeited pick from the Kovy trade, so we were only ever gonna pick 30th or not at all. Maybe we finish worst in the league, but we still get Quenneville, which is a significantly more painful way for that season to play out.
-2015 sure maybe we get McDavid. We picked at 6 and left several already-all-stars on the board to grab Zacha. Decent chance we end up with Hanifin or Dylan Strome that year.
-2016 Yeah, we really might have gotten a star here, but I’m gonna say we draft Jesse Puljujarvi. I’m assuming bad lottery luck here because we never acquire Hall. I’m also assuming bad drafting cause it’s the Devils.

At this point, we’ve been rebuilding for years, maybe stop finishing near the bottom and start finishing just below bubble teams. So no Nico and no Hughes. Also no Bratt or Boq because the standings play out differently those seasons. We never trade for Palmieri or Vatanen. And of course, at some point we do still need to get a goalie, so trade some of the likable young players we have.

We still suffer through a hideous stretch the last several years but we don’t get the Hart season (or the accompanying playoffs), don’t get Boyle’s emotional stint, who knows if we attract Butcher.


All of this is to say, if we’re rewriting history, don’t assume anything will go well. We could be right where we are anyway but without a single exciting player on the team (besides Horvat) or good memory of the last half decade.

we can share a bucket for our tears if you'd like. We would've had the perfect core with 2-way Horvat + either an elite offensive force, and/or Ekblad on D. It doesn't get much better. ugh.


That is WAY too much hindsight. For the first 3 years of the Schneider trade, we won. Now they are reaping the long term reward, solely because Schneids has caught the injury bug, with little signs of ever returning to his former top 5 self. Through all this history, we landed 2 1st overall picks and brought in 2 centres that have ceiling far higher than Horvat. I like Bo, but he is a 2C at best. Playing with Petterson and JT Miller have certainly helped elevate his offense, but on our squad he would be a 45 point player today. I like the direction this team is heading. Obviously we had a terrible start to the season, but our offseason acquisitions were great, and we have some serious trade-bait to continue this overhaul.

Whoa....Who said they would be on the roster next year? Just for the tank. Coleman and Palms are our two most consistant players, but Coleman occupies a log-jammed LW, and would land a 2nd at worst (a 1st potentially if we retain 900k). Would you prefer to keep him until he is 29? Between free agency and the potential plethora of draft picks we have, we can attain true NHL players in the offseason. But if those boys have decent interest, move them.
- bikeguy99

I would not trade Coleman unless we get another "heart" player in return. He is one of maybe 3 people on the team that play like they care.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNocWHXlc4Q

Who give as poop. It's gone.