Roger Mussa: Devils and the Draft

Holtz at 7th, Askarov at 18th, and trade the 20th for Alex Tuch please

Holtz at 7th, Askarov at 18th, and trade the 20th for Alex Tuch please
- bikeguy99

Yes, Yes and Yes

Sign a decent UFA and all of a sudden we are in business.

Don't think Askarov falls. Id trade up for him for sure!

Then trade the next two picks with Butcher for this guy!

Listening to the ideas here, it’s clear Fritzy has a lot of decisions and options moving forward. This is a big opportunity to revitalize the rebuild!

Sadly the drafts/lottery have been about the most exciting thing for this team the last few years unless you get excited by selling off assets at the trade deadline....

7- Holtz
18- Guhle
20- Poirier

The Devils are one team with the pieces to go after Laine, if they wanted to.

-2020 first round pick ( obviously 7th OA would carry much more weight than 18 or 20 )
-Right shot D, Severson is from Manitoba....just saying
-Jets would love a young center, clearly wouldn't ask for your top 2 so what about Zacha.

The Devils are one team with the pieces to go after Laine, if they wanted to.

-2020 first round pick ( obviously 7th OA would carry much more weight than 18 or 20 )
-Right shot D, Severson is from Manitoba....just saying
-Jets would love a young center, clearly wouldn't ask for your top 2 so what about Zacha.
- Ross77

As thin as we are on defense already I can not see in any way trading a Severson for a Winger as phenomenal as Laine is and as great as it would be seeing him in NJ Red....PK coming off bad year, Butcher regressed and we do not know what Smith and Bahl are just yet. If we were to Trade Damon would probably need to sign at least 2 UFA Dmen in free agency!

I have a feeling Jack Quinn is going to be an absolute stud.

As thin as we are on defense already I can not see in any way trading a Severson for a Winger as phenomenal as Laine is and as great as it would be seeing him in NJ Red....PK coming off bad year, Butcher regressed and we do not know what Smith and Bahl are just yet. If we were to Trade Damon would probably need to sign at least 2 UFA Dmen in free agency!
- RussH1964

I understand this, the Jets system is loaded with left shot D but we have no right shot, its a big need this off season.

Smith will absolutely be a full time Devil next year and his future is bright!!

The Devils are one team with the pieces to go after Laine, if they wanted to.

-2020 first round pick ( obviously 7th OA would carry much more weight than 18 or 20 )
-Right shot D, Severson is from Manitoba....just saying
-Jets would love a young center, clearly wouldn't ask for your top 2 so what about Zacha.
- Ross77

Sign me up

I understand this, the Jets system is loaded with left shot D but we have no right shot, its a big need this off season.

Smith will absolutely be a full time Devil next year and his future is bright!!
- Ross77

Ross. Nobody is giving up that much for the leagues worst 5v5 player. His defensive zone game is pathetic. Yes he has the ability to sit in the slot and notch 40 goals, but at the cost of his LW and C producing zero goals and being a -20 on the season. The Jets are my favorite team in the West, and I get all their regional games. I have seen plenty to know that this guy is highly capable of a Subban-esque decline. He does not drive plays, win battles, backcheck, or pass at any respectable level. If you want Butcher and 20th overall, ok its a deal. But Severson and our top 2 picks are not on the table for a player that is detrimental to his team unless he is on the PP. The Jets are aware of this, which is why they gave him a 2 year deal with RFA arbitration rights at the end of the deal.

Devils need to stay as far away from lucas raymond as possible. He is too small to play on an 85 foot wide rink, in other words he is mattis tedneby 2,0. In my opinion the pick at seven is either perfetti or sanderson. Don't see drysdale failing to number seven.

Ross. Nobody is giving up that much for the leagues worst 5v5 player. His defensive zone game is pathetic. Yes he has the ability to sit in the slot and notch 40 goals, but at the cost of his LW and C producing zero goals and being a -20 on the season. The Jets are my favorite team in the West, and I get all their regional games. I have seen plenty to know that this guy is highly capable of a Subban-esque decline. He does not drive plays, win battles, backcheck, or pass at any respectable level. If you want Butcher and 20th overall, ok its a deal. But Severson and our top 2 picks are not on the table for a player that is detrimental to his team unless he is on the PP. The Jets are aware of this, which is why they gave him a 2 year deal with RFA arbitration rights at the end of the deal.
- bikeguy99

listen, I know you hate the guy. but someone will pay that absolutely. scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in the NHL and he has scored more than everyone in NHL except for 6 guys since he came in!! he will probably score 600 goals over his career. you have to pay for that. and lets pray Winnipeg doesn't sell low like they did with Temmu!!!!

Laine's overall play absolutely improved last year, Maurice is killing him, asking him to be passer, not playing our best shooter with our best play maker, its ridiculous.

he passes and backchecks much better than you say, buy hey, you hate him, we all have guys we cant stand.

Ross. Nobody is giving up that much for the leagues worst 5v5 player. His defensive zone game is pathetic. Yes he has the ability to sit in the slot and notch 40 goals, but at the cost of his LW and C producing zero goals and being a -20 on the season. The Jets are my favorite team in the West, and I get all their regional games. I have seen plenty to know that this guy is highly capable of a Subban-esque decline. He does not drive plays, win battles, backcheck, or pass at any respectable level. If you want Butcher and 20th overall, ok its a deal. But Severson and our top 2 picks are not on the table for a player that is detrimental to his team unless he is on the PP. The Jets are aware of this, which is why they gave him a 2 year deal with RFA arbitration rights at the end of the deal.
- bikeguy99

Somebody would absolutely pay that price to acquire a 22 year old, 40 goal scorer. And it'll take that much to get him from the Jets, which is why the Jets are more likely to move Ehlers over him. Your criticisms of Laine would've been fair 2 years ago but he improved a lot this season and was a very noticeable all-around player. You aren't getting a player of his caliber without giving up a lot. I personally wouldn't make that deal because we need to be adding and improving our defense first, and im only moving either of our later two 1sts or a Zacha if it brings us a younger cost-controlled D.

All this talk about the Devils making this trade and that trade for a player on the TSN trade board is not happening. The Devils couldn't even make a trade for Kapanen and the Leafs are such a cap-strapped team. Hell, they probably couldn't even trade for Jake Allen.

What makes you think the team can get Laine? I'd love the Devils to get Laine and the price of admission starts with Severson. If it's one for one I'd pull the trigger in a heartbeat. Jets want Severson, Zacha, and would probably try and ask for the 7th pick.

The 5 best (realistic) trade assets the Devils have before the start of the season are:

1. 7th pick
2. Damon Severson
3. Zacha
4. PHX and VAN picks
5. Bratt

*UFAs Palmieri and Gusev (more value as an in-season trade)

Looking at the roster we have:

x-Hischier-Palmieri
Bratt-Zacha-Gusev
x-Hughes-x
Wood-Zajac-x

Mueller-Subban
Butcher-Severson
Smith-Carrick

I say don't sign any UFA forwards and let the B squad fight for the final 4 spots:

Anderson, Boqvist, Kuokkanen, Merkley, McLeod, Bastian, Seney

For defense sign a UFA. Any trade for a defenseman should only be for PHX or VAN pick and leftovers such as McLeod, Bastian, or Seney.

All this talk about the Devils making this trade and that trade for a player on the TSN trade board is not happening. The Devils couldn't even make a trade for Kapanen and the Leafs are such a cap-strapped team. Hell, they probably couldn't even trade for Jake Allen.

What makes you think the team can get Laine? I'd love the Devils to get Laine and the price of admission starts with Severson. If it's one for one I'd pull the trigger in a heartbeat. Jets want Severson, Zacha, and would probably try and ask for the 7th pick.

The 5 best (realistic) trade assets the Devils have before the start of the season are:

1. 7th pick
2. Damon Severson
3. Zacha
4. PHX and VAN picks
5. Bratt

*UFAs Palmieri and Gusev (more value as an in-season trade)

Looking at the roster we have:

x-Hischier-Palmieri
Bratt-Zacha-Gusev
x-Hughes-x
Wood-Zajac-x

Mueller-Subban
Butcher-Severson
Smith-Carrick

I say don't sign any UFA forwards and let the B squad fight for the final 4 spots:

Anderson, Boqvist, Kuokkanen, Merkley, McLeod, Bastian, Seney

For defense sign a UFA. Any trade for a defenseman should only be for PHX or VAN pick and leftovers such as McLeod, Bastian, or Seney.
- CardiffGiant

Why would we have traded for Kapanen at that price? The trade was essentially a 1st and prospect for him, he's not with that. Im glad we let someone else pay that.

We need to be using our assets to bring in young, cost-controlled D. Not wingers.

Roger Mussa: Devils and the Draft
- Devils Advocate

Holtz will be the best option at 7

The Devils are one team with the pieces to go after Laine, if they wanted to.

-2020 first round pick ( obviously 7th OA would carry much more weight than 18 or 20 )
-Right shot D, Severson is from Manitoba....just saying
-Jets would love a young center, clearly wouldn't ask for your top 2 so what about Zacha.
- Ross77

No thanks

You cant trade D men ,ad Like it or not Severson os our best one...

I would trade a 2020 ( 20th ) #1 and a 2021 #2 ( isles ) picks....

thats it ...
Would like Holtz or Raymond at 7....
If not available ..... Not a D man ... we need players now or soon .D men take to long to develop.

Pick up a UFA ...maybe DADONOV

and a D man . maybe gudas . draft Holtz. -RW.

Boquist -Nico - Palmieri
Dadonov - Hughes - Gusev
Bratt -Zacha - Holtz
Wood - Zajac - Kuukkanen
-----
Dillion - PK
Mueller - Severson
Smith - ???
------
??/
Blackwood

Somebody would absolutely pay that price to acquire a 22 year old, 40 goal scorer. And it'll take that much to get him from the Jets, which is why the Jets are more likely to move Ehlers over him. Your criticisms of Laine would've been fair 2 years ago but he improved a lot this season and was a very noticeable all-around player. You aren't getting a player of his caliber without giving up a lot. I personally wouldn't make that deal because we need to be adding and improving our defense first, and im only moving either of our later two 1sts or a Zacha if it brings us a younger cost-controlled D.
- vlongo4419

No. My criticism was right two years ago, and it is right today. The guy is a top 5 sniper in the league, and remains the absolute worst 5v5 player with his line-mates all suffering offensively (even after his improvements he is still very bad defensively). If someone wants to give up a lot to acquire the guy, that's fine. As a Devils fan who is enjoying our rebuild, I don't want that cancer on our team. His next contract will be extremely risky, and I would prefer to watch someone else target that risk. I would take Ehlers and his 6M AAV in a heartbeat over Laine. Unreal skater, drops the mitts, makes the players around him more dangerous, and has more points than Laine over the past 5 seasons. Laine is going to be targeting ridicules money and any player that doesn't have a solid 200' game better not be making north of 7M AAV. And Laine will be getting paid. No thanks.

listen, I know you hate the guy. but someone will pay that absolutely. scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in the NHL and he has scored more than everyone in NHL except for 6 guys since he came in!! he will probably score 600 goals over his career. you have to pay for that. and lets pray Winnipeg doesn't sell low like they did with Temmu!!!!

Laine's overall play absolutely improved last year, Maurice is killing him, asking him to be passer, not playing our best shooter with our best play maker, its ridiculous.

he passes and backchecks much better than you say, buy hey, you hate him, we all have guys we cant stand.
- Ross77

Listen Ross. I don't hate the guy. I hate the idea of him playing on this squad and making serious $$$$, because he isn't worth it. He certainly improved over the past season. His shot aside, he would have been a 3rd liner in the ECHL, now he has upgraded to a 3rd line AHL'er. I think there is a reason you want him moved from the Jets, and deep down we aren't so different. Love his shot, but he is a liability 80% of the time he is on the ice. Send Ehlers/Connor instead please. Maybe a swap of young talent could spark our clubs? Zacha for Niku? I think both have the abilities to do far more then they are with their current clubs.

No. My criticism was right two years ago, and it is right today. The guy is a top 5 sniper in the league, and remains the absolute worst 5v5 player with his line-mates all suffering offensively (even after his improvements he is still very bad defensively). If someone wants to give up a lot to acquire the guy, that's fine. As a Devils fan who is enjoying our rebuild, I don't want that cancer on our team. His next contract will be extremely risky, and I would prefer to watch someone else target that risk. I would take Ehlers and his 6M AAV in a heartbeat over Laine. Unreal skater, drops the mitts, makes the players around him more dangerous, and has more points than Laine over the past 5 seasons. Laine is going to be targeting ridicules money and any player that doesn't have a solid 200' game better not be making north of 7M AAV. And Laine will be getting paid. No thanks.
- bikeguy99

You made very good points but lost all credibility when you said you’re enjoying this poopshow.

Almost every player has strengths and weaknesses. This team needs to find some high end talent. Not saying yes or no to Laine because cost to acquire is a real issue but we need help.

Roger Mussa: Devils and the Draft
- Devils Advocate

Last 10 drafts at 7th, 18th, 20th
2019 - Dylan Cozens, Thomas Harley, Ville Heinola
2018 - Quinn Hughes, Liam Foudy, Rasmus Kupari
2017 - Lias Anderson, Urho Vaakanainan, Robert Thomas
2016 - Clayton Keller, Logan Stanley, Dennis Cholowski
2015 - Ivan Proverov, Thomas Chabot, Joel Eriksson Ek
2014 - Haydn Fleury, Alex Tuch, Nick Smaltz
2013 - Darnell Nurse, Mirco Mueller, Anthony Mantha
2012 - Matt Dumba, Teuvo Teravainen, Scott Laughton
2011 - Mark Scheiffle, Mark McNeil, Connor Murphy
2010 - Jeff Skinner, Austin Watson, Beau Bennett

Safe to say we shouldn't be too worried heading into the draft!!!! Wow 2015 Please!!!