Alright I’m coming back down to earth with this team. Tremendous moves with Graves, Hamilton and Bernier.
We expect the kids to continue to develop- they should, being many are entering their 2nd and 3rd seasons.
However, for any of these adds to matter.. we need all these question marks to be answered with at least a B letter grade, if that makes sense.
Hughes, the franchise center, SHOULD take another step forward in his 3rd season. If he plays like he did last year, it’s not good enough.
Hischier, the 7.25 franchise center, SHOULD take another step forward being 22 years old, being fully recovered from injury. If he plays like he did 2 years ago, it’s not good enough.
If Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Bratt, and Zacha look exactly like they did last year.. it’s not good enough.
Smith is the only kid that I’m okay with repeating last season, cuz he was good enough to stay in the top 6, and I think D takes longer than F to progress.

Basically our future is based on a hope, and reasonable expectation, but still a hope that all these kids take another step forward. Nico and Jack are obviously paramount in the success of our future.
They should all continue to develop. The off-season adds are crucial and make sense to the progression of this team over the next several years.. but it does all hinge on those .. I’d say 4 key kids (Nico, Jack, Shara, Bratt) continuing to progress. Then we have in a year or 2 the again, hopes that Foote, Holtz, Mercer and Luke show they can NHL and then take steps forward.

This offseason is a massive win, but the future is still a huge question mark and something I still am cautiously optimistic about, rather than supremely confident.
- MartysBetter88

Doomed?

Not surprising that Fitz said he is trying to find a top 6 forward but is difficult
- dmarsden2988

Fitz is the man. Loved what he said in that zoom interview. It’s fun experiencing the your team making moves that you feel are perfect and make the most sense.. heck, I never even thought of trading for Graves.. so you have a team making sense in a positive way, plus giving you a pleasant surprise. One of the most enjoyable satisfying off-seasons I can remember.

Doomed?
- dmarsden2988

Nono.. cautiously optimistic.

Not sure who exactly you’re referring to. I think we’re all ecstatic about what we’ve done this offseason.
- MartysBetter88

Not you.

Hope everyone is safe, central/north jersey has some crazy storms and tornado.

Alright I’m coming back down to earth with this team. Tremendous moves with Graves, Hamilton and Bernier.
We expect the kids to continue to develop- they should, being many are entering their 2nd and 3rd seasons.
However, for any of these adds to matter.. we need all these question marks to be answered with at least a B letter grade, if that makes sense.
Hughes, the franchise center, SHOULD take another step forward in his 3rd season. If he plays like he did last year, it’s not good enough.
Hischier, the 7.25 franchise center, SHOULD take another step forward being 22 years old, being fully recovered from injury. If he plays like he did 2 years ago, it’s not good enough.
If Sharangovich, Kuokkanen, Bratt, and Zacha look exactly like they did last year.. it’s not good enough.
Smith is the only kid that I’m okay with repeating last season, cuz he was good enough to stay in the top 6, and I think D takes longer than F to progress.

Basically our future is based on a hope, and reasonable expectation, but still a hope that all these kids take another step forward. Nico and Jack are obviously paramount in the success of our future.
They should all continue to develop. The off-season adds are crucial and make sense to the progression of this team over the next several years.. but it does all hinge on those .. I’d say 4 key kids (Nico, Jack, Shara, Bratt) continuing to progress. Then we have in a year or 2 the again, hopes that Foote, Holtz, Mercer and Luke show they can NHL and then take steps forward.

This offseason is a massive win, but the future is still a huge question mark and something I still am cautiously optimistic about, rather than supremely confident.
- MartysBetter88

I agree with your assessments - to a point.

Next season is part of the ongoing process. I don't think anyone expects this team to make the playoffs next year (if they do, its a bonus) bu as Fitz says we are building "towards" a championship team.

Yes, we need all the players you mentioned to continue their development and growth.

Yes, I am ecstatic of the offseason so far and I believe these additions will affect the entire lineup as a result. But we are not close to where we want to be - yet.

I wish you posted more often
- MartysBetter88

I drink a lot.

I agree with your assessments - to a point.

Next season is part of the ongoing process. I don't think anyone expects this team to make the playoffs next year (if they do, its a bonus) bu as Fitz says we are building "towards" a championship team.

Yes, we need all the players you mentioned to continue their development and growth.

Yes, I am ecstatic of the offseason so far and I believe these additions will affect the entire lineup as a result. But we are not close to where we want to be - yet.
- Devils Advocate

I completely agree.

I drink a lot.
- WayneZ

Makes sense

Doomed?
- dmarsden2988

Just dwoomed.

A simple “we still suck after adding Graves, Hamilton, and Bernier” would of been fine
- RubberBiscuitz

it's because Tom Dundon is cheap. And also because Svechnikov needs a new deal this year, Necas next year, and there's a flat salary cap.
- BINGO!

He completely avoided your response of Hamilton not being a physical dman but a skilled dman. Shows he can’t take criticism with his paper thin logic.

I drink a lot.
- WayneZ

Hell yeah

Coming from a Wings fan. I like all the Devil's moves. Team should be competing for a playoff spot sooner rather than later in a tough division. Looking forward to watching your team play this season....

@FriedgeHNIC
Ryan Reaves to NYR for a 3rd, as announced by the team

Tom Wilson singlehandedly ended a rebuild.

Tom Wilson singlehandedly ended a rebuild.
- Pomegrant

Hows that?

Hows that?
- MartysBetter88

last year when he killed Panarin and now Dollin is hands on and wants tough guys lol

I drink a lot.
- WayneZ

You’re the best!

not for nothin, but I'd much rather have Reaves on my team than play against him in NY. Then you have Matt Martin and Clutterbuck on the Island. We still don't have a guy that can change the tone if need be.

last year when he killed Panarin and now Dollin is hands on and wants tough guys lol
- Pomegrant

The moment Panarin got tossed to the ice they stopped being a serious franchise.

not for nothin, but I'd much rather have Reaves on my team than play against him in NY. Then you have Matt Martin and Clutterbuck on the Island. We still don't have a guy that can change the tone if need be.
- MartysBetter88

I think the grind of a 7 game series definitely requires some toughness, or at least the ability to respond to scumbags like Wilson and Reaves. But it doesn't matter if you are a bubble team to begin with. Like our 2018 team got pushed around a bit by the lightning in the playoffs. But Reaves would've done (frank) all because we were significantly out-skilled. The rangers can beef up all they want but the Caps will still beat them in a series at this point. They've overcorrected and then some to one incident.

Hope everyone is safe, central/north jersey has some crazy storms and tornado.
- MartysBetter88

It just missed us by a few miles. A lot of rain but it’s like the wind had an on/off switch.

It just missed us by a few miles. A lot of rain but it’s like the wind had an on/off switch.
- RubberBiscuitz

Glad you’re alright. News12 was talking about tornados and flash flooding. We were fortunate to only get rain, with the more severe weather going to the north and south of us.

Hope everybody is okay through the bad weather.

I think the grind of a 7 game series definitely requires some toughness, or at least the ability to respond to scumbags like Wilson and Reaves. But it doesn't matter if you are a bubble team to begin with. Like our 2018 team got pushed around a bit by the lightning in the playoffs. But Reaves would've done (frank) all because we were significantly out-skilled. The rangers can beef up all they want but the Caps will still beat them in a series at this point. They've overcorrected and then some to one incident.
- rmdevil313

Yes, but....
That's what's going on in Rangerstown. In Devilville we just lost our only tough(ish) guy in Bastian and now have no fighting forwards. I mean you could argue Miles Wood, but he's sort of moved away from that. I miss David Clarkson. And krysztof Oliwa. And Randy 'Rocket' McKay. Mostly Stephane Richer. Couldn't fight for poop, but that bastard could shoot.... My kid wears 44 because of him. But he's a defenseman that couldn't score in a whore house with a fist full of fifties. So not a great fit. But he can knock a mother(frank)er down for sure. Just saying....