Expansion draft could ruin it, but the Isles are in a decent amount of cap trouble and I think Beauvillier and Pelech could both be good fits. Svechnikov and Fiala are others that I wouldn't mind looking at.
- rmdevil313

Pelech is rock solid defensively and Svechnikov is quite good. Either of them would be big adds.

Where does Philly go from here? Add a dman? Their roster isn’t terrible. They just suck.
- MartysBetter88

They have a good roster. Their poor scouting/drafting department is one of the best. Look at all the talent they find late in the 1st rd and beyond. They don't seem to miss, but then they panic and make terrible trades. They have had to watch Carter/Richards hoist the cup twice, the Schenn brothers each with a cup ring, and I can't blame them on the Nolan draft, as he was a consensus pick with that migraine issue coming out of nowhere. They looked legitimate at the start of the season, and just fell off the face of the earth.

Jesus Christ just accept he’s good for the team
- shvingter88

But is he? I agree with sell high. He has value and doesn't fit this team in my opinion. He WAS a great PK guy, but this year has done nothing but flamingo. Please find me a player with such heavy pk duties that has just 8 blocked shots all season, and can't win a draw. Sharangovich walks onto this team as a 5th rounder and does more than Zacha has done in any of his 6 seasons to date. I am done with him.

The guys logging the most TOI need to deliver at both ends of the ice, or we are DOOMED. Zacha doesn't help us as much a people like to believe. I don't see the upside in keeping his as a winger with all the talent we have in the system, nor do I see him filling a role down the middle better than Hughes/Nico/Sharan/Mcleod.

Sell while the value is high. Zacha's aren't hard to replace

Yea that was almost as pretty as Erika.

Still waiting on Hischier. I know he’s still coming back from being out, but I need to see 60pts next season from our 7.25mil captain.
- MartysBetter88

You’ll take 45 and like it

But is he? I agree with sell high. He has value and doesn't fit this team in my opinion. He WAS a great PK guy, but this year has done nothing but flamingo. Please find me a player with such heavy pk duties that has just 8 blocked shots all season, and can't win a draw. Sharangovich walks onto this team as a 5th rounder and does more than Zacha has done in any of his 6 seasons to date. I am done with him.

The guys logging the most TOI need to deliver at both ends of the ice, or we are DOOMED. Zacha doesn't help us as much a people like to believe. I don't see the upside in keeping his as a winger with all the talent we have in the system, nor do I see him filling a role down the middle better than Hughes/Nico/Sharan/Mcleod.

Sell while the value is high. Zacha's aren't hard to replace
- bikeguy99

I don't know if Sharangovich has played a single minute at center this season.

I don't know if Sharangovich has played a single minute at center this season.
- rmdevil313

He's played a little. He's taken 90 faceoffs, and his % is worse than Hughes. So yeah lol, keep him on the wing. I think we try to add a veteran 3c in free agency, theres decent options and someone like Bonino would be a nice add. Knowing this team though, they'll bring Zajac back to play in that role if he doesnt retire

He's played a little. He's taken 90 faceoffs, and his % is worse than Hughes. So yeah lol, keep him on the wing. I think we try to add a veteran 3c in free agency, theres decent options and someone like Bonino would be a nice add. Knowing this team though, they'll bring Zajac back to play in that role if he doesnt retire
- vlongo4419

It was 1-2 games when we had a lot of injuries. He's taken faceoffs because the center gets thrown out some amount of the time.

It was 1-2 games when we had a lot of injuries. He's taken faceoffs because the center gets thrown out some amount of the time.
- Pomegrant

Yes, hence why i said he played "a little". He needs to be kept on the wing. He isnt good at faceoffs and hes very underwhelming defensively, which isnt ideal for a 3c role. Let him stay on the wing continuing to rip it.

I would keep him on Jacks wing until Holtz is ready. But if hes ready next season and IF Zacha is moved out in the offseason, Yeezy is someone that we can probably slide to the left slide and put him into the Zacha role on that Nico/Bratt line. Or even put him on the left with Hughes/Holtz. Remember, hes left handed and has been playing on his off-wing all season. He can easily slide to the left wide and play his strong side.

Shara is a winger for sure, but I think in general the faceoff win percentage is really overblown. As long as you're not something abysmal like <40% I think you're fine. The difference between 45-55% wins is the difference between winning 10 more per 100 and usually during the course of a game a single faceoff win. Also, when they talk about guys like Bergeron when he had like 60%+ wins in a season they don't talk about how many times he was thrown out of the faceoff because he was cheating to win them.

I think faceoffs are perceived as really important because of this story that is told of "they lost the faceoff and then got scored on" which does happen but not that often based on the number of times you lose a faceoff during the game. It's just a feels bad moment so people want guys who are really good at faceoffs when it's not that important.

Shara is a winger for sure, but I think in general the faceoff win percentage is really overblown. As long as you're not something abysmal like <40% I think you're fine. The difference between 45-55% wins is the difference between winning 10 more per 100 and usually during the course of a game a single faceoff win. Also, when they talk about guys like Bergeron when he had like 60%+ wins in a season they don't talk about how many times he was thrown out of the faceoff because he was cheating to win them.

I think faceoffs are perceived as really important because of this story that is told of "they lost the faceoff and then got scored on" which does happen but not that often based on the number of times you lose a faceoff during the game. It's just a feels bad moment so people want guys who are really good at faceoffs when it's not that important.
- Pomegrant

Yes, faceoff% is very overblown, especially for top tier players. Most faceoffs aren't ever cleanly lost but its the wingers losing the battle for the puck. But when someone is ~25% on almost 100 attempts then he shouldn't really be taking draws, especially if you're talking about a 3c role. A guy like Hughes being poor at faceoffs is fine because his transition game is incredibly elite that he needs to be playing center. Thats not the case for Sharangovich. Its not the end-all, be-all for centers, but not only is he bad at faceoffs, hes also poor defensively and in transition. That is why he needs to stay on the wing.

He will be a good 3rd line winger for this team, but in the mean time he's filling in the top 6 very nicely until other guys get here and are ready to go

Yes, faceoff% is very overblown, especially for top tier players. Most faceoffs aren't ever cleanly lost but its the wingers losing the battle for the puck. But when someone is ~25% on almost 100 attempts then he shouldn't really be taking draws, especially if you're talking about a 3c role. A guy like Hughes being poor at faceoffs is fine because his transition game is incredibly elite that he needs to be playing center. Thats not the case for Sharangovich. Its not the end-all, be-all for centers, but not only is he bad at faceoffs, hes also poor defensively and in transition. That is why he needs to stay on the wing.

He will be a good 3rd line winger for this team, but in the mean time he's filling in the top 6 very nicely until other guys get here and are ready to go
- vlongo4419

Very much agreed. As long as you're winning around half then you're good at faceoffs. If you're way under you shouldn't be taking faceoffs.

It's odd because Shara has 20 goals a season potential but his skill set is suited as a 3rd line player. He definitely fits well into the idea you need all four lines to be good to be a good team just that him being a 2nd-3rd line tweener makes him awkward to fit on a good team. Luckily we're bad so he can just play wherever and it not matter.

Very much agreed. As long as you're winning around half then you're good at faceoffs. If you're way under you shouldn't be taking faceoffs.

It's odd because Shara has 20 goals a season potential but his skill set is suited as a 3rd line player. He definitely fits well into the idea you need all four lines to be good to be a good team just that him being a 2nd-3rd line tweener makes him awkward to fit on a good team. Luckily we're bad so he can just play wherever and it not matter.
- Pomegrant

Absolutely, I've been impressed with him for sure. Also gotta remember that he's only 22, soon to be 23, so he can still improve and get better. Hes currently scoring at a 25 goal pace on the season, but since he's been put on a line with Jack he's scoring at a 40 goal pace in that stretch. There's still potential with him to get better.

Absolutely, I've been impressed with him for sure. Also gotta remember that he's only 22, soon to be 23, so he can still improve and get better. Hes currently scoring at a 25 goal pace on the season, but since he's been put on a line with Jack he's scoring at a 40 goal pace in that stretch. There's still potential with him to get better.
- vlongo4419

I've been thinking about volume shooting versus quality of shot lately and how they seem to stand apposed to each other. I've been thinking that it's really a combination of both and how a player like Shara really plays to both of the strengths. You've seen a lot of players recently who were volume shooters have a couple of lucky season then really get paid off then fall off because of regression to the mean but on the other side you have some really quality shooters who aren't getting enough shots off so they just aren't scoring. Ovechkin is the hybrid of the two where he scores a ton but also shoots a ton. Comparing Shara to Ovi is obviously not fair, but Shara has a strong shot and he shoots pretty frequently too so he's succeeding.

AJ Greer is making his devils debut tonight, hes in for Maltsev. Wedgewood in net. No other changes

AJ Greer is making his devils debut tonight, hes in for Maltsev. Wedgewood in net. No other changes
- vlongo4419

"On 19 October 2019, in a game against the Milwaukee Admirals, Greer was assessed 40 minutes of penalty time and suspended for six games after he left the penalty box to fight Admiral's defenseman, Jarred Tinordi. He was subsequently suspended six games."

I love the kid already.

I've been thinking about volume shooting versus quality of shot lately and how they seem to stand apposed to each other. I've been thinking that it's really a combination of both and how a player like Shara really plays to both of the strengths. You've seen a lot of players recently who were volume shooters have a couple of lucky season then really get paid off then fall off because of regression to the mean but on the other side you have some really quality shooters who aren't getting enough shots off so they just aren't scoring. Ovechkin is the hybrid of the two where he scores a ton but also shoots a ton. Comparing Shara to Ovi is obviously not fair, but Shara has a strong shot and he shoots pretty frequently too so he's succeeding.
- Pomegrant

Shooting % is one of the most misleading stats out there. Ovi is usually around 10% which doesn't scream elite goal scorer. But he is one of those guys who has a big "sweet-spot", where passes can be 2 feet behind him or in front and he finds a way to get a good shot off. Thats a big reason why he leads the NHL in shots every single year. Pasta reminds me a lot of Ovi when you watch him sniping off passes most wouldn't be able to get off.

With Sharangovich, he is more of a play driver in my opinion. He likes to shoot for sure, but the majority are intended to create rebounds. You'll notice his placements are almost always advantageous to the winger on the other side, and if he is solo, he wires it at the goalies collarbone and drives the net hoping for the puck to drop. I am a big fan of this underrated skill. Tired of watching soft shots with no rebounds. Aim at their or toes or ears and there will be plenty of garbage. We lack assertive guys like Sharan/Wood/ and Butch to an extent. I would love to see us target another guy with that mentality (Hyman comes to mind) this off season. I have nothing but respect for those boys who create chaos in tight.

I don't know if Sharangovich has played a single minute at center this season.
- rmdevil313

Almost the first half of his games he played down the middle. He looked great with Maltsev right out of the gate. His faceoff was bad, like all of our current C's. Something to work on for sure, but his skating and vision sure make him look like a great 3C.

Almost the first half of his games he played down the middle. He looked great with Maltsev right out of the gate. His faceoff was bad, like all of our current C's. Something to work on for sure, but his skating and vision sure make him look like a great 3C.
- bikeguy99

All of our currents Cs arent bad at faceoffs though, what are you talking about? Lol. Nico is 58.9%, McLeod is 51.4%, and even Zacha is 51.5%. Hell, Maltsev is even 47%. Hughes is the only bad one. Everybody else is a small sample size besides Yeezy

Sharangovich won't be the 3c for this team, he hasnt really shown anything this season that would make him a successful center. Just let him stay on the wing and be a shooter on a line, hes good in that role.

Wedgewood in, so if you were thinking of watching something else tonight don't feel bad.

Well, after watching Murray's interview today it doesnt seem likely he'll be back next season. It was pretty much a "no comment" type of answer when asked about possibly returning next season, just said "i kinda just wanna finish off this season and see what happens." Didnt even throw a bone and say the cliche that hes interested in being back. Then was asked if he had talks with Fitz about a contract, he said yes but it stays in the locker room and he wont comment any further. Very much seemed checked out, and i dont blame him.

So looks like we need to look elsewhere to fill his spot. He hasnt been great this year(better as of late but nowhere near the D we thought we were getting when we traded for him), so its not particularly a huge loss but theres nobody in the pipeline ready to fill a top 4 role yet, so we'll need to bring someone in. Probably gonna be an interesting offseason in regards to what Fitz does on the back end, we likely need to bring in 2 D, maybe even 3 for depth

Did you guys see Marchand tap wood on the leg as he was skating to bench. Guess he's not a total punk.

Did you guys see Marchand tap wood on the leg as he was skating to bench. Guess he's not a total punk.
- Leniwm1

Just wait until he elbows somebody in the head this game before you change your mind on him.

Almost the first half of his games he played down the middle. He looked great with Maltsev right out of the gate. His faceoff was bad, like all of our current C's. Something to work on for sure, but his skating and vision sure make him look like a great 3C.
- bikeguy99

That's just not true. His 8 most frequent line combinations all feature Hughes and Zajac, who played center all season. That's roughly 70% of his ES time and all his other line combo's didn't stick for more than 10 minutes together.

Took me like 15 minutes to find this thread again. Can’t wait for an update in the summer.

Took me like 15 minutes to find this thread again. Can’t wait for an update in the summer.
- RubberBiscuitz

Bring back Woo.