Johnny Mac is now assistant coach for the Islanders….

Johnny Mac is now assistant coach for the Islanders….
- Jazzmaster30

Old news brah. It’s amazing that guy keeps getting jobs. Maybe his stats are decent idk, but all his teams were always lackluster. Even when we won the cup with him in 03 I feel like I remember our PP was a weak spot. Then when he was head coach our everything was a weak spot.

Old news brah. It’s amazing that guy keeps getting jobs. Maybe his stats are decent idk, but all his teams were always lackluster. Even when we won the cup with him in 03 I feel like I remember our PP was a weak spot. Then when he was head coach our everything was a weak spot.
- MartysBetter88

Surprised he is still coaching….wasn’t he with Arizona awhile back?

Loved him as a Devil player, though.

Couple days from Bratts hearing and seems like crickets

Bratts arbitration filings have come out. The team is at 4.15M, the player is at 6.5M. 2 more days until the hearing.

Couple days from Bratts hearing and seems like crickets
- dmarsden2988

It would be wise to move him at the deadline, nothing good ever comes from arbitration.

us walking Bratt to free agency is really the news I needed today.

us walking Bratt to free agency is really the news I needed today.
- Pomegrant

Theres no world that happens. He would be traded before that could happen, like Tkachuk just was.

Bratts arbitration filings have come out. The team is at 4.15M, the player is at 6.5M. 2 more days until the hearing.
- vlongo4419

This is stupid. Pay him 6 and call it a day. I know it's only been one great season, but we paid Nico and Jack based on hopes, so this shouldn't be too difficult. It's not like he's asking for 7+..

This is stupid. Pay him 6 and call it a day. I know it's only been one great season, but we paid Nico and Jack based on hopes, so this shouldn't be too difficult. It's not like he's asking for 7+..
- MartysBetter88

That's not how it works. The arbitration numbers are way different than what is being negotiated. If either side asks too high/low then the arbitrator is going to go with the more reasonable party. Bratt might be asking for 8mil per season, we don't know. But if he's going to be award a one year deal they are going with the number they think the arbitrator might give them. If he wanted 6mil per season he'd be signed already no questions asked.

That's not how it works. The arbitration numbers are way different than what is being negotiated. If either side asks too high/low then the arbitrator is going to go with the more reasonable party. Bratt might be asking for 8mil per season, we don't know. But if he's going to be award a one year deal they are going with the number they think the arbitrator might give them. If he wanted 6mil per season he'd be signed already no questions asked.
- Pomegrant

Correct, thank you. The arbitration numbers are very different from the actual negotiation numbers. The numbers i posted are just the procedural and typical underpay from the team and overpay from the player based on a 1 year contract. If it gets to an arbiter on Wednesday then he'll get a 1 year deal somewhere in the middle of the those 2 numbers.

The amount of people that dont understand the difference and are freaking out on social media over the number thinking thats what the Devils have offered is mind-numbing.

Again, we know $$ isnt the issue for the negotiation. Fitz himself has said its the term. Bratt wants short term and the team wants long term. Hoping they pull off a last second deal here and get something done, but we're less than 48 hours away and it's not looking good. Everybody around the industry has all said the same, "there's not much talking and it's quiet between the two sides"

Thanks for the clarification. It's still stupid though. Pay him and be done with it. We're screwing around with a young top 6 winger that fits with our future plans.

Thanks for the clarification. It's still stupid though. Pay him and be done with it. We're screwing around with a young top 6 winger that fits with our future plans.
- MartysBetter88

Theyre trying to. Its been reported for over a month that the Devils have offered a long term extension at "significant dollars" and Bratts team hasnt really counter-offered or responded. I'm sure theres been dialogue back and fourth since that report, but Fitz cant force him to sign long term when they clearly dont want a long term deal lol. Bratt and/or his agent clearly want to time his shot at UFA as the cap is increasing to get an even bigger payday. Seems like his camp is fully willing to take this to arbitration and get back to back 1 year deals and walk straight to UFA if they dont get the short term deal they're looking for.

At this point i'd just give in and give him what he wants on like a 4 year deal to get him under contract and buy a few UFA years, then worry about it down the road.

Flip him to Boston for Pasta in a sign and trade.

Jesper Bratts hearing is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9am. Once the hearing begins, the two sides can no longer negotiate a deal and will need to wait on the arbiters decision within 48 hours of the end of the hearing.

If Bratt would take 8x6.5 this would be over already. This is Bratt's fault. He has an agent who has one big client, and that's Bratt, and hes trying to get the bag. I believe he wants a short term deal, probably a 2 year deal that takes him directly to free agency and if thats the case the Devils might be better off trading him. I hate to say it but I'm now on the trade Bratt train...not for JT Miller tho.

This isn't an issue of NJ not be willing to pay him. This is all about Bratt's agent pushing a short term deal so Bratt hits UFA as fast as possible for a potential pay day. I'm not convinced Bratt will be putting up anything close to what he did last year. Literally EVERY other season he's been at 30-35 pts. ONE season isn't a good enough sample size.

I remember people freaking out that David Clarkson was going to be a 30+ goal scorer b/c he hit 30 in 2011-2012...how'd that work out?

If Bratt is going to let his agent play stupid games then we need to trade him while the value is high. Bratt is definitely due for regression after last year. I don't want any player here that isn't 110% committed to seeing NJ return to glory.

I see where you're coming from with Clarkson but Bratt's production has been on a steady increase where Clarkson really just benefited from getting lucky on the powerplay and tapping a bunch of goals in around the net.

Something I've been thinking about is how scoring is way up around the league last season and a lot of it was probably because of big rule changes that made it harder to defend without slashing constantly. I have a good feeling that teams/players are going to be able adjust this upcoming season so the scoring will normalize a bit more to what it used to be again.

So I get it why teams are hesitant to give out huge contracts and why players are trying to milk teams for mega deals right now. If Bratt is looking for a bridge deal because he thinks he'll hit even higher on the next one, I say let him go for it. He's good but he's not going to be a 100 point player and get 9.5mil on his next one.

Flip him to Boston for Pasta in a sign and trade.
- Banana_Hammock

Bratt and 5 first round picks should get it done

Bratt also just turned 24 and so it makes sense last season was a breakout season. Clarkson was a nobody for years into his 20s and then had one good season. I never liked that ridiculous contract. He had such marginal edgework and skill.. just a 3rd line scrappy winger who did work on the pp. Yes there’s value with that, but much more risky than Bratt.

Bratt also just turned 24 and so it makes sense last season was a breakout season. Clarkson was a nobody for years into his 20s and then had one good season. I never liked that ridiculous contract. He had such marginal edgework and skill.. just a 3rd line scrappy winger who did work on the pp. Yes there’s value with that, but much more risky than Bratt.
- MartysBetter88

I'll never forget that one goal he scored against Philly in '12 in the playoffs where Bryzgalov shot the puck off him and it went in though.

I guess off to arbitration they go. So he'll get a 1 year deal and they either do it all over again next summer or he's traded.

If bratt plays anything like he did last season he should get a nice return at the deadline.

Two first round picks will be good to have so we can draft two more busts.

I guess off to arbitration they go. So he'll get a 1 year deal and they either do it all over again next summer or he's traded.
- vlongo4419

Well, the good news is they actually avoided arbitration! But the bad news is it's still only a 1 year deal. 1 year at 5.45M.

Hopefully they can work something long term out now.

Well, the good news is they actually avoided arbitration! But the bad news is it's still only a 1 year deal. 1 year at 5.45M.

Hopefully they can work something long term out now.
- vlongo4419

Still an RFA after so still somewhat controllable