I don't disagree with any of that but the playoffs is more and more about getting lucky with your goaltender. I don't know if Vanecek/Schmid are the guys for that because I don't think anybody could ever know.

I think having a really good 3rd line is also important for the playoffs and I'd like to see Haula re-signed and really cemented in that role rather than on Jack's wing to give us that depth.
- Pomegrant

Yes, that's why you should be totally fine rolling Vanecek/Schmid lol. We just watched Adin Hill beat Sergei Bobrovsky in the finals. A year after watching Darcy Kuemper win it. Jordan Binnington won right before the Tampa back to back. All it takes is a goalie getting hot, or providing average goaltending, and our goalies can do that.

They have plenty of space to improve their depth, and they're going to make moves there. Calgary looks like theyre falling apart, Toffoli is someone we should calling about. Ross Colton from Tampa too. There's options that Fitz is going to be exploring to improve the middle 6.

10-11M to play with is perfectly capable of fitting in 2 middle 6 wingers at ~4M a piece and getting that vet depth D in case Nemec isn't ready at ~2M. We are in such a great spot cap-wise. I don't think people understand this lol.

Yes, that's why you should be totally fine rolling Vanecek/Schmid lol. We just watched Adin Hill beat Sergei Bobrovsky in the finals. A year after watching Darcy Kuemper win it. Jordan Binnington won right before the Tampa back to back. All it takes is a goalie getting hot, or providing average goaltending, and our goalies can do that.

They have plenty of space to improve their depth, and they're going to make moves there. Calgary looks like theyre falling apart, Toffoli is someone we should calling about.
- vlongo4419

I'm not sure Vanecek is a guy you can get lucky with. I think Schmid you can. You absolutely don't want to be the team on the hook for 8-9mil for a goalie.

I'd like to see a better depth defenseman than Smith to rotate in/out too.

This year just has a really weak FA class so people are going to overpay for medium players. Not that Fitz has shown any tendency toward this at all, but it's easy to get caught in the "win now" mode and overpay for 3rd liners.

I'm not sure Vanecek is a guy you can get lucky with. I think Schmid you can. You absolutely don't want to be the team on the hook for 8-9mil for a goalie.

I'd like to see a better depth defenseman than Smith to rotate in/out too.

This year just has a really weak FA class so people are going to overpay for medium players. Not that Fitz has shown any tendency toward this at all, but it's easy to get caught in the "win now" mode and overpay for 3rd liners.
- Pomegrant

Correct. And I've said multiple times i want no part of Hellebuyck on a long term deal lol. Fitz isn't doing that either. Vanecek can certainly be that guy, we saw him go through insane hot streaks this year. You can win a cup getting league average goaltending. That's what Vanecek typically is, and he showed he can be above average this year.

I edited in my previous post that 10-11M is perfectly capable of adding 2 middle 6 wingers at ~4M each and a vet depth D at ~2M. Toffoli and Ross Colton should be guys to look at, among others. Theres plenty of options to add to improve the depth of this team, both in trade and free agency. You can be in win now mode and add to the team while also being smart and not mortgaging the future. It's not one or the other.

Correct. And I've said multiple times i want no part of Hellebuyck on a long term deal lol. Fitz isn't doing that either.

I edited in my previous post that 10-11M is perfectly capable of adding 2 middle 6 wingers at ~4M each and a vet depth D at ~2M. Toffoli and Ross Colton should be guys to look at, among others. Theres plenty of options to add to improve the depth of this team, both in trade and free agency. You can be in win now mode and add to the team while also being smart and not mortgaging the future. It's not one or the other.
- vlongo4419

We're definitely at the point in which we can just start trading draft picks for roster players and there are a lot of teams in a cap crunch that need to clear space. Lots of potential for teams that need to clear cash to retool that we can get quality depth from and then not have to overpay for it in free agency. Not Tampa for Jeannot style trading, but moving that extra 3rd we picked up for trading Severson type of picks.

We're definitely at the point in which we can just start trading draft picks for roster players and there are a lot of teams in a cap crunch that need to clear space. Lots of potential for teams that need to clear cash to retool that we can get quality depth from and then not have to overpay for it in free agency. Not Tampa for Jeannot style trading, but moving that extra 3rd we picked up for trading Severson type of picks.
- Pomegrant

Yep, we should improving our roster every chance we get and taking advantage of other teams. Not many teams have the cap flexibility we do that are also among the best teams in the league with one of the best prospect pools on top of it. We're now in the position where we shouldn't be using our 1st round pick for the foreseeable future. It should be moved every year for roster improvements, if one presents itself. Obviously don't be stupid and just make moves to make them, but when it makes sense you just need to do it.

Devils have officially announced Travis Green as an associate coach.

Devils have officially announced Travis Green as an associate coach.
- vlongo4419

At his presser he hints that he'll he running the PP. " This is a unit that has a lot of skill. They have smart players. Compete is a big part of a power play, that'll be a foundation of our group." Also says that 'he might like things, but realizes that it may not fit with some players', ect.

From the NY Post - 2023 NHL Stanley Cup odds: Could the New Jersey Devils be favored after free agency?

At this time last year, the New Jersey Devils were considered a long shot to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Coming off a 63-point season where they posted a -59 goal difference, it looked like the young Devils were still a couple of seasons away from contending for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

There were reasons to be excited about the future, but the consensus was that this team still had an uphill climb of it.

It didn’t take long for that widely accepted hypothesis to be proven wrong.

The Devils won 19 of their first 23 games in 2022-23 and were essentially locked into a playoff spot by Christmas.

New Jersey didn’t go all the way, but the Devils provided quite a sweat for those savvy punters that backed them at long odds last summer.

As you’d imagine, after such a spellbinding season, the Devils are not long shots anymore.

New Jersey currently sports the fourth-shortest odds to win the Stanley Cup at +1300 (FanDuel), behind only the Colorado Avalanche (+800), Toronto Maple Leafs (+1100), and Edmonton Oilers (+1100).

With only three teams ahead of them on the board, is it possible we’ll see the Devils go into the 2023-24 regular season as the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup?

If you look at the teams around the Devils on the betting board — which would also include the Carolina Hurricanes (+1200), Vegas Golden Knights (+1200) and New York Rangers (+1400) — you could argue that New Jersey has the fewest big questions to answer this offseason.

Colorado has to find a second-line center, the Maple Leafs are in flux from top to bottom, the Oilers have a murky goaltending problem, the Hurricanes have no goalies and need more consistent scoring, while the Rangers and Golden Knights will need to fill holes on their rosters while dealing with a significant cap crunch.

The Devils, meanwhile, have plenty of cap space and assets to address their biggest flaw: Pedestrian goaltending.
And it just so happens that it is the perfect summer to require an elite netminder.

There are several big-time goaltenders on the market this summer, but the prize of the bunch is Connor Hellebuyck.

The Winnipeg Jets are looking to re-configure their roster, and Hellebuyck doesn’t seem interested in signing an extension in Manitoba while the club re-tools, so he’s signaled he’s open to a trade.

According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Hellebuyck would give his blessing to a sign-and-trade with the Devils.

Should the Devils land Hellebuyck, which seems to be a distinct possibility, you’d likely see their Stanley Cup odds shorten into the single-digits.

The team is already loaded up front with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier (who looks likely to be re-signed), and Dawson Mercer, and New Jersey should have a high-ceiling defense with Luke Hughes and 2022 No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec ready for full-time gigs.

And even if the Devils don’t acquire Hellebuyck, they have time, cap space, and assets to go after another top goaltender via trade or free agency.

It would take a mountain of assets to get Juuse Saros out of Nashville, but the fact that New Jersey is in on Hellebuyck shows that this team is willing and able to pay the price to fill its only glaring need.

Currently, there is no clear-cut betting favorite to win the 2023-24 Stanley Cup.
ny team in the mix at the top of the betting board could make a splash and establish itself as the one to beat as we get closer to Opening Night.

To me, there is an obvious choice for the team most likely to do that: The Devils.

My comment: stay away from Helly unless it's a very short deal. If not, I'd be very happy to go with Vanacek and Schmid again. Like the prior posts state - cups CAN be won with less than elite goaltending

Bettman says to not hold him to this, but hes expecting that the escrow debt will be paid off by next offseason and the first cap jump is expected to be 4-5+ million, then a normal continuous increase beyond that.

This tracks with Seravalli saying earlier this week that he expects the cap to be into the 90s by 2025.

Calgary has made Tyler Toffoli available for trade, per Friedman. 1 year left, 4.25M AAV. Idk what itll cost and i imagine there will be a lot of interest, but there's one of your biggest targets to improve the middle 6. Gotta imagine Fitz will be in on this, he'd be a great fit and Tatar replacement.

Calgary has made Tyler Toffoli available for trade, per Friedman. 1 year left, 4.25M AAV. Idk what itll cost and i imagine there will be a lot of interest, but there's one of your biggest targets to improve the middle 6. Gotta imagine Fitz will be in on this, he'd be a great fit and Tatar replacement.
- vlongo4419

Don’t tease me 😂

Wonder who else from the Flames could be available if they're going to blow the whole thing up. Dube was a player I used to hear a lot about. Hughes feeding Toffoli sounds like a big upgrade to me.

Toffoli would help a lot with providing physical dominance while still being a secondary scorer. He’s not just a one dimensional goon like Radko Gudas.