Guest Writer: Free Agency: RFAs - Michael Mcleod

Andrew Brunette is the new HC for the Preds, per Kevin Weekes. Wonder if we see Sergei Brylin get the nod for that role(he ran the PP when he was in Utica) or if they go for another outside hire.

Agree with your assessment on McLeod. I would give him a 2-3 year deal in the ~1.7M range. But again, this all depends on if he's cleared in the Hockey Canada investigation(which doesnt seem likely based on the rumblings out there.) Seems like it's leaning towards him not being back, which probably means Lazar just steps into his spot full time if he can stay healthy.

Andrew Brunette is the new HC for the Preds.
- vlongo4419

MAJOR (frank) up not letting Lindy walk in favor of promoting Brunette to HC. Very rare L taken here by Fitzy. This is a stupid ass move. Teams HAVE to stop retreading these idiot old guys just b/c they’re old. Accept the future and give the HC jobs to guys like Brind’Amor, St Louis and Brunette.

Absolutely disgusted that we kept Creed Bratton over Brunette.

MAJOR (frank) up not letting Lindy walk in favor of promoting Brunette to HC. Very rare L taken here by Fitzy. This is a stupid ass move. Teams HAVE to stop retreading these idiot old guys just b/c they’re old. Accept the future and give the HC jobs to guys like Brind’Amor, St Louis and Brunette.

Absolutely disgusted that we kept Creed Bratton over Brunette.
- jtylerm[/quote



What did brunette do that was so great?

Mcleods a tough one…. Lazar is a nice fourth line center… does that mean mcleod is the 3c? Ehh

Guest Writer: Free Agency: RFAs - Michael Mcleod
- Eklund

Totes bring him back

MAJOR (frank) up not letting Lindy walk in favor of promoting Brunette to HC. Very rare L taken here by Fitzy. This is a stupid ass move. Teams HAVE to stop retreading these idiot old guys just b/c they’re old. Accept the future and give the HC jobs to guys like Brind’Amor, St Louis and Brunette.

Absolutely disgusted that we kept Creed Bratton over Brunette.
- jtylerm

Yeah absolutely joke of a move

What did brunette do that was so great?
- theathleticisforsupporters

He knew his way around a golf cart and was a lot of fun to drink with....

He sat female dog on one of the greatest team turn arounds ever.

Just saying...


As for Mikey, he's too valuable as a face off monster not to retain. He's a great 4C (which is a bit dubious) and he showed a lot of character in the playoffs. I'm going to keep presuming he's innocent until proven guilty on the rape rap. I don't even think it's been established he's one of the accused yet so a little perspective is in order (IMO).

I don't think his draft slot matters anymore. It wasn't a great draft class and while I get the general disappointment, we did add a legit NHL player from that pick so not too shabby.

MAJOR (frank) up not letting Lindy walk in favor of promoting Brunette to HC. Very rare L taken here by Fitzy. This is a stupid ass move. Teams HAVE to stop retreading these idiot old guys just b/c they’re old. Accept the future and give the HC jobs to guys like Brind’Amor, St Louis and Brunette.

Absolutely disgusted that we kept Creed Bratton over Brunette.
- jtylerm

Hard to not to go back to the coach that had the team in the playoffs and set franchise records in points and wins

If ruff struggled then yeah bad move

Is anyone else getting dizzy reading all this great writing? It's just too fast!!

I actually completely missed a blog when it went from Jesper Boqvist to Jesper Bratt. Truth.

Seravalli on his pod said he's expecting both Bratt and Meier to remain in NJ. And not shocking, but he also said we probably won't qualify Blackwood and just let him walk. "He won't be back and nobody will want to trade for him."

Hard to not to go back to the coach that had the team in the playoffs and set franchise records in points and wins

If ruff struggled then yeah bad move
- dmarsden2988

Ruff is just another DeBoer/Hynes. The only difference in him vs them is he lucked into having an abundance of high end young talent.

All the success this team had last year was b/c of the players, not Ruff’s dumb ass decisions.

Hard to not to go back to the coach that had the team in the playoffs and set franchise records in points and wins

If ruff struggled then yeah bad move
- dmarsden2988

Yeah, its whatever to me. Nothing to freak out over. Everybody praises Brunnette for being a great PP mind, but both teams he has coached had their PPs completely flatline in the playoffs when it matters most. He seems to fail at adapting and making adjustments. The Panthers top ranked offense magically went 1-32(0-28 start) on the PP and then the Devils ran at Recchi levels in the playoffs this year. Ruff has his flaws(mostly in lineup decisions. But his systems are actually great for this team), but Brunnette very clearly does too. I wish him the best and i'm definitely interested to see how he does in Nashville, fail or succeed. I feel like Nashville kinda did Hynes dirty by waiting this long to let him go, right?!

The most annoying part about this is that the Devils will most likely be taking a step back next year overall, and people are going to end up blaming it losing on Brunette lmfao.

Great stuff.
Wonderful to have someone actually post something
Nice work

I'm not sure what Brunette did either. Devils underlying factors were there for the offense to break out last season we just had poop goaltending. Scoring across the league is also up this year too so is Brunette really the reason we were better or just natural progression of players and lining up well in the first true season out of a dead puck era.

Our powerplay was also nothing to write home about either so it's not like he really helped it's just that literally anybody is better than Recchi.

Ruff is just another DeBoer/Hynes. .
- jtylerm

That's funny, you're smoking crack if you actually believe that.

If the Hockey Canada scenario wasn't looming, I'd honestly look to give McLeod some length on his next deal. Not to the exact level that Colton Sissons got (7 years at $2.8M), but cut from that type of cloth. Sissons hit the ground running better than McLeod considering Mikey only had 5 points in his first 33 career games (and Colton did go 15g15a right before his contract), but I think McLeod has grown into a safe commodity on the ice and is clearly a hard worker who is doing what it takes to carve out a "valuable" NHL career.

I'd love to get him signed for 5 years at or slightly over $2M. Locks in a homegrown role player who still has some untapped upside, could benefit from more consistent linemates and is great for the locker room. He strikes me as a guy who would be in consideration for a rotating A on his chest if we didn't have such a solidified leadership group.

So the Rags are interviewing Hynes for head coach. Anyone else as excited as I am? Hiring him will guarantee at least 3-4 more years of futility and no cups in NY. Fingers crossed he aces the interview!

So the Rags are interviewing Hynes for head coach. Anyone else as excited as I am? Hiring him will guarantee at least 3-4 more years of futility and no cups in NY. Fingers crossed he aces the interview!
- Crushers68

It's all fun and games until they become fast, attacking and supportive...


Drury seems more like a Lavy type guy, but I be Pete is trying to work them over for big bucks which seems to be his gig. So maybe this is just to remind him they have options.

Have we won the division yet? The season is so long

It's all fun and games until they become fast, attacking and supportive...


Drury seems more like a Lavy type guy, but I be Pete is trying to work them over for big bucks which seems to be his gig. So maybe this is just to remind him they have options.
- Queenie_5_hole

I thought that was sheros slogan

I thought that was sheros slogan
- shvingter88

You’re completely right… but Shero used that when he was introducing Hynes as the new Head Coach. I sort of tattooed it onto Hynes mentally.

I can’t keep up with all these blogs. Only been coming here like twice a week now.

Hard to not to go back to the coach that had the team in the playoffs and set franchise records in points and wins

If ruff struggled then yeah bad move
- dmarsden2988

I’m with you here. It kinda is what it is until we struggle enough to fire Ruff.