Post by HMARK Center on Feb 17, 2020 8:25:39 GMT -5
Some Devils fans don't seem happy that the team has traded Blake Coleman, one of the few bright spots on the current team, to Tampa for LW prospect Nolan Foote and Vancouver's 2020 1st round pick (2021 if Vancouver misses the playoffs, but they certainly should make it). Many would have rather seen the team re-sign the 28 year old and keep him around for the next time the team is truly a contender.
Me? I really love Coleman, and think he's the kind of balls to the wall player that might help put Tampa over the top for a Cup run this year, but I think this move had to be done.
The Devils' big problem over the years has been a lack of impact talent within the organization. For a long time, this was a result of being a strong team, e.g. making the playoffs just about every year from the early 90s to the early 2010s. It was made worse by Lou Lamoriello, the architect of those teams, always being terrified to do a full scale rebuild, fearful that as a less established team in a market with so many clubs nearby it'd potentially cause the ruin of the entire organization.
This meant that when Ray Shero took over a few years back, the cupboard was pretty barren. Shero did some very good trades and had a few lucky ones fall into his lap (bringing in Hall, Palmieri, Vatenan, Gusev, et. al.), but it didn't change the reality that the club just didn't have enough in the pipeline to build a strong internal core around, and certainly didn't have enough to overcome the club's greatest deficiency, a lack of defensive prospects.
Well, Shero's gone now, and Fitzgerald's taken over, and the current ownership isn't about to move the team out of New Jersey as Lamoriello had a right to fear about back in the 90s and 2000s under previous, less wealthy regimes. The team's already gained an extra first round pick for Taylor Hall, now they get another for Coleman, and Foote, drafted 27th last year, is like getting another one, as well. If they can trade away a few more pieces, they might be able to even roll into the draft this year with four first rounders...for reference, the Devils haven't had more than one first rounder since they draft Scott freakin Gomez back in the day.
Put simply, despite us just going through a whole "trust the process" phase these past few years, the reality is that the Devils have never, in recent memory, done an honest to God rebuild, and it's INSANELY overdue. Again, Coleman's great, but he's 28 and no guarantee to be here after next season. The future of this club is Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Mackenzie Blackwood, and a few other potentially big prospects on their way up (Foote, Ty Smith); by the time that core is ready to be a legitimate contender, assuming all goes well, Coleman will be past 30 and exiting his prime. Keeping Coleman and not adding more opportunities to add impact talent to the system feels like the kind of move that'd have them set to be a bubble team for years to come; shifting from that and instead deciding to surround the current young talent with other young players who'll develop alongside them is the way to go, and the way to get to a perennial contender, not just being competitive in the playoff hunt.
Besides, the draft is deep as hell this year, and after a really good draft last season the Devils could be in great position to fully restock their prospect pipeline, especially if they end up with what currently projects to be one top 5 pick, a top 15 (Arizona's), and a top 20 or so (Vancouver's). As for me, as a fan I'm more likely to buy tickets and deal with the team potentially not being good if I at least feel there's a plan in place and pieces growing for the future; that excites me more than shooting for mediocrity and crossing our fingers that things break right to maybe reach a wild card spot, especially in an insanely tough Metro division.
Me? I really love Coleman, and think he's the kind of balls to the wall player that might help put Tampa over the top for a Cup run this year, but I think this move had to be done.
The Devils' big problem over the years has been a lack of impact talent within the organization. For a long time, this was a result of being a strong team, e.g. making the playoffs just about every year from the early 90s to the early 2010s. It was made worse by Lou Lamoriello, the architect of those teams, always being terrified to do a full scale rebuild, fearful that as a less established team in a market with so many clubs nearby it'd potentially cause the ruin of the entire organization.
This meant that when Ray Shero took over a few years back, the cupboard was pretty barren. Shero did some very good trades and had a few lucky ones fall into his lap (bringing in Hall, Palmieri, Vatenan, Gusev, et. al.), but it didn't change the reality that the club just didn't have enough in the pipeline to build a strong internal core around, and certainly didn't have enough to overcome the club's greatest deficiency, a lack of defensive prospects.
Well, Shero's gone now, and Fitzgerald's taken over, and the current ownership isn't about to move the team out of New Jersey as Lamoriello had a right to fear about back in the 90s and 2000s under previous, less wealthy regimes. The team's already gained an extra first round pick for Taylor Hall, now they get another for Coleman, and Foote, drafted 27th last year, is like getting another one, as well. If they can trade away a few more pieces, they might be able to even roll into the draft this year with four first rounders...for reference, the Devils haven't had more than one first rounder since they draft Scott freakin Gomez back in the day.
Put simply, despite us just going through a whole "trust the process" phase these past few years, the reality is that the Devils have never, in recent memory, done an honest to God rebuild, and it's INSANELY overdue. Again, Coleman's great, but he's 28 and no guarantee to be here after next season. The future of this club is Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Mackenzie Blackwood, and a few other potentially big prospects on their way up (Foote, Ty Smith); by the time that core is ready to be a legitimate contender, assuming all goes well, Coleman will be past 30 and exiting his prime. Keeping Coleman and not adding more opportunities to add impact talent to the system feels like the kind of move that'd have them set to be a bubble team for years to come; shifting from that and instead deciding to surround the current young talent with other young players who'll develop alongside them is the way to go, and the way to get to a perennial contender, not just being competitive in the playoff hunt.
Besides, the draft is deep as hell this year, and after a really good draft last season the Devils could be in great position to fully restock their prospect pipeline, especially if they end up with what currently projects to be one top 5 pick, a top 15 (Arizona's), and a top 20 or so (Vancouver's). As for me, as a fan I'm more likely to buy tickets and deal with the team potentially not being good if I at least feel there's a plan in place and pieces growing for the future; that excites me more than shooting for mediocrity and crossing our fingers that things break right to maybe reach a wild card spot, especially in an insanely tough Metro division.