2024 NHL Draft Day Two: Devils Traded Away John Marino, Alexander Holtz, & Akira Schmid...Chaos

There was more chaos for the New Jersey Devils on the second day of the NHL Draft. In addition to making their draft selections, they also made a couple of big trades. John Marino heads to the Utah HC, whereas Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid are off to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Devils received Paul Cotter and more available cap space in the process.
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#NewJerseyDevils #Devils #NHL #NHLDraft #Trade #AkiraSchmid #AlexanderHoltz #JohnMarino #PaulCotter #KasperPikkarainen #HermanTraff

[@matthewwarnke170]

Excellent trade. We got tougher, stronger and meaner... And most importantly we went from $16 million in cap space on Friday to $20 million cap space on Saturday. This was House Keeping so we can have more chips for free agency. If you are just looking at Cotter and screaming "Bad Deal!" there is an entire forest you are missing over by those trees.

[@Sheundjd]

I’m yes a Rangers fan but I enjoy hockey so much so I couldn’t care less about the rivalry my friend who’s a massive devils fan and I are now season ticket holders together and I’m excited for this team my other friend who’s a massive Rangers fan said 20 minutes ago that the Devils are gonna win the presidents trophy and I’m down to see that good luck and have fun!!

[@matthewwarnke170]

@@Sheundjd That's great sportsmanship! I appreciate the words of encouragement. I am kinda worried about the curse that comes along with that President's Trophy though....

[@bobbykellz1648]

I’m still in shock that we got rid of wood and wish we could some how get mcleod back. I bet if we had those two we would have at least made the playoffs

[@guitarmemoir]

Devils seem keen to get rid of Holtz. I wonder why?

[@Death_To_Kong]

There’s something about Holtz that I don’t think we see. Work ethic? Attitude? Idk what, but there’s more to it than him making occasional mistakes on the ice.

[@logand3957]

Sharangovich 2.0

[@Asshat237]

Then they should have traded him a year ago when his trade value was higher. At this point, though, they should have stuck with him and at least tried to pump his trade value by putting him on the first power play this season. They sold low on him which makes no sense. Paul Cotter just does not have the kind of potential to make this kind of deal make sense. He was a HEALTHY SCRATCH FOR VEGAS IN THE PLAYOFFS. They gave up a former top 10 pick for a player on that level. The only way I see this deal making sense is if they are going to sign a really good wing.

[@Death_To_Kong]

@@Asshat237 Am I defending the trade? No. I’m just saying we don’t always know everything that’s going on

[@logand3957]

@@Asshat237 even if they sign a really good winger, this is still poor asset management

[@jakemichalowicz1403]

@@Asshat237 Holtz is a healthy scratch in the regular season. He doesn’t have good value and he hasn’t for a while. There’s a reason he hasn’t been involved in trades before this and I don’t think it’s because Fitz was holding on to him for dear life. I’m gonna trust that the leagues GMs are better at this than a bunch of armchair experts

[@djentleman7]

I was trying to remember a nasty goal Cotter had earlier in the year and I just remembered it. A sick dangle against the Flyers, check it out. If Cotter can fill the void McLeod left in his own way, then this questionable asset management will have been ok.

[@DreWhite100]

Fitz got played by Vegas in Vegas. Fitz will be played in free agency. Fitz is closer to be replaced.

[@jamesisrael4294]

Fitz has 1 shot coming Monday so far this offseason other gms owning him

[@jeffa.7618]

The Holtz pick is going to go down as one of NJD's worst in a while, unfortunately. The organization didn't help his development either, but man - Askarov, Rossi, Quinn, Lundell, Etc were all there in the 7OA mock range for 2020. Best of luck with VGK to him, and Schmid as well. Thanks for the 2023 playoff rd 1 memories. Disappointing & humbling return selling low on both - but, we'll see how it shakes out. Monday should be interesting.

[@PirateTijuanaJoe]

Yeah, I was hoping that Fitz would grab Askarov at that spot but all the pundints were saying too high in the draft for a goalie. You are correct here thou, it will go down as one of the worst picks in Fitz's reign. Glad they FINALLY moved from Ruff.

[@reyrage15]

Cotter wasn’t trusted to play in any of their playoff runs. He has his name on the cup but wasn’t iced a single game. Same thing this year, healthy scratch every game even when Vegas obviously lost in four games they didn’t think well enough of him to try inserting him into lineup. Vegas reactions make me think we effectively traded Holtz for Wood. He hits, plays quickly, but is not good defensively, takes bad penalties, etc.its cool he’s on a league minimum deal, but you can likely sign a 4th line energy forward for near that on Monday. Probably worst trade for devils I’ve seen in a very long time.

[@PirateTijuanaJoe]

That veteran roster is set and Cotter wasnt going to crack that playoff lineup. Who are you taking out to put him in. Seems like its trash or treasure for many nhl fans, either the guy sucks or hes mcjesus, when the truth there are many inbetween. Worst trade in a long time? Ok. Holtz wasnt bringing back anything in return how he was slammed by Ruff and his buddy, the GM Fitz on live mikes for the world to hear. Schmid fell out of favor and a numbers game in the goalie pipeline. They both needed fresh starts someplace else, and Vegas isnt a bad place to play. So they went to a favorable place if you like these players, if its the return that pisses you off. What exactly are you getting for Holtz and Schmid. Holtz is free...time to move on. We got a nice player with size, youth, and great contract. The Devils werent signing Holtz or Schmid to another deal. Holtz was obivious especially after the national team for his country didnt add him to the roster. For Schmid the writing was on the wall late last season when he couldnt get a start and stinked it up in the AHL. Rumor mill had it that he wasnt happy in NJ....what a surprise with a franchise that has broken every goaltender they had in the pipes since Marty. You know the fact that Cotter got his name on the cup without playing a shift, says alot about him.

[@reyrage15]

​@@PirateTijuanaJoe My point is on a team that is competitive and looking to make a run for the cup, he wasn't good enough to crack that roster. Fitz says he's looking to do the same and that our goal is to make and go far into the playoffs. If we could look at this from a player to player without factoring in draft and in that vacuum, yes I'm completely on board with the move. Holtz was a first rounder we got at 7th overall from having an absolutely painful 2019-2020 season, though. We are entering Fitz's 6th season as GM and we have made the playoffs once during his tenure after Shero was fired because management thought the rebuild was taking too long. I'm more than fine with moving Holtz, Schmid, and Marino yesterday, both for the Devils and for each of them to get a fresh start. The issue I have is that Ruff, who Fitz let drown last season and did absolutely nothing to save the season, and Fitz both publicly bash the guy who just turned 22 this year. Wonder what that will do to a kid's confidence and also his trade value if you're thinking about trying to move him. And I completely agree about goaltending. We don't know how to assess goaltending talent or develop them. Before we moved Schmid, we had 7 minor league goalies drafted and in our system and aside from the last two, and because we drafted the last two, we don't confidence the rest will develop to contribute either. Also, after we did fire Lindy, we retained the same goalie coach who saw every goaltender regress under his watch aside from one decent season from Vitek. I hear a lot of what you're saying though and it makes sense. Cotter may help us to form a new physcial, aggressive identity line. I think for me, I'm just frustrated and venting as a fan of the team and I'm obviously not a fan of the guy in charge.

[@HighPlainsDrifter53]

I still don't see the reason to just get rid of holtz for nothing. If hes a distressed asset, let him play under a new coach. You shouldn't been able to get cotter for Schmiid str8 up. You don't dump him for nothing whatsoever.

[@ciscokid1999]

We got fleeced with the holt, Akira trade….we could have gotten more I believe….

[@mysterymystery5463]

Good trade. Holtz wasnt going to break the top 6 probably in the next 4 years… schmid just inconsistent and passed by several other prospects This point… devils fans shock and awe just shows they over valued these players

[@HighPlainsDrifter53]

Holtz was a distressed asset, true. But when that's the case, why not hold ans see if he can rebuild his value under a new coach. Not just give him away for nothing. Schmidalone would have been more than enough for that return

[@nickadams6537]

Horrible trade. Holtz scored 16 in limited minutes playing with assorted 4th line players. He's still young and is a 20+ goal scorer in a better situation at minimum. It's not hard to find 4th line centers like Cotter for much cheaper price. Fitz sucks at his job.

[@SuperDevilsfan]

Horrible trade!! This may be the worst move in the history of Devils management. There was no need to give up on two young prospects who have shown potential with another years experience/ growth in the off season and new coaches maybe we could have gotten them closer to their actual projection. Even if they didn’t fit at that point at least they would have gotten us more in return at the end of this year. You gave them both up when they aren’t taking up a large portion of the cap to get a fourth line player that you like because he hits? We can address that in free agency. And hitting physicality was coming to our line up with Foote Bastian healthy this year. Think if Marino gets us 2 2nds why couldn’t we have traded a 4/ 5th to get this kid from Vegas if you liked him so much? GTFOH. Trading Holtz makes no sense when you just traded Clarke another right shot forward who could have at least benefited from Holtz leaving. Do Fitz who do you have in mind for right shooting forwards? Necas ? Laine? Not realistic and would tie up cap far into the future with big money and years causing you problems when you need to sign Luke and Nemec. Or are you just impartial to right shot players? How about you trade players like Palat and Lazar tying up roster spots/ larger cap space to pick up guys like Henrique Zadorov Bertuzzi. I’m so mad I don’t care if you replaced Holtz with Stamkos because one has absolutely nothing to do with the other you should have gotten more in a trade with either of those players. The only thing I believe you did by making that trade is have everyone thinking you are a fool so they approach you for other trade ideas. Smh absolutely embarrassing making Holtz a scapegoat for YOUR inability to remove coach Ruff. Take accountability for your actions trade yourself to Vegas as GM for GM at least he knows how to manipulate the LTIR cap and take advantage of GMs picking their roster dry of prospects who can be better or used in other transactions. You need to do better!

[@Surl9596]

I’m sorry but this is major goal post moving

[@djentleman7]

Questionable trade for a bottom sixer that is making league minimum. Cotter did have a disgusting goal against Philly this year though

[@jamesisrael4294]

Fitz has 1 shot coming Monday so far this offseason other gms owning him