Devils Team Notes

[New Jersey Devils]

Find out the latest with the New Jersey Devils.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: Casey Returns

Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images

Seamus Casey returned from a nearly two month-long injury to score a highlight-reel worthy game-winning OT goal on Saturday. This post covers it and more prospect news.

Casey’s Back​

It was only Seamus Casey’s second game since December 14th. After missing the All-Star game due to a nearly two-month long injury, Seamus Casey returned to the Utica Comets this weekend. In his second game back, this happened.

Seamus Casey with a highlight-reel goal to give the Utica Comets a 3-2 win in overtime. Those hands #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/S7d8wQ6RAG

— Alex Chauvancy (@AlexC_NJD) February 9, 2025​

That was absolutely beautiful.

The Comets would go on to win both of their weekend games and are now on a rare four game point streak. Though still last in the North Division, Utica is no longer in the AHL cellar and has narrowed the gap to three points behind sixth place Belleville. While playoffs are still a longshot, AHL .500 could be an attainable goal with an extended run. One of the reasons for the turnaround has been the improved play of goaltender Isaac Poulter, who now touts a respectable 2.77 GAA and .904 SV% this season. Jeremy Brodeur has also been strong in net since the callup of Nico Daws and has a 2-0 record, 2.35 GAA and .909 SV% in the AHL this year. It may be the first time since a short win streak earlier in the season that the Comets have found consistency in net.

Another plus for the Comets has been the strong play of Nolan Foote, who leads the team with 30 points in 38 games. Other veterans such as Adam Beckman, Ryan Schmelzer and Brian Halonen have also been producing. While it will be difficult for the Comets losing Simon Nemec, who had been one of the team’s steadier defenders, to the big club, the return of Seamus Casey certainly cushions that blow as does the improved play of Topias Vilen, who has been packing on assists on the blueline, with seven in the last eight games.

Around the Pool:​

• Forward Matyas Melovsky continues to dominate this season in the Q, leading all Devils prospects with 58 points at the time of this writing. Watch this power move for his 18th.

Matyas Melovsky ('24, 6th Rd)! That's his 18th goal of the season in the Q. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/Y8IY21klVL

— Daniel Rebain (@pvtmcbain) February 8, 2025​

Melovsky has the physicality and toolkit to be an effective bottom six forward one day should his development continue. Look for the Devils to sign him to his ELC this summer.

• Goaltender Mikhail Yegorov continues to impress since joining Boston University in the 2nd semester and is 2-2 with an eye-popping 1.51 GAA and .940 SV% in those games. Yegorov isn’t taking easy classes either, opting for calculus and economics as this article on the team’s website explains.
• Goaltender Jakub Malek is not doing too shabby either, leading the Liiga in GAA and a tie for shutouts, though slipping to 2nd in the Liiga in SV% after this post below.

Jakub Malek made 23 saves against TPS Turku to record his league leading fourth shutout of the Liiga season. Malek also leads Liiga in Save% (91.36%) and Goals Against Average (2.08).

Here's his post game celebration. European hockey is FUN! ‍

( : HockeyFansFrom Finland/IG) pic.twitter.com/mskCVstTM6

— Daniel Rebain (@pvtmcbain) January 25, 2025​

• Defenseman Chase Cheslock scored his first goal of the year and is quietly putting together a quality season for the University of St. Thomas. Cheslock is one of those prospects who often flies under the radar as a large, physical defenseman, who provides some supplemental offense. Here’s a look at his goal.

BSU avoided the sweep and won 2-1 at St. Thomas. Chase Cheslock from Rogers scored his first goal of the season and now has 11 points FOR UST. Tommies have one more point than BSU and are 4th in the CCHA
pic.twitter.com/obGAmAqdQu

— YHH (@YouthHockeyHub) January 27, 2025​

It wasn’t all great news for Cheslock, who also lost his high school points title recently.

• Lastly, enjoy this snipe from forward Lenni Hameenaho. The Assat winger is on pace for a career high 49 points and 21 goals in the Liiga.

Ylivoima toimii ja porilaiset huutamaan!#Ässät #Liiga #Talviklassikko https://t.co/6NOkvFsxII pic.twitter.com/FzFlRJ3Gz4

— Porin Ässät (@PorinAssat) January 25, 2025​

Final Thoughts​

They below to you. Post your comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/2/11/24362032/new-jersey-devils-prospect-update-casey-returns

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Devils Potential Trade Partner: Seattle Kraken

Devils killer Oliver Bjorkstrand is one of several Kraken who could be on the move | Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Could the Devils and the Kraken be a potential match when it comes to aligning on a trade?

The Devils might be on pause at the moment due to the Four Nations Tournament, but that doesn’t mean that we’re taking a break here at All About the Jersey when it comes to content as we inch closer to the NHL Trade Deadline.

After taking a look at Vancouver and Nashville over the past few weeks, we shift our attention to the Pacific Northwest with the NHL’s newest franchise in the Seattle Kraken (sorry, I’m not counting Utah as a ‘new franchise’).

Seattle will once again not be heading to the playoffs after starting this season with a 24-29-7 record, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have pieces that could potentially address some of the Devils needs, whether its center, secondary scoring, or bottom of the lineup energy guys. Let’s take a look at the Kraken and determine who they might have that would be worth looking into.

Can the Kraken Solve the Devils Center Issues?​

I would say potentially, but probably not.

Seattle is set up down the middle with Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson, and Shane Wright as their Top 3 centers for the foreseeable future, so I think its unlikely any of those players are going anywhere any time soon. And Seattle’s plans to trade pending UFA Yanni Gourde took a significant hit with the recent news that he’ll be out 5-7 weeks following sports hernia surgery.

Sports hernia surgery isn’t necessarily a season-ending injury. That timeline could put Gourde on track to return in late March, with a couple weeks of runway to get up to speed with any new team before the playoffs begin.

There was talk that Gourde could fetch a first round pick in a trade, but that was all prior to this injury and that thought process has likely changed. I’m not saying he definitively won’t be traded now because of the injury, because like I said, its not a season-ender. If anything, there might be an opportunity to pick up a quality player at a discount.

Is a healthy Gourde worth a look? I think so.

We’re talking about a player who prior to this injury, has been extremely durable. He plays a solid two-way game, he consistently puts up offensive stats that you would expect from a 3C, and he had a ton of big game experience as a key role player on the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Lightning teams.

Gourde is your classic Jack-of-all-trades, master of none type of player, which is why he was as coveted as he was. He can play anywhere in your bottom six and not be out of place. He can play special teams. He brings physicality despite his 5’9” frame. I would guess that Gourde is on the Devils UFA shortlist this summer, but I don’t know that he’s going to necessarily be traded here thanks in part to his injury. Maybe they’re comfortable enough to take a chance on someone who might not be ready until close to the playoffs but I have my doubts.

Another potential center option could be Jared McCann, who has settled into a LW spot for the Kraken over the last couple years.

McCann is an intriguing option for a few reasons. First and foremost, he’s not a rental, as he’s under contract through the 2026-27 season at a reasonable $5M AAV. He does have a 10-team no-trade list.

McCann isn’t quite a natural center, hence why he has bounced between center and wing the last few years. But he is a player capable of putting the puck in the back of the net as he’s scored 110 goals since joining the Kraken four years ago. McCann is also capable of playing in all situations, giving the Devils lineup a little more flexibility.

My hangup with McCann is that I don’t necessarily think the Devils would actually play him at center. I could see him playing on Jack’s wing and taking faceoffs there, and while McCann isn’t known for his prowess in the dot, he’d still be an upgrade in that respect. McCann’s versatility gives the Devils another option while they’re shorthanded, so I could see him filling in at center and looking better than Dawson Mercer when he cosplays as a center.

Still, I have a hard time believing that the Devils wouldn’t be a better hockey team with a Jared McCann somewhere in their middle six. And he actually might be available, if SportsNet’s Jacob Stoller is correct. If he actually is available, the Devils would be smart to get in on that.

What About Secondary Scoring?​

We’ve talked about McCann already but the Kraken have some other options when it comes to secondary scoring that the Devils should at least be checking in on.

Oliver Bjorkstrand is a name that should be familiar to Devils fans, as he has a reputation for being one of the biggest Devils killers of them all from his time in Columbus. Bjorkstrand is putting up a typical Bjorkstrand type of season and is well on pace for another 20-goal season, which would be the sixth of his career. He’s intriguing in the sense that he too isn’t a rental, as he’s signed through next season at $5.4M AAV. Like McCann, he can only block trades to 10 teams.

Seattle is an interesting team in that I don’t know how attached they should be to any of their wingers given where they are as a franchise. Jordan Eberle, who is on LTIR anyways, is their captain, so I wouldn’t expect him to go anywhere, and Seattle might’ve found a way to unlock a next level out of Kappo Kakko, who has 17 points in 24 games since being traded from the Rangers. Those guys aren’t going anywhere for now.

I would guess Seattle would listen on Jaden Schwartz, Andre Burakovsky, and perhaps Eeli Tolvanen, but I don’t know how much any of those guys interest me. Schwartz somewhat intrigues me as he’s having an excellent season but he’s making $5.5M through next season and can block trades to half the league. He’d be a player where I’d want the Kraken to retain some salary on. Same goes for Burakovsky who is signed at the same AAV as Schwartz through 2026-27 but he hasn’t really been the same player he was in Colorado. If I were Tom Fitzgerald, I wouldn’t be rushing to bail the Kraken out of that deal. That leaves Tolvanen, who has been found money for Seattle since coming over via waiver claim late in 2022. Tolvanen has scored at about a half PPG rate since joining Seattle and is on a team-friendly deal, so it might take Ron Francis a little more convincing to pry him away.

What If the Devils Decide to Double Down on Sandpaper?​

That would bring us to Brandon Tanev, a player who has been recently linked to the Devils as a potential option for their bottom six.

Tanev has been with Seattle since their inception as a franchise and would be an upgrade for their 4th line. He’s a responsible two-way forward, he can play on the penalty kill, and he plays a heavy, playoff-style game.

Granted, the Devils have added a few of those types this offseason, but I don’t think you can have enough of those types of players in your lineup once the calendar shifts to April. Tanev is a guy who brings it and has a well-earned reputation for not being a whole lot of fun to play against.

Tanev is a rental with a high AAV (and a 10-team no trade), so that might be one where you hope the Kraken retain 50%, but he’d go a long way towards helping the Devils match up better against the Carolinas and Washingtons of the world come playoff time.

Final Thoughts​

Seattle is a weird franchise in general.

I’m of the opinion that they botched their expansion draft four years ago and have been doubling down on questionable, win now-ish moves since. Granted, I can understand wanting to be respectable out of the gate as an expansion franchise to keep fan interest high, and they did make it to the second round of the playoffs in their second season. But they’ve struggled to replicate that success and are probably at a crossroads of what direction they want to take as a franchise. Should they retool and rebuild around their center duo of Beniers and Wright, or do they keep doubling down with free agent signings.

Seattle isn’t a black hole in terms of prospects....they came in #10 in Scott Wheeler’s midseason prospect pool rankings a few weeks ago. They do have some pieces to work with long-term. But you’re also building a farm system from scratch and you’re only four years in as a franchise. You’re just now starting to see the fruits of those labors with players like Wright and Ryker Evans on the NHL roster. I’m not saying those aren’t solid pieces to work with, but when you’re in a division with teams like the Oilers and Golden Knights, you need more elite-level talent that they’re just lacking. Forget guys like McDavid and Draisaitl though....does Seattle have an answer to Quinn Hughes? Or Macklin Celebrini? These are the teams and players that Seattle is going to have to compete against.

The Kraken aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so in my opinion, they’d be smart to cash in on some of their assets on the wing, reset their timeline, try to get some bad contracts off the books like Phillip Grubauer and the aforementioned Burakovsky, and aim for contention in 2028 or so. They probably should be shopping anyone over the age of 30 on their roster, and while McCann and Bjorkstrand aren’t quite 30 just yet, they could get a healthy return for both players. Bjorkstrand seems like your typical “here’s a 2nd and 3rd” at the deadline for a veteran scoring winger trade waiting to happen, and while I have my doubts that McCann is a perennial 40 goal scorer, he’s exactly the type of player who could give the Devils a jolt offensively. Just don’t expect him to come cheap since he is under team control at a fair AAV for two more seasons.

I think if Tom Fitzgerald came away with McCann, Bjorkstrand, or Tanev at the deadline, that would be a solid pickup. McCann probably isn’t the answer at 3C but he is capable of moonlighting there while providing secondary scoring. It’s also worth keeping in mind that McCann is having one of his worst seasons in terms of shooting percentage. A bounceback to his career norms could make him more of a primary scoring option somewhere in the Devils Top Six, which is worth exploring. Bjorkstrand is also capable of finding the back of the net, and while I don’t think Tanev will help much in that regard, I do think having another miserable person to play against towards the bottom of the lineup could pay dividends in a playoff series. I’d include Gourde on that list as well, although his recent surgery and the uncertainty surrounding that clouds that situation.

That’s how I view the Kraken heading towards the trade deadline. Perhaps you view things differently. Please feel free to leave a comment below, and thanks for reading.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/2/12/24360132/devils-potential-trade-partner-seattle-kraken

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face-Off Game Post #1: Canada vs. Sweden

Jesper Bratt, Sweden’s top scorer in the NHL will lead the forwards against Canada in Montreal. | Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images The NHL’s and NHLPA’s 4 Nations Face-Off begins tonight. Canada takes on Jesper Bratt and Sweden in the tourney’s opener in Montreal. For those interested in the game, this is a post where that can be discussed. Welcome to the 4 Nations Face-Off. The NHL’s and NHLPA’s bid to host and run international competition for the f ...

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...-nhl-nhlpa-jesper-bratt-against-the-canadians

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face-Off Game Post #2: United States vs. Finland

Jack Hughes knows how to score in Montreal | Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

The second game of the NHL’s and NHLPA’s 4 Nations Face-Off is tonight. Jack Hughes and the United States takes on Finland in the tourney’s second game in Montreal. For those interested in the game, this is a post where that can be discussed.

Welcome to the 4 Nations Face-Off. The NHL’s and NHLPA’s bid to host and run international competition for the first time since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Something to expect to return in 2028, by the way. The mid-season quasi-all-star tourney continues with the United States playing Finland. This and other posts like this will be your space at All About the Jersey to discuss what happens in those games.

There is a special rule for these posts: please no comments about how much you do not care about the tournament or how much it does not matter or so forth. I get it. Not everyone is excited for this. Please do not come into the comments in this post and add nothing to the conversation for the People Who Matter who are interested in this game and this tournament. Those who violate them may be warned, and banned for repeated offenses.

While most of the NHL is on a break, some of the best players in the world will be in form and performing with their nation’s compatriots on a grand scale. Tonight is the second game, Finland taking on the United States

The Time: 8 PM ET

The Broadcast: TV: ESPN, SportsNet, TVAS; Streaming: ESPN+

The Location: The Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Matchup: United States vs. Finland

The Devils Involved: The Big Deal, Jack Hughes, will represent the Devils for a United States roster loaded with USNTDP alums (only 7 players on the roster never went through the USNTDP). He is also third among Americans in scoring in the NHL. For Finland, Erik Haula is expected to play as he returned to action for New Jersey since this past week.

The American Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Jack Eichel (Las Vegas), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg), Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida), Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay), Dylan Larkin (Detroit), Matt Boldy (Minnesota), Auston Matthews (Toronto), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa), J.T. Miller (Our Hated Rivals), Vincent Trocheck (Our Hated Rivals), Brock Nelson (NY Islanders), Chris Kreider (Our Hated Rivals)

Defensemen (7): Zach Werenski (Columbus), Adam Fox (Our Hated Rivals), Noah Hanifin (Las Vegas), Charlie McAvoy (Boston) Brock Faber (Minnesota), Jaccob Slavin (Carolina), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa)

Goaltenders (3): Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg), Jake Oettinger (Dallas), Jeremy Swayman (Boston)

The Finnish Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Mikko Rantanen (Carolina), Sebastian Aho (Carolina), Aleksander Barkov (Florida), Mikael Granlund (Dallas), Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago), Roope Hintz (Dallas), Anton Lundell (Florida), Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado), Kaapo Kakko (Seattle), Joel Armia (Montreal), Eetu Luostarinen (Florida), Patrik Laine (Montreal), Erik Haula (New Jersey Devils)

Defensemen (7): Esa Lindell (Dallas), Niko Mikkola (Florida), Olli Maatta (Utah), Urho Vaakanainen (Our Hated Rivals), Juuso Valimaki (Utah), Henri Jokiharju (Buffalo), Jani Hakanpaa (Toronto), Nikolas Matinpalo (Ottawa)

Goaltenders (3): Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver), Juuse Saros (Nashville), Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo)

The Rules: The usual rules still apply as if this was a Devils gamethread. No swearing, no personal attacks or beefs, no comments or links to illegal streams, and, as ever, play nice or you will not play at all. And remember the special rule at the top.

Enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...-hughes-usntdp-against-sum-greater-than-parts

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 2/14/25: World Cup Edition

Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) prepares for a face-off against Team Sweden in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. | David Kirouac-Imagn Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 2/14/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

“(Jared) McCann is not scoring at the torrid rate he has in past seasons, but he still has 14 goals and 42 points in 57 games — a 20-goal, 60-point pace over 82 games. The New Jersey Devils desperately need another finisher in their top six, and McCann might be the perfect fit.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Dougie Hamilton is likely the most valuable defenseman on the New Jersey Devils. Let’s start there. It depends on exactly how you want to quantify value, but his offensive results at both even-strength and on the power play – which is 2nd best in the NHL as of this writing – speak for themselves.” [Infernal Access ($)]

Hockey Links​

“Sidney Crosby got a sellout crowd roaring with a no-look pass to Nathan MacKinnon for a slam dunk power-play goal in the first minute. Then he sent Canada fans home happy by assisting on Mitch Marner’s overtime winner.” [Associated Press]

“Brady and Matthew Tkachuk came out hitting, started scoring and put together a display of brotherly dominance playing together for the first time on a big stage. The Tkachuks each scored twice, flourishing after being put on the ice at the same time, and the United States beat Finland 6-1 on Thursday night night in each team’s opening game at the 4 Nations Face-Off, a physical showdown played with edge throughout.” [Associated Press]

Seems good!

Wednesday’s opening #4Nations contest between Canada and Sweden averaged 1.04 million viewers across TNT and truTV—with viewership peaking at 1.2 million.

Canada’s 4-3 win was more viewed than any contest during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in the United States.

— Braylon Breeze (@Braylon_Breeze) February 13, 2025​

A look around the league at how the four teams that have fired coaches have done since making the change: [Daily Faceoff]

“Hockey cities, sharpen your pencils. The National Hockey League and its players’ association will soon be taking bids from prospective host cities for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA chief Marty Walsh’s joint announcement of the tournament — which will build upon the momentum of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina — was made side by side, amid laughs and friendly arm wraps, Wednesday in Montreal.” [Sportsnet]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/2/14/24365473/devils-in-the-details-2-14-25-world-cup-edition

 

[New Jersey Devils]

An Early Look at the Pending 2025 Free Agents of the New Jersey Devils

One of the more trickier bits for Tom Fitzgerald. | Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As the NHL season is on pause and the NHL Trade Deadline is less than a month away, it is a prime time to look at the pending free agents on the New Jersey Devils for this Summer.

While the 4 Nations Face-Off has put a pause on the season, it has not put a roster freeze on the 32 teams of the NHL. It also does not change that the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline is less than a month away. Or that the final quarter of the season awaits after the season resumes on February 22. Teams throughout the league will need to start thinking about their offseason plans as it could drive their actions (or lack there of) for the deadline. Likewise, how those pending free agent players perform over the next 25-27 games and playoffs can play a big role about what happens next. It is early but it is something all teams are considering to various degrees. Let us do the same with the pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) and restricted free agents (RFAs) of the New Jersey Devils for 2025.

The Projected Cap Situation for 2025-26​

Projected Space: $95.5 million is the projected cap ceiling per the NHL and NHLPA. Per PuckPedia, the team will have $19.725 million to spend on re-signing players and signing ones that hit the open market on July 1. Keeping the RFA players will eat a lot into that space though.

Commitments: The Devils have 30 contracts that are already on the books for 2025-26, with 15 of them already on the NHL roster as of 4 Nations Face-Off break. This means the Devils have 20 contract spots open from the 15 that are ending by the end of June 2025. Bonuses have not been determined yet so it is not known if there will be any bonus overages.

That would be it in terms of commitments. The Ilya Kovalchuk penalty ends this season, so that is an extra $250,000 freed up. The Devils are not retaining any salary right now and I doubt that they will.

The Two Big Defensemen Free Agents​

Luke Hughes, RFA - Current Deal: $925,000, entry level contract

Jonathon Kovacevic, UFA - Current Deal: $775,000 salary, $766,667 cap hit

The most expensive part of this look could be on the defense. New Jersey’s blueline has been stable as stable could get since the return Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce in the lineup in October through to Jonas Siegenthaler’s injury in Pittsburgh last Tuesday. Two of the six are up for new deals and neither will be cheap.

Luke Hughes should be expected to receive a huge raise. He will turn 22 in early April, his entry level contract ends this season, and he has proven to be a future force from the back. He was brought in and played playoff minutes when his time at Michigan ended in 2023. He is in the middle of his second NHL season and he is already leading the team in average 5-on-5 ice time per game at 17:36. Luke Hughes is one of the two defenseman on the team that has an offensive skillset. Unlike Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes is fast. He is also excellent in recovery if or when the opposition catches him in a poor spot. His 5-on-5 on-ice rates for the season are fantastic. Could he stand to improve? Of course. He sends a lot of pucks into bodies instead of on net; and he still has to be more judicious as to when to activate and roam and when to hold back. That said, Luke Hughes has been everything people hoped for as a fourth overall pick and then some.

This also means the second contract is not going to be cheap. If Devils management believes Luke Hughes will continue to blossom and be a force in both ends like his older brother Quinn, Adam Fox, and Cale Makar (all Norris winners, mind you), then the right play is to pay him like Jack Hughes. Locking up Luke Hughes to an $8 million by 8 season may end up being a huge bargain should he continue to blossom. A bridge deal may be more economical but it risks an even bigger pay day when others need new deals (e.g. Nico Hischier in 2027) and may not be good for the relationship between Luke and Fitzgerald. The Devils correctly gave out big deals to Hischier and Jack Hughes and have reaped its benefits. They should do the same with Luke Hughes. As much as I think that is what they should do, that does take up nearly half of the cap space for this year’s offseason.

This makes the Jonathan Kovacevic question harder. Kovacevic has a six-figure salary, acquired for a fourth, and has more than earned a substantial raise. It will be big. Thanks in part to how he has played for the Devils. Thanks perhaps more in part to Chris Drury handing 28 year old formerly pending UFA defenseman Will Borgen a $20.5 million extension over 5 seasons ($4.1 million cap hit). I think Kovacevic is much better than Borgen so I doubt he should expect less than $4.1 million per season unless he wants to do Tom Fitzgerald a solid. His agent should make sure he does not do him a solid.

Not only do I think Kovacevic is better than Borgen, I think he is one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL this season. An on-ice xGA/60 in 5-on-5 play around 2 is great. Kovacevic is at 2.08 for a defender who plays 16:26 of 5-on-5 ice time per game. Penalty killing? He takes care of that too, often playing with Brenden Dillon on the top unit. Kovacevic looks like a big, no-nonsense defender killing plays and the data backs that observation up. If there are flaws, then it is that he's not quick and he's definitely not helping create offense. His on-ice rates for offensive metrics are really low, such as an on-ice SF/60 of 22.67 for example. This makes him one-dimensional, but he has been exceptional at that one dimension for New Jersey. Similar to how the organization took a chance on Jonas Siegenthaler and he blossomed, it appears they did it again with Kovacevic.

That said, re-signing him is going to be tricky. Again, the Borgen extension makes it a challenge to the idea of keeping him at a relatively low price. The other trick is the flexibility of the defense. Simon Nemec could be a NHLer real soon and his potential is quite high. The same can be said for Seamus Casey. There's Anton Silyaev in the distance too. Sure, Tom Fitzgerald could trade those young guys for more immediate help (aside: it should be really good immediate help, not for a third line center) but doing so may be a bad long-term decision. Especially as defensemen are more involved in attacks than before in this modern game. Casey and Nemec can thrive there; Kovacevic, less so. That can be helped if NJ eats a hefty buyout on Brenden Dillon or Dougie Hamilton. But I doubt that happens for 2025.

Keeping Kovacevic is possible and paying him what he's worth (more than Borgen) is also possible but it also takes up a lot of space that may keep the team from making further improvements. It may block the defensemen prospects but the goal is to put a successful team together and Kovacevic has been a part of the success of the 2024-25 campaign so far. I may not like the following idea given his revelatory 2024-25, but letting Kovacevic walk may be a real option. As would be one for the other other free agent of note.

The Goaltender Wildcard ​

Jake Allen, UFA - $3.3 million salary, $3.85 million cap hit, 50% retained by Montreal for $1.925 million.

Ah, Jake Allen. Acquired at last season's trade deadline and arguably too late. The plan was for Allen to backup and support the eventual big name goaltender that Fitzgerald coveted. And got in Jacob Markstrom. Allen understood the assignment. He has also excelled. His statline is as follows:

• 5-on-5: 963:25 ice time in 21 games, 91.9% save percentage, 2.82 Goals Saved Above Average, 37 goals against with an xGA of 45.19, and a high-danger save percentage of 82.4%.
• All Situations: 1194:57 ice time in 21 games, 91% save percentage, 4.83 Goals Saved Above Average, 51 goals against with an xGA of 62.98, and a high-danger save percentage of 81.8%.

These are very good numbers. Good enough to ask whether he should be brought back for another season. Nico Daws may be on a one way contract for next season and the team has some legitimate pro prospects in Jakub Málek and Mikhail Yegorov. But if Allen wants to return and it costs $3 million, then who says no?

Maybe Fitzgerald says no. It depends on what he does with his defensemen and who else he wants from the open market. Allen's cap hit is small for this season but that's because Montreal is retaining half of that. That ends after this season. His salary for 2024-25 was $3.3 million. He may be OK with a reduction but not likely a big one. Not with the way he has been playing. Rather than entrust the crease to Markstrom and the current depth chart, Allen provides a known quantity of solid goaltending. Something that is valuable in of itself. Yet, letting him walk and having an Daws back up for $800,000 allows Fitzgerald to spend more elsewhere and keep an opportunity open for Daws and Isaac Poulter as well as Málek and Yegorov down the road.

I can see it both ways. I think it is worth having the discussion with Allen’s representation to see what he would ask for before entrusting Daws. But I can see the argument to have him move on. Especially if they want to keep Kovacevic. Therefore, Jake Allen is a Wildcard for NJ's offseason plans.

The Bottom Six ​

Tomas Tatar, UFA - $1.8 million salary and cap hit

Nathan Bastian, UFA - $1.35 million salary and cap hit

Curtis Lazar, UFA - $1 million salary and cap hit

Justin Dowling, UFA - $775,000 salary and cap hit

Move on. I'm serious, just move on from all four of them.

I can buy the vision for each. Bastian, Lazar, and Dowling know their roles and have not complained much. Tatar has always been a fine 5v5 performer, but he fits an energy-line like a third left shoe. And he has not been all that impactful when he does get to play with better players. Further, Bastian, Dowling, and Lazar have been just guys out there. Often anonymous and often not making a positive impact on the game. They have a combined 11 goals between the four this season. Not that you expect them to score a lot but that is still low and replaceable. I would like to think Brian Halonen, Shane Bowers and other Comets look at them and wonder why they can't get a longer look in NJ. The Bottom Six has been a black hole for offense. No matter how many pucks they get in deep, how hard they work, and how many times Ken Daneyko gasses them up on broadcasts, they've added very little to the team. I am more than fine with Fitzgerald rebuilding this end of the lineup and he can do that by letting these four walk on July 1, 2025. Now, if either of them pick up their play and perform much more in the final quarter of the season, then the discussion may change. For now, I say move on.

Finding bottom six caliber forwards that fit the team's plans is not simple but far from impossible given the sheer number of them in free agency year after year. No, the Devils won't save a ton by letting each walk but it will not cost a lot to replace them.

Utica Comets and Prospects​

Santeri Hatakka, RFA - $775,000 cap hit and salary

Isaac Poulter, RFA - $812,500 cap hit, $830,000 salary, entry level contract

Daniil Misyul, RFA - $867,000 cap hit and salary, entry level contract

Nolan Foote, RFA - $825,000 cap hit and salary

Nathan Legare, RFA - $775,000 cap hit and salary

Adam Beckman, RFA - $775,000 cap hit and salary

Max Willman, UFA - $775,000 cap hit and salary

Sam Laberge, UFA - $775,000 cap hit and salary

The fate of most of this group will likely be contingent on whether they would want to go back to Utica and/or management is fine with giving them a NHL contract to make it happen. Among this group, Hatakka may be the closest to the NHL. Nemec and Casey have far more potential, but if NJ needs a more defensive fill-in for a call up, then Hatakka can be that guy. Given how his season was derailed by a preseason injury, I can see both sides wanting a re-do for 2025-26.

The rest, well, that depends on how much you like the player and/or how they've done in Utica. I am not opposed to another contract for Poulter or Misyul or even Foote. In general, I expect UFAs in the minors to want to move on and RFAs to be kept unless they think they can get a different opportunity elsewhere (in the AHL or overseas). The contracts here will be cheap and the real cost would be just adding to the contract limit. That all said, this may really come down to what the player is interested in and how Dan MacKinnon - the assistant GM that oversees Utica - and the front office sees in the player’s future. If any of them can get a call up and impress, then it can only help their cause for getting a contract somewhere in 2025-26.

One more thing: What about making more space? There are 2 Devils that Fitzgerald may want to at least think about a buyout.

Potential Buyouts​

Kurtis MacDermid - $1.15 million cap hit, $1.25 million salary for 2024-25, two seasons left on deal

Buyout Results: $666,667 savings for 2025-26 and 2026-27; dead cap hits of $333,333 for 2027-28 and 2028-29 each

This contract was stupid then and it is stupid now. MacDermid is making more than Paul Cotter and Jonathan Kovacevic this season. A great bit of evidence that life is not fair. Further, MacDermid has provided next to nothing positive for the Devils. Offense? No points and six shots on net net in 21 games. Defense? Nope. Regular minutes? He has averaged 5:45 per game. Not even the proclaimed deterrence has happened as MacDermid merely watched Radko Gudas hurt Curtis Lazar and Matt Tkachuk jump into Nico Hischier. Skating? He falls like he is Cam Janssen. Those who claim he is adding any value have a different definition of value than I would expect. He cannot be on the active roster as he is playing. The savings is not much but doing so frees up a spot for someone in Utica with some actual hockey playing ability at the NHL to have a chance to play. It also opens up a contract spot too.

Should Fitzgerald not want to buy him out, at least burying him in Utica would achieve much of the same effect. Let him be a “tough guy” in the ‘A’ and let a player play as a Devil.

Ondrej Palat - $6 million cap hit, $4.95 million salary, no movement clause in 2024-25, two seasons left on deal

Buyout Results: $2.46 million in savings for 2025-26, $3.46 million in savings for 2026-27; dead cap hits of $1.48 million for 2027-28 and 2028-29 each

I hate to say I told you so. But Palat has not played up to his contract. The romantics among the People Who Matter may claim that his primary assist in Game 7 against Our Hated Rivals justifies the whole deal. I am not a romantic and a $6 million cap hit player needs to be more productive than 0.4 points per game. He may have a shot at having his most productive season as a Devil but that still clocks him at just over 31 points. That would still require him to be carried by Jesper Bratt and The Big Deal, Jack Hughes - his most common teammates this season. I understand that both players spoke well of Palat. I also understand that they have good 5-on-5 numbers together. However, both Bratt and Hughes have been much better in 5-on-5 without Palat than with Palat. That undercuts the claim that he does valuable things for Bratt and The Big Deal on that line. In fact, a lot of New Jersey Devil skaters have better 5-on-5 rates without Palat than with Palat. Since Palat will turn 34 by the end of March, this will likely get worse before it gets better. After all, he is with Bratt and Hughes because he cannot even lead a third or fourth line. This is not worth a $6 million cap hit.

I will also add that since Fitzgerald made the Devils older and more experienced, Palat’s intangibles are not nearly as valuable. It is not like Palat is going to teach Brett Pesce, for example, how to play in the playoffs. Remember that Pesce (and Noesen!) knocked out the Devils in 2023 among other experiences. And those younger players in that fateful Game 7 and in that series win over Our Hated Rivals now have that experience under their belts. Unless stories about being around Steven Stamkos carry more weight than I think, I am unsure what Palat brings off the ice that justifies his inclusion.

More importantly, buying him out before 2025-26 gives the Devils some real savings. An extra $2 million in 2025 and $3 million in 2026 can be used to get a solid bottom-six forward that would fit better than whatever Palat could do. Or be used to help pay Kovacevic and/or keep Allen around for a season. Buying Palat out removes a UFA for 2027, which is already shaping up to be a massive free agency period with Nico Hischier becoming a UFA (suggestion: do not let him walk, Fitzgerald) and Quinn Hughes becomes available (suggestion: run, do not walk, to get him, Fitzgerald). With the salary cap shooting above $100 million, a $1.4 million dead cap hit is not going to be a big factor in fitting it in. Additionally, such a move will force Fitzgerald to find a linemate for Jack Hughes that will complement and possibly elevate their talents instead of trying to make up for some perceived flaw. Hughes had one season carrying Erik Haula, now he has this season carrying Palat. It is time to let The Big Deal soar instead of dragging an older player to some relevance. One more reason to buy out Palat before next season.

Your Take​

On the surface, it looks like the 2025 free agents coming out of New Jersey is not a huge list. There is Luke Hughes and some guys. However, the decisions made with these players will have impacts for future offseasons as well as the construction of the roster. The choices to make with Kovacevic and Allen will play a big role as to whether the Devils will be more free to spend this Summer or not. They can do more if they buy out Palat and/or MacDermid (or bury him in Utica). But the choices will play a role beyond having a new contract on the books. With the trade deadline coming up in less than a month, it is in the Devils’ best interest to at least have an idea on what they want to do for the offseason as it may drive who they want to trade and what calls they want to take for a deal.

Now that you know what is coming up in the future and you know how I feel about them, I want to know what you think. What would you give Luke Hughes in an extension? Do you pay Jonathan Kovacevic more than Borgen or let him walk? What about Jake Allen? Would you keep any of the four bottom six forwards set to become unrestricted free agents? Lastly, would you do any buy outs and, if so, who? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about the 2025 free agents in the comments. Thank you for reading.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...-luke-hughes-kovacevic-allen-buyout-palat-plz

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face Off Game Post #3: Finland vs. Sweden

Teammates will be opponents this afternoon. | Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The NHL’s and NHLPA’s 4 Nations Face-Off has a pair of rivalry games today. First is the big Northern Europe rivalry: Finland vs. Sweden. Discuss what happens between Haula’s Finns and Bratt’s Swedes in this post.

The 4 Nations Face-Off will have a huge Saturday of rivalry games. The first is the big one in Northern Europe: Sweden and Finland.

There is a special rule for these posts: please no comments about how much you do not care about the tournament or how much it does not matter or so forth. I get it. Not everyone is excited for this. Please do not come into the comments in this post and add nothing to the conversation for the People Who Matter who are interested in this game and this tournament. Those who violate them may be warned, and banned for repeated offenses.

The Time: 1 PM ET

The Broadcast: TV: ABC, SportsNet, TVAS; Streaming: ESPN+

The Location: The Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Matchup: Finland vs. Sweden

The Devils Involved: Two New Jersey Devils are involved: Jesper Bratt for Sweden and Erik Haula for Finland.

The Finnish Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Mikko Rantanen (Carolina), Sebastian Aho (Carolina), Aleksander Barkov (Florida), Mikael Granlund (Dallas), Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago), Roope Hintz (Dallas), Anton Lundell (Florida), Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado), Kaapo Kakko (Seattle), Joel Armia (Montreal), Eetu Luostarinen (Florida), Patrik Laine (Montreal), Erik Haula (New Jersey Devils)

Defensemen (7): Esa Lindell (Dallas), Niko Mikkola (Florida), Olli Maatta (Utah), Urho Vaakanainen (Our Hated Rivals), Juuso Valimaki (Utah), Henri Jokiharju (Buffalo), Jani Hakanpaa (Toronto), Nikolas Matinpalo (Ottawa)

Goaltenders (3): Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver), Juuse Saros (Nashville), Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo)

The Swedish Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils), Lucas Raymond (Detroit), William Nylander (Toronto), Filip Forsberg (Nashville), Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles), Mika Zibanejad (Our Hated Rivals), Elias Pettersson (Vancouver), Elias Lindholm (Boston), Joel Eriksson Ek (Minnesota), Gustav Nyquist (Nashville), Leo Carlsson (Anaheim), Viktor Arvidsson (Edmonton), William Karlsson (Las Vegas)

Defensemen (7): Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo), Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay), Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh), Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton), Rasmus Andersson (Calgary), Gustav Forsling (Florida), Jonas Brodin (Minnesota)

Goaltenders (3): Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota), Linus Ullmark (Ottawa), Sam Ersson (Philadelphia)

The Rules: The usual rules still apply as if this was a Devils gamethread. No swearing, no personal attacks or beefs, no comments or links to illegal streams, and, as ever, play nice or you will not play at all. And remember the special rule at the top.

Enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...vs-sweden-bratt-haula-teammates-now-opponents

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face-Off Game Post #4: United States vs. Canada

Jack Hughes can score in Montreal | Photo by Reuben Polansky-Shapiro/NHLI via Getty Images

The NHL’s and NHLPA’s 4 Nations Face-Off has a pair of rivalry games today. Second is the big North American matchup: Canada vs. United States. Discuss what happens between Jack Hughes and the Americans against the Canadians in this post.

The big game of the day is the other rivalry matchup in the tourney stage of the 4 Nations Face-Off: the North American rivalry. Canada against the United States. Always a big deal at the youth levels as well as in other tourneys. This will be no different.

The Time: 8 PM ET

The Broadcast: TV: ABC, SportsNet, TVAS; Streaming: MAX

The Location: The Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Matchup: United States vs. Canada

The Devils Involved: The only Devil is The Big Deal, Jack Hughes, representing the red, white, and blue on a USNTDP roster. Good thing for America that The Big Deal enjoys producing in Montreal.

The American Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Jack Eichel (Las Vegas), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg), Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida), Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay), Dylan Larkin (Detroit), Matt Boldy (Minnesota), Auston Matthews (Toronto), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa), J.T. Miller (Our Hated Rivals), Vincent Trocheck (Our Hated Rivals), Brock Nelson (NY Islanders), Chris Kreider (Our Hated Rivals)

Defensemen (7): Zach Werenski (Columbus), Adam Fox (Our Hated Rivals), Noah Hanifin (Las Vegas), Charlie McAvoy (Boston) Brock Faber (Minnesota), Jaccob Slavin (Carolina), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa)

Goaltenders (3): Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg), Jake Oettinger (Dallas), Jeremy Swayman (Boston)

The Canadian Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), Mitch Marner (Toronto), Connor McDavid (Edmonton), Sam Reinhart (Florida), Travis Konecny (Philadelphia), Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay), Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay), Mark Stone (Las Vegas), Seth Jarvis (Carolina), Brad Marchand (Boston), Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay), Sam Bennett (Florida)

Defensemen (7): Cale Makar (Colorado), Shea Theodore (Las Vegas), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg), Colton Parayko (St. Louis), Devon Toews (Colorado), Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles)

Goaltenders (3): Adin Hill (Las Vegas), Jordan Binnington (St. Louis), Sam Montembeault (Montreal)

The Rules: The usual rules still apply as if this was a Devils gamethread. No swearing, no personal attacks or beefs, no comments or links to illegal streams, no politics (seriously, not here), and, as ever, play nice or you will not play at all. And remember the special rule at the top.

Enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...a-the-big-deal-jack-hughes-scores-in-montreal

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Weekly Metropolitan Division Snapshot: 4 Nations Break Check-In Edition

Fitting. | Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images

As the NHL regular season is still on a 4 Nations Face-Off break, this weekly Metropolitan Division snapshot checks in on all eight teams with how they have done this season, what has gone right, their concerns, and what is next.

The 4 Nations Face-Off has captivated the NHL world as the season itself is on a break. That will end this coming Saturday, when the league returns. For the eight teams in the Metropolitan Division, they have 25-27 games left to play. The Trade Deadline is on March 7 and then it is a stretch run to the end. There's much to play for and time is running out. With the break in the season, let us check in to see how each team has done from the Washington Capitals to the Philadelphia Flyers and what they may do next.

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Washington Capitals​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: The best case scenario happened and so they reign.

What’s Gone Right For Them: So many things. The Washington Capitals lead the NHL in 5-on-5 shooting percentage (10.94%) and save percentage (92.27%). Every season usually sees a team or two on a PDO bender. Washington is this season’s team and that makes up for a lot of issues on the ice.

Except the Caps may not have that many on the ice. There is some substance in their performances beyond shooting hot and getting fantastic play from Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren. They are hovering around 50% in 5-on-5 team metrics, which is not great but also not bad either. Their aging core of Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, and Tom Wilson have continued to be productive. The team swung on Pierre-Luc Dubois and he has been fabulous in D.C. Dylan Strome is having a monster season that has also somehow went under the radar. He is actually their leading scorer right now. Connor McMichael has been a revelation and will likely be a part of the team's future core. Aliaksei Protas has been a fine fit and remarkably has 22 goals, third to Wilson and Ovechkin. Jakob Chychrun has more than fulfilled what Dmitry Orlov has done in past seasons and will likely take over for Carlson in the future. Even if they weren't league leaders in Sh% and Sv%, they would likely be scrapping for playoff spot at a minimum if not scrapping with New Jersey and Carolina in the top three. With it, they're competing for the President's Trophy.

A Concern or Two: Well, the PDO bender eventually ends. For their sake, if it ends, it should be soon and not in the first round of the playoffs. The last thing a team shooting hot needs is a slump in the second season and needing to figure out ways to get results in spite of said slump. And if the slump hits Thompson-Lindgren, well, then that just gets harder. There is no perfect time to cool off, but better now than in late April.

Also, adding a play driver could help their 5-on-5 performances go from just passable to actually good.

Should They Go For It?: They are going to clinch in March. Yes. They absolutely should. The thing is, they may not need a massive deal to go for it. But if they can add a play driver, then that will help their odds in the short term and the long term.

What’s Next: Maintain and do not collapse. Of note, the Caps have a California trip ahead in March as well as a nasty one to Winnipeg and Minnesota. But that's it for real challenges. They may even face just two playoff teams in April and one of them is Carolina. The other may be a wild card. And that is a big “may” given how tight it is down there. The Caps can keep it steady from here on out.

Carolina Hurricanes​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: Very good but very good was not good enough so they are trying to be great.

What’s Gone Right For Them: The Carolina Hurricanes has been, well, Carolina for this season. Great 5 on 5 numbers? Check. (Aside: A team CF% of 59.16% is bonkers and nearly 4% ahead of the second best team in that stat, which is Florida.) Being a total pain to play against? Check. Loads of attempts to flood most defenses? Check. Having a good defense themselves? Check. Special Teams doing well? That’s a check for the penalty kill. Put a pin in the power play. Overcoming some poor goaltending which featured another injury to Frederik Andersen? Check. For three-plus months, it looked like another strong campaign for Carolina.

Then GM Eric Tulsky pulled the trigger on a massive trade on January 25. One that sent Martin Necas and Jack Drury to Colorado while getting Mikko Rantanen back plus Taylor Hall from Chicago. After years of great seasons ending in the playoffs, management wanted more. Adding a top ten scorer and a former Hart trophy winner is absolutely more - on paper. The goal for this season is to do more than aim for 50 wins. It is to make a run to the Cup. And they're banking on Rantanen and Hall rentals (both are UFAs) to put a structured offense over the top to get there.

A Concern or Two: Two that have plagued past Carolina playoff runs have emerged and they are familiar to the Canes. First: the power play. Carolina’s power play success rate sits just 21st in the NHL at 20% (33 for 165). The team also sits just 20th in the NHL in expected goals per 60 in man advantage situations at 7.73. When the postseason starts, power plays can be worth their weight in gold and give a team an edge. I would like to think that played a role in Tulsky swinging that deal for Rantanen and Hall. In theory, that should help. In practice, we shall see for the next 26 games.

Second: the goaltending. The Canes sit 30th out of 32 teams in 5-on-5 save percentage with a team save percentage of 89.86%. When you add in all situations, they do move up to 20th with an 89.26%. Credit to the PK units, but the goaltending tandem of Pytor Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen has not been at the quality of a contender. Spot duty from Dustin Tokarski and Spencer Martin has not been promising. Andersen is healthy for a change and he might have the quality. But it remains a question. And Rantanen and Hall cannot make their goaltenders better.

Should They Go For It?: They already did. They can't go back now. If they can find a goaltender, then Tulsky really should push for one.

What’s Next: The remainder of the season has three objectives for Carolina. One: Get Rantanen and Hall producing ahead of the postseason. Two: Don't fumble away home ice against New Jersey. They have a trip to California in March and more road games than home in April, but the Canes have a softer schedule. They can't blow too many games to the likes of Buffalo again. Three: Pray for good health because an injury to Andersen or elsewhere may put the postseason plan on their ears.

New Jersey Devils​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: The bounce back season happened - in spite of an extended slump since Christmas.

What’s Gone Right For Them: Not that you would believe it from the last 6-7 weeks, but the New Jersey Devils were performing and getting results like a top 10 team in the NHL. So much so that their 5-on-5 team stats are still quite good. The offense, especially the power play, was potent and outperformed opponents regularly. The defense, featuring the emergence of Jonathan Kovacevic and continued rise of Luke Hughes, has been tight. Goaltending has been very good with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. When it is all working, the Devils can hang with anyone. As evident by going 2-1-1 with Washington, 2-2-0 with Carolina, and 2-0-1 against Florida among other matchups. Nico Hischier has been strong in both ends, and Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are top scorers in the NHL (10th and 11th in the league in points by the break, respectively).

A Concern or Two: The team has slumped since Christmas. Their shooting percentage has dropped so despite the efforts, there have not been as many goals - which has directly cost the Devils. It has appeared to rebound before the break, which is a positive. Finishing and scoring beyond Hughes, Hischier, and Bratt has been a question. Injuries to Nico Hischier and Erik Haula exposed the team's thinness at center. Guys will get healthy but the performances still need tweaking to get the team winning more often.

Should They Go For It?: Yes. Their odds for making it are very high. The team's window for contention is open. The need for a center and a middle six scoring winger is clear. Add those and the Devils strengthen their claim for contention.

What’s Next: The Devils will have a tougher road than Carolina with two games to play each against Dallas, Winnipeg, and Minnesota. They also have a five game trip starting after their home game on Saturday. April is kinder to them but March is going to determine if they're battling for second or if they're settling for third. Provided they do not collapse, they are safe; but they still have a lot of business to take care of.

Columbus Blue Jackets​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: Given the tragedy, this has been far better than expected. But is it enough?

What’s Gone Right For Them: The finishing. Columbus Blue Jackets can and has score goals in bunches. Enough to be tenth in the NHL in goals per game. Younger talent like Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, and Cole Sillinger are producing. Kirill Marchenko has been a stud up front. The Sean Monahan addition has paid off. Most of all, a healthy season from Zach Werenski has shown he can be like Makar, Fox, and Quinn Hughes as being an utterly dominant offensive defenseman. He should receive Norris consideration from how he has performed this season. Columbus sits third in the NHL in 5-on-5 shooting percentage and, like Washington, that can cover up some flaws.

A Concern or Two: The defensive side of the game has been rough. A big reason why a site like Moneypuck gives them such low odds to make the playoffs is that Columbus routinely gets worked over in 5-on-5 play. They have the third worst CA/60 and sixth worst xGA/60 in 5-on-5 play in the league. They are generally out-attempted, out-shot, and out-chanced. They bleed too much against. While Elvis Merzlikins, Daniil Tarasov, and Jet Greaves could steal a game here and there, they are usually beaten quite a bit given the team's relatively low save percentage of 90.67%.

Should They Go For It?: GM Don Waddell already said they are buying at the deadline so they may have to. If they can get some players to lock it down in their own end, then that could help them get an edge in what will be a fierce 25-27 games. It may not generate a lot of hype, but some defensive-minded players would really help them.

What’s Next: A whole lot of scoreboard watching and pressure. Columbus has a 5 game trip to start March that includes a game in Florida and Tampa Bay. The Blue Jackets do play 6 of their 10 games in April at home, which helps. But every night could make a difference and that can wear on a team. They are not alone in this regard.

New York Rangers​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: After the dizzying highs, the crushing lows, the creamy middles, the big trades, and they now going to chase multiple teams playoff spot.

What’s Gone Right For Them: They got hot after a muddling first half of the season to even be where they are. They have also made a point of it to win the vast majority of their games in regulation. This means the New York Rangers have a strong lead in tiebreakers over the rest of the wild card hopefuls.

Perhaps most impressively, they have been fine after some significant trades. They sent their captain Jacob Trouba out of town. Things would be sort of fine. They moved on from Kaapo Kakko and sent him to Seattle. Things would be sort of fine. They sent Filip Chytil away for a moody J.T. Miller. Things would be sort of fine. Not fine in the standings. But they could have had their season spiral out of control from those deals and those struggles. They seemingly righted their ship somewhat. The Rangers are still leaning on their main players in Panarin, Fox, and Shesterkin. And those main players have done their jobs well. Shesterkin and Quick have been very fine goalies for NY. Panarin still leads the attack and Fox is a force in all three zones. The core is not the issue.

A Concern or Two: Well, the team earned their current predicament for some reasons. Outside of the core, the roster has problems. Mika Zibanejad has fallen off this season and, given his age, there may not be a bounce back season. Given his back issues, Chris Kreider could be the next to fall off. This makes dealing out Kakko and Chytil look odd. Outside of Fox, the defensive side of the game has been a real problem. In fact, they boast the fourth worst xGA/60 in 5-on-5 play of the season. And in 5-on-5, they do not attack nearly enough to make up for the poor defensive metrics. Which bodes badly for a Rangers team still climbing out of a hole. That is a hard thing to do in thus league. They have went 11-7-3 since Christmas and they're still looking up at Columbus and others.

Should They Go For It?: Maybe. I doubt they bring in J.T. Miller without a desire to push for the playoffs. Yet, who else are they going to deal? Do they dangle Vincent Trochek for a bigger haul in? Does Ryan Lindgren or Reilly Smith have much value? And who exactly do they bring in? It's not like a bottom six forward or a defenseman (or two) is going to change any fates. That said, anything to stem the defensive bleeding would be helpful. If only to help Shesterkin and Quick.

What’s Next: The Rangers, like Columbus, will do a lot of scoreboard watching. They do have two three-game road trips in March. One is a California trip that they could do well on. The other is nasty one in a week where they go to Winnipeg, Minnesota, and Columbus - and the Columbus game will be massive. April has the Rangers play four games within the division, two against Tampa Bay, one against Florida, and one against Minnesota. Ouch.

New York Islanders​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: From blowing third period leads to grinding results, the Islanders still do not go away.

What’s Gone Right For Them: Well, they are resilient in that they still have above a 30% chance of making the playoffs. They have stemmed the bleeding from botching third period leads throughout the first half of their season. More seriously, the team does score by committee and with Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat, and Simon Holmstrom each having 15 goals or more already, the committee has some success. While reforming a blueline with a KHL signing (Anthony DeAngelo), a waiver pickup (Adam Boqvist), and a trade for Scott Perunovich does not seem smart, it has seemingly worked out so far. The team’s 5-on-5 rates are not great but not bad and somewhat survivable since they are on the level of Washington.

A Concern or Two: Mat Barzal's injury hurts because I do think he is a player that elevates a team like this. And this team is screaming for some elevation. Ilya Sorokin has been good but a 90.8% overall save percentage only goes so far. The scoring by committee has only gone so far. It is less that the team needs a superstar but that they need something to juice up the team.

Special teams would be the thing that could really use some juice. The team’s success rate on power plays is 11.5%, the lowest in the league. The team’s success rate on penalty kills is 70.7%, the second lowest in the league. This has to be better if the Isles want to make a push up the standings in the last 25-27 games.

Should They Go For It?: Believing in rumors from a team run by Lou is what a fool believes. The latter said, the order from ownership is clear to me: always try to get in and see what happens if you do. Some may say this has kept the Isles from icing a superior team. Some forget that that Isles have been utter garbage for most of their existence since the mid-1990s and so getting into the playoffs is a success to aim for. This is all to say that they will try and it may not make much sense we but do not be shocked if they're in the mix by the last week of April. Again.

If they want to go outside of the box, then consider an assistant coach change for the special teams.

What’s Next: The Isles will go to California in March, play the Capitals twice in April along with games against the Wild and Lightning and need to get help from others as they try to help themselves. It's a lot to do. And I still don't feel comfortable writing them off.

Pittsburgh Penguins​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: The end is nigh. Yes, nigh. As in its coming, Pittsburgh. It may not be here just yet but it is going to happen soon.

What’s Gone Right For Them: Sidney Crosby has been excellent. Erik Karlsson has been producing. As has Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Most of the Name Players on the Penguins have produced. The 5-on-5 on-ice rates are actually better than you may expect for a team where the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the standings.

A Concern or Two: The team outside of those Name Players has been a mix of inconsistently effective or consistently ineffective. The Penguins plan was built around finding players to effectively complement Crosby, Malkin, and Letang. That has not worked out for this season. Neither has the goaltending. They already dumped Tristan Jarry to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The team remains in the bottom-five of team save percentages.

Should They Go For It?: No. Reports have gone back and forth on whether Kyle Dubas will have a fire sale. But the trade of Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor suggest he is selling by the deadline. I know the Pens are going to have to rebuild once Crosby is done in Pittsburgh. Dubas may want to dovetail into that instead of crashing into one.

What’s Next: The Pens can play spoiler while also trying to survive some tough trips. Such as going to Colorado, Las Vegas, and Minnesota around the deadline; and getting one home game out of six between March 23 to April 7. Those road games include Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Florida. It may not get better soon.

Philadelphia Flyers​

The 2024-25 Season Summary So Far: The retool has taken a step back for better or worse.

What’s Gone Right For Them: The Philadelphia Flyers are at least competitive. Say what you want about of John Tortorella, but the team's he coaches tend to rally around him at first. Travis Konecny remains a fantastic player and has been head-and-shoulders above everyone else on the team. Matvei Michkov is getting his reps with 16 goals in his rookie campaign. Cam York has blossomed and Jamie Drysdale has seemingly fit in well from Anaheim. As for the future, the Flyers now have 3 firsts and 4 seconds for the 2025 draft to further bolster their pipeline.

A Concern or Two: I am unsure what direction they're going with this retool. Or whether it is working. The temptation to blow it up is real and I can respect resisting that. Yet, I don't think thus team is much better than last year's or that it will be better next season. So what does one do with Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, or Sean Couturier? Roll them out for next season and hope Michkov and others elevate with them?

One thing is clear: they need help in the crease. Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov have save percentages of 89.6%, 87.7%, and 87% respectively. Team save percentage in 5-on-5 is the second worst in the league.

Should They Go For It?: No. I think they correctly understood that last season was an overachievement. I can see them moving some more players out (getting out of the Joel Farabee contract will help for the future), but not a full on fire sale.

What’s Next: Spoil, spoil, and spoil some more. The Flyers also have an interesting March schedule. It starts in Winnipeg, then they have a 7 game homestead, followed by a five game road trip with four tough games (Washington, Tampa Bay, Florida, Dallas), and it ends with 3 straight at home. At least it's easy to follow.

---

The 2024-25 NHL regular season will resume on Saturday, February 22. There will be no division snapshot next Sunday. The following Sunday, March 2, will catch up with those eight days to get back on track. Those days will be filled with games that will be the last chances of evaluation ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7. Those games are as follows, with games within the division highlighted and in bold.

Schedules via NHL.com
Metropolitan Division Schedule for February 22, 2025 through March 01, 2025

It will be a challenge for every team to come right back in and perform right away after 90% of the league has been off since February 8 (or February 9 in the case of Washington). But perform they must. The points matter. And they especially now as the games start to run out. Keep an eye out on the standings. You know a lot of teams will. Especially the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, and New York Islanders.

What do you make of this check-in for each team? What did I miss or get wrong about any of these teams? What do you think they need to do to make the best of the remainder of the 2024-25 season? What do you think they will do? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about the eight teams in the Metropolitan Division in the comments. Thank you for reading.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...k-check-in-edition-washington-carolina-devils

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Looking At the Upcoming Schedule

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

This break is a great time for the Devils to reset and get right. But what does the schedule look like coming out of this break? Is it conducive to the resurgence we want to see?

With a little break here for the Four Nations, we have time to take a breather and take a step back from this season for a short time. This allows the New Jersey Devils to reset, something they really needed to do, as the schedule between Christmas and this break was the worst stretch of the season for this team. While not all Devils get a break from playing hockey, it still ends up being a break from Devils hockey for all, and that is a good thing for a team that needed a little break to recharge and adjust.

This also is a great time to take a look forward and see what is remaining, what the Devils will need to do if they want to remain on a playoff trajectory and compete well beyond the regular 82 game season. To that end, I wanted to take a look at the remaining schedule for the Devils. They have exactly 25 games remaining, a decent chunk of the season, enough to make or break this team if they really move in one direction or another. If they fall apart after this break, they could miss the playoffs entirely. Or, if they get back to their dominant ways like they were before Christmas, they could end up with the 2 seed in the Metro, riding a hot streak into the playoffs.

While the biggest factor as to what happens will be their own play, their opponents will also matter. Let’s see who is on the schedule for the rest of February and all of March, and their records:

The interesting thing about the schedule through the end of March is that the overwhelming majority of the games are played against the Western Conference. Of the 19 games on the list, only 5 are played against the Eastern Conference, and of those, only 1 is against a team in the Atlantic, the game against Ottawa on March 22nd. That means 4 are played in division against Metro teams, while 10 are against Central division opponents and the remaining 4 are against Pacific division foes.

This honestly can be either good or bad. Games against Eastern Division teams, and especially games within the Metro, hold more weight. 2 points for me means 2 points you don’t get, and that matters for playoff seeding. Playing against Western Conference teams does not hold the same weight, as all that matters is the 2 points for your team. Whether or not the opponent gets points or not is irrelevant for standings purposes. So if the Devils turn things around and play much better hockey coming out of this break, it will matter in terms of them accruing points, but it will not hold back other teams in the East from also getting points. If they continue to struggle, however, then at least their losses will not help other teams in the East.

Also, it is worth noting that having a two-week break in the middle of the season does have consequences on the schedule. I am all for these breaks, and I am especially in favor of the Olympic break where players can play for their home countries at the Olympic Games, but it does come at a cost. And the cost this year is a brutal March. The Devils play 16 games in March, basically a game every other day. They have two days off in a row only twice all month, March 5th and 6th, and again on March 18th and 19th. That’s it. Otherwise, they are playing a back-to-back or playing every other night. That is a truckload of hockey in a short time frame. Health will be paramount during this time, and multiple goalies will need to be used to keep everyone as fresh as possible.

And finally, the Devils have some road trips in that timeframe, namely 2 bigger ones. They basically come out of the break on a 5-game road trip through the Central division following a single home game against Dallas on the 22nd. It will be a fairly tough stretch, with only Nashville playing sub-500 hockey. Later in March, they also have a three-game road trip through the rest of the Central that they missed on the previous trip. This has a game in Chicago, one of the worst teams in hockey, but also has games in Winnipeg and Minnesota, games that will not be easy.

Overall, the schedule coming out of the break and through March is not an easy one. They do play some easy opponents like Nashville and Chicago, but there are a lot of road games and ton of matchups against the Central, which outside of those two teams I just mentioned, is pretty good. With only 8 home games, the Devils will need to be comfortable playing on the road and winning there. It will be a good time to bond as a team and perhaps with any new teammates acquired at the trade deadline. But most importantly, they need to get back to their winning ways and head into the playoffs playing their best hockey. Considering the amount of hockey left to be played in a short time, a lot is on the line, and it will be interesting to see how they respond.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/2/15/24364159/looking-at-the-upcoming-schedule

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face-Off Game Post #6: Sweden vs. United States

Linemates are opponents for this evening. | Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images

The final tourney game before the final is a matchup featuring two-thirds of the New Jersey Devils’ first line. It’s Jesper Bratt and Sweden against The Big Deal, Jack Hughes and the United States in Boston. Talk about the game here.

The final scheduled game before the 4 Nations Face-Off Final on Thursday, February 20 is between the United States and Sweden.

The Time: 8 PM ET

The Broadcast: TV: TNT, SportsNet, TVAS; Streaming: MAX

The Location: The TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

The Matchup: Sweden vs. United States

The Devils Involved: The two top scorers of the Devils will collide! Linemates Jesper Bratt and The Big Deal, Jack Hughes, will compete against each other. I am sure they will laugh about it one day. But not on this day.

The Swedish Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils), Lucas Raymond (Detroit), William Nylander (Toronto), Filip Forsberg (Nashville), Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles), Mika Zibanejad (Our Hated Rivals), Elias Pettersson (Vancouver), Elias Lindholm (Boston), Joel Eriksson Ek (Minnesota), Gustav Nyquist (Nashville), Leo Carlsson (Anaheim), Viktor Arvidsson (Edmonton), William Karlsson (Las Vegas)

Defensemen (7): Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo), Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay), Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh), Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton), Rasmus Andersson (Calgary), Gustav Forsling (Florida), Jonas Brodin (Minnesota)

Goaltenders (3): Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota), Linus Ullmark (Ottawa), Sam Ersson (Philadelphia)

The American Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Jack Eichel (Las Vegas), Kyle Connor (Winnipeg), Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida), Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay), Dylan Larkin (Detroit), Matt Boldy (Minnesota), Auston Matthews (Toronto), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa), J.T. Miller (Our Hated Rivals), Vincent Trocheck (Our Hated Rivals), Brock Nelson (NY Islanders), Chris Kreider (Our Hated Rivals)

Defensemen (7): Zach Werenski (Columbus), Adam Fox (Our Hated Rivals), Noah Hanifin (Las Vegas), Charlie McAvoy (Boston) Brock Faber (Minnesota), Jaccob Slavin (Carolina), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa)

Goaltenders (3): Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg), Jake Oettinger (Dallas), Jeremy Swayman (Boston)

The Rules: The usual rules still apply as if this was a Devils gamethread. No swearing, no personal attacks or beefs, no comments or links to illegal streams, and, as ever, play nice or you will not play at all. And remember the special rule at the top.

Enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...states-bratt-hughes-devils-first-line-matchup

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face-Off Game Post #5: Canada vs. Finland

Erik Haula is the lone Devil for this game. | Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

The final tourney day before the final begins with an afternoon matchup between Canada and Finland in Boston. Talk about the game and what Erik Haula can do in the comments.

For some reason, the NHL and NHLPA scheduled a 1 PM game on a Monday in Boston. I know it may be a holiday for some but the matchup may not be a huge draw. It will still count.

The Time: 1 PM ET

The Broadcast: TV: TNT, SportsNet, TVAS; Streaming: MAX

The Location: The TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

The Matchup: Canada vs. Finland

The Devils Involved: The only Devil involved is Erik Haula. He continues to hold it down in the depth part of the Finnish lineup.

The Canadian Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), Mitch Marner (Toronto), Connor McDavid (Edmonton), Sam Reinhart (Florida), Travis Konecny (Philadelphia), Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay), Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay), Mark Stone (Las Vegas), Seth Jarvis (Carolina), Brad Marchand (Boston), Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay), Sam Bennett (Florida)

Defensemen (7): Cale Makar (Colorado), Shea Theodore (Las Vegas), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg), Colton Parayko (St. Louis), Devon Toews (Colorado), Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles)

Goaltenders (3): Adin Hill (Las Vegas), Jordan Binnington (St. Louis), Sam Montembeault (Montreal)

The Finnish Roster: Barring any last-minute injury replacements:

Forwards (13): Mikko Rantanen (Carolina), Sebastian Aho (Carolina), Aleksander Barkov (Florida), Mikael Granlund (Dallas), Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago), Roope Hintz (Dallas), Anton Lundell (Florida), Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado), Kaapo Kakko (Seattle), Joel Armia (Montreal), Eetu Luostarinen (Florida), Patrik Laine (Montreal), Erik Haula (New Jersey Devils)

Defensemen (7): Esa Lindell (Dallas), Niko Mikkola (Florida), Olli Maatta (Utah), Urho Vaakanainen (Our Hated Rivals), Juuso Valimaki (Utah), Henri Jokiharju (Buffalo), Jani Hakanpaa (Toronto), Nikolas Matinpalo (Ottawa)

Goaltenders (3): Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver), Juuse Saros (Nashville), Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo)

The Rules: The usual rules still apply as if this was a Devils gamethread. No swearing, no personal attacks or beefs, no comments or links to illegal streams, no politics (seriously, not here), and, as ever, play nice or you will not play at all. And remember the special rule at the top.

Enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...anada-finland-haula-lone-devil-game-in-boston

 

[New Jersey Devils]

New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: Mikhail Yegorov, Beanpot Champion

Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images

Mikhail Yegorov helped Boston University win an upset victory in the Beanpot tournament and also took home the Eberly Award for goaltender with highest save percentage. This post highlights Yegorov’s blazing start to college hockey.

The Yegorov hype has been real.

Ever since joining Boston University for the second semester, goaltender Mikhail Yegorov has showed why he was drafted in the 2nd round, 49th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL entry draft. Yegorov, who will still be only eighteen years old for a few more weeks, has been dominating the net for the Terriers with a 4-3 record, 1.67 GAA and .944 SV%, even earning his first collegiate shutout in a 3-0 win over Providence this past weekend. Per BU Hockey Stats, the last time a BU freshman goalie shutout Providence was in 2009.

Mikhail Yegorov with another leap into the @BUDogPound after earning his first collegiate shutout with a 30 save outing against Providence!#njdevils pic.twitter.com/6PcnRJseM7

— Runnin With The Devils (@RunninWithNJD) February 16, 2025​

Before that, Yegorov got a taste of an NHL arena playing in the TD Garden against top-ranked Boston College in the Beanpot Championship, a tournament of the four greater Boston teams each year. Yegorov shined in the championship game making 43 saves in a 4-1 victory. Yegorov even took home the Eberly award for the best SV% in the tournament with some gaudy numbers.

Yegorov's .972 save percentage was the best save percentage by an Eberly winner since TJ Semptimphelter (.972) in 2022 in a losing effort for NU vs BU

Yegorov is also the first non-NU goalie to win the Eberly since Jake Oettinger in 2017 https://t.co/94G2rnaRJJ

— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) February 11, 2025​

Yegorov even earned an assist in the game, his first collegiate point.

Mikhail Yegorov’s first collegiate assist#NJDevils
pic.twitter.com/piK9hPkbfT

— Trey Matthews (@treymatt4) February 16, 2025​

Yegorov’s development this year has been extremely encouraging. With Jakub Malek consistently topping the Liiga, the Devils appear to have two legitimate goalie prospects for the first time in a very long time. Three, if commentators want to include Nico Daws, who, at 24, is aging out of the pool and has struggled with consistency in recent years, but still has the ability to dominate at times, such as his February 4th win over Pittsburgh.

Around the Pool:​

• Forward Matyas Melovsky is the first Devils prospect to hit 60 points this season. Melovsky is on an 82 point in 61 games pace per Elite Prospects.
• After I made some comments doubting the long-term future of winger Cole Brown in last week’s comments, the kid exploded with a hattrick, four point night and is now over a point per game. That’s great to see. It’ll be interesting what Devils management decides to do with Brown this summer.

Big night for Cole Brown ('23, 6th Rd) and the Brantford Bulldogs in a 10-1 victory over Niagra.

A four point night, including a hat trick to put him up to 53 Points (24 Goals & 29 Assists) in 52 games to continue a career season in the OHL. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/XazXIDxwrH

— Daniel Rebain (@pvtmcbain) February 15, 2025​

• Winger Kaspar Pikkarainen has been injured all season, but it looks like he is returning to TPS in the Liiga. How close Pikkarainen is to a returning to the ice is less clear at the moment.
• Lenni Hameenaho has been red hot lately for Assat.

Lenni Hameenaho just had another multi-point night (1G, 1A).

Up to 42 points in 48 games.#NJDevils pic.twitter.com/2tQiy6IBEY

— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) February 15, 2025​

• Congratulations are in order for winger Cam Squires.

First career 30-goal season for our captain pic.twitter.com/VrVbRl4l51

— Cape Breton Eagles (@CBEHockey) February 16, 2025​

• Anton Silayev scores his first goal of the season to go along with 10 assists, by far leading KHL defensemen in his age group.

In game 51, Anton Silayev ('24, 1st Rd) FINALLY nets his first goal of the KHL season as he jumps into the rush. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/uXCVgRFQby

— Daniel Rebain (@pvtmcbain) February 15, 2025​

Your Take​

That’s the update. Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...spect-update-mikhail-yegorov-beanpot-champion

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 2/17/25: Fights Edition

Team United States forward Jake Guentzel (59) celebrates after scoring an empty net goal against Team Canada in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 2/17/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

Are there reasons to be hopeful when the Devils come back from the 4 Nations break? [New Jersey Hockey Now]

“Though the New Jersey Devils didn’t have much success in his time here, Kyle Palmieri was highly productive during his stint in the red and black. Fast forward nearly four years after they traded him, and could a reunion be in the cards?” [Devils on the Rush]

“(Johnathan) Kovacevic has not played very well of late. He has a 35.29 GF% at 5v5 since the holiday break – the worst among all 18 Devils skaters who’ve played 100+ minutes in that span – and has been on for more xGA than all but Luke Hughes amongst defensemen. He hasn’t defended as well and has created very little offensively (as expected). While part of the issue is being caught in a team-wide rut, it’s probably not a coincidence things have tailed off even more in the absence of Jonas Siegenthaler.” [Infernal Access ($)]

You love to see it:

Mikhail Yegorov with another leap into the @BUDogPound after earning his first collegiate shutout with a 30 save outing against Providence!#njdevils pic.twitter.com/6PcnRJseM7

— Runnin With The Devils (@RunninWithNJD) February 16, 2025​

Hockey Links​

United States-Canada did not disappoint on Saturday night. The game started with three fights in the first nine seconds and concluded with a 3-1 U.S. win. [Associated Press]

Wild stuff!

USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS

: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J

— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025​

A Mikael Granlund overtime goal gave Finland a 4-3 win over Sweden Saturday. [Associated Press]

“A decade ago, some of the brightest minds in American goaltending locked themselves in a hotel room in Ohio and didn’t come out until they had rewritten the way goalies were being developed in the United States.” [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/2/17/24366948/devils-in-the-details-2-17-25-fights-edition

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Devils Potential Trade Partner: Utah Hockey Club

Could Nick Bjugstad be a center option for the Devils? | Photo by Hunter Dyke/NHLI via Getty Images

The Utah Hockey Club will likely sell off some players, but do they have anyone that makes sense for the Devils?

As we inch closer to the NHL Trade Deadline, this week at All About the Jersey, we shift our attention from one Western Conference also-ran to another.

After breaking down what the Seattle Kraken might have available at the trade deadline, it’s time to take a look at the one franchise that could feasibly claim to be the newest franchise in the NHL, the Utah Hockey Club.

Utah has performed admirably in their so-called inaugural season, as the former Arizona Coyotes made some win now moves over the summer and have managed to stick around in the playoff race. But with Utah six points back of the final playoff spot in the West and the two teams directly in front of them with a game in hand, it’ll be an uphill battle for Utah to claim a postseason berth.

After years of tanking and accumulating draft assets, it is clear that Utah is heading in the right direction, but they clearly need several more pieces before they can take that next step towards being a playoff team. Fortunately for them, they have a few pending UFA who might be of use, as well as a couple pending UFA defensemen. Let’s take a look at who might be available and if they make sense for the Devils.

Can Utah Solve the Devils Center Issues?​

Yeah, they might be able to.

Utah’s biggest, and I do mean biggest, pending UFA is the 32 year old center Nick Bjugstad. Standing at 6’6” and 205 lb., the right handed Bjugstad has spent parts of the last three seasons in the Arizona/Utah organizations, posting nearly a .5 PPG page and a faceoff winning percentage of 48.4%. He also brings 27 games worth of postseason experience to the table between previous stops in Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Florida.

Of course, I’ve profiled Bjugstad before and what he brings to the table, so there’s not a huge need to rehash a lot of it. But he does bring a lot of things up front that the Devils simply don’t have a ton of. Size? Check. Right-handed center? Check. Someone who can win close to half of their faceoffs? Check.

That said, Bjugstad hasn’t had the greatest season this year, with 15 points in 48 games for Utah. He is shooting a career low 5.7% on the campaign, so perhaps this is a case where he is getting unlucky and his numbers should wind up closer to their career norms, but with under 13 minutes of ice time, he’s not getting a ton of chances to bounce back.

The good news is that his struggles should make him relatively cheap. Even with the center market being relatively thin, I have a hard time believing Bjugstad would go for more than a 3rd round pick, if that. There’s also no long-term commitment if he doesn’t work out, as he’s on an expiring contract worth $2.1M AAV.

Is It Time to Bring Alex Kerfoot “Home”? ​

The other notable forward that Utah has that is a pending UFA is Alex Kerfoot.

If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he is a former Devils draft pick dating back to 2012. The one-time Devils prospect never actually signed in New Jersey though, as he played all four seasons collegiately at Harvard and then signed with the Colorado Avalanche as a UFA once his college playing days were done.

Kerfoot has carved out a nice NHL career for himself, playing 2 seasons with the Avalanche before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kerfoot played under current Devils coach Sheldon Keefe for four seasons and played a variety of roles in his lineups, so this is one of those situations where Keefe is very familiar with the player.

Kerfoot is a solid, if unspectacular, source of secondary scoring, posting 280 points in 579 career games. While he can play center in a pinch, he’s probably better off in his role of playing wherever he’s needed in the lineup, as he can play all three forward positions, and he can play in all situations. Kerfoot isn’t overly big or physical, but he does skate well, he is durable, and has some skill, so he can be a nice add if one feels the Devils shifted too far in the “go after grit players” direction.

Kerfoot is signed through the end of this season at $3.5M AAV, so this might be one where the Devils would need Utah to retain half to facilitate a deal, but with several high end forward prospects making their way through Utah’s system, they’d probably be smart to cash in on a guy like Kerfoot who has some value. Kerfoot also doesn’t have any trade protection.

I’ll add that while some fans might hold a grudge that he didn’t sign in NJ when he had the chance, I don’t look at this situation that way. I look at it as a player and agent making what they felt was the best decision for them at the time. If they felt the Devils center depth at the time was deep enough to block him from regular NHL playing time, that’s their prerogative. That said, things change, circumstances change, Kerfoot isn’t exclusively a center, and even if he wanted to block a trade to the Devils, he contractually can not.

Kerfoot is a versatile forward that Sheldon Keefe holds in high regard. I suspect if he was available and Sheldon Keefe had his way, Kerfoot would be on the Devils roster sometime after March 8th. That to me would trump any lingering bad tastes that might still be lingering from when he didn’t sign here once upon a time.

What Else Does Utah Have?​

Utah doesn’t really need to move any guys with term. Players like Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther are part of the future there, and they’ll still need veteran leaders to help insulate some of the younger guys they have, so I have my doubts that Nick Schmaltz or Lawson Crouse will be on the move.

One player who has a little term remaining that I do wonder about though is winger Matias Maccelli. Maccelli has been a recent healthy scratch for Utah. I’d be lying if I said I watch a lot of Utah hockey games, but I think its reasonable to assume he has drawn the ire of head coach Andre Tourigny for some reason. Even if its for something relatively benign like “he missed a forecheck once that led to a scoring change against”, most guys who get into the coach’s doghouse don’t usually turn things around on another team until they play better.

Maccelli was a revelation for Arizona the last two seasons with 106 points in 146 games and a 4th place finish in the Calder voting, but he’s taken a step back this year with 18 points in 52 games. He’s not overly big or physical, and while it might be painting with a broad brush, his bio screams “soft skill winger” that the Devils have had plenty of the last few years. If you’re looking for someone to put the puck in the back of the net, I worry that Maccelli is more of a playmaker and facilitator type when he’s going well than a goal scorer. He’s also making $3.425M AAV through next season before he hits RFA.

Jack McBain is another interesting option in regards to a bottom six center as he brings plenty of size and physicality to the position. He hits RFA after this season with two more years of club control. Liam O’Brien exists if you’ve ever asked yourself “Could we get Utah’s version of Kurtis MacDermid, except he’s a bigger pest”, contract and all. Kevin Stenlund is there as well, although I think I’d prefer some other center options rather than committing to Stenlund for another $2M next season.

I did mention UFA defensemen and Utah has quite a few of them as their blueline has been decimated by injuries this season. With the uncertainty surrounding the injury to Jonas Siegenthaler, the Devils might be smart to at least check in on veteran defensemen, particularly those who can play well in a defense-first, penalty-kill role. Of Utah’s options, Ian Cole probably makes the most sense if the Devils want to add one more experienced blueliner rather than rely on some of their younger, internal options. Cole can play either defenseman position and has a reputation for being a defense-first guy who can kill penalties. If Siegenthaler is going to be out longer than expected, Cole could be a good fit to slide right into that spot.

Ian Cole, signed 1x$3.1M by UTA, is a veteran defensive defenceman. Takes a lot of penalties but has put up some of the strongest scoring chance suppression numbers in the league in recent seasons. #UtahHockey pic.twitter.com/8kjFSfDR4N

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2024​

Final Thoughts​

Neither player is a household name, but Utah has two players that I think could make sense for the Devils in Nick Bjugstad and Alex Kerfoot.

In Bjugstad, you’re adding to your center depth and at the bare minimum, getting a player in there who brings more to the table than Justin Dowling. Bjugstad gives the Devils more size up front, which isn’t nothing. He does bring some physicality to the table, which is appreciated. The one catch with him is that he’s having a bit of a down season in terms of bringing secondary scoring to the table. Maybe that changes with a change of scenery, maybe it doesn’t, but if you’re asking Bjugstad to clear the very low bar of “can you score more often than Curtis Lazar and Justin Dowling have”, its something he should be able to accomplish. The other thing with Bjugstad is that I view him as more of a 4C on a good team than a 3C. If you believe that you are not getting enough from Erik Haula (and to be clear, the Devils have not gotten enough from Erik Haula), the upgrade in going from Lazar/Dowling to Bjugstad is fairly minimal.

As for Kerfoot, he too is having a down season offensively but is a player who historically is good for around 40-ish points a season. Because of his speed, his versatility where he could feasibly play anywhere in the middle six, and his familiarity with Sheldon Keefe’s system, he’d be an interesting flyer for a team looking for a little more secondary offense. I don’t know that he would be my first choice in terms of adding a scoring winger, but this is a situation where because the coach has familiarity with the player and because I trust the coach, I would trust him to put him in the best position to succeed.

I would ideally like to see the Devils add three forwards at the deadline. I don’t know how feasible that actually is given their cap space and how creative Tom Fitzgerald can get when it comes to tinkering with the bottom of the roster, but I say that to say that bringing in just a Kerfoot isn’t quite enough for me at this deadline. Bringing in just Bjugstad isn’t enough. They probably need a lines worth of forwards if they’re going to hope to match up effectively with Carolina in Round 1 of the playoffs, which should be their top priority seeing as that’s the team the Devils are most likely to face if and when they get there. Utah has some pieces that could potentially help, and maybe the Devils pluck from that tree, but I think they would be best suited to exhaust other options.

Anyways, that is how I view the Utah Hockey Club. Perhaps you view things differently. Please feel free to leave a comment below and thanks for reading.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/2/19/24362587/devils-potential-trade-partner-utah-hockey-club

 

[New Jersey Devils]

4 Nations Face-Off Final: United States vs. Canada

It is time! | Photo by Ben Jackson/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images

The 4 Nations Face-Off has been a wild success for the NHL, the NHLPA, and the game of hockey. It will culminate in a final between Jack Hughes and the United States of America versus Canada. Talk about the final as it happens here.

Canada vs. the United States was an utterly massive game this past Saturday, won by the Americans, 3-1. What could be a bigger? A rematch less than a week later - and it is for the tourney championship. Welcome to the biggest game in North American international ice hockey since the 2010 Winter Olympic Gold Medal Final in Vancouver.

The Time: 8 PM ET

The Broadcast: TV: ESPN, SportsNet, TVAS; Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+

The Location: The TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

The Matchup: United States (2-0-0-1) vs. Canada (1-1-0-1) - Championship Game

The Pathway Here: For America, it was simple. They beat Finland 6-1, they beat Canada 3-1, and other results meant that they clinched this game after the 3-1 win over Canada. Sure, they lost 1-2 to Sweden but it was a consolation game.

For Canada, it was not as simple. Sweden came back from a 3-1 deficit to take them to overtime. Mitch Marner bailed them out after William Nylander mishandled a potentially killer pass from Jesper Bratt. The 4-3 win meant just 2 points in the standings instead of 3. On Saturday, they lost to the Americans 3-1 in regulation. Canada needed a win over Finland to secure playing on Thursday night without needing help. They did it 5-3, wherein they conceded those three goals in the final seven minutes and the nation could only exhale when Sidney Crosby put in an empty netter.

The Devil(s) Involved: The Big Deal, Jack Hughes, will continue to be a mainstay for the top-six forwards on the United States.

There could be a second. On Monday, Charlie McAvoy was ruled out due to an infection in his right shoulder. In case another defenseman cannot go tonight for whatever reason, Brett Pesce has been given the call to be a last-minute replacement.

The Rules: The usual rules still apply as if this was a New Jersey Devils gamethread. No swearing, no personal attacks or beefs, no comments or links to illegal streams, and, as ever, play nice or you will not play at all. And given the nations involved, no beefs, screeds, whinges, etc. about politics either - this isn’t X or Reddit.

Enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off Final!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...-america-jack-hughes-maybe-brett-pesce-canada

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Colder than 4 Nations: A Look Ahead to the 2025 IIHF World Championships

The World Championships are coming! It will definitely not be like the 4 Nations Face-Off! | Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images

The 4 Nations Face-Off was a big hit for the NHL and NHLPA. It may even increase interest in international ice hockey for the men’s game. This post explains that the IIHF World Championships are coming and they will be colder than the 4 Nations. Plus an explanation about why Russia is not involved.

The 4 Nations Face-Off did not garner widespread excitement or a ton of care throughout the world of hockey fandom. I had to put in a statement about how anyone complaining about they do not care about the tourney should just not comment because I did not want to clean up tens of comments essentially saying “Meh.” Then the puck dropped between Finland and Canada on February 12 and the script flipped immediately. The pace of the game was set on ultra. NHL rinks, NHL refs, and NHL players led to NHL physicality not often seen in the international game. After hearing about “best on best” as a cliche, actually seeing it made a lot of believers in the tourney.

The tourney gained strength as it went on. The ratings were big. The attention was legitimate. The passions were stirred. Much in the sports world - not just the hockey world - pointed out how the players cared so much more in the tourney compared with other sports. (Example from Rich Eisen). Yes, Canada-US was loaded with juice but the teams went hard when it was US-Finland. The marquee events in pro sports this weekend were Canada vs. the United States on Saturday night and the NBA All-Star Game. It was a night and day difference. Many were thrilled by the hockey game while the All-Star Game was apparently a dreary experience of constant commercials and constant Kevin Hart commentary on the PA system. No, it is not as if the NHL is going to just now take over the NBA in popularity for good; but the weekend highlighted how different the two leagues can handle marquee events. The NHL and the NHLPA can and should claim a big win.

What is more is that this is not going to be a one-off. The NHL and NHLPA announced at the start of the tourney that the World Cup of Hockey will return in 2028. There will be 8 nations, no gimmick teams like Team North America (a U-23 team) or Team Europe (a combination of European players whose nations could not fill out a NHL roster with NHL players alone), and there is an intent to make it a regular occurrence in between Olympic years. It remains to be seen how other countries will fill out rosters as they may not have 23 NHL players and national federations may want to include some non-NHL players, but that is a problem to sort out for 2028.

One of the effects of the 4 Nations Face-Off may be a renewed interest in international hockey. The good news is that the World Championships are set to start in April. The bad news is that it will not be anything like the 4 Nations Face-Off.

An Overview of the 2025 World Championships​

The IIHF World Championships is a multi-divisional tournament. This year, they will have seven divisions of six national teams each beneath the top division where the actual World Championship is awarded. They have also decided to schedule them such that two divisions are not playing in March while the others start in April. Here is the entire list.

Division IV: Hosted in Yerevan, Armenia, playing April 13-19, 2025.

This group features the debut of Uzbekistan and Armenia’s return to the IIHF World Championships since being indefinitely suspended in 2010 for having ineligible players while under probation for ineligible players. Joining them will be Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, and, relegated from III-B in 2024, Iran.

Division III, Group B: Hosted in Queretaro, Mexico, playing April 27-May 3, 2025

Mexico has not won a game in the World Championships since 2022 and have been relegated in two straight years. They will try to get a win here. Mongolia has been promoted from last year and will want some revenge against the Philippines. North Korea will likely appear, Hong Kong will also return and hopefully without a goaltending tandem over 50 years old, and Singapore. This group was fun to watch but it was Youtube only and shot on a 240p camera from center ice in Sarajevo with no commentary. I think I was one of tens to see a group play without any quality goaltending save for the group winners.

Division III, Group A: Hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, playing April 21-27, 2025

Turkey joins Mexico as relegated teams in 2024 hosting a group. Unlike Mexico, they won a game last year. The Turks will host Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Turkmenistan, South Africa, and the promoted Bosnia and Herzegovina. When B&H won III-B last year, their top goalie announced his retirement from the international game. Good luck to them.

Division II, Group B: Hosted in Dunedin, New Zealand, playing April 27-May 3, 2025

The Kiwis are hosting a rather motely group. Thailand swept III-A last year in Bishkek and will look to rise up in Southeast Asian hockey. Iceland was knocked down to this level last year and will want to try to claw their way back up. Georgia, Chinese Taipei Taiwan, and Bulgaria round out the group.

Division II, Group A: Hosted in Belgrade, Serbia, playing April 29-May 5, 2025

This tournament was originally going to be in Melbourne, Australia. But the Aussies pulled out at the possibility of hosting a sporting event with Israel in it. They claim “safety concerns.” Given that these tournaments are not exactly ticket-sellers (last year’s largest attendance in Belgrade for II-A was 800 people. Most games had attendance fewer than 50 people), I am not convinced that Australia just did not want to put any effort in being a proper host. I hope Israel beats Australia by 10 when they play in Serbia - who is hosting this group for the second straight year. Credit to the Serbia federation. The group itself should be fascinating. United Arab Emirates continues to re-patriate players to play for their team and they remain in this group as a result. Belgium and the Netherlands, who was relegated from I-B last year, are kind of just here too.

Division I, Group B: Hosted in Tallinn, Estonia, playing April 26-May 02, 2025

Estonia will get to host a group featuring Dainius Zubrus’ Lithuania team, a promoted Croatian squad, a Chinese team that will not be just Kunlun Red Star from the KHL based on their 2024 WC roster, a Spanish team that managed to survive at this group last year with a 1-0 win over the Netherlands, and a South Korean roster that got knocked down to this level. This could be a fun group - if anyone can watch them?

Division I, Group A: Hosted in Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania, playing April 27-May 03, 2025

Last year’s group was wild with Slovenia earning promotion while having the same number of points as Italy and Romania in the standings. Everyone in the group won at least one game, too. And outside of a Romania-South Korea game in Bolzano, every game drew at least 1,000 people. The Romanians will have a lot to do as hosts. The hockey may be interesting. Romania and Italy will have to battle with Great Britain and Poland to get back to the top division of this tournament. Japan will try to spoil someone to survive. The incoming Ukraine squad could be a threat to Japan - and may be some other teams.

The Top Division: Hosted in Herning, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden, playing May 9-25, 2025

The top division is where the World Championship is actually won and so this is usually the group referred to when the WCs are brought up. Sixteen teams, eight teams, two groups, top four in each group move on to a medal tournament, and last place in each group gets relegated to Division I, Group A.

For 2025, Group A will be in Stockholm and feature Canada, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia, Austria, France, and Slovenia. Group B will be in Herning and feature Czechia, Switzerland, United States, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Kazakhstan, and Hungary.

Czechia hosted last year’s and won it all. The tournament had extra juice with many national teams - namely, Canada and the United States - communicating that being called for this tournament and actually accepting it would help a player’s standing for future international tournaments. With the Winter Olympics in 2026 and the eventual World Cup of Hockey, we shall see whether the top nations take this approach to convince some NHL players to play after their season and/or early playoff run ends.

The Problems or Why This Tourney Will Be Colder than 4 Nations​

One of the primary issues is the broadcasting. Chris touched on this in January. I agree and will reiterate. If the IIHF is not going to make it clear how anyone can watch these games - even at the lower tiers - then how can anyone care about it? Again, I was fortunate to watch a Youtube livestream of some loosey-goosey non-goaltending-friendly hockey happening in Sarajevo. But who else even knew? Did the hockey fans in those countries - the countries the IIHF is claiming to grow the game with this tournament - even know? The answer: probably not. If the IIHF is not going to care to get eyeballs on their product, then why should anyone care about their product? Say what you want about the NHL but for 4 Nations, it was either ESPN, TNT, or ABC. Maybe the game starts 15-20 minutes past the actual start time, but I know where to tune in.

And while I can credit the IIHF for not having groups play up to a month apart, I have to take that credit back because these tournaments all conflict with each other up until the top division. I understand that the IIHF sets these tourneys up to end after most hockey seasons end. But this makes it harder to keep up with what is happening. Especially as most of the hockey world will pay attention to the Stanley Cup Playoffs that will start in late April and go into June. The 4 Nations Face-Off may be crammed into February in the middle of the NHL season but it ensures that the best players are available, in form, and there is no other competing event or tourney to possibly overshadow it.

This is another huge issue with the WCs. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are far and away more compelling than 95% of the games in it. Even that may be a generous percentage. The lower divisions literally do not have talent that comes even close to those games. Sure, I can say I watched Hong Kong botch a lead to North Korea but outside of novelty, I cannot say it was anything close to what I can see at the pro level (or even the college or junior level) here in America. The Top Division is filled out nations with rosters filled with who can actually make it over to play. Even if they do well, who is going to see it and who is going to benefit? The NHL or the team cannot highlight the player’s highlights from the IIHF WCs. The national team federations are not so big that they can promote a player here or in most other nations. Some nations do treat winning the World Championship as a big deal. Those nations are not in North America. It is not like I am given much of a reason by the national federations or the IIHF to believe that the IIHF World Championship is as worthy as a prize as a Stanley Cup. Cool if America wins it, but I will gladly accept 6th and 7th place finishes for USA Hockey if it means a fourth Cup for the New Jersey Devils.

Further, the style of play is quite different and not for the better from the fan-perspective. The 4 Nations Face-Off was very much in line with what you get in the playoffs year-in, year-out at the NHL level. Obviously not with superstar-laden teams but the pace and intensity are there. That is not the case in this tournament. Between the IIHF style of refereeing (much more strict than the NHL) and the fact that these tourneys take place after a season of a grueling, physical sport, the pace and intensity are not usually anywhere near what you would see in the Stanley Cup Playoffs or even the Calder Cup Playoffs (AHL) or the Frozen Four (NCAA) or major junior hockey playoffs or even the IIHF’s own World U-18 tournament. The latter of which takes place while all of the non-Top Division groups are playing or having finished playing.

In summary, this is an annual tournament without clear broadcast information for those who want to see it, the tournament itself is not going to be anything like what the NHL and NHLPA put on, and the biggest and most important part of the group ladder is going to play during the second and third rounds of the best playoff in the world in the best hockey league in the world. And that part is not at all guaranteed to have best-on-best hockey or players who are going to play like it is. For that, you may have to wait until February 2026 for the Olympics. Emphasis on the may. If you’re lucky, you get 2010. If not, you get 2014 (you get a no-prize if you remember the 2014 Olympics because I definitely do not).

The Russian (and Belarussian) Issue Explained​

One notable omission from this tourney as well as the 4 Nations Face-Off is Russia. And Belarus. But mostly Russia. It could be argued that a proper best-on-best tourney would include Russia. After all, 48 Russian skaters and 11 goalies have played in the NHL this season. They include big names like Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, and The PutinTeam Leader, Alex Ovechkin. Why have they not been involved in the NHL/NHLPA’s venture or the IIHF?

The answer is not “security concerns” as the IIHF put it in their announcement. The real answer is a boycott threat.

The IIHF is very European-based and Russia’s quagmire in Ukraine is a very real threat and concern in Europe. Not that I am a geopolitical expert, but Russia is deeply unpopular in Finland (a surge in national defense has come from it), Sweden (both Finland and Sweden joined NATO because of this, also they are hosting a group in the top division), and Czechia (Dominik Hasek going off on X about Russian hockey players and the NHL means he is not alone in that sentiment, although I am unsure of the logic of how the NHL owes anyone billions, Dom). That is three of the big four European nations in hockey and three that could basically threaten to boycott of any IIHF event - or a NHL/NHLPA event like a 4 Nations Face-Off - if Russia is involved. I would not doubt that they would go through with it and it would make the tourney far, far worse for it. To a point where it may not be even worth having. They are that important in European ice hockey.

That is at a minimum. I would expect even more countries to just walk away if Russia (and Belarus) is brought back early. Sweden and Finland may be joined by their neighbors in Denmark (hosting a top division group with Sweden) and Norway as the threat from Russia is to their region. The Baltic nations alongside Russia’s Western border surely have huge concerns about being Russia’s next target. That includes Estonia (who is hosting a WC group this year), Lithuania, and Georgia - all IIHF members and teams in this year’s WCs. It is not unreasonable to recognize that they would not like to play hockey with their national team. Poland shares a border with Belarus and I am unsure they would also want to participate if they are brought back into the fold. Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary share borders with Ukraine and I would not be surprised if they are not supportive of letting Russia and Belarus play hockey while the war continues. A World Championship without Sweden, Finland, and/or Czechia is a non-starter as it is. Should these others boycott, then it would be decimated both at the top and lower levels. And this is just countries in Eastern Europe. This is to say nothing about what other nations in Europe or abroad may decide to do in solidarity.

This is all to say that a lot of national teams want nothing to do with either Russian hockey *(or Belarussian hockey) until the war ends. IIHF President Luc Tardif even stated ahead of the meeting to decide if the two nations would be kept out of 2025-26, “We want them [Russia and Belarus] back as soon as possible. It will mean the war will be over.” The war is not over. They have been steadfast about that and they are not alone. Given how the Summer Olympics came and went in Paris without Russia, I would not doubt the Winter Olympics doing the same in 2026 if things do not change.

The NHL and NHLPA may not beholden to the IIHF’s ruling, but if they want to continue to have national team events such as the World Cup of Hockey in 2028, then they need to be on good terms with the IIHF and the national team federations they want to participate. The 4 Nations Face-Off needed, well, all four nations to take it as seriously as they did to succeed. Daring Sweden and Finland to dump it by bringing Russia into it outside of the IIHF reinstatement would be one of the worst moves the NHL or NHLPA could make for 2028. Not to mention risking other nations from not wanting to get involved. Especially as smaller nations will need some non-NHL players to fill out a 23-man roster.

And this is to say nothing about Russian hockey. Remember the Ivan Fedotov issue? One of the outputs of the ruling the IIHF put on CSKA Moscow was to make, by Russian law, the Kontential Hockey League independent of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and, by extension, independent of the IIHF. This would mean the KHL could, in theory, decline a sanction to its players and teams from the IIHF. As far as I can tell, CSKA Moscow has yet to violate their international transfer ban (unless bringing in a guy from Kunlun within their own league counts, which would be a bit silly). But this was a move made to send a message to the IIHF that they do not have to care much about their rulings. I do not know about you, but if I want the IIHF to reinstate my national team to play in their tournaments, then annoying the IIHF would be counter-productive. But that is just how they roll in Russia, I suppose. I would not be shocked if this played a minor role in the IIHF’s ruling, already knowing that several nations could drop out the second Russia is brought in whilst waging a war. If Russia hockey is not going to play nice, then the IIHF will not have them play at all.

Would Russian involvement add more quality on the ice to the World Championships and a future World Cup of Hockey? Yes, in a vacuum. But it is not going to happen until the war ends as it risks other nations dropping off, making the tournaments far worse. Simple as. And even if or when that is resolved, the issue of the broadcasting the tourney, the actual play on the ice in said tourney, and the value of the tourney is not helped by whether these teams are involved or not. I would say the IIHF can take a page from the NHL and the NHLPA to improve their own tournament, but I am not even sure they actually can. I can respect standing on business to Russia and Belarus, but at least tell me how to watch the dang games first, Luc.

Thank you for reading. The New Jersey Devils will return to action tomorrow.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...ld-championships-russia-not-going-to-be-there

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 2/21/25: Canada Wins Edition

Team Canada forward Connor McDavid (97) celebrates scoring in overtime to win with defenseman Devon Toews (5) and defenseman Cale Makar (8) and forward Mitch Marner (16) against Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 2/21/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

A good sight:

Jacob Markstrom is joining the #NJDevils on the ice this morning for just the early portion of practice.

He won’t take part in the full session, but will be out there for the first few drills.

All part of his scheduled rehab process. https://t.co/Lm5EtBAvyo

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) February 19, 2025​

Roster moves:

#NEWS: We've assigned F Chase Stillman to Utica (AHL) and G Tyler Brennan to Adirondack (ECHL).

We've recalled G Nico Daws from Utica.

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) February 20, 2025​

With Jonas Siegenthaler out for a significant amount of time, the Devils are really going to need Simon Nemec to improve his play. [Infernal Access ($)]

Hockey Links​

Connor McDavid scored in overtime to give Canada a 3-2 win over the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game Thursday. [Associated Press]

The finish:

CONNOR MCDAVID WINS THE 4 NATIONS FOR CANADA IN OVERTIME pic.twitter.com/7XIdlj4c75

— ESPN (@espn) February 21, 2025​

Nathan MacKinnon, tournament MVP:

MVP Nathan MacKinnon sounds a bit familiar. #GoAvsGo | #4Nations pic.twitter.com/jme5Fbj58y

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 21, 2025​

A look at how this wildly successful 4 Nations tournament came together: [Sportsnet]

“We’ll see how this plays out over time and we’ll see if anybody disputes this, but it seems to me right now that Boston’s very upset at the care that (Charlie) McAvoy got under Team USA.” [Sportsnet]

Wait, what happened to Quinn Hughes? Wasn’t he going to be joining Team USA for the 4 Nations championship game? “If we’ve learned anything from the Hughes situation and the Bruins’ reaction to McAvoy’s medical treatment with Team USA, it’s that making decisions in an NHL-sanctioned international tournament can be a tricky line to walk. What’s best for country isn’t always what’s best for club.” [The Athletic ($)]

“We might be closing in on a growing Professional Women’s Hockey League footprint. During a media availability on Thursday, Amy Scheer, executive vice president of business operations for the PWHL, stated that the league has been scouting for future markets for expansion and that there might be an announcement on any additional teams soon.” [Daily Faceoff]

“We won’t even say anything. (Gear) will just disappear. We’ll just wash them and then put them back like nothing ever happened.” Inside look at how the Kraken fight the funk: [The Seattle Times]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...ls-in-the-details-2-21-25-canada-wins-edition

 

[New Jersey Devils]

The Rollercoaster Ride That is Jonas Siegenthaler

Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images

Two seasons ago, Siegenthaler had a heck of a year with the Devils and was looking like he could be a top 4, shutdown defenseman for years to come. Last year, however, he regressed big time. This year, he is back on track. What a rollercoaster ride.

What a ride the last three seasons have been for the New Jersey Devils and Jonas Siegenthaler. Two seasons ago, during the great season that led to a solid playoff run, Siegenthaler was a stalwart on the blueline, someone the team relied on to play solid defense, kill penalty minutes, and prevent solid attempts against while getting the puck up ice. He was never expected to be an offensive force, but he even chipped in his fair share of points for a guy who was brought in to be a defensive defenseman. After that season, Devils fans reaped praise on him and his game, and rightly so. Much was expected of him in terms of helping to lead this defense last season.

Then, last season came, and it felt like all of the progress we saw the year prior disappeared. He looked sluggish, made poor choices on defense, leading the opposition to have clear attempts on net, and really just took a step back overall in terms of his game. It was disconcerting to see, and it affected the team’s plans moving forward. How to address the defense changes pretty dramatically whether Siegs is a top 4, shutdown defenseman or a third pairing guy. And we all knew that this season, coming in, was going to be a big one in terms of where Siegenthaler would end up and what would be his projection in the intermediate and long term.

Well, so far, he has really come back strong, looking much more like we saw him two years ago versus last season. We all hope that last season was simply a blip on the radar, one step backward before moving forward once again, and it seems like that could be the case. Here are some of his numbers thanks to Natural Stat Trick:

As you can see, the middle 3 stats in that chart really showcase the dip last year versus this year and two years ago. His overall Corsi numbers were relatively similar throughout, but his high danger Corsi, his Goals For, and his expected Goals For all dipped last year, and fairly significantly at that. The big ones, of course, are the GF% and xG%, which show how his play on the ice directly affected goals being scored for and against the Devils. This season, as well as two years ago, NJ has been distinctly positive in this regard. They are scoring more when he is out there versus being scored against, around 5.5 goals for, to only 4.5 against out of 10. But last year it was the reverse, and more so, with 4.3 goals for versus 5.7 against. That is a massive difference.

I also find it interesting that this year, his offensive zone faceoff percentage is quite different from the previous two years. In those seasons, he hovered just above a 50% OZFO%, not really sheltered but not exactly expected to always play from the defensive zone either. This year, however, they are throwing him out there for way more defensive zone draws. At just under 40% OZFO%, he is not getting many opportunities in the offensive zone. This is fine, as he is not an offensive guy, but having so many more defensive zone draws ups the likelihood of goals against. Yet his numbers are really good this season, showing that despite the tougher zone starts, he is playing better and preventing goals against at a good rate.

It is also interesting to see who he was paired with in the last three seasons. It is lazy and easy to just blame a year of struggles on a bad pairing, but it would be wrong to ignore it altogether. So, let’s see who he’s played with:

So for 2023-24, the guy he played with the most was Simon Nemec, but they were only together for a little under 400 5v5 minutes. For a full season, that is not terribly high. As you can see, he played on a pairing with Dougie Hamilton for over a thousand minutes in 2022-23, and has been with Jonathan Kovacevic for almost 750 minutes already this season. So right off the bat, you can see that last year was different in that he was with different players on his pairing throughout the season instead of just one consistent guy. That can matter as it prevents a level of cohesion and compatibility that develops after playing with someone for a while.

Overall, however, you can still see that it was not all on his pairing mate last season. Before Dougie got hurt last year, they played a little over 250 minutes together, and their expected goals percentage when together was over 7% worse than the year prior. Something was not working, even among a pairing that had played together for a ton of time. However, this year with Kovacevic, he is right back to playing well, and their xG% is even better this year than it was with Hamilton two years ago. That is quite impressive and shows a real turnaround after the down season.

It will be interesting to see how things play out moving forward. I have no doubt that he will continue to have a good season. As it has played out, when he is having a good season, that does not suddenly change. He and Kovacevic should continue to make a strong pairing for the Devils now and through whatever playoff games they get to play. But next year, who knows? Will he regress back to what he was last year, or will he continue to grow into the top 4 defensive defenseman the Devils want him to become? Only time will tell.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...rollercoaster-ride-that-is-jonas-siegenthaler