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Henrique Goes for Calder, Devils in on Bobby Ryan? + Rumor Galore

June 20, 2012, 10:58 AM ET [325 Comments]
Todd Cordell
New Jersey Devils Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
With the NHL award show tonight and the NHL Entry Draft just two days away, there is no shortage of rumors or speculation going around the National Hockey League right now. Here are some notes on what to expect tonight and for the rest of the off-season.

- As many of you know, the NHL award show is tonight. While I think Adam Henrique should win it, and I have a few reasons for that which I'll get to shortly, I think Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche will walk away with the award. For most NHL voters, it comes down to who was playing best at the time of the vote and Landeskog finished off his season hot while Henrique finished the regular season on a bit of a slide. In advance, playoffs do not factor into voting as all voting is done before it starts.

My short case as to why Henrique should win Calder:

- He was tied for first in the NHL with Zach Parise for most short-handed points (7). Landeskog, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and other top Calder candidates had two or three.

- He had 43 non-powerplay points, which led all rookies.

- He was the first line center on a playoff team.

- Only Nugent-Hopkins had a higher points per 82 games ratio.

As I said above, I think Henrique should win the award, but I'm pretty confident Landeskog will. With all this said, I'm not saying Landeskog doesn't deserve it or taking anything away from him. He had a great year, I'm just saying if it was up to me I'd give the slight edge to Henrique.

- Yesterday Bob McKenzie broke the news via twitter that the Anaheim Ducks are listening to offers for Bobby Ryan and that the star winger is "available". I know a lot of fans would love Lou Lamoriello and the Devils to acquire the New Jersey native, but I'm not even sure Lamoriello will inquire about his services. The asking price for Ryan is ridiculously high, and the Devils don't have a need for a star winger, unless Parise walks and even if that happens they would still be okay.

I'm not saying this would or wouldn't get things done if Lamoriello were to offer this, but for fun of it I'll throw this out there. It would take something like Adam Henrique or Jacob Josefson, David Clarkson, Jon Merrill, Eric Gelinas and the Devils 1st round pick to land Ryan. Perhaps even more. Do you really want to give all that up? If I'm Lamoriello, I don't because the already mediocre Devils prospect pool would drop to one of the worst systems in the league. It's also worth noting that even if Parise walks, their more pressing need is on defense.

- I was looking at the Devils future going forward yesterday and I realized that they only have one NHL roster forward locked up past next season; Ilya Kovalchuk.

- If you include Johan Hedberg, who I think will be re-signed, the Devils have 12 roster players that are either unrestricted free agents or restricted free agents on July 1st. Only one of the 12 is an RFA, and that's defenseman Mark Fayne who was sent a qualifying offer the other day. That means 11 other players need to be taken care of in the next 10 days or so. That's a lot of work for Lamoriello, especially when two days this weekend will be taken up at the draft.

- If Parise doesn't re-sign and P.A. Parenteau tests free agency, which it looks like he will, I'd take a run at him July 1st. He's established himself as a solid top-six forward over the last couple of years and I think he would be a good fit in New Jersey. Parenteau would give the Devils a good option on right wing, and allow Kovalchuk the option to switch back to left wing if he so desires (and Parise leaves). A lot of people have said Parenteau only put up the numbers he did because he played with John Tavares and Matt Moulson, but I look at this way: name another top-six forward who produced 65+ points. Did he play on a line with good players? If he did he's obviously not a top-six forward.

- I've said this countless times but I keep being asked so I'll say it one more time: the Devils are not shopping Parise's rights, and will not do so unless they know for a fact he won't re-sign.

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