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First off, I'd like to apologize for not getting a blog post up yesterday. I was up until almost 4 a.m. the night before as I was in the hospital getting my head stapled after taking a two-hander to the head in ball hockey. A two-hander that left a nice gash in my head. I was pretty busy and tired yesterday so I didn't have it in me to get a post up. I'm feeling a lot better now, though, so everything will be back to normal.
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The NHL off-season is almost here and trade talk is starting to heat up.
Among the most likely players to be moved this summer is Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier.
With the Kings having Jonathan Quick fully entrenched as the team's starting goaltender, it doesn't make sense to keep Bernier around playing 10 games a season when they could get an asset or two for him.
That said, the goaltending market isn't too big and the Kings will have to lower the asking price if they want to move Bernier out. That's something that they appear to be finally realizing.
According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN/ESPN, the Kings have reached out to 10 teams about trading Bernier. No, you didn't read that wrong. The Kings haven't received calls from t10 teams RE Bernier. They've made 10 calls.
Given Dean Lombardi's history with Devils GM, Lou Lamoriello, and the fact the Devils and Kings have made some trades in the past, the Andrei Loktionov deal most recently, it's not a forgone conclusion that the teams can't get something done.
Now, would the Devils have interest in Bernier? Of course they would. But it'd be tough to make any deal work in New Jersey. The Devils have Martin Brodeur signed through this upcoming year and Brodeur hasn't ruled out playing one more season afterwords. Lamoriello won't be able to just throw Brodeur aside so as long as he wants to play, he'll play. If the Devils were to acquire Bernier, it doesn't make sense, nor would it be fair to him, to make him wait two more seasons before becoming a starter.
The other issue, even if Brodeur retires after this season, is Johan Hedberg. He wants to stay in New Jersey, is under contract through the upcoming season and has a no-trade clause in his contract. Would Hedberg waive it to go to Los Angeles to back up Quick? There's a chance, but I think he'd much rather stay where he is now.
All things considered, Bernier would be a great fit in New Jersey, but given the circumstances it'd be tough to fit him on the roster. At least for now.
Should the Devils target Bernier? You make the call.
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In case you missed it,
why Viktor Stalberg could be a fit in New Jersey.
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