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1) For months it has been speculated the New Jersey Devils will take a healthy run at Kevin Shattenkirk in free agency.
On the surface, it's pretty easy to see why. Damon Severson has tallied a hair over 50 points combined during the last two seasons and has led Devils' blueliners both years.
The team is desperate to add offense to their defense and Shattenkirk is as good offensively as pretty much anybody not named Brent Burns or Erik Karlsson.
Shattenkirk has registered at least 43 points five consecutive non-lockout seasons and is averaging 53.6 points per 82 games over the last four seasons. Suffice to say, he is exactly what the Devils are looking for.
The Devils already seemed like a fairly realistic destination for Shattenkirk based on a) the money they could throw at him and; b) the (somewhat) local angle.
Apparently, there's another thing Shattenkirk is looking for that the Devils can offer: the No. 1 defense slot.
As outlined above, Shattenkirk has been an elite producer for years but he played behind Alex Pietrangelo, Colton Parayko, and Jay Bouwmeester (lol) in St. Louis as well as John Carlson and Matt Niskanen in Washington.
He wants to be a top pairing guy and, based on his production and ability to drive possession, I think he can be one.
I know he didn't look fantastic for the Caps in the playoffs but skating on Brooks Orpik's pairing while playing against high-end players will do that to you.
It's far from a guarantee Shattenkirk will sign in New Jersey but they can offer as much money as anyone and the role he wants. That'll at least get Ray Shero and co. at the table, I would think.
2) The Mississauga Steelheads' season reached its end on Friday night as they were bested, 4-3, by the Erie Otters in overtime.
McLeod finished the playoffs with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) and 67 shots in 20 games, which was good for 5th in playoff scoring. It's worth noting the four players ahead of him were all Otters.
Meanwhile, Bastian finished the post-season with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) and 58 shots in 20 playoff games.
I was very impressed with McLeod's ability to take off in the second half and carry that into the playoffs. On a team with a drafted player two years older (Spencer Watson, LA) and a projected top-10 pick (Owen Tippett), among others, he led the way in scoring during the playoffs. That's encouraging. I think he may need another year in junior but I expect he'll be able to compete for a spot in camp.
As for Bastian, I think the hype train needs to slow down for him. He finished 19th in playoff scoring despite playing big minutes for a team that reached the OHL final. On the year, he put up 59 points in 78 combined regular season and playoff games. Quite honestly, that's not all that great for a prospect who turned 19 mid-way through the season, especially one drafted in the 2nd round.
Like Mackenzie Blackwood, Bastian was a late birthday so I believe he is AHL eligible next year. He needs plenty of work there before he can get himself in the conversation for an NHL spot.
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