A few New Jersey Devils thoughts:
1. Sami Vatanen has been completely fine I think Vatanen has taken a lot unnecessary heat since becoming a member of the Devils. I don't know if fans set their expectations remarkably high – or if they simply miss Adam Henrique – but way too many negative comments about Vatanen have entered my timeline given the way he's played.
Through 24 games, Vatanen leads all Devils defensemen in primary points, points, shots on goal, shot attempts, and scoring chances.
Over the last 24 games league-wide, Vatanen's 10 points ranks him tied for 40th so he's been producing at a top pairing caliber level offensively.
His underlying numbers have been solid, too, as the Devils have controlled 51.16% of the shot attempts 53.19% of the high-danger chances with him on the ice at 5v5.
That hasn't resulted in a positive on-ice goal differential at 5v5, however, that's luck driven as much as anything.
At 5v5, New Jersey's goaltenders have posted a god awful .880 save percentage with Vatanen on the ice.
Among 137 eligible players (340+ 5v5 minutes over the last 24 games), Jaccob Slavin – one of the league's best defensive blue liners – is the only guy whose had worse goaltending behind him than Vatanen.
If the latter's on-ice save percentage was even .915, which is below his career average, he'd have been on for six or seven fewer goals against through just 24 games. I'm guessing that'd lead to fewer complaints.
Sure, there have been a couple off nights – the Dallas game comes to mind – but Vatanen has mostly been good while adjusting to new teammates and a new system. I think he deserves more credit than he's getting.
2. The NHL got it right with Brian Boyle The league was smart to replace Taylor Hall with Brian Boyle.
Nico Hischier is a much more obvious choice from an entertainment perspective but he'll have plenty of opportunities to play in the all-star game throughout his career.
This is probably the lone time where Boyle makes any sense whatsoever and, given what he's gone through with his cancer battle, it's a nice hat tip to him. He's a very appreciative guy and will no doubt love the opportunity to go.
The game is also in Tampa Bay, where Boyle has fond memories and relationships with fans from his time there, so it makes sense from that perspective as well.
3. It may be time to give JQ a chance If the Devils need to recall a forward coming out of the all-star break I think John Quenneville should be the choice.
The Devils are desperate for a spark offensively and Quenneville has more goals, points, primary points, and shots than Kevin Rooney, who was just given a look, despite having played 12 fewer games with Binghamton.
New Jersey doesn't need someone who can hold their own for a few shifts on the 4th line. They need someone who can play in the top-9 and potentially make a difference.