On Patrik Elias
Personally I'm not a huge fan of the all-star game and there are so many talented players in the NHL that it doesn't really matter who is snubbed, because people that like the event will enjoy it regardless of who is/isn't there, but I was a little surprised to see Patrik Elias named an all-star.
He's one of the best players the Devils have ever had, but he's not having a particularly good season and it's not as if he's about to retire and this is a gesture to send him off on a high note.
Elias has just 18 points in 34 games (tied for 4th on the team) and has not played at nearly the level we're accustomed to seeing.
Each team needs at least one representative but I think Jaromir Jagr and, to a lesser extent, Adam Henrique would have been better choices.
Jagr leads the Devils in points at 42 so he's as deserving as anyone on New Jersey. When you factor in this could be his last season (I don't think it will be, but it could be) I think it would have made sense to give him the nod.
Prospect Updates
- It was a good week for Ryan Kujawinski. He was traded from a middling team in the Kingston Frontenacs to one of the league's better teams in North Bay. The Battalion are 3rd in the Eastern Conference and - after acquiring Kujawinski and Blue Jackets prospect Nick Moutrey - they seem poised for another deep playoff run. They still have much of the core that led them to an appearance in the OHL Final last year, so I wouldn't put it past them.
North Bay traded for Devils prospect Ben Thomson last year and he fit in like a glove there, and I think that will be the case for Kujawinski.
Through three games with his new team he has three goals and an assist, and has a point in all three games.
- Since returning from injury Connor Chatham has picked it up, recording six points in six games on a rather disappointing Whalers team. He's up to 21 points in 27 games after recording just 31 in 54 games last year.
- Offense certainly isn't his game, but Brandon Baddock has picked it up lately with one goal and two assists in his last two games. He has 26 points in 41 games on the year, though it's worth noting he's a year older than almost everyone who was drafted in 2014.
- After keeping a point per game pace for the first 20 games or so, John Quenneville has really slowed down of late. He was held pointless in a 6-1 loss last night and now has 28 points in 34 games on the year. I'd like to see a little more production from him.
- Another game, another pointless effort from Ryan Rehill. He has 11 points in 41 games on the year.
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