Obligatory Sam Woo health and welfare check post.

Per Elliotte Friedman, Luke Hughes will be joining the Devils in Boston. Not sure when he will play, but he's immediately joining the team.

Per Elliotte Friedman, Luke Hughes will be joining the Devils in Boston. Not sure when he will play, but he's immediately joining the team.
- vlongo4419

Well good for him. Should only be a positive for Jack. Probably not a distraction. But as was already said.. he’s stepping into the most challenging competition, and I don’t imagine he’s a defensive stalwart.. I guess you pair him with Severson and give them offensive zone starts?

Anyway to watch this game?
I do not have ESPN2.

Anyway to watch this game?
I do not have ESPN2.
- Jazzmaster30

……I mean ESPN Plus……

The Devils have officially signed Luke Hughes to his ELC, and has burned the first year.

He is with the team in Boston and will be on the ice for morning skate.

The Devils have officially signed Luke Hughes to his ELC, and has burned the first year.

He is with the team in Boston and will be on the ice for morning skate.
- vlongo4419

I’m not sure on all the contract stuff, but is it good to burn his first year for what is technically a very short season? Or does this just merely mean he can now play with the big team? And long term does this bring him 1 year closer to free agency (thinking salary cap)?

Maybe you or someone else here knows?

I’m not sure on all the contract stuff, but is it good to burn his first year for what is technically a very short season? Or does this just merely mean he can now play with the big team? And long term does this bring him 1 year closer to free agency (thinking salary cap)?

Maybe you or someone else here knows?
- Crushers68

Yeah since the contract started this year, it means he can play/practice/skate with the big club. Since the contract is considered a "20-year-old" contract, he isnt eligible to slide. So he burns the year whether he plays or not. It has no effect on his free agency eligibility, but it moves him a year closer to his second contract.

Theres two ways you can look at this. Either its that since he burned the first year, and probably wont play much, it *should* make his second contract a little cheaper in the short term since he'll only have 2 years of NHL play to earn the big dollars we're expecting him to eventually get. So he probably will sign a bridge deal as his second deal which essentially "balances out" losing the first year of the ELC. But also, you can see it as we're losing a full year of a potential stud D being 975k against the cap and he'll be getting a cap hit bump a year earlier. I can see and understand both sides of that argument.

Fitz says along with trying to get Luke into a game or two before the season ends, he'd like to make some call ups from Utica as well. Wants to give some guys a rest.

Fitz says along with trying to get Luke into a game or two before the season ends, he'd like to make some call ups from Utica as well. Wants to give some guys a rest.
- vlongo4419

Understand the need to rest guys but first order of business is to clinch home ice advantage over rangers before we start that.

Understand the need to rest guys but first order of business is to clinch home ice advantage over rangers before we start that.
- hockeybocc

Only way we don't get home ice is if we lose out in regulation and the Rangers go 2-0-1 at a minimum or we go 0-2-1 and the Rangers go 3-0-0. There's only a 2.7% chance of that happening, so not likely. If that happens, so be it. Home ice is pretty much irrelevant in that series. I'd much rather go into the playoffs healthy and as rested as possible

I just want to see Luke play. Let's see what he's got.

Lines tonight:

Tatar-Nico-Mercer
Palat-Jack-Bratt
Timo-Boqvist-Sharangovich
BMW

Bahl-Dougie
Graves-Marino
Siegs-Sevo

Blackwood in net


Seems like the resting has begun. Bastian and Siegs last game, Haula tonight. Assume there will be different guys on Tuesday and Thursday as well.

Game is on ABC.

I would like to see some hits on Marchand tonight.

Lets Go Devils !!!!!

Pavel Freakn Zacha.

Blackwood is horrible.

Blackwood is literally not an NHL calibre goalie. This is absurd.

Jack has tied Elias' single season points record! 1 to break it obviously, 4 more to hit 100!

Jack has tied Elias' single season points record! 1 to break it obviously, 4 more to hit 100!
- vlongo4419

Sweet goal by Bratt!

Pavel Freakn Zacha.
- Jazzmaster30

But of course lol

Zacha still blows. Hadn't scored in 12 games before this one.

I like that Hischier sticks up for himself but it would be nice if these garbagemen would stop playing him so rough without getting penalties.

Blackwood is literally not an NHL calibre goalie. This is absurd.
- vlongo4419

The announcers/broadcast are dogging Blackwood pretty good.

The announcers/broadcast are dogging Blackwood pretty good.
- Jazzmaster30

Yeah I think everybody was just confused as to why he'd start this game lol. Why not start him last game against CBJ. He's settled in well after the 2nd goal, but both the goals he gave up were just bad. The 2nd was one of the worst he's given up all season.

I know Boston has a great PK, but that PP was awful from start to finish for almost 4 straight minutes.