Todd Cordell: P3 New Jersey Devils @ New York Rangers: Five things to watch

Considering this is really one line of top 6 forwards who haven't played together, Miles Wood, Jesper Bratt and a collection of prospects and spare parts I'm not really expecting a win out of this game. But that said, a very solid showing like in Montreal would be encouraging. Particularly if the defense and goaltending do well.

And since it's hockey maybe we beat the bastards anyway!

I'm pretty excited to watch that 4th line. Baddock could be a physical beast and we know what Hayden brings. Rags gonna get hurt today. Im excited for this.

Todd what have you thought of Maltzev so far and do you seeing him being a project type who could end up really good or what do you predict his ceiling to be ?

I'm pretty excited to watch that 4th line. Baddock could be a physical beast and we know what Hayden brings. Rags gonna get hurt today. Im excited for this.
- Leniwm1

I really wanna see Baddock get in a fight before he gets sent down !

Todd Cordell: P3 New Jersey Devils @ New York Rangers: Five things to watch
- Todd.Cordell

Haha looks like the rangers didn't want to try out a split-squad tonight. That is their best lineup right there. As for Mcleod, 6 goals in 55 AHL games with plenty of opportunities.......He needs to serve more time in Bing before he comes to the show. Hughes/Boq/Bratt look great so far this preseason. Nico's shot looks more lethal as well.

I really wanna see Baddock get in a fight before he gets sent down !
- Devilish4

I have no problem with our 4th being a crash only line.

We have 2 allstar lines and a really good 3rd. Play the crash 8 min a game or as needed and let the top 2 lines get more playing time.

Byfuglien taking a leave of absence. Talk about a disaster offseason for the Jets.

DOOMED

Byfuglien taking a leave of absence. Talk about a disaster offseason for the Jets.
- willschulme

Old news

I have no problem with our 4th being a crash only line.

We have 2 allstar lines and a really good 3rd. Play the crash 8 min a game or as needed and let the top 2 lines get more playing time.
- Leniwm1

Those lines are usually the ones that get cratered in defensively and are extreme liabilities. I'd rather have players who don't get smoked 5v5.

Byfuglien taking a leave of absence. Talk about a disaster offseason for the Jets.
- willschulme

No idea what the real issue is but Big Buff is 34 and probably only has a few seasons left in this league. Hope he makes it back.

My bet is he needs to dry out somewhere and will be back in a few weeks. Totally just speculation and guesswork on my part. Could be he always wanted to open up an puppy farm or an ice cream parlor....

Byfuglien taking a leave of absence. Talk about a disaster offseason for the Jets.
- willschulme

Don't we open the season vs the Jets?

Those lines are usually the ones that get cratered in defensively and are extreme liabilities. I'd rather have players who don't get smoked 5v5.
- Pomegrant

I'd guess Rooney would be the best 5v5 guy on that line and it is a little scary. (Not that I don't like Rooney as a call up). Haynes says he liked Hayden's game and I can totally see him keeping one guy for grit. Sort of like when he put Gibbons on the opening night roster over Blandisi or Quenneville. Although obviously Gibbons wasn't exactly a grit guy like Hayden. Just that Haynes thinks about they type of players and the mix as much as the overall skill.

No idea what the real issue is but Big Buff is 34 and probably only has a few seasons left in this league. Hope he makes it back.

My bet is he needs to dry out somewhere and will be back in a few weeks. Totally just speculation and guesswork on my part. Could be he always wanted to open up an puppy farm or an ice cream parlor....
- Queenie_5_hole

I heard he saw the Devils roster and wants to be a Devil. Will sit out until he's traded.

I heard he saw the Devils roster and wants to be a Devil. Will sit out until he's traded.
- Leniwm1

Nice thought but if he wanted out of Winnipeg he'd just ask for a trade. It's not like they couldn't move him and get some good value back. Not the best time of year but still. Something serious is going on with him.

Nice thought but if he wanted out of Winnipeg he'd just ask for a trade. It's not like they couldn't move him and get some good value back. Not the best time of year but still. Something serious is going on with him.
- Queenie_5_hole

It could be wife is sick, kid is sick. Who knows. He could be totally fine.

Don't we open the season vs the Jets?
- dmarsden2988

Yessir

It could be wife is sick, kid is sick. Who knows. He could be totally fine.
- Leniwm1

So close...the answer I was looking for is sick of Winnipeg

So close...the answer I was looking for is sick of Winnipeg
- devils2929

Wheeler kind of gets on my nerves lol i know hes a great guy but he hasnt won poop and he speaks like he is scott stevens or mark messier. I dont know im probably in the minority but i feel like he should shut up and stop talking every time someone on the jets tweets something.

If Byfuglien does retire, I wonder if the Devils can make a deal for Laine. Winnipeg might be desperate for a right-handed defenseman.

I don't think the Devils need Laine (right now), but it would be interesting. I'll assume Winnipeg will ask for Severson, but maybe the Devils can convince them to take Vatanen and their choice of Bratt, Boqvist, McLeod, or Zacha. Maybe throw in Wood, Andeson, or Bastian also. The possibility for 3 NHL quality players for 1 player seems a lot, but I think it's better than giving a bunch of 1st-round draft picks.

The Devils have a lot of interchangeable parts in their roster. Trade Zacha, McLeod can take his spot. Trade Bratt, Boqvist can probably slot in the top-6 and definitely top-9. Anderson and Bastian are probably slotted for bottom-6 in the near future.

Let's say the Devils trade Bratt, Wood, and Bastian for Laine (and this is a steal). Actually, I'll throw a 4th player, Zacha. AGAIN, I highly doubt this happens but let's play make-believe:

The line-up could be:

Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Gusev-Hughes-Laine
Boqvist-Zajac-Simmonds
Coleman-McLeod-Rooney/Hayden
(Alternatively, the Devils can throw Coleman at center and have Rooney/Hayden-Coleman-Anderson)


Currently, the Devils have about $6 mil in cap space, and I'm going to guess it's going to take a $6.5 mil bridge deal to get Laine signed. Once they trade Zacha and Vatanen, that's about $7 mil to sign Laine (and still have the $6 mil in cap space).

The defense will still look weak, but that's also a current issue:

Butcher-Subban
Greene-Severson
Mueller-Smith/Carrick

If it's Severson being traded, then Vatanen is getting an extension from the Devils.

The Devils can carry 2 forwards and 1 defenseman instead of the planned 2 defensemen and 1 forward.

This isn't happening but it would be nice.

Honestly, Winnipeg should try to trade Laine to Edmonton for RNH and a top defenseman prospect in the Edmonton system.

If Byfuglien does retire, I wonder if the Devils can make a deal for Laine. Winnipeg might be desperate for a right-handed defenseman.

I don't think the Devils need Laine (right now), but it would be interesting. I'll assume Winnipeg will ask for Severson, but maybe the Devils can convince them to take Vatanen and their choice of Bratt, Boqvist, McLeod, or Zacha. Maybe throw in Wood, Andeson, or Bastian also. The possibility for 3 NHL quality players for 1 player seems a lot, but I think it's better than giving a bunch of 1st-round draft picks.

The Devils have a lot of interchangeable parts in their roster. Trade Zacha, McLeod can take his spot. Trade Bratt, Boqvist can probably slot in the top-6 and definitely top-9. Anderson and Bastian are probably slotted for bottom-6 in the near future.

Let's say the Devils trade Bratt, Wood, and Bastian for Laine (and this is a steal). Actually, I'll throw a 4th player, Zacha. AGAIN, I highly doubt this happens but let's play make-believe:

The line-up could be:

Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Gusev-Hughes-Laine
Boqvist-Zajac-Simmonds
Coleman-McLeod-Rooney/Hayden
(Alternatively, the Devils can throw Coleman at center and have Rooney/Hayden-Coleman-Anderson)


Currently, the Devils have about $6 mil in cap space, and I'm going to guess it's going to take a $6.5 mil bridge deal to get Laine signed. Once they trade Zacha and Vatanen, that's about $7 mil to sign Laine (and still have the $6 mil in cap space).

The defense will still look weak, but that's also a current issue:

Butcher-Subban
Greene-Severson
Mueller-Smith/Carrick

If it's Severson being traded, then Vatanen is getting an extension from the Devils.

The Devils can carry 2 forwards and 1 defenseman instead of the planned 2 defensemen and 1 forward.

This isn't happening but it would be nice.

Honestly, Winnipeg should try to trade Laine to Edmonton for RNH and a top defenseman prospect in the Edmonton system.
- CardiffGiant

No thanks. 12 goals what after november ? Yeah he can score but he also just proved he can do what he did last season im not giving up bratt or boqvist when they can equal his production at least every other year and would pay them both significantly less then what Laine will want.

I would never be against adding a player of that caliber but winnipeg is getting no help from me.

If Byfuglien does retire, I wonder if the Devils can make a deal for Laine. Winnipeg might be desperate for a right-handed defenseman.

I don't think the Devils need Laine (right now), but it would be interesting. I'll assume Winnipeg will ask for Severson, but maybe the Devils can convince them to take Vatanen and their choice of Bratt, Boqvist, McLeod, or Zacha. Maybe throw in Wood, Andeson, or Bastian also. The possibility for 3 NHL quality players for 1 player seems a lot, but I think it's better than giving a bunch of 1st-round draft picks.

The Devils have a lot of interchangeable parts in their roster. Trade Zacha, McLeod can take his spot. Trade Bratt, Boqvist can probably slot in the top-6 and definitely top-9. Anderson and Bastian are probably slotted for bottom-6 in the near future.

Let's say the Devils trade Bratt, Wood, and Bastian for Laine (and this is a steal). Actually, I'll throw a 4th player, Zacha. AGAIN, I highly doubt this happens but let's play make-believe:

The line-up could be:

Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Gusev-Hughes-Laine
Boqvist-Zajac-Simmonds
Coleman-McLeod-Rooney/Hayden
(Alternatively, the Devils can throw Coleman at center and have Rooney/Hayden-Coleman-Anderson)


Currently, the Devils have about $6 mil in cap space, and I'm going to guess it's going to take a $6.5 mil bridge deal to get Laine signed. Once they trade Zacha and Vatanen, that's about $7 mil to sign Laine (and still have the $6 mil in cap space).

The defense will still look weak, but that's also a current issue:

Butcher-Subban
Greene-Severson
Mueller-Smith/Carrick

If it's Severson being traded, then Vatanen is getting an extension from the Devils.

The Devils can carry 2 forwards and 1 defenseman instead of the planned 2 defensemen and 1 forward.

This isn't happening but it would be nice.

Honestly, Winnipeg should try to trade Laine to Edmonton for RNH and a top defenseman prospect in the Edmonton system.
- CardiffGiant

I doubt you are getting nuge plus a top prospect either. Every single team is going to argue half his goals came on the pp and he was non existant for over half a season that alone is going to make it tough to get half value for him at this point. Get him signed and do whatever you can do get him back to norm then move on from him but right now he is at his absolute lowest in terms of value.

Its a shame because winnipeg needs to do something but I cant see a gm not talking to them like they have their foot on chevys neck.

I'd think Winnipeg would want Severson, Bratt and either a prospect or another player like Wood. And I'm not sure they like those guys enough to do it. Maybe they want some picks. But whatever rational you have for why Laine isn't worth a lot, they are going to want a lot before moving him.

Whatever happens, I have faith in Ray Ray...