Jerrydevil

Hard to argue against that statement. He’s even falling down more than ever.

Trade value rises for two Devils.

Looks like the Devils are in a great position to get their man. We’ll see.

That would certainly make things look a lot better for Columbus. The NHL would rather Montreal get him!

They didn't dig his baserunning in the World Series, LOL!

With people clamoring for Timo on the main boards, I couldn't help but think of this guy.

Gaudreau picking Columbus is such an own goal. There's no getting around that. He'll be fortunate if the team is good again halfway through his contract. But I guess if he doesn't mind being part of a rebuild ... there's young talent but you never know which way that will go.

Yeah, I see the Devils taking care of business tonight, too. Especially with Oliver Bjorkstrand out of the way ....

Gavrikov sitting for trade-related reasons. https://www.nhl.com/news/vladislav-gavrikov-playing-status/c-341047812

They'll find another way to win next game. That's been happening all season. Today, Dougie on the PP, Blackwood and a whole bunch of blocked shots. The next game, maybe a Bratt trick.

Would you trade for Meier now without a contract extension? I'm pretty confident help will be on the way. Things are a little more pressing with Hughes hurt, but even with a trade, the rest of the team still needs to step up in his absence. They're still the most important players, not whoever we get at the deadline. Even Meier.

I was thinking that, too.

I see Andre Burakovsky is out, too, for Seattle.

That sucks he might not get there now.

Yeah, I suppose not. Trouba's not exactly picking out a weak player by hitting Kadri, who has been known to throw a hit himself. It's impressive.

That's a textbook open-ice hit on Kadri, wow. And, he pounded Dube, who dropped the gloves in retaliation. Savage. Yeah, this is a wake-up call that the Devils need to get tougher.

That was almost like being there.

My sincerest apologies to the Hamburglar for messing up his name!

Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I still want the GM to get the team some help for the playoffs (and beyond if it's Timo Meier), and I don't rule out that the Devils could do something great this spring. They've come so far -- this team was playing Steve Hammond in goal last March and now they're in a solid playoff position -- but they haven't been good for all that long. If the Devs played the Caps or Pens in round 1, who would be favored? Probably the Devils, but not by much. Forget everything I said if the Devs draw the Rangers. Then losing is not an option. 😬

Because of the experience factor, my expectations are dialed way back. I don't expect this team to get out of Round 1.

I know I certainly remember guys like Big Papi and Mike Mussina hanging them up after a great season at an advanced age. It's because it's rare! I thought Brady was coming back next season, honestly. So many teams need a QB.

By Tom Brady standards, he fell off. But he wasn't TOO horrible this year. I enjoyed watching his career as much as I could as a Jets fan, LOL. A special athlete, truly.

Ask and you shall receive.

The sunny side look is that the Devils have shown this season that they have the capability to win hockey games in more than one way. But generally, they need to tighten things up. Graves and Siegenthaler were awesome to start the season, and now they’re pretty average. Is this all about Marino? I don’t know, maybe it is. Can’t wait to find out when Marino comes back.

How confident is Ruff, despite the wins in January? Is there cause for concern due to the steep decline in possession metrics? I’m happy they are figuring out how to win, but is it sustainable? It’s a legit question. Glad they’re solidly in a playoff spot while we find out if it’s sustainable.