Tag Archives: New Jersey Devils

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

2023/24 Edmonton Oilers GM30: Oilers @ Devils – 3P2W – Hell is Empty and All the Devils are Here

Hey y’all! Welcome back for another season of Edmonton Oilers hockey! I’m BLH and I’ll be giving you the skinny on today’s game!

If you’re new here and are wondering what 3P2W means, well, it stands for Three Players to Watch and seeing I’m as lazy as I am, I figured we’d shorten it to 3P2W.

So with that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s been going on lately in the Oilogospehere and then get into the player’s I’ve put under the spotlight for today’s matchup!

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Random Pontifications

  • In NJ’s last five games, it appears that they’re playing five dmen, Siegenthaler, Hughes, Nemec, Marino, and Bahl, for the most part. Bahl averaging the last amount of TOI at 17.39 whilst everybody else on that list are getting over 20 minutes.
  • I feel like the Oilers could really take advantage of a very young defense who might be playing over their heads.
  • On top of that, the Devils goalies are Jekyll and Hyde. Akira Schmid is 1-2-0 with a 3.39 GAA and a .878 SV% and Vitek Vanecek is 1-0-1 with a GAA of 1.89 and a sparkling .920 SV%. You have to think Vanecek gets the call tonight but Daily Faceoff is saying Schmid is likely to get the nod.
  • The Islanders game… I think everybody knows that the special teams let them down. The first and third periods belonged to Edmonton but they just can’t stop themselves from getting goalie’d.
  • If Pickard gets lit up tonight, I’m hoping they give Ollie Rodrigue a call-up. He deserves it.
  • I’m guessing Edmonton will make a deal after the Xmas freeze but I guess it’ll all depend on where they think the season is going for them.
  • I mean, if there’s even the slightest bit of doubt about the post-season, they should start sending contracts away and the earliest convenience too. That way they could get some of their younger players up for a showcase and in the event that they find themselves back in a playoff position, they’ve got some ammo for the deadline.
  • Players I’m thinking about are Philip Broberg, Rafa Lavoie, and I’d even like to see what Xavier Bourgault could do as I don’t think he could do worse that what Connor Brown is doing. Tyler Tullio might bring some energy and I truly believe Phil Kemp deserves a cup of coffee. He might surprise a lot of you with his old school game.

The BLH Instagram account is growing like crazy! Three weeks ago when we started to get it back going we were at a shade over 1900 followers and now we’re gunning for 2000. So please, head on over and give us a follow as we’re posting exclusive content over there that won’t be published here or on our Twitter page.

Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys

  • #73 Tyler Toffoli (13g 10a 23pts) – No special stats to speak of for Toffoli. I just feel like he’s the kind of player that could score a back-breaking goal in a tight game against Edmonton.
  • #63 Jesper Bratt (13g 24a 37pts) – Beat on the Bratt is what I say. Lest the Oilers want more goals filling their net, they’ll find a way to stifle this sneaky sniper.
  • #86 Jack Hughes (14g 24a 38pts) – He’s on fire right now. Four goals and an assist in his last five. Seven goals and five assists in his last ten. Edmonton has to keep the puck away from this guy or else…

Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys

  • #93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (7g 22a 29pts) – Nuge is still one of the team’s better producing players over this bumpy stretch. That said, a career SH% of 6.8 against NJ doesn’t really instill a lot of confidence in him to add to his totals. On a more positive note, he’s tallied 14pts in 17 games when facing the Devils. So there’s that to consider.
  • #29 Leon Draisaitl (13g 21a 24pts) – Leon scored last game and I think he’s going to start to heat up here. Am I wrong in thinking that? Over the course of his career December has been his worst month by far. Conversely, January has been one of his best.
  • #30 Calvin Pickard (1-2-0, 2.99 GAA, 0.901 SV%) – The Devils are a high-octane go-for-broke offensive team. Pickard is really going to need to be on his game tonight. However, they are 2-2-1 in their last five with the Oilers being one of the teams that beat them in that span. They’re also averaging 3+ goals against in that timeframe. So if Pickard can hold the Devils to under three goals, the Oilers should be able to take this one.

The King of the North is here! Click the pic and grab a shirt!

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

2023/24 Edmonton Oilers GM26: Oilers VS. Devils – 3P2W – Dancing with the Devils in the Pale Moonlight

Hey y’all! Welcome back for another season of Edmonton Oilers hockey! I’m BLH and I’ll be giving you the skinny on today’s game!

If you’re new here and are wondering what 3P2W means, well, it stands for Three Players to Watch and seeing I’m as lazy as I am, I figured we’d shorten it to 3P2W.

So with that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s been going on lately in the Oilogospehere and then get into the player’s I’ve put under the spotlight for today’s matchup!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Random Pontifications

  • Jesse’s back with the Pens! I hope he earns a contract there and lights it up because historically when he’s been healthy, he’s played very well. Going from McDavid to Aho to Crosby as his centers, when it’s all said and done, he’s going to have some pretty good NHL memories.

The BLH Instagram account is growing like crazy! Three weeks ago when we started to get it back going we were at a shade over 1900 followers and now we’re gunning for 2000. So please, head on over and give us a follow as we’re posting exclusive content over there that won’t be published here or on our Twitter page.

Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys

  • #86 Jack Hughes (10g 23a 33pts) – Why wouldn’t you keep an eye on Jack Hughes? He’s one of the most electrifying players in the game right now and he’s scored seven points in his last five. So, he’s pretty hot at the moment.
  • #17 Simon Nemec (1g 2a 3pts) – three points in four games since his call up from the AHL after Doug Hamilton’s injury and he’s already on NJ’s top pair with Jonas Siegenthaler. The 2nd overall pick from the 2022 draft could be a stud in the making.
  • #10 Alexander Holtz (8g 4a 12pts) – The former YouTube sensation has pissed off his coach apparently as he’s stuck on the Devils’ 4th line despite scoring eight goals already this season. This kid is a talent and way too good for 4th line duties.

Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys

  • #93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (5g 18a 23pts) – How does the Nuge follow up a 4pt performance? I’m hoping with a hat-trick!
  • #2 Evan Bouchard (7g 20a 27pt) – Can he keep the streak going? Devs goalies are struggling to keep the puck out of the net and Bouch is the hottest dman in the league right now. The big boss over at Oilersnation is looking silly with his “Bouchard is a no.6 defenseman!” take now, isn’t he? (see below)
  • #29 Leon Draisaitl (11g 20a 31pts) – Expect to see some different wingers on Leon’s line shortly. Connor Brown is doing nothing in Edmonton’s top six right now and there are players like Anthony Duclair and Andrei Kuzmenko that are on the block…

The King of the North is here! Click the pic and grab a shirt!

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(3/23/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: “Evgeni Kuznetsov trade possibilities…”

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Evgeni Kuznetsov (WAS), Dustin Brown (LA), Niklas Hjalmarsson (ARI), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Larry Brooks (NY Post) wonders if New Jersey Devils $9M right-shot defender might have some interest from other clubs at this year’s trade deadline or prior,

  • “The Spirit of 76 has one year with a $9 million cap hit remaining on his deal. If the Devils retain half, contenders with needs on the right side of the blue line could do much worse than acquiring Subban.”

Emily Sadler of Sportsnet:  Mattias Ekholm emerging as one of the top defensive trade targets has been established. Now, where could he end up? The Jake Muzzin deal sets the bar but again the where is far from set.

  • Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto seems to be involved in everything but they do need defense and/or goaltending insurance. Ekholm would be especially helpful but a deal would have to be done in the next week or so. A pure rental makes more sense but Ekholm gives Toronto three left-handed anchors for defense.
  • Philadelphia Flyers:  Again, when Matt Niskanen retired, it left a huge void on the defensive corps. At first, the Flyers were able to hide their deficiencies but now they cannot. Giving up 25 goals in the last five games makes a deal more likely. Ekholm’s term helps here at a reasonable rate for Philadelphia. The Flyers have enough prospects to sweeten any deal for the Nashville defenseman.
  • Montreal Canadiens:  Montreal’s roller coaster of a season continues at breakneck speed. Marc Bergevin remains unafraid to pull off another bold move or three. With the Ben Chiarot injury, a spot has opened up. Unfortunately, cap space is an issue as it is for most teams. Montreal possesses a wealth of draft picks — 14 in 2021, and seven in 2022. Does Montreal add Artturi Lehkonen as well?
  • Boston Bruins:  Ekholm is one of those defensemen who can boost scoring a little bit while playing mostly excellent defense in a tougher top-four role. The problem for the Bruins is that teams know Boston has one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL. A player may have to go the other way. Jake DeBrusk is the name bandied about as a possible return for Nashville.
  • Winnipeg Jets:  Winnipeg has the pieces to make a Jake Muzzin like deal according to Murat Ates via Adam Vingan of The Athletic. The problem is that other teams could offer a better package for Ekholm. Cap issues are there as well. However, adjustments can be made for the Nashville defenseman.

J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington (mailbag):  A flat salary cap remains for the next few seasons. The Washington Capitals need a center. It was something Washington did not address during the draft or free agency last year. They have a nice core of four centers with the big club but little or nothing else after that. A dollar-in, dollar-out deal to deliver a depth center seems unlikely.

Evgeni Kuznetsov trade possibilities rise a little but not until after the season. During the season makes little sense for the Washington Capitals. As for the expansion draft, stay tuned as Washington will try to steer certain deals to Seattle. A Vegas-like sequel will not happen again.

Rick Carpiniello of The Athletic: The New York Rangers would definitely be interested in Jack Eichel if he becomes available. That would be more of an offseason move, if at all. They will likely be sellers, but do have some assets/draft picks they could move for the right player.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, feels the Toronto Maple Leafs are talking trade for a defenseman to fill out their d-core and provide them some more insurance as they head into the playoffs. Candidates include: Nik Hjalmarsson (ARI), Marc Staal (DET), Jari Hakanpaa (ANA), and David Savard (CBJ).

Dennis Bernstein (The Fourth Period) says that that LA Kings are getting interest on veterans Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick.

  • “One team is an obvious landing spot for Brown – the New York Islanders, who were on the wrong end of a body blow when captain Anders Lee’s season ended with an ACL injury. Brown isn’t Lee, but what he is, is the most affordable and likely gettable player on the market. He’s not the only option for the Islanders (Kyle Palmieri, Mikael Granlund, Taylor Hall), but is having the best season of any options. “
  • The other player who has drawn attention is at the other end of the spectrum, goaltender Jonathan Quick. Though the Los Angeles net has not been handed over to Cal Petersen by Todd McLellan, the younger netminder is clearly the better goaltender. Some say that Quick is done and isn’t close to the Conn Smythe winner he once was and they’re right. “

Jimmy Murphy (Boston Hockey Now) recently reported multiple sources claiming the Bruins are scouting Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard. GM Don Sweeney is also continuing to monitor the situation with Ekholm and St. Louis Blues rearguard Vince Dunn. The Predators and Blues recently scouted the Bruins.

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(3/21/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: “One name I’m intrigued by, provided the Kings wanted to move him, is…”

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Tyson Barrie (EDM), John Gibson (ANA), P.K. Subban (NJ), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Greg Wyshynski (ESPN): Says that there are six teams who MUST nail the upccoming NHL trade deadline,

  • Anaheim Ducks: They should honestly tear this thing down to the concrete and prospects. For me, that would include exploring a Hampus Lindholm trade in the offseason and moving goalie John Gibson either now or in the offseason.
  • Boston Bruins: Jake DeBrusk’s name has been mentioned for a while as trade bait for bigger fish, and he’s a desirable target at just a $3.675 million annual cap hit that runs through next season. He also strikes you as someone with the Tyler Seguin-esque ability to level up his game in a new locale and make whatever deal the Bruins include him in become “The DeBrusk Trade” within two seasons.
  • Carolina Hurricanes: Adding a center would seem paramount. The question is whether that center should be the Buffalo Sabres‘ Eric Staal — a reunion of franchise player and franchise that is seemingly being willed into existence by fans and media lately.
  • Nashville Predators: Obviously, Ekholm is a deadline bounty waiting to happen. The 2019 Jake Muzzin trade between the Kings and Maple Leafs has been held up as a comparable windfall, and that delivered Carl Grundstrom, Sean Durzi and Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2019 draft to Los Angeles.
  • Philadelphia Flyers: Another reason for the defensive letdown is that the Flyers still haven’t replaced Matt Niskanen on their blue line… They could also bring in Manson from the Ducks, but his offense hasn’t been anywhere near consistent in the past three seasons.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs: One name I’m intrigued by, provided the Kings wanted to move him, is Alex Iafallo. A 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent, he costs $2.425 million against the cap and is as comfortable killing penalties as he is playing in the top six. Plus, Dubas and Kings GM Rob Blake have done some nice business in the Muzzin and Campbell trades before.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have decided to hold off on becoming sellers now that they’ve climbed back into the Scotia North Division playoff race. They want to see how things play out and as a result has slowed things down in the trade market. The Columbus Blue Jackets are another club holding off after battling back into the postseason.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks points out P.K. Subban is having a pretty good season with the New Jersey Devils. Subban has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $9 million. Brooks suggests he’d be a good option for clubs seeking a right-side defenseman if the Devils agreed to pick up half of his cap hit.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports teams have shown an interest in Arizona Coyotes winger Conor Garland. He doesn’t believe it’s a move the Coyotes want to do but perhaps they’d consider it for the right price if it allows them to restock.

NBC Sports: San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson is now on record with the exact direction he’s going to take his hockey club and it’s not going to make star defenceman Erik Karlsson any happier.

  • “For very simple reasons. We were gonna reset,” Wilson said when asked why the Sharks weren’t buyers over the offseason. “That meant giving our younger player the opportunities. That’s the mode that we’re in right now. You want the Patty Marleaus, the Stef Noesens, the Marcus Sorensens, but you want opportunities for our young players to play. That is the mode that we’re in. We wanted to make sure that we replenished our system in the draft and that’s why we used all nine of those picks. We didn’t use those picks to go get players from the outside.”

Ken Campbell (The Hockey News): Had this to say with regards to Edmonton Oilers pending UFA defenseman Tyson Barrie,

  • “It’s pretty clear that if and when Barrie sits down with the Oilers, he’s going to have to adjust his expectations. If he wants to remain in what has turned out to be a great situation and be part of a team on the rise, he’ll likely have to sacrifice both money and term and take a hometown discount for an organization to which he has only one year of service. If not, he’ll sign for better terms somewhere else and be playing for his fourth team in four years.”

Adam Gretz (NBC Sports): Believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Boston Bruins are the most likely landing spots for Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm. 

  • “There is a lot to like about the Jets due to their forwards and goaltending, but the defense is still in need of some extra help. This team is screaming for a player like Ekholm. The North Division is wide open for the taking, and for as big of a lead as Toronto jumped out to it is not invincible out of that group. Somebody from that division is going to reach the semifinals. The Jets have the forwards and goaltending. They need the defense.Toronto is a logical choice given the seemingly “all in” mindset for this season, but given their current struggles they might need to address the goaltending issue before the defense. That is the concern right now.Boston has the salary cap space to make a play for a top defenseman at the trade deadline but given how much their secondary scoring has hurt this season.”

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Flames Suck. Click the pic and get a shirt.
This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

(3/21/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: MOCK TRADES!!!

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring some trade proposals courtesy of The Athletic that include players like Jake DeBrusk (BOS), Jeff Skinner (BUF), Anthony Mantha (DET), Jack Eichel (BUF), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

NHL Rumors and Speculation (and Mock Trades)

Harman Dayal of The Athletic (mailbag): Says that the Vancouver Canucks could target some players like Warren Foegele (CAR) or Ryan Graves (COL) in expansion draft trades as their respective teams find a way to complete their protection lists.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey NOW: Wonders if the Penguins might try to pull off a more drastic trade now with Evgeni Malkin on the IR. He also speculates that Pittsburgh might have interest in Luke Glendening and Bobby Ryan (DET), Erik Haula (NSH), Cody Eakin (BUF), or Ryan Dzingel (OTT).

Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey NOW (mailbag): Is of the belief that the Boston Bruins are in desperate need of some scoring and has thrown out names like Taylor Hall (BUF), Rickard Rackell (ANA), and Kyle Palmieiri (NJ). He warns though, those players may have a buyer beware tag on them.

Shawn Simpson: The Ottawa Senators should be looking to find a Marc Methot-type partner for Thomas Chabot this offseason.

Sportsnet: Chris Johnston said that Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames may not be that active at the trade deadline. The Winnipeg Jets have already made a big move but are a wild card team.

Kevin Bieksa (Sportsnet): Says the Tyson Barrie should do whatever it takes to stay with the Edmonton Oilers,

“When you’re a free agent, you gotta find a team that’s a good fit for you. … You look at it with Barrie, it’s just a good fit. The way he plays, he likes to handle the puck, he likes to be offensive, jump in the play, he’s good on the power play, he’s a right hand shot, which is also important for McDavid and Draisailt. He checks a lot of the boxes, he’s having a lot of success.”

Here are SOME of the promised mock trades courtesy of The Athletic!

What do you think of those proposals? Let us know in the comments below!

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Flames Suck. Click the pic and get a shirt.
This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!