The Devils are receiving some interest in forward Pavel Zacha, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 32 Thoughts column. The 24-year-old is on pace for a career season offensively and has 22 points in 45 games this season while splitting time between center and the wing. New Jersey’s top two spots down the middle are more or less set for the better part of the next decade so it’s certainly understandable why some teams may be sniffing around. Zacha has one season of RFA eligibility remaining and will be able to file for arbitration this summer. He’s subject to the old rule for qualifying offers which means his $3MM salary is what he’ll need to be offered to maintain his rights.
Devils Rumors
Devils Notes: Hamilton, White, Ruff
After the news of Jack Hughes entering COVID-19 protocol today, Devils fans are understandably stressed. There’s some good news on the horizon, though, as it appears defenseman Dougie Hamilton is making progress towards his return to the lineup. Team reporter Amanda Stein said today that although Hamilton did not join his teammates for practice today, the veteran defenseman did skate by himself this morning. Hamilton’s been limited to 30 of 45 games this season with various injuries, but he’s now been out of the lineup for over a month with a broken jaw. His 20 points in 30 games are by far the best scoring pace by a Devils defenseman this season, and while his defensive game has stuttered a few times this season, expect more consistent playing time in his new system to aid with that.
More notes from the Devils organization:
- The team made a shift on defense today, calling up defenseman Colton White from the AHL’s Utica Comets. While Mason Geertsen can play defense, he’s been utilized mostly at forward this season when in the lineup. With that, the Devils had no extra healthy defensemen with the team with the dissipation of taxi squads across the league over the All-Star break. White brings 15 games of NHL experience this year back to the roster, notching three assists.
- Stein also reports that head coach Lindy Ruff will return to the team later today in Ottawa ahead of their game against the Senators tomorrow. Ruff was away from the team in Western Canada after the passing of his father. Assistant Alain Nasreddine coached the team in his absence and ran the team’s practice today.
Devils Add Jack Hughes To COVID-19 Protocol
New Jersey Devils center and recent NHL All-Star Game champion Jack Hughes has landed on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list, per the team.
Hughes was in Las Vegas just yesterday playing in the All-Star Game and was around the league’s top competition all weekend, obviously sparking some concern that Hughes could be the first player of a potential outbreak to come out of the event as players return to their teams.
Devils team reporter Amanda Stein reported that Hughes “momentarily” joined his teammates on the ice for practice today, but was soon pulled from the ice.
Hughes is second on the Devils in points with 27, but has achieved the number in just 28 games due to injury, playing at nearly a point-per-game pace. He trails linemate Jesper Bratt, whose breakout year has seen him pot 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points in 42 games.
With Hughes out of the lineup, it could mean elevated ice time for rookie Dawson Mercer, who’s impressed in his first set of NHL games this year. He’s fifth on the team with 23 points, averaging a tick over 16 minutes a night.
Devils' Fitzgerald Speaks About Deadline Plans
The New Jersey Devils sure don’t sound like they’re looking for draft picks anymore. General manager Tom Fitzgerald spoke with Mike Morreale of NHL.com and mentioned the term “hockey trade” more than once, while admitting that they still haven’t made a decision on how the deadline will play out for their pending unrestricted free agents.
The Devils already have several high-end young players on the roster, so it makes sense that they would want to add to that group instead of looking a few years down the road with any additional draft picks. When Jack Hughes’ huge extension kicks in next season the pressure will be on to start competing for a playoff spot, especially after handing out a $63MM contract to Dougie Hamilton last summer. P.K. Subban and Jimmy Vesey are the team’s two more notable players on expiring deals, though neither one would be expected to bring back a very valuable asset.
Nico Daws Recalled From AHL
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Nico Daws to the NHL roster today despite the All-Star break already being underway, sending Akira Schmid back to Utica in his place. While the Comets have a back-to-back starting tonight against the Laval Rocket and could be using it as a way to keep Schmid sharp, it will be interesting to see if Daws gets another look with the Devils down the stretch. The 21-year-old goaltender played twice in October, but with MacKenzie Blackwood’s season still up in the air perhaps he’ll get another shot to try and show what he can do at the NHL level. Daws, a third-round pick in 2020, has a .917 save percentage in 17 games for Utica this season.
Blackwood Getting Second Opinion On Heel Injury
- One other note from Friedman’s column regards New Jersey Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood and his heel injury. The netminder is getting a second opinion over what treatment method to pursue and there is no timeline for his recovery. Blackwood last played on January 19, allowing four goals on 17 shots to the Arizona Coyotes.
Prospect Notes: Dickinson, Nemec, Prospect Rankings
Tough news today out of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, as the team tweeted today that center Tanner Dickinson, the team’s third-highest scorer, has suffered a broken femur and could be out for the rest of the OHL season. Dickinson is a 2020 fourth-round selection (119th overall) of the St. Louis Blues, and the 19-year-old represented the United States at the 2022 World Junior Championships before the tournament was cut short due to COVID. He actually made his professional debut last season with the OHL completely shut down, going pointless in three games with the AHL’s Utica Comets. The speedy forward had 18 goals, 29 assists, and 47 points in 35 games with the Soo in 2021-22.
More notes from the world of prospects:
- While longtime top prospect Shane Wright is solidifying his status as the projected first overall pick with a recent hot streak, there’s a hotly contested battle for who teams could look at with the second overall selection. Gone are the days when Brad Lambert and Matthew Savoie had strangleholds on the next two spots after Wright, as a variety of players have had impressive seasons to vault themselves into consideration. In their latest set of draft rankings, McKeen’s Scouting placed Slovak defenseman Simon Nemec at the number two spot, ahead of Savoie and other risers like Logan Cooley and Joakim Kemell. Nemec has broken out in the Tipos Extraliga, the top professional league in Slovakia, eating gigantic minutes for his team, HK Nitra. He has ten points in his last ten games and 23 points in 32 games on the season, incredible numbers for a 17-year-old defenseman in a top professional league, even if it is Slovakia. Fans of teams in the running for lottery picks will actually have a chance to watch Nemec at the Olympics, as he was named to Slovakia’s roster along with former NHLers Martin Marincin and Tomas Jurco.
- The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s annual team prospect rankings are wrapping up, and after he released Winnipeg at the #11 spot today, it’s now evident who Wheeler believes has the top 10 pools in the league. The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils will all get nods in the top 10. It’s incredible to see teams who are having such success this season like Carolina and Minnesota on this list, a true testament to the organizational depth they’ve built through skilled drafting and management. Carolina has the second-best points percentage in the NHL (.762) and is on pace for 125 points, while their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, has the third-best points percentage in that league.
Trade Rumors: Canucks, Tippett, Mrazek, Ducks
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek didn’t hold back on their reporting late this evening on “Hockey Night in Canada”. The duo behind “32 Thoughts” had plenty to contribute, starting with Friedman’s report on the Vancouver Canucks. With the Vancouver front office finally coming together, with Patrik Allvin being named GM of Jim Rutherford’s new-look front office, the Canucks are starting to get busy in trade talks. Although the .500 club is still in the Western Conference wild card race, the reality is that any true playoff success for Vancouver lies in the future. It should come as no surprise then that the Canucks are listening to trade offers – and not just for talked-about target J.T. Miller. Friedman reports that nearly any Vancouver forward could be had for the right price outside of captain Bo Horvat and young star Elias Pettersson. That includes Conor Garland, who the team just acquired themselves this past summer and signed to a reasonable five-year, $24.75MM deal. It is believed that the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and New York Rangers are in pursuit of Garland, though there is likely no shortage of interest in the skilled forward, who has 102 points in 155 games dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season.
- The Florida Panthers are one of the biggest surprises of the season, currently leading the top-heavy Atlantic Division with a .744 points percentage that is also third-best in the NHL. The Panthers are expected to go all-in on a Stanley Cup run this season and specifically are hoping to land a legitimate top-four defenseman. As they go about working the phones, Marek reports that one major name they are dangling is Owen Tippett. The 2017 first-rounder still has yet to make his mark in the NHL, struggling to find enough consistency at the top level to stick in the Florida lineup. However, he is only 22 and still a well-regarded as well as well-liked prospect. Tippett will likely end up as the centerpiece to any big trade the Panthers make this season.
- With Jack Campbell playing at an elite level this season while Petr Mrazek has struggled with injuries and inconsistency, the latter has proven to be little more than a pricey backup for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season while the former will be the team’s offseason priority as an impending free agent. As a result, teams have begun to inquire about Mrazek’s availability. If Campbell does stay in Toronto, the team will have a proven starter and have some promising young options like Joseph Woll and Ian Scott behind him. Marek also adds that the Maple Leafs are in hot pursuit of undrafted OHL standout Mack Guzda, who would further boost the depth chart if Toronto can win a heated race for his services. This hypothetically makes Mrazek and his $3.8MM cap hit expendable, even though he just signed with Toronto this past summer. However, for now the Leafs are maintaining that Mrazek remains a part of their plans. Marek was not so sure about that, but does report that any decision on a Mrazek trade will have to wait for the offseason.
- Among the other suitors for Guzda are the Ducks, Hurricanes, Islanders, Rangers, Penguins, and Predators. (Notably, Guzda is a Tennessee native.) One of those teams is about to get much more serious in their pursuit, as well as in the trade market. Friedman notes that Anaheim is closing in on naming a general manager. While there are still several names in contention, he believes that Pat Verbeek is the odds-on favorite. Once a permanent GM is named, the Ducks will become a fascinating team to watch; they are both well within the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, yet also possess numerous high-value rentals.
Injury Notes: Stars, Ducks, Golden Knights, Devils
Dallas Stars digital manager Kyle Shohara reports from team practice that defenseman John Klingberg and center Radek Faksa took the ice today after missing time with an upper-body injury and non-COVID-related illness, respectively. Klingberg missed the team’s last game, a 5-1 win against the New Jersey Devils, while Faksa missed that game and the night prior against the Philadelphia Flyers. Both would be huge returns to the Stars lineup, especially Klingberg. With the Swedish defenseman reportedly requesting a trade out of Dallas, every game (and every good play) matters for Dallas to recoup as much value as possible if a trade occurs.
A busy night in the NHL yields more injury news:
- The Anaheim Ducks get two key contributors back tonight versus Montreal, activating center Adam Henrique from injured reserve and defenseman Josh Manson from COVID-19 protocol. Both return to prominent roles in the lineup, with Henrique’s 16 points in 24 games likely to help boost a stagnating Ducks offense as of late. To make room on the active roster, the team reassigned defensemen Jacob Larsson and Greg Pateryn to the taxi squad and Brendan Guhle to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.
- Two gigantic contributors are returning to the Vegas Golden Knights lineup, as wingers Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith make their returns tonight, per the Las Vegas Sun’s Justin Emerson. Pacioretty’s rarely been healthy this year, but when he has, he’s scored at a torrid pace, netting 12 goals and 21 points in 16 games. Smith, coming off COVID protocol, has a respectable 29 points in 41 games.
- The New Jersey Devils got some good news with defenseman Ty Smith coming off injured reserve today, but he’s been replaced on the list by center Michael McLeod. Despite Smith’s strong rookie campaign last season, he’s having a serious sophomore slump with poor defensive numbers and just 10 points in 33 games to show for it. Hopefully, a reset can help jumpstart an improvement in play for the 21-year-old. The Devils will miss McLeod and his 11 points and 41 games in a depth role.
Jonathan Drouin, Ty Smith Placed On Injured Reserve
The New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens are both in action tonight, taking on two of the league’s powerhouses in Carolina and Colorado respectively. Those would be difficult matches even at full strength for the two rebuilding clubs, but neither one will be.
The Devils have placed Ty Smith on injured reserve with an upper-body issue retroactive to January 19. Colton White has been recalled in his place, just a couple of days after he cleared waivers. Smith played just over 15 minutes against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday and will now miss at least the next few days after receiving the IR designation.
Now 21, Smith has been an enigma this season after such a strong rookie campaign in 2020-21. After putting up 23 points in 43 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night and finishing seventh in Calder Trophy voting, the sophomore slump has gotten to him in 2021-22. Smith has just ten points through 33 games, has been moved up and down the lineup seemingly on a period-by-period basis, and has failed to come anywhere close to replicating the outstanding possession numbers he had as a rookie. Selected 17th overall in 2018, he’s a huge part of the future for the Devils that needs to get his game back on track. Perhaps a short stint away from the ice while he deals with this injury will actually do him good as a sort of reset halfway through the season.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, the Canadiens have placed Jonathan Drouin on injured reserve. Jeff Petry and Josh Anderson are also game-time decisions against the Avalanche tonight and Michael McNiven has been recalled as an emergency backup after Samuel Montembeault suffered a minor injury.
For Drouin, this comes after the report from Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports earlier in the day that he is back in Montreal undergoing further evaluation. He suffered an injury on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights, when he played just 12:52 and wasn’t available for the team in overtime. While nothing has really gone right for any Canadiens players this season, it has been good to see Drouin back and contributing after taking a leave of absence from the team last spring. With 20 points in 32 games, he is actually the team’s second-leading scorer, just behind Nick Suzuki (22 points in 39 games). With him out of the lineup, the already offensively-challenged Canadiens will be even more so.