N.J. Devils: Hail Patrik and Hello Grabner Night at the Rock

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

PATRIK ELIAS

1995 ~ 2016

New Jersey Devils All-Time Leading Scorer

1,240 Games ~ 408 Goals ~ 617 Assists ~ 1,025 Points

Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Patrik Elias Jersey Joins Those of Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Martin Brodeur, and Scott Niedermayer in the Prudential Center Rafters.

Tonight, Newark celebrates the twenty-year career of New Jersey Devils left winger Patrik Elias.

His jersey featuring number 26 is being hoisted up to the rafters this evening alongside those of Devils greats Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Martin Brodeur, and Scott Niedermayer.

Elias is the club's all-time scoring leader.  He and Daneyko are the only two of the five to have played their entire careers solely in a Devils uniform.

A durable and great two way forward, Elias scored at least 20 goals in a season ten times and topped 30 goals four times.  In 2000-2001, he netted a career high 40 goals, and registered an NHL best plus/forty-five.

With a centering pass from the right corner, Elias assisted on Jason Arnott's Stanley Cup clinching goal in double-overtime of Game Six against the Dallas Stars.

TONIGHT

New York Islanders

vs.

New Jersey Devils

FROM

THE ROCK

NEWARK

Michael Grabner sure does know his way around the metropolitan area.  Once they drop the puck this evening at Newark, and his skates touch ice, Grabner will officially become the eleventh person to ever play for all three local hockey clubs.

Led by Taylor Hall, the young New Jersey Devils have spent the regular season defying expectations.  With a 31-22-8 record and 70 points to date, Newark enters tonight's action in seventh place of the conference standings - five points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders, both of whom are tied for eighth place with 65 points.  

Now with the acquisition of Michael Grabner, they seem to have all but silenced any lingering questions regarding their staying power.

Famous last words ...

Grabner, 30, is a good two-way player who was leading the Rangers with 25 goals and a plus-eleven through 59 games played.  Last season, he scored 27 goals in 76 games for the Rangers.  General manager Ray Shero sent the Rangers a second round draft pick and 20-year old defensive prospect Yegor Rykov in return.  Even if Grabner (a potential unrestricted free agent) only turns out being a springtime rental, it is a worthy price to pay.  

He will reportedly be lining up with Travis Zajac and Pavel Zacha.

It doesn't matter where they stick him.  This is a fine acquisition.

And who knows - being that Grabner is so familiar with the area, he just might give the Devils a required home town discount for sake of potentially fitting into their future plans.

This will be the Devils fifteenth straight game without starting goalie Cory Schneider - out since Jan. 23 with a groin injury.  The Devils have gone 7-7-0 in his absence.  Keith Kinkaid has made ten starts in his place; Eddie Lack has started three games; and Ken Appleby one start.

The streaky Devils enter this evening's game fresh off two straight home losses against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Josh Bailey's Six Year, $30 Million Dollar Contract Extension Better Mean John Tavares' Deal Is Next.

There's no way the Islanders would open a new arena at Belmont Park without him, right?

At least Bailey's deal is a sign of life.  People were beginning to wonder if Garth Snow was actually showing up for work.

Now how about getting on the phones and try shoring up this defense by the deadline, huh?  The team is fourth in the league in scoring for Lord Stanley's sake ... yet are near last in the league in goals against and the penalty kill.

Like the Devils, the more desperate Islanders are trying to snap a two game skid.