Devils vs. Rangers: Battle of the Hudson - II

From the desks of:

THE BRICK CITY STYX  and RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

BATTLE of the HUDSON

Series Tied 1-1

I - NJD 3; NYR 2

II - NYR 5; NJD 2

FINAL

Devils      2

Rangers  5

If you were like me, just hoping the Rangers poor start would result in Alain Vigneault's dismissal, I'm afraid we'll now need to wait a little longer.

After starting the season 4-7-2 in October, the Blueshirts rebounded to post a 9-3-0 record in November.  They are 3-1-0 so far in December, having recently earned six important points against division foes Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Newark on Friday.  That makes the Rangers 12-4-0 since the 2nd of November, elevating them from the bottom of the Metropolitan Division to within five points of the first place Columbus Blue Jackets.

With Friday's 5-2 victory over the Devils at the Garden, the Rangers now own a 16-11-2 record.

The Rangers remaining nine December games will no doubt test their collective mettle.  They'll be hosting the Stars, Kings, Ducks, Maple Leafs, and Capitals, then travel for games against the Senators, Bruins, Devils, and Red Wings.

The Rangers have excelled at home with a 12-5-2 record, and will now host their first games of the season against Dallas, the Kings, and Ducks.  They'll also be looking to avenge a blowout loss in just the second game of the season against the Maple Leafs, and their recent loss against the Capitals.

The Sens, Bruins, and Red Wings, meanwhile, will all be looking to avenge previous road losses against the visiting Rangers, who own a sub par 4-6-0 record on the road.  They will also be visiting Newark for their third encounter against the Devils.

The Rangers have been surging minus the services of center Mika Zibanejad, who Friday missed his fifth straight game (concussion protocol) stemming from a Nov. 24 hit incurred against the Detroit Red Wings.

That being said, if you regularly follow Raise Gresch With The Greats, you know one of my pet peeves is Mats Zuccarello leading the team in points.  It's always been my contention that points to greater Rangers troubles and needs (lack of a top flight center).  I love Zucs, but my point is he shouldn't be leading a this team in points ahead of Rick Nash and Chris Kreider - two of the teams ultimate underachievers.

Rick Nash routinely leads the Rangers in shots of goal.  He leads again with 91 SOGs, yet has only registered seven goals and eight assists to date.  Kreider is second on the team with 74 SOGs, and at least is one of four Rangers with double-digit goals (10), but is nevertheless lagging behind his skill set with 17 points in 29 games played.  MatZucs, on the other hand, has seven goals and 17 points, and it the only one of the three with a positive +/- rating.

Henrik Lundqvist registered his 419th career victory Friday evening, tying him with Tony Esposito for second most wins by a goalie with one franchise.  With four more victories, Lundqvist will also tie Tony Esposito (423) for eighth place on the NHL's all-time career victory list.

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The Devils for much of the first quarter season have surprisingly jockeyed back and forth for first place of the Metropolitan Division with Columbus.  Newark jumped out to an early 8-2-0 record in October, but have trended the other way with an 8-7-4 record since.  They've recently dipped to third place behind the re-emergent Capitals, but still only trail the first place Blue Jackets by three points.

They are 2-3 in December, after losing two straight against the Blue Jackets and Rangers.  However, Friday's lost against the Rangers at the Garden was only Newark's fourth regulation time road loss of the season.  They're lagging with a 6-5-2 record at home, but own a 10-4-2 on the road.

Prior to Friday's game against the Rangers, Cory Schneider started both games of a home/home series against Columbus.  He limited the Blue Jackets to just one goal on 42 SOGs on Dec. 5, but then allowed five goals on just 28 SOGs three days later.  Keith Kinkaid made his tenth appearance of the season against the Rangers, allowing five goals on 35 shots against.

Since arriving, defensive acquisition Sami Vatanen is leading Newark blueliners with 22:10 average ice time, but is presently a minus-five, with just five SOGs, in five games so far for the Devils.  Centerman Adam Henrique, meanwhile, is thriving with a plus-two, three goals, and three assists, during his five games with Anaheim.

N.J. Devils: Adam Henrique Traded For Anaheim Blue Liner Sami Vatanen

From the desk of:  THE BRICK CITY STYX

Play of centermen Hischier and Gibbons 

allows Ray Shero to shore-up defense.

New Jersey Devils: Ray Shero Acquires Defenseman Sami Vatanen From Anaheim Ducks In Exchange For Crowd Favorite Adam Henrique.

Savvy transaction by general manager Ray Shero - center Adam Henrique and winger Joseph Blandisi are heading to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Sami Vatanen.

I'm sure Devils fans were just as surprised upon hearing about the trade as Henrique was reported to be.  Adam, a team alternate captain who turns 28-years old in February, played six full seasons in a Devils uniform after being selected by Newark in the third round of the 2008 entry draft.  He posted a career high 30 goals and 50 points just two seasons ago. 

His departure leaves team captain Andy Greene, and Travis Zajac, as the last two remaining members of the Devils 2011-12 playoff team.  Newark has not qualified for the playoffs since.

Despite losing Kyle Palmieri (foot) for six weeks, the emergence of last year's number one overall selection, Nico Hischier, and the return to the ice of center Travis Zajac, arguably rendered Adam Henrique somewhat expendable.  Newark has been getting good efforts up the middle.  Hischier has five goals and 18 points through 24 games thus far, while Brian Gibbons has netted a team leading 11 goals (15 points).  Overall, the Devils are currently ninth in the league in scoring, while Henrique has only accounted for four goals (and ten assists) in 24 games.

Joseph Blandini has split time between Newark and Binghamton over the last two seasons.  As part of the deal, the Devils will also send their 2018 third round pick to Anaheim.  If the Ducks are able to re-sign Henrique, the Devils will receive Anaheim's 2019 third round pick.

In return, the Devils receive 26-year old Sami Vatanen, considered a top-four defenseman.  New Jersey is currently 17th in goals against.  Vatanen is someone Ray Shero believes can add an offensive element from the blue line.  Anaheim's fourth round selection of the 2009 entry draft, Sami Vatanen posted a career high 12 goals in 2014-15, and a career high 29 assists and 38 points the following season.  He owns a career +22 with 126 points over 280 games played.

The move comes on the heels of Newark's Nov. 12 setback, with defenseman Mirco Mueller suffering a broken clavicle.  He underwent surgery, and is not expected back until February.  Ray Shero acquired Mueller during the off-season from San Jose in exchange for the Devils 2017 second and fourth round picks.

The Devils have spent much of the first-quarter regular season in first place, but have slipped of late.  After jumping out to an 8-2-0 record in October, they stumbled to a 6-4-4 mark in November, highlighted by four straight loses against Calgary, St. Louis, and a pair against Edmonton.

New Jersey and the New York Islanders are presently tied for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 32 points, one point behind the leading Columbus Blue Jackets.