Neal McHale

The Devils Inability to Secure Gaudreau Makes you Wonder

The Devils Inability to Secure Gaudreau Makes you Wonder

And for my next impression, I bring you Brian Windhorst. Because in the aftermath of Wednesday's free agent frenzy stunner--Johnny Gaudreau spurning his tri-state roots to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets on a seven-year, $68.25 million deal--there's several things...

Gaudreau Can Alter Franchise’s Path

Gaudreau Can Alter Franchise’s Path

"Johnny: first time, long time." "Hi Johnny, it's Jack." "Johnny, HBSE would like to connect you with Joel Embiid." Whatever the salutation may be, there will be one extended when the clock strikes 12 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday. Players who score 115 points, let alone...

Nemec, the Devils and the Draft

Nemec, the Devils and the Draft

Simon Nemec is a highly-touted, supremely-skilled right-shot defenseman who projects to be a top-pair blueliner. Thursday at the Bell Centre, a D-needy franchise selected him with the second overall pick, passing on Shane Wright, the longstanding top North American...

League Notes and Draft Day Thoughts

League Notes and Draft Day Thoughts

As we are now just hours away from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the first in-person version of these proceedings since Jack Hughes went No. 1 to the Devils in 2019, things are percolating and thus we’re all tasked with getting out information that isn’t too outdated. So here’s a brief summary of some things to watch for tonight–read it now before it’s all old news..

What’s Up with the Devils?

What’s Up with the Devils?

By this time next week, we will know the two teams going to battle for the 2022 edition of the Stanley Cup. Colorado and one of Tampa Bay or the New York Rangers. If it’s the latter, the Rangers will have again come on top in game 7 in a series in which they trailed...

Devils, Canadiens to Select Top-Two in Entry Draft

Devils, Canadiens to Select Top-Two in Entry Draft

For the third time in six years, the Devils will select in the top-two of the NHL Entry Draft. Already familiar with missing the postseason, the Devils have been well-acquainted with the only upside of finishing in the bottom of the standings. The Devils will select...

Devils Plan Running Out of Time, or even, Needs Altering

Devils Plan Running Out of Time, or even, Needs Altering

NEWARK--The Devils dropping their 46th regulation loss of the season may have been part-reflective, part-confirming. It was anyway, the farewell to the campaign and exclamation on its indifference. For all that it is though, it is not the story that can immediately...

What Can Hughes’ Season-Ending Injury Reveal about NJ?

What Can Hughes’ Season-Ending Injury Reveal about NJ?

NEWARK--With 12 games left in the season, the Devils already figured to have a familiar modus operandi. With Jack Hughes sidelined the rest of season, that much has been confirmed by default. But what more could be under review in the fallout of the phenom-center's...

Devils Stunning Collapse Brings an About-Face

Devils Stunning Collapse Brings an About-Face

NEWARK--The Devils debacle to the Panthers on Saturday afternoon, one in which saw New Jersey's 6-2 lead in the third period erased by Florida before scoring in OT to complete the major comeback, was filled with rarity. Of course, there was the disaster of the...

Devils Handle Playoff-Bound Rangers

Devils Handle Playoff-Bound Rangers

NEWARK--Lindy Ruff called the Devils stretch to close out this season their version of playoff hockey. Which is, the obvious thing to say to a mostly sub-25 year-old core that is facing down another postseason absence. It also may be the right way to approach things,...

Quiet Deadline An Indication of Devils Right Direction

Quiet Deadline An Indication of Devils Right Direction

If you were looking for a state of the organization's confidence in the Devils of late, who have started to put things together on a more consistent basis over the last month and a half, the trade deadline just might have been a confirmation of sorts. Tom...

COLUMN: Devils of Late Can Impact Long-Term Ambitions

COLUMN: Devils of Late Can Impact Long-Term Ambitions

The Devils, winners of 5 of their last 9, have felt like a different team over the last two and a half weeks. You could even argue the last month, in that the amount of competitive contests after the 50-minute mark has been consistent. Of course, the highlights in...

Zajac’s Devils Commitment Worthy of Honor

Zajac’s Devils Commitment Worthy of Honor

In today's edition of 'Time Flies,' can you believe it's somehow been 10 years since the 2011-12 Devils triumphant run to the Stanley Cup Final? That run, which was ultimately thwarted by the Kings in six games, capturing L.A.'s first Cup in franchise history, is the...

Devils Still Learn Hard Way at MSG

Devils Still Learn Hard Way at MSG

NEW YORK--You could say the fairest assessment of the Devils is they remain in need of fine-tuning. Which, would appear to be the most responsible approach for the team to take ahead of the March 21 deadline. Their play of late has shown enough. Friday night at the...

What’s Up with the Devils?

COLUMN: Devils Play of Late is Encouraging

In some ways, Tuesday’s loss in Columbus might rank the highest in the Devils last month of games. It’s becoming hard to ignore the inevitability that this season will end without postseason. So, the name of the game, again, is building toward something, namely, the...

Devils Play puts Goaltending in Bad Spot, Again

Devils Play puts Goaltending in Bad Spot, Again

NEWARK--The team-centric focus in hockey has no room for goaltending woes to be the easy out. It's like fatigue and injuries--it happens and you, the team, have to find a solution collectively. All of it, including off nights in net, are inevitable. But, there's been...

Jack Is Back (And Staying) with Devils

Jack Is Back (And Staying) with Devils

Hard to recall a No. 1 overall pick with a stranger set of circumstances within their first three seasons. There was a global pandemic to shut down the rookie campaign and take a deep chunk out of the sophomore season, too. Then, there's the third season, which at the...

What’s Up with the Devils?

Three Things the Devils Are Telling Me

As we hit American Thanksgiving, the Devils have played 17 games, a 3-2 shootout loss at home to the Wild on Wednesday being the latest, another outing in which the Devils rallied from two behind to tie the game in the third, this time only clawing out a single point....

Bowman Resigns, Hawks Fined for 2010 Incident

Bowman Resigns, Hawks Fined for 2010 Incident

Stan Bowman, the president of hockey operations and general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, resigned on Tuesday, following the public announcement of the findings from the independent investigation into the handling of the sexual assault allegations against Brad...

Four Thoughts Through Four Devils Games

Four Thoughts Through Four Devils Games

Four games, three wins--once in regulation, two in OT and a not-so-good 60-minute effort against the class of their division, and the Devils, three weeks into the season, remain a rather undefined hockey club. For starters, they've played just four games three weeks...

What’s Up with the Devils?

Fun Hughes, Devils Team Need to Take Next Step

Come Monday, the Devils will have played a single game one week into the NHL season. And while the 4-3 OT win capped off by the kind of nifty Jack Hughes maneuver fans inside a packed house at the Rock have been waiting for, it remains a small star in the universe...

Familiar Faces in New Places

Familiar Faces in New Places

The organizational facelift from season-to-season isn't uncommon. Contract expirations, prospects moving into primetime and offseason trades and signings make new faces an inevitable reality across 32 NHL clubs. On the July 28 opening of free agency, more than 80...

REPORT: Devils to Sign Dougie Hamilton

REPORT: Devils to Sign Dougie Hamilton

The New Jersey Devils seem to have landed the big fish of the 2021 UFA class. Dougie Hamilton, according to league insiders will agree to terms with the Devils when the market  opens up at 12 p.m. ET. on Wednesday. This according to TSN Hockey Insider, Darren Dreger,...

Devils Can Alter Direction This Free Agency

Devils Can Alter Direction This Free Agency

The opening of the frenzy that is NHL free agency on Wednesday has the potential to alter the direction of the New Jersey Devils. After missing the postseason for the eighth time in nine years and now entering the 10-year anniversary of the last taste of any...

Pre-Draft Reading: Devils Options at Four

Pre-Draft Reading: Devils Options at Four

The unofficial start to the offseason has arrived. I suppose the actual start began moments after Tampa captured their second-straight Cup in a five-game Stanley Cup Final. There were some moves that came just prior to what was, comparably speaking anyway, a quiet...

Devils Long Pursuit of Graves Pays Off

Devils Long Pursuit of Graves Pays Off

Tom Fitzgerald said the pursuit of Ryan Graves didn't happen overnight. In fact, it was a two-three year dance between the New Jersey General Manager and Avs GM, Joe Sakic before Thursday's trade that saw defenseman, Ryan Graves traded to the Devils for forward,...

Devils Outlook Ahead of Expansion

Devils Outlook Ahead of Expansion

Two more sleeps. Then comes expansion. Soon, the Seattle Kraken will have an organizational depth chart that will chart the course of the league's 32nd franchise. It's unlikely the Kraken will challenge the Golden Knights inaugural season that was like something out...

Back to (Development) School for the ’21 Draft Class

Back to (Development) School for the ’21 Draft Class

Not since 1996 has a draft class gone without a top-five selection playing in the NHL in the next upcoming season. That, being the year in which Ottawa nabbed defenseman, Chris Phillips first overall--he'd debut his all-Sens 1,179-game career in 1997-98. Andrei Zyuzin...

Predictions for First Round of Playoffs

Predictions for First Round of Playoffs

Predicting the Playoffs? You read it right. I can't recall a time at this publication in which I went through the first round of the playoffs and wrote my predictions ahead of puck drop. I can't exactly recall why I've decided to take myself out of the running for...

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