Image from Александр Головко via Wikimedia Commons
Sportsnet, passing along a report from Finland’s Iltalehti, says that Ilya Kovalchuk may be plotting a return to the NHL in 2016-17.
Because he ‘retired’ from the NHL to get out of his 15 year contract with the Devils, Kovalchuk would need the permission of all 30 NHL teams to return to the league prior to the 2018-19 season.
Kovalchuk will turn 32 next month.
Marek Zidlicky has been traded to the Red Wings, reports Tom Gulitti.
Marek Zidlicky traded to Detroit for third rd pick in 2016.
— Tom Gulitti (@TGfireandice) March 2, 2015
Detroit has been rumored to be in on Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf for most of the day, but the two sides obviously couldn’t work out a deal.
TSN reports that if Detroit gets to the Stanley Cup Finals this season, the pick will be upgraded to a 2nd.
Image from Lisa Gansky via Wikimedia Commons
The Panthers have acquired Jaromir Jagr from the Devils for a 2015 2nd round pick and a 2016 conditional third round pick. The Devils get to choose between the Panthers’ 2016 3rd round pick and the 2016 3rd round pick the Panthers acquired from the Wild in the Sean Bergenheim trade.
The Panthers will be Jagr’s eighth team in his career.
The Panthers currently sit two points behind the Bruins for the final wildcard spot in the East.
Image from Lisa Gansky via Wikimedia Commons
According to Pierre Lebrun, Peter Svoboda, the agent of Jaromir Jagr, met Saturday night with Devils’ GM Lou Lamoriello to discuss the future of Jagr with the Devils.
Lebrun believes Jagr would like to be moved to a playoff team, but Lamoriello is still holding out hope his team will make a run at the playoffs, and would like to wait.
On TSN’s Insider Trading, Darren Dreger said that Jagr would like to be moved to an Eastern Conference contender.
According to Sports Club Stats, the Devils have a 0.4% chance at making the playoffs.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Boston Bruins are desperately looking to add a scoring winger.
According to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE, the team is interested in Chris Stewart, Zack Kassian, and Michael Ryder.
Stewart would require a modest package, while Kassian and Ryder could be had for cheap. Ryder may be an attractive piece for the team, as he has a history with the Bruins and he had good chemistry with David Krejci.
According to Devils reporter Rich Chere, longtime New Jersey Devil Patrik Elias could be traded at the deadline.
Elias, 39, has one year left on his three-year contract worth an average annual value of $5.5 million, but with the Devils currently 13 points out of a wild card spot, the veteran may consider making a run at the Cup with a contender.
Elias’ chances of appearing in the playoffs with the Devils are slim to none, as this will most likely be the third straight season and fourth time in five years that the Devils have missed the postseason.
Rich Chere of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that the Devils playoffs chances are very slim, as the team currently sits 10 points (now 8 points) out of the playoff picture. Chere notes the largest deficit they have ever overcome at the 41 game mark of the season is 3 points out of a playoff spot in 2005-06. Sports Club Stats has the Devils’ playoff chances at 0.4%.
Chere says the Devils should trade Jaromir Jagr, Michael Ryder, Marek Zidlicky, Jacob Josefson and Tuomo Ruutu. Jagr, who as been around the league in recent seasons, would certainly be an attractive option for a contending team, despite turning 43 in February. Zidlicky and Ryder could be of interest to teams in need of a right-handed option for their powerplay.
With the recent firing of Peter DeBoer, rumors suggest that former Ottawa Senators coach, Paul MacLean, may become the new coach of the New Jersey Devils.
MacLean had a rocky history with the Senators, but he won the Jack Adams trophy in 2013.
His coaching style tends to favor veteran players. He would provide valuable leadership to the Devils, while also stunting the development of cornerstone pieces like Adam Larsson.