Honestly, I thought the pitch idea was silly, too. However, that was until I continued to read the fictitious New Jersey Devils pitch to the NHLs best player. And honestly, if he was fielding pitches, it might be hard for Connor McDavid to turn them down based on his hunger to win, and what the Devils could offer.
Again, it’s all hypothetical, but it’s certainly interesting. More on the topic in the links below.
Yesterday, Sheldon Keefe mixed up his lines. Arseny Gritsyuk was elevated, which you can also read about below. But perhaps the more intriguing story is the criticism the Devils coach dished on the Russian rookie.
Elsewhere, Florida’s contingency plan on the injured captain, one RFA holdout ends, and a tough break for Kaapo Kakko.
Let’s do that hockey.
Devils Trade Rumors & News
New Jersey Hockey Now: On Saturday morning, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe iced what looks like the regular season forward group, with Arseny Gritsyuk elevated.
The Athletic ($): Connor McDavid to New Jersey? Here’s the pitch from the Devils management, as well as the other 30 teams who could by The Athletic staff.
Subscribe to NJHN+ here. Details below.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
NHL.com: The holdout is over. No, not the Luke Hughes one. Sorry, Devils fans. Mason McTavish and the Anaheim Ducks have finally come to terms on a new, long(ish)-term contract.
Florida Hockey Now: Well, the Florida Panthers were going to inevitably need to make changes following the news that captain Sasha Barkov is going to be out of action for seven-to-nine months. Here’s how they’re doing that.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Alright, all the Marc-Andre Fleury stuff has been fun. But, he’s retired, and there are storylines to pay attention to regarding the Pittsburgh Penguins heading into the regular season. Here’s four as told by Dan Kingerski.
The Seattle Times: Tough break for Kaapo Kakko, literally. The Finnish forward found new life with the Seattle Kraken after he was traded there by the New York Rangers last season. He had momentum coming into 2025-26, until a broken hand sidelined him for up to six weeks.
