The New Jersey Devils solved a position of need by trading Adam Henrique to the Anaheim Ducks for Sami Vatanen.
Through the first two months of the season, many have wondered when the New Jersey Devils are going to fall off and drop in the standings. By acquiring Sami Vatanen, the Devils made a move to show the rest of the Eastern Conference they aren’t going anywhere.
New Jersey currently sits third in the Metropolitan Division with 32 points and a three-point lead over the fourth place Washington Capitals. Adding Vatanen in exchange for center Adam Henrique, Joseph Blandisi, and a 2018 third-round draft pick will only strengthen their chances of holding off the rest of the division.
More from Puck Prose
- Detroit Red Wings 2023 Rookie Camp Has Plenty of Ups and Downs
- This Columbus Blue Jackets rookie doesn’t want to be forgotten
- 2 trades the Boston Bruins must make to secure the Stanley Cup
- 3 reasons the Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2024
- This is a big year for Alex Turcotte and the Los Angeles Kings
The right-handed shooting defenseman will be a major piece on one of the youngest teams in the league. Vatanen’s 45 playoff games will be invaluable experience added to a team competing for a postseason berth.
If he’s paired immediately with high-scoring rookie defenseman Will Butcher it could potentially provide the Devils with a defensive pairing capable of holding it’s own with any in the division. Vatanen, if healthy, could help take Butcher under his wing while taking pressure off the young defender to be perfect on the ice.
Vatanen may not be a legit No. 1 defenseman like a Drew Doughty or Victor Hedman. He’s likely better suited to be a contending team’s second or third-best defenseman. However, Vatanen is certainly better than most defensemen the Devils currently have on the roster. He’ll also fill the major void left by Adam Larsson after he was traded for Taylor Hall.
Vatanen’s excellent puck-moving ability will only help get the puck out of his own zone quicker. A much-needed trait for a team that’ll no doubt have its share of youthful mistakes. He could choose to skate it out himself or pass it up to his surprisingly high-scoring forwards. When his new rookie teammates like Nico Hisichier and Jesper Bratt commit offensive turnovers, Vatanen will also make up for their errors and settle things down defensively.
The loss of Henrique will hurt New Jersey in the short-term but in the long-term, it was a move that needed to happen. It’s much easier to acquire a second-line center like Henrique than it is a top-four defenseman like Vatanen. The Devils needed the defenseman a lot more than they needed the forward after the emergence of Hischier, Bratt, and other young forwards like Pavel Zacha and Miles Wood.
New Jersey also has roughly $7 million in cap space after the trade and still has all their first and second round picks for the next three seasons. Already possessing such a young core makes it a lot easier to trade away more draft picks to help add another veteran presence to the team’s top-six forwards.
Next: 3 Bold Predictions For The Devils
The Devils haven’t made the playoffs since losing in the 2011-12 Stanley Cup Finals. The current team is easily the most exciting and competitive group New Jersey has had since that run to the finals. Their addition of Vatanen will go a long way in helping the Devils snap their five-year playoff drought.