The New Jersey Devils announced on Wednesday that their head coach, Lindy Ruff, inked a new contract extension with the franchise. The Devils didn’t reveal details of the agreement, describing it only as “multi-year.”

Ruff joined the Devils in 2020 and oversaw two rebuilding campaigns before the team made a big leap last season. The Devils finished the 2022-23 with a 52-22-8 record and reached the second round of Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2011–12.

“I’m thrilled to commit here to this situation and couldn’t be prouder of the great progress that our group made last season,” said Ruff in a statement released by the Devils. “We have a special group in Jersey, and there’s an opportunity to accomplish long-term success, make a lot of positive memories, and give our fans a lot to cheer about – because our Devils’ fan base is one of the best in the League and they deserve to see a winner.”

Lindy Ruff also coached the Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars earlier in his career. He is currently the NHL’s most-winningest active coach with 834 career wins and is fifth all-time. Ruff’s biggest success came with the Sabres when he led the franchise to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999.

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New Jersey Devils’ risky trade for All-Star winger Timo Meier back in February has paid off for both the player and the team. The Devils inked Meier to an extension that will keep the 26-year-old with the organization for the next eight years and guarantees him $70.4 million.

The Devils officially confirmed the agreement via social media on Wednesday.

“Timo’s unique blend of style of play, goal-scoring ability, and physical presence will prove valuable for us,” said Devils’ General Manager Tom Fitzgerald in a statement. “In talking with him, Timo realized, and I always believed, that this is the right place for him as a player and a person. We’ve locked up another piece of our young core that is looking to take that next step together for greater success.”

The Devils acquired Meier ahead of the NHL trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster trade that also saw several players and draft picks changing hands. Many believed that the move could come and bite the Devils, considering that Meier was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season.

The Devils’ front office opted not to pursue a long-term deal with Meier at the time of the trade, wanting to sell him the opportunity to be one of the franchise cornerstones in the second part of the campaign. It appears they managed to do just that and now have a player that will help them build on an encouraging last season.

Timo Meier played a total of 472 games in the NHL since 2016–17, contributing 163 goals and 167 assists for a total of 330 points. He earned his first All-Star nod in 2022. 

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The New Jersey Devils’ investment in goalkeeper Vitek Vanecek won’t be for nothing. The team just announced that Vanecek inked a three-year contract extension that is worth a total of $10.2 million and will keep him with the Devils through the 2024-25 NHL season.

Vanecek, who was a restricted free agent, joined the Devils on the 2022 NHL Entry Draft night in a trade with the Washington Capitals. The transaction included New Jersey giving up a third-rounder and teams swapping second-rounders.

“There is an opportunity for me to play lots of games,” said Vanecek after the news became official. “I am really happy for that.”

Vitek Vanecek made his NHL debut in 2020–21 and has since made 79 appearances. The 26-year-old has a 41-22-10 record with six shutouts, 2.68 goals against average, and a .908 save percentage in the past two seasons.

The New Jersey Devils made a move for Vanecek as a safety net after their starter Mackenzie Blackwood struggled with injuries last season, and veteran Jonathan Bernier was forced to undergo hip surgery. Blackwood is also in the last year of his contract, and having Vanecek under control for three years will allow the franchise to approach the negotiations more calmly.

The post Devils Sign Goalie Vitek Vanecek to 3-Year, $10.2 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes has been placed on the team’s injured reserve list, the franchise officially announced on Thursday. Currently recovering from a dislocated shoulder, Hughes has been ruled out of action indefinitely with no set return date in sight.

The 20-year-old center was taken off the ice during the first period of the Devils’ 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. He received his dislocated shoulder as a result of being ridden recklessly into the boards by Seattle defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

According to an official team statement, Hughes will not be undergoing surgery, with an earlier MRI scan revealing that such action would not be required.

Currently, the 20-year-old Hughes is beginning his physical therapy treatment and is set to be evaluated at the start of next week, when the team is expecting to receive more information on a timetable leading to the player’s return to action.

Before suffering a dislocated shoulder, Hughes enjoyed a strong start to the season, scoring two goals in New Jersey’s nail-biting 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The player arrived was selected by the Devils as the first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

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Another veteran goalkeeper will enter the already crowded free agency. New York Devils announced on Thursday that they have placed veteran Cory Schneider on waivers with the intention to buy out his contract.

Schneider signed a seven-year, $42 million extension with the Devils in 2014 and still had two more years left on his deal after the 2019/20 NHL season. Instead of $6 million in each of the next two years, the 34-year-old will now receive $8 million compensation, which will be spread out evenly through 2024.

This was an expected move from the Devils, considering that Mackenzie Blackwood established himself as the team’s No.1 choice on goal. Blackwood had a 22-14-8 record in 2019/20, posting a 2.77 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. He also added three shutouts.

Cory Schneider, on the other hand, struggled in the past two seasons, coming off hip surgery in 2018. Since then, Schneider played only 39 games while putting some disappointing performances. In this past season, he had a 3-6-2 record with a career-worst 3.53 goals-against average and .887 save percentage.

Schneider, Vancouver Canucks, has 409 career games in NHL and one All-Star appearance by his name.

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New Jersey Devils made another important step in their rebuild on Thursday. The team announced that they have hired Lindy Ruff as their head coach while installing Tom Fitzgerald as the permanent general manager.

Ruff comes to New Jersey following a stint as an assistant with the New York Rangers. He previously served as head coach of Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres and has a 736-554-125 career record.

Devils needed a coach after they fired John Hynes in early December. Assistant Alain Nasreddine led the team on an interim basis since then, finishing the regular season with 19-16-8 record.

Fitzgerald previously served as Director of Player Development with Pittsburgh Penguins before taking over the assistant general manager role with Devils in 2015. He stepped in as interim GM back in January after Ray Shero got fired.

“It was evident that Tom was the right person for this job,” said Devils’ co-owner David Blitzer in a statement. “We’re very excited to remove that interim tag.”

New Jersey Devils now hope that Ruff and Fitzgerald will help turn around a team that has one of NHL’s youngest rosters. Since playing in Stanley Cup finals in 2012, Devils haven’t been competitive in NHL and only managed to make playoffs once in seven seasons. They finished the 2019/20 14th in the Eastern Conference with 28-29-12 overall record.

The post Devils Hire Lindy Ruff as Coach, Keep Tom Fitzgerald as GM appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Cory Schneider’s time with New Jersey Devils has come to an end; at least for now. Devils announced on Monday that they have placed the veteran goalie and former All-Star on waivers.

The team made the move with the intention to send Schneider to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Devils, as they don’t count on him in the next several weeks. It’s widely expected that the 33-year-old will clear waivers, as he has a $6 million salary-cap hit and contract that runs through 2021/22 NHL season.

“The way the schedule comes now, we didn’t see him getting into a lot of games in the next couple of weeks,” – Devils coach John Hynes explained the team’s decision. “When a player, particularly a goalie, if you’re not going to have an opportunity to play, it’s hard to get the game reps and confidence that you need.”

Devils will replace Schneider with Binghamton goalie Louis Domingue, hoping he can step up if starter MacKenzie Blackwood continues to struggle in his sophomore season. Blackwood has is 7-4-3 this season, posting 2.79 GAA and .904 save percentage.

Cory Schneider, who was the first-round pick for Vancouver Canucks in 2004, joined the Devils in 2013. He was named the team’s starting goalkeeper in 2014 and managed to put together a string of notable performances which resulted in him being named an All-Star in 2016 for the first time in his career.

In recent years, however, Schneider’s form took a drop and he began losing his playing time. This season, he made six appearances and went 0-4-1 while posting a 4.59 GAA and .852 save percentage.

The post New Jersey Devils Place Goalie Cory Schneider on Waivers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Anaheim Ducks and the New Jersey Devils made a big splash in the NHL with an interesting trade they did on Thursday. The Ducks sent defenseman Sami Vatanen and a conditional draft pick to the Devils in exchange for forward Adam Henrique, forward Joseph Blandisi and a 2018 third-round pick.

After getting as far as the Western Conference finals last season, the Ducks have struggled so far, mostly due to injuries. Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Rickard Rakell are sidelined, while the team is missing the services of forward Patrick Eaves as well. The Ducks are now hoping that Henrique can fill in since their return, and also be useful afterward due to his versatility. The team currently has 27th ranked offense in the league and sits in the sixth position of the Pacific Division.

The player, on the other hand, was caught by surprise with the trade.

“It wasn’t something I was expecting,” – said Henrique after the trade. “With everything going on in Anaheim with the injuries, it just makes sense. I think the Devils have obviously been looking for a defenseman, and I think everything kind of came together the last day or two here.”

Henrique played 455 times for the Devils during his career and scored 123 goals while adding 133 assists. In 24 games of 2017–18 season, he contributed four goals and 10 assists.

The Devils, on the other hand, will increase their defensive depth with the addition of Sami Vatanen. He previously played in 280 regular season games in addition to 40 playoff appearances for the Ducks and contributed 38 points and 110 assists.

“In acquiring Sami, we bring on a right shot, top-four defenseman who can play in all situations,” – the Devils general manager Ray Shero said. “This move also gives us contract certainty on the back end for the next two-plus years.”

The post The Anaheim Ducks and the New Jersey Devils Make a Big Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Jersey Devils announced on Wednesday that their head coach, Lindy Ruff, inked a new contract extension with the franchise. The Devils didn’t reveal details of the agreement, describing it only as “multi-year.”

Ruff joined the Devils in 2020 and oversaw two rebuilding campaigns before the team made a big leap last season. The Devils finished the 2022-23 with a 52-22-8 record and reached the second round of Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2011–12.

“I’m thrilled to commit here to this situation and couldn’t be prouder of the great progress that our group made last season,” said Ruff in a statement released by the Devils. “We have a special group in Jersey, and there’s an opportunity to accomplish long-term success, make a lot of positive memories, and give our fans a lot to cheer about – because our Devils’ fan base is one of the best in the League and they deserve to see a winner.”

Lindy Ruff also coached the Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars earlier in his career. He is currently the NHL’s most-winningest active coach with 834 career wins and is fifth all-time. Ruff’s biggest success came with the Sabres when he led the franchise to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999.

The post NJ Devils Ink Head Coach Lindy Ruff to a Multi-Year Extension appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Jersey Devils’ risky trade for All-Star winger Timo Meier back in February has paid off for both the player and the team. The Devils inked Meier to an extension that will keep the 26-year-old with the organization for the next eight years and guarantees him $70.4 million.

The Devils officially confirmed the agreement via social media on Wednesday.

“Timo’s unique blend of style of play, goal-scoring ability, and physical presence will prove valuable for us,” said Devils’ General Manager Tom Fitzgerald in a statement. “In talking with him, Timo realized, and I always believed, that this is the right place for him as a player and a person. We’ve locked up another piece of our young core that is looking to take that next step together for greater success.”

The Devils acquired Meier ahead of the NHL trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster trade that also saw several players and draft picks changing hands. Many believed that the move could come and bite the Devils, considering that Meier was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season.

The Devils’ front office opted not to pursue a long-term deal with Meier at the time of the trade, wanting to sell him the opportunity to be one of the franchise cornerstones in the second part of the campaign. It appears they managed to do just that and now have a player that will help them build on an encouraging last season.

Timo Meier played a total of 472 games in the NHL since 2016–17, contributing 163 goals and 167 assists for a total of 330 points. He earned his first All-Star nod in 2022. 

The post NJ Devils Sign All-Star Timo Meier to an 8-Year, $70.4 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Jersey Devils’ investment in goalkeeper Vitek Vanecek won’t be for nothing. The team just announced that Vanecek inked a three-year contract extension that is worth a total of $10.2 million and will keep him with the Devils through the 2024-25 NHL season.

Vanecek, who was a restricted free agent, joined the Devils on the 2022 NHL Entry Draft night in a trade with the Washington Capitals. The transaction included New Jersey giving up a third-rounder and teams swapping second-rounders.

“There is an opportunity for me to play lots of games,” said Vanecek after the news became official. “I am really happy for that.”

Vitek Vanecek made his NHL debut in 2020–21 and has since made 79 appearances. The 26-year-old has a 41-22-10 record with six shutouts, 2.68 goals against average, and a .908 save percentage in the past two seasons.

The New Jersey Devils made a move for Vanecek as a safety net after their starter Mackenzie Blackwood struggled with injuries last season, and veteran Jonathan Bernier was forced to undergo hip surgery. Blackwood is also in the last year of his contract, and having Vanecek under control for three years will allow the franchise to approach the negotiations more calmly.

The post Devils Sign Goalie Vitek Vanecek to 3-Year, $10.2 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes has been placed on the team’s injured reserve list, the franchise officially announced on Thursday. Currently recovering from a dislocated shoulder, Hughes has been ruled out of action indefinitely with no set return date in sight.

The 20-year-old center was taken off the ice during the first period of the Devils’ 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. He received his dislocated shoulder as a result of being ridden recklessly into the boards by Seattle defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

According to an official team statement, Hughes will not be undergoing surgery, with an earlier MRI scan revealing that such action would not be required.

Currently, the 20-year-old Hughes is beginning his physical therapy treatment and is set to be evaluated at the start of next week, when the team is expecting to receive more information on a timetable leading to the player’s return to action.

Before suffering a dislocated shoulder, Hughes enjoyed a strong start to the season, scoring two goals in New Jersey’s nail-biting 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The player arrived was selected by the Devils as the first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

The post Devils’ Jack Hughes Placed On Injured Reserve appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Another veteran goalkeeper will enter the already crowded free agency. New York Devils announced on Thursday that they have placed veteran Cory Schneider on waivers with the intention to buy out his contract.

Schneider signed a seven-year, $42 million extension with the Devils in 2014 and still had two more years left on his deal after the 2019/20 NHL season. Instead of $6 million in each of the next two years, the 34-year-old will now receive $8 million compensation, which will be spread out evenly through 2024.

This was an expected move from the Devils, considering that Mackenzie Blackwood established himself as the team’s No.1 choice on goal. Blackwood had a 22-14-8 record in 2019/20, posting a 2.77 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. He also added three shutouts.

Cory Schneider, on the other hand, struggled in the past two seasons, coming off hip surgery in 2018. Since then, Schneider played only 39 games while putting some disappointing performances. In this past season, he had a 3-6-2 record with a career-worst 3.53 goals-against average and .887 save percentage.

Schneider, Vancouver Canucks, has 409 career games in NHL and one All-Star appearance by his name.

The post New Jersey Devils Buying Out Veteran GK Cory Schneider appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Jersey Devils made another important step in their rebuild on Thursday. The team announced that they have hired Lindy Ruff as their head coach while installing Tom Fitzgerald as the permanent general manager.

Ruff comes to New Jersey following a stint as an assistant with the New York Rangers. He previously served as head coach of Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres and has a 736-554-125 career record.

Devils needed a coach after they fired John Hynes in early December. Assistant Alain Nasreddine led the team on an interim basis since then, finishing the regular season with 19-16-8 record.

Fitzgerald previously served as Director of Player Development with Pittsburgh Penguins before taking over the assistant general manager role with Devils in 2015. He stepped in as interim GM back in January after Ray Shero got fired.

“It was evident that Tom was the right person for this job,” said Devils’ co-owner David Blitzer in a statement. “We’re very excited to remove that interim tag.”

New Jersey Devils now hope that Ruff and Fitzgerald will help turn around a team that has one of NHL’s youngest rosters. Since playing in Stanley Cup finals in 2012, Devils haven’t been competitive in NHL and only managed to make playoffs once in seven seasons. They finished the 2019/20 14th in the Eastern Conference with 28-29-12 overall record.

The post Devils Hire Lindy Ruff as Coach, Keep Tom Fitzgerald as GM appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Cory Schneider’s time with New Jersey Devils has come to an end; at least for now. Devils announced on Monday that they have placed the veteran goalie and former All-Star on waivers.

The team made the move with the intention to send Schneider to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Devils, as they don’t count on him in the next several weeks. It’s widely expected that the 33-year-old will clear waivers, as he has a $6 million salary-cap hit and contract that runs through 2021/22 NHL season.

“The way the schedule comes now, we didn’t see him getting into a lot of games in the next couple of weeks,” – Devils coach John Hynes explained the team’s decision. “When a player, particularly a goalie, if you’re not going to have an opportunity to play, it’s hard to get the game reps and confidence that you need.”

Devils will replace Schneider with Binghamton goalie Louis Domingue, hoping he can step up if starter MacKenzie Blackwood continues to struggle in his sophomore season. Blackwood has is 7-4-3 this season, posting 2.79 GAA and .904 save percentage.

Cory Schneider, who was the first-round pick for Vancouver Canucks in 2004, joined the Devils in 2013. He was named the team’s starting goalkeeper in 2014 and managed to put together a string of notable performances which resulted in him being named an All-Star in 2016 for the first time in his career.

In recent years, however, Schneider’s form took a drop and he began losing his playing time. This season, he made six appearances and went 0-4-1 while posting a 4.59 GAA and .852 save percentage.

The post New Jersey Devils Place Goalie Cory Schneider on Waivers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Anaheim Ducks and the New Jersey Devils made a big splash in the NHL with an interesting trade they did on Thursday. The Ducks sent defenseman Sami Vatanen and a conditional draft pick to the Devils in exchange for forward Adam Henrique, forward Joseph Blandisi and a 2018 third-round pick.

After getting as far as the Western Conference finals last season, the Ducks have struggled so far, mostly due to injuries. Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Rickard Rakell are sidelined, while the team is missing the services of forward Patrick Eaves as well. The Ducks are now hoping that Henrique can fill in since their return, and also be useful afterward due to his versatility. The team currently has 27th ranked offense in the league and sits in the sixth position of the Pacific Division.

The player, on the other hand, was caught by surprise with the trade.

“It wasn’t something I was expecting,” – said Henrique after the trade. “With everything going on in Anaheim with the injuries, it just makes sense. I think the Devils have obviously been looking for a defenseman, and I think everything kind of came together the last day or two here.”

Henrique played 455 times for the Devils during his career and scored 123 goals while adding 133 assists. In 24 games of 2017–18 season, he contributed four goals and 10 assists.

The Devils, on the other hand, will increase their defensive depth with the addition of Sami Vatanen. He previously played in 280 regular season games in addition to 40 playoff appearances for the Ducks and contributed 38 points and 110 assists.

“In acquiring Sami, we bring on a right shot, top-four defenseman who can play in all situations,” – the Devils general manager Ray Shero said. “This move also gives us contract certainty on the back end for the next two-plus years.”

The post The Anaheim Ducks and the New Jersey Devils Make a Big Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.