Devils trade Jacob Markstrom to Florida

      The New Jersey Devils will be starting a new era in net as the Devils traded Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers along with forward Angus Crookshank for three forwards: Evan Rodrigues, former Devil Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves.

Markstrom was acquired from Calgary to give the Devils stability in the net, but instead delivered erratic play in his two New Jersey seasons.

Markstrom played well in his first season, but wasn't good at all last season, finishing with a 3.07 GAA and a .883 save percentage, and will turn 37 in January.

The Devils will likely test the market for a veteran goaltender as only Jake Allen remains on the roster.

Crookshank played only last season in Newark, joining the team from the Ottawa Senators and scoring one goal in eight games.

Crookshank spent most of the season with AHL Utica, where he scored 24 goals in sixty games.

The thirty-two-year-old Evan Rodrigues is a solid two-way forward who scored eleven goals with twenty assists in sixty-nine games, and Jesper Boqvist returns to the Devils after a four-goal and nine-assist season in Florida.

Ben Steeves scored twenty-three goals last season for AHL Charlotte and, at twenty-four, has time to break through for the Devils and, at a minimum, will be a key contributor for AHL Utica.

The versatility of Rodrigues will allow him to plug in as a third-line center and penalty killer, and he can move up and down the lines if injuries become a factor.

Boqvist will likely take over the role of  Paul Cotter on the fourth line after Cotter was allowed to leave via free agency.

Former GM Tom Fitzgerald signed Markstrom to a two-year contract extension last year, and trading him allows the Devils to take his entire contract off their books.

Trading Markstrom now for a decent return could be a good idea, as a slow start for Markstrom could have made him untradable, which would have stuck the Devils with a large cap blow.

New Jersey also signed Utah Mammoth center Barrett Hayden to a one-year offer sheet valued at 4.7 million.

Utah will have one week to match Hayden's offer.

Hayden scored ten goals with fifteen assists last season with the Mammoth.

Another lead choked away-Devils clawed by Panthers

The New Jersey Devils started stronger than in any game this season other than their blazing start and collapse in their opener at home against Winnipeg in a day game against the Florida Panthers with four consecutive goals after Florida scored sixteen seconds into the game.
And then the Winnipeg parallels continued as the Devils allowed five goals in a row to Florida and allowed the Panthers to leave town with a 6-4 win.
Four Devils scored their first goals of the season in the defeat-  Jesper Bratt, Will Butcher, Taylor Hall, and Pavel Zacha.
The still winless Devils will return Thursday night against the New York Rangers at home.

Hell Raisers

1) The worst news from the loss wasn't the loss as Nico Hischier left the game in the first period and did not return.
No word on the injury or how serious the injury is at this time, but any missed time would be a huge shot to an already reeling team.

2) The powerplay struggles continued for the Devils as, despite their four goals, the Devils didn't score in any of their three chances with the extra man.
Not sure what the answer to that problem is, but one idea could be placing Taylor Hall, Jack Hughes, and Nikita Gusev on the same unit and see if all that firepower can make anything happen.
I'm not saying that works any better than anything else, but at this point, I'd try anything.

3) Matt Tennyson made his NHL debut after being called up from Binghamton to replace Andy Greene after Greene was placed on the IR
Congrats to him, although I didn't see very much from Tennyson to think of him as any more than what he is- a replacement call-up type.
In other words, walk, don't run for your Matt Tennyson Devils jersey.

4) Pavel Zacha finished with a goal and two assists, so that's a good game on the offensive side for Zacha.
Zacha was also seeing some top-six line time as well, so I guess Zacha's OK with John Hynes for a game or two.

5)  I just don't have much more in me.
Not the watching, the loss in such spectacular fashion and this wasn't to Winnipeg, a solid team, it was the Florida Panthers, a team that has struggled in recent seasons.
To lose like this again, where everything just went up in flames (not the Atlanta or Calgary kind), I just feel numb and you shouldn't feel that way less than two weeks into a season.
I haven't seen a team go up in flames like that since Jim Cornette set fire to Ronnie Garvin's face and just have nothing else to say.
See you guys, Thursday against the Rangers.

Buckeyes steam Boilermakers,Devils declaw Panthers

The Ohio State Buckeyes had little trouble controlling the high powered Purdue offense and the offense did just enough to get by as the Buckeyes won at West Lafayette 23-7.
Todd Boeckman tossed touchdown passes on the first two drives of the game but made mistakes thereafter in throwing 3 interceptions.
One TD pass went to Ray Small on a 26-yard pass, while Brian Hartline caught the other on a six-yard dart.
Ryan Pretorius booted three field goals of 23,39 and 44 yards for the remainder of the Ohio State scoring.
The defense allowed plenty of passing yardage to Curtis Painter, but no points other than a meaningless touchdown with ten seconds to go.
Ohio State should move to 3rd in the polls after USC's loss to Stanford, but I still have concerns about the offense.
This game should have been a far larger win, receivers were open deep and Boeckman just didn't put the ball where it needed to be.
The running game was fine with Chris and Maurice Wells splitting the carries and each finishing with over 75 yards.
Chris Wells needs to take some time off for his balky ankle to heal and hopefully, Jim Tressel will consider sitting him next week as the Buckeyes return home against Kent State.
A good road win, but some things still need to be smoothed over with the tougher teams on the schedule looming down the road.

The New Jersey Devils won their first game of the Brent Sutter era in a dominating 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers.
Kevin Weekes played in place of Martin Brodeur and stopped 31 of 32 Panther shots.
Brodeur had to return home on Friday, due to undisclosed reasons and Sutter decided to go with Weekes, who was up to the task in getting the win.
John Madden scored goals in each of the first two periods, one on the power play, while Andy Greene added a power-play goal in the second period.
Mike Mottau concluded the scoring with a 3rd-period goal.
Sutter did some line tinkering, as David Clarkson moved up to the Elias line, while Nicklas Bergfors was scratched in favor of Mike Rupp.
Sutter also reunited John Madden and Jay Pandolfo.
Good move, as any observer can see that they are much more comfortable on the same line than separated.
The Devils play Ottawa on Monday afternoon at 3.

Bullpen Notes

Manny Pacquiao kept his WBC Jr. Lightweight belt with a lopsided unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Barrera.
More on the fight next week when I can score it off the HBO replay.

Boo to Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema on a two-week-old item.
After the Badgers night game home win over Iowa two weeks ago, Bielema crowed about the great night game environment at Camp Randall Stadium.
I watched the game and it certainly was.
And the Badgers have great fans and Camp Randall is a fun place to watch a game.
But he then added," we can do these games here anytime, but not on the road, I won't allow it".
Road night games are tough, coach and I know the UNLV game had to scare you, but if you want to be a top program-you welcome challenges-you don't refuse them.

The Browns travel to Foxboro to battle the Patriots in their toughest task of the season.
Can they win?
Yes, if everything falls perfectly.
Will they?
Kinda doubt it
Our Pick-Patriots 35-14.

The Seahawks travel to Pittsburgh for a battle against the
Steelers.
Both teams need this game.
Seattle to prove that they can win against a good team on the road.
Pittsburgh to prove they can win over a team with a pulse.
Really is too close to call but in a squeaker.
Our Pick-Seahawks 21-20.

The Indians go for the sweep of the Yankees tonight at 6:30.
Jake Westbrook for Cleveland vs Roger Clemens of New York.

Photo Credits
OSU-Purdue-Neal Lauron-Columbus Dispatch
Devils-Lynne Sladky-AP Photo
Helmets-Helmet Project