Devils aren't finished-Acquire Patrick Maroon

Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The New Jersey Devils were an unknown factor entering today's trade deadline after trading for Michael Grabner a few days before the deadline.
There were a few Devils related rumors including a Hail Mary request for the Ottawa Senators to trade defenseman Erik Karlsson, but nothing concrete.

The Devils didn't add Karlsson (no one did either as Ottawa decided to keep their star), but Ray Shero wasn't finished making deals as he sent a 2019 third-round draft choice and the rights to center J.D. Dudek, a 2014 sixth-round draft choice that is currently playing for Boston College to the Edmonton Oilers for another rental in left winger Patrick Maroon.
Maroon, like previous acquisition Michael Grabner, is a free agent at the conclusion of the season but brings 14 goals and 16 assists on the year as an Oiler to New Jersey.
Maroon, who scored a career-high 27 goals last season, turns 30 during the playoffs and has changed his career over the last season and a half in Edmonton, as in his previous four full seasons in Anaheim and Edmonton, Maroon's high in goals had been only 12.

The interesting points to ponder on Maroon are;
He's a big brawny player (6'3 220) that will be a force in front of the net, has been known to be physical to the point of dropping the gloves on occasion and has scored all 14 of his goals this season at even strength.
Much like Michael Grabner, the effectiveness of Maroon at even strength should be quite a help to the Devils offense.
Nothing against players and their powerplay performance at all, but it is always a plus to me when I see players that accumulate their statistics at even strength.
I would think that Maroon will be seeing his time on the third and fourth lines as he doesn't seem to have the speed to keep up with the smaller, speedier skaters on the upper two lines.

An interesting note on the prospect traded in J.D.Dudek, who has six goals (17 points) with the Boston College Eagles.
I thought that name sounded familiar and it is as his father Joe Dudek, was once on the cover of Sports Illustrated (with Bo Jackson) as a Division III running back at Plymouth State.
Dudek also played for Denver in one of the replacement games during the 1987 strike and ripped up the Oakland Raiders on a Monday night for 128 yards and two scores to be the NFL's player of the week.
Dudek would play the following week in the final replacement game and never played in the league again, although he would finish the season on the Broncos taxi squad.
For more on Joe Dudek, Grantland's article from 2012 can be found here.