New Jersey
Players from the Atlantic Division the New Jersey Devils can steal in NHL free agency
With Sheldon Keefe now at the helm for the New Jersey Devils, there will definitely be a few players from the Atlantic Division whom he could have his eye on in NHL free agency. Keefe spent five seasons as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it would make sense for him and general manager Tom Fitzgerald to target players in the Atlantic as opposed to the Metropolitan Division.
Keefe’s time with the Maple Leafs didn’t end the way many hockey fans envisioned, as he snagged just one playoff series win despite leading Auston Matthews and company to the postseason in each of his five seasons. So Keefe would also want to use the early portion of his time in Newark to correct the mistakes made in Toronto.
Yet, while with the Maple Leafs, it seemed like neither general managers Kyle Dubas nor Brad Treliving constructed an elite team for Keefe. Instead, the Maple Leafs won just one division title, and that was during a 2020-21 season that saw them playing just a handful of the league’s opponents before the upstart Montreal Canadiens knocked them out in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Far too often, those in Toronto relied on their “Core Four,” and as a consequence, the Leafs suffered defensively and at goaltending. Sure, they were good hockey teams, but can you really sit there and honestly claim they were great? It seems like a far cry and general manager Tom Fitzgerald knows this as well as anyone.
So when concocting this list of free agents the Devils could steal from the Atlantic, I had those weaknesses over in Toronto in mind. Ironically enough, the Devils struggled in the same capacities this past season, so don’t be surprised when Fitzgerald looks for two-way forwards and primarily defensemen who can more than just bolster the blue line – though there is one outlier in that realm.
Jake DeBrusk will probably be Priority No. 1 on the Boston Bruins to-do list. But if he tests the free agent market, there may not be a better player in the Atlantic Division for the Devils to pursue.
DeBrusk will provide supplementary scoring, and it’s something I listed in my updated offseason checklist that the Devils could use. But perhaps more importantly for New Jersey, DeBrusk will also improve the team’s defensive play, and it’s something they need more than anything else after opponents scored too easily on them.
He’s been one of Boston’s most physical forwards over the last two years, and he would also provide more short-handed help. While the Devils penalty kill was better than you may think last season, someone like DeBrusk could help transform it into a top-10 unit.
New Jersey
Isolated snow showers, wind gusts up to 35 mph in N.J. forecast for Sunday
Rain will continue through tonight across New Jersey before a cold front passes through Sunday morning, followed by wind gusts up to 35 mph and the chance of isolated snow showers.
The heaviest rain tonight is expected along the southern portions of the state where 1 and 1.5 inches rainfall totals are possible, according to the National Weather Service.
Most other areas of New Jersey should receive around 1 inch of rain, with the northwest portions of the state picking up 0.5 to 0.75 inches.
Once the rain ends between 6 and 9 a.m. Sunday, conditions should remain cloudy and foggy until a cold front passes through late Sunday morning into early Sunday afternoon.
Temperatures will drop into the upper 30s to low 40s Sunday morning as cold air moves in behind the first cold front.
A secondary cold front will cross New Jersey late Sunday afternoon accompanied by a period of rain and snow showers.
The isolated snow showers are possible mainly from 7 to 11 p.m., the weather service said. Snow accumulations are not expected in New Jersey.
Winds of 15 to 20 mph on Sunday afternoon are expected to increase to 25 to 35 mph by sunset.
Monday’s forecast calls for mainly clear skies with temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s and winds gradually diminishing.
Tuesday will be milder with above-normal temperatures and mainly clear to partly cloudy skies, with a slight chance of some rain showers possible.
Wednesday’s temperatures will remain above normal with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of rain showers as a cold front approaches from the west.
A potential coastal storm could impact New Jersey with snow on Thursday and Friday, though significant uncertainty remains regarding the exact track and timing of the system, the weather service said.
Some forecast models suggest a significant winter storm while others indicate the system will remain offshore.
A colder air mass is forecast to move into New Jersey by late next week and into the following weekend.
Current weather radar
New Jersey
NJ officers surprised with Eagles playoffs tickets for saving boy who fell through ice
Officers in Gloucester County, New Jersey, got a big surprise on Friday morning.
A representative from Dunkin’ gave them free tickets to this weekend’s Eagles playoff game as a huge thank you for their courageous actions last weekend.
It was a tense scene in Woolwich Township when officers used ropes and went into a frozen body of water to save a child who had fallen through the ice.
“As soon as he started screaming that he couldn’t feel his hands, I just went out there and tried to go get him,” Sgt. Joseph Rieger said. “Immediately thought of my own son and what I would have done with my own son- just go out and get him as soon as I could.”
The boy was screaming and was not able to grab onto the rope that the officers had thrown to him.
“I try to get him the rescue rope but he can’t hold it because his hands aren’t working. So I go to grab him out of the awter and we both go into the water. So I was able to stand up and throw him on top of the ice and start breaking my way back,” Rieger explained.
The team was able to get the 13-year-old out of the frozen water with no one getting hurt.
Then, Dunkin’ showed up to the police department for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and praised their actions by giving them tickets to Sunday’s Eagles playoff game against the 49ers.
“This is my job. It was what I signed up to do so getting this kind of attention, I’m not used to it. I’m very appreciative and very excited,” Rieger said.
The officers said that if there’s anything to take away from this story, it’s to stay off of the ice.
Thankfully, the boy they saved is doing just fine and stopped by the police department earlier this week to thank them.
“It was awesome. It was nice to see that he was safe. He learned his lesson. He was very appreciative,” Rieger said.
New Jersey
Police investigate fatal stabbing in Mercer County
EWING TWP., N.J. (WPVI) — Police are searching for a suspect who fatally stabbed a man in Mercer County, New Jersey.
It happened around 5:20 p.m. Thursday on the unit block of New Hillcrest Avenue in Ewing Township.
When police arrived, they found a 40-year-old man lying in the street with several stab wounds to the torso.
He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he later died.
The victim has been identified as Jimmy Chase from Philadelphia.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Anyone who has any information on this case is asked to call Mercer County detectives at 609-989-6406.
You can also submit an anonymous tip online at MercerCountyProsecutor.com.
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