In news that
came down during the Devils 4-3 shootout victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets
earlier tonight, fan favorite forward Blake Coleman has been dealt to the Tampa
Bay Lightning. This was the second of two deals made by Devils’ interim general
manager Tom Fitzgerald today, a little over a week before the NHL Trade
Deadline. Defenseman Andy Greene was sent to the New York Islanders earlier in the
day.
Coleman, who
had 21 goals and 31 points this season, was traded in exchange for left winger
Nolan Foote and Vancouver’s first round pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. The
pick is conditional. Should Vancouver miss the playoffs this year, the pick becomes
the Canucks’ first round pick in 2021.
The Devils could
now conceivably have eight picks in the 2020 Draft, including a potential for
three first round picks (their own, Arizona’s and the Canucks’ – via Tampa
Bay).
Foote, the
son of former NHL defenseman Adam, is currently 19 and playing for the Kelowna
Rockets of the Western Hockey League. According to the Devils’ press release,
Foote has 15 goals and 18 assists (33 points) in 26 games for the Rockets this
season. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship
back in December, as well. The release mentions that he has played with Ty Smith
on the WHL All-Star team at the Jr. Super Series the last two years. Foote stands
6-feet, four-inches tall and weight 200 pounds as of now.
The release
says that he was born in Denver while his father was a member of the Avalanche and
was selected 27th overall in the first round by the Lightning in 2019.
Fitzgerald
summed up the feeling of most fans when he said: “This transaction allows us to
acquire two key pieces in continuing to build this team around our foundational
cornerstones.” Those “foundational cornerstones” include Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes
and Mackenzie Blackwood according to Fitzgerald himself in a pregame press
conference regarding the Greene trade on MSG Network.
He
continued: “Foote is a big, physical winger, with an excellent shot and great
offensive instincts, especially on the power play. He will complement our young
forward group for a long time.”
But in order
to get, you have to give. The Devils will miss a player like Coleman, who was a
great penalty killer and always dangerous for a shorthanded goal. He really became
an all-situations player this year, as he was starting to get more time on the
power play.
He was also,
of course, a fan favorite. There was a contingent of fans who were interested
in seeing Coleman even being named the Devils’ next captain.
But he was
going to be a free agent after next season and right now, he was a peak value
to a win-now team like the Lightning. The Devils got a really great package
back for him, possibly even better than what they got for Taylor Hall. The pick
gives them more ammo at the Draft and Foote is, by all accounts, a really good
prospect who could be a key part of the Devils moving forward.
So, while it
is sad to see Blake Coleman go (he posted a note to Devils fans and management on
his social media thanking them for how he was treated in his time in New Jersey),
the return we got should make Devils fans very excited for the future.