On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Devils were active at the trade deadline when it came to goaltenders, picking up Jake Allen from Montreal and Kaapo Kahkonen from San Jose.
However, they kept Nico Daws up in New Jersey as well. They’ve now decided that’s not the best course of action as the team announced Monday that Daws along with defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon have been assigned to AHL Utica.
Daws started the year on season-opening injured reserve and was activated in early December. Just weeks later, he was up with New Jersey and, aside from the holiday roster freeze, has been with the Devils since then.
Early on, the 23-year-old did well, posting a .912 SV percentage in his first dozen appearances, well above the team average of .894. However, Daws has struggled in recent weeks with that mark dropping down to .859, resulting in this move. On the season, he has a 3.15 GAA and a .894 SV percentage.
Now, he’ll split time with Akira Schmid with the Comets, giving them a leg up in their battle for a playoff spot in the North Division. Daws was eligible to return to Utica as he was papered down before the trade deadline with New Jersey using one of their four post-deadline recalls to bring him back up. Barring an injury to Allen or Kahkonen, recalling Daws later on would burn another one of those allowable recalls.
As for Wotherspoon, he was recalled back on Thursday, his first NHL promotion of the season. His recall was on an emergency basis so he didn’t count against the limit of four. However, the 31-year-old didn’t see any game action. Wotherspoon has 19 points in 54 games with the Comets so far this season.
More must-reads:
- Who is the greatest head coach in every NHL team's history?
- Flyers first-round pick expected to commit to Michigan State
- The '2002-03 New Jersey Devils' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Pete Carroll Drops Key Updates on Raiders Stars Malcolm Koonce and Christian Wilkins
With training camp in full swing at Las Vegas Raiders HQ in Henderson, head coach Pete Carroll provided an important update regarding two of his key defensive linemen. As things heat up out in Sin City, the Silver and Black engine is revving up under a new regime spearheaded by Carroll’s arrival. As most fans are aware, Carroll brings with him a bevy of defensive knowledge—there’s a reason his Seattle Seahawks dominated the NFC West for years. It starts in the trenches and for the Raiders, there’ll be no exception. It’s for that exact reason that getting all of the defensive linemen healthy will be pivotal for the team’s success. We all know about what Maxx Crosby will bring this season but it’s his supporting cast that was questionable coming into training camp. Luckily, there is some good news and some not-so-good. Malcolm Koonce is back for the Raiders—but what about Christian Wilkins? Fans and teammates alike were surely disappointed when the news surrounding Koonce’s injury last year derailed what should’ve been a promising campaign. After recording eight sacks in 2023, Koonce was projected to be the next double-digit sack artist for Las Vegas. Regrettably, that was postponed a year. Now, under Carroll’s guidance, Koonce appears to be ready to pick up where he left off. “He should be ready to go. We’re going to look after him, make sure that we do it right and break him in, but he’s ready to go,” said Carroll, addressing the media on Tuesday. While that’s good news, the developments surrounding Wilkins aren’t exactly encouraging; however, it’s not the end of the world. After placing their prized defensive tackle on the PUP list, Carroll was dubious about any sort of return. “It’s still uncertain. We sort of have to wait it out,” Carroll stated. While we can’t have everything, the return of Koonce in excellent health alongside Crosby is certainly something to celebrate.
Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski continues to set radar gun on fire at unprecedented rate
Milwaukee Brewers Jacob Misiorowski was back on the mound on Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners, and even though he pitched just 3.2 innings, he continued to show why he is one of baseball's most exciting young talents. Prior to be pulled after 64 pitches, he allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out seven to continue his stunning start to his big league career. He also continued to light up the radar gun in a way that no other pitcher in the modern era has. Following Tuesday's start, where he regularly clocked in at over 101 mph, he has now thrown 39 pitches this season that have eclipsed 101 mph on the radar gun. He has done that in just 29.1 innings over six starts. By comparison, every other starting pitcher in Major League Baseball has tallied just 17 pitches of 101 mph or higher — combined. But it's not just about how he stacks up with pitchers this season that is staggering. It's that he is near the top of the list for 101 mph pitches for a career. Here are two of his 101 mph heaters from Tuesday. The ball just erupts out of his hand at the hitters. When you add in his mid-90s change-up and high-90s breaking pitches he is already one of the nastiest pitchers in the majors. It is that sort of electric stuff that made him a National League All-Star after just five appearances. For the season, he has now struck out 40 batters in 29.1 innings of work (that is 12.27 per nine innings), allowed only 15 hits and just eight earned runs. And five of those earned runs against came in only one start. Given his age and with the way teams today are extremely protective of their pitchers, he is probably going to see his pitch counts and innings closely monitored this season. When he is on the mound, though, he is quickly becoming appointment viewing.
Chicago Cubs eyeing familiar closer with 107 career saves
The Chicago Cubs are going to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, which is July 31. While third base is an obvious area of need, they also reportedly are looking at strengthening their bullpen. One player they have had an eye on, both now and in the past, is Kyle Finnegan. Recent reports have re-tied Kyle Finnegan to the Chicago Cubs Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic recently reported that Kyle Finnegan is one player that the Cubs have their eye on. Chicago has been tied to him in the past, as they expressed interest in him over the off-season. Additionally, before the emergence of Daniel Palencia, they were urged to trade for him earlier in the season. How would Kyle Finnegan fit into the Cubs bullpen? Throughout his Nationals career, Finnegan, a right-handed closer, has racked up 107 saves since 2021 and has a career 3.68 ERA. This year, his results have not been as good as previous seasons, evidenced by a 4.62 ERA, however he does have 19 saves and his experience in high-leverage situations would be beneficial in a post season match up. Finnegan is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, meaning a trade to acquire him likely wouldn’t require a significant prospect haul. His addition wouldn’t necessarily push Daniel Palencia out of the closer role, but instead, he could slot into a setup role alongside Ryan Pressly. For manager Craig Counsell, it would simply add another dependable arm to an already strong bullpen, providing more flexibility in high-leverage situations. As the deadline draws closer, Finnegan could emerge as a realistic and impactful target to bolster the late-inning mix.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
