New Jersey Devils: Instant Impact From Sami Vatanen Trade

Earlier today the Devils have announced a trade sending forwards Adam Henrique and Joseph Blandisi to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Sami Vatanen. This will help the Devils immediately, and should pay off long term as well.

Who is Sami Vatanen?

Sami Vatanen is a 26-year-old Finnish defenseman, who has spent his career in an Anaheim Ducks sweater. Vatanen is a strong, right-handed shot, who has tallied 33 goals and 93 assists in 280 games. Although he stands short at 5’10”, he is a quick skating blueliner with good offensive skill.

Sami Vatanen has been a valuable piece for the Ducks over the past few years, and has been a reliable player in both ends. He’s also experienced in the postseason, contributing 22 points over 40 playoff games.

Vatanen will likely be given a shot at the top defensive pairing, playing to the right of the captain, Andy Greene. He could also be seeing some time on the power play unit.

What will be the instant impact?

The immediate impact will be good for New Jersey, as they have found themselves with a surplus of forwards and a lack of quality defensemen. This will round out the Devils defensive core nicely. We should expect to see Andy Greene, Sami Vatanen, John Moore, Damon Severson, Steven Santini, and Will Butcher as the six blueliners. Assume to see a lighter workload for Santini, who has struggled a bit on the first pairing. Ben Lovejoy will likely be the odd man out as the healthy scratch.

All of this good news comes with the small price of heartbreak. For the first time since 2010, the Devils will be skating without fan favorite, Adam Henrique. ‘Rico’ has been a reliable Devil and a bright spot on the team in some of our darkest years. He will be missed dearly, but for now… “Henrique, it’s over.”

As for the forward group, it should be able to sustain the loss of Adam Henrique. A mix of old and new faces make up the deep roster we have, not to mention the young guys who haven’t had their chance yet. When the team is completely healthy, it could look like this.

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Pretty good if you ask me, this would leave Stefan Noesen and Jimmy Hayes as extras. Down the road we still have promising prospects like Michael McLeod, Blake Speers, and John Quenneville who want to fight into the mix. Blandisi could be good for the Ducks, but the Devils don’t have room for everyone.

Overall, I think this trade fits both team’s needs, and the Devils got the value they wanted for Rico.