The New Jersey Devils offered Drew Stafford a paid tryout to come to camp and attempt to make the team again. This isn’t as bad a move as it looks on paper.
Sometimes I make some predictions that go terribly wrong. It happens, as we try to make bold predictions without going all Skip Bayless on you. So, since we get so many wrong, it’s nice when you get one right. Back in July, we predicted the New Jersey Devils could bring back Drew Stafford. That’s exactly what happened on Friday evening.
This move may not move the needle for a lot of fans, but there is a reason to get excited for this. Stafford is not going to come in and score 20 goals. He’s on the wrong side of 30, and has trouble with consistency. He can score, but doesn’t have the skill he once had.
The reason the Devils want to give this guy a shot has more to do with his demeanor than it does with his on-ice play. Adding Stafford and Jimmy Hayes clearly helped the locker room last season. That’s why Hayes was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins despite spending most of last season as a healthy scratch. These players helped change the perception of this team. They changed the mindset in that locker room.
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The Devils will once again welcome some young players to the NHL. Stafford showed at 32 years old, he’s willing to show them the ropes in exchange for a shot in the big leagues.
On top of that, Stafford can sit for weeks at a time, and contribute when called upon. He sat for three weeks in December and January, and scored in his first game back.
Stafford will never be the player he once was. He’s on the wrong side of 30. However, there was a time where Devils fans wanted Shero to re-sign Stafford to a two-year deal. Early last season, everyone thought this guy was a steal. Now we know what to expect. He can score 10 goals when called upon, then allow young players to grow ahead of him. Also, you could do worse with an injury replacement.