Pucks and Pitchforks
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New Jersey Devils Fans Need To Calm Down, It Is Going To Be Fine

By Rob DeLuca

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: General Manager Ray Shero of the New Jersey Devils is seen on the draft floor during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: General Manager Ray Shero of the New Jersey Devils is seen on the draft floor during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Are you a New Jersey Devils fan who has ever tweeted “announce Nikita Gusev to NJ”, “Announce Marner”, “Offer sheet Laine” or even “This is not a Jake Gardiner signing”? If you have tweeted these or any sort of variation of it then I have a special message for you.

Calm down!

Ray Shero and the Devils have done some great things so far this offseason. From drafting Jack Hughes to trading for P.K. Subban, things have already greatly improved. Now, I am fully aware we have more to do in order for our MVP Taylor Hall to stay here. Let me remind all of you of something, it is the middle of July!

The offseason goes until the middle of September, so that means there are two months to go before preseason hockey. Sure everyone says nothing happens after mid July, do you really think that is going to stop this General Manager?

I understand getting impatient, but this is getting out of hand. Shero knows what he is doing, he is not done making moves yet. He has one more major move up his sleeve. As for the Hall situation, let me give you all a reality check; he is not extending his contract this offseason. Allow me to explain the situation.

Why would Hall want to sign an extension on this team without seeing how they perform on the ice with him?

Yes, this team will be significantly better than last season, but the MVP wants to see that they are at a contending level. He said it himself, winning a Stanley Cup is important to him. He has played for nine seasons and only has one playoff win. This team has to prove themselves in order for Taylor Hall to extend.

Why should Shero just hand over a massive contact extension without seeing Hall perform?

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Guys, is this not the same player who is going to be fresh off of knee surgery? We have absolutely no idea what his current value could be right now. So it would not even be remotely logical for the Ray Shero to just throw away nearly $100 million on one contract without a little bit of knowledge that he is still MVP caliber.

Taylor Hall will go into this season with a one-year contract. It is very possible an extension happens during the season, especially if both parties like what they see. Also before you say it, yes, I know there is a possibility of trading him as well, but I believe that also would not happen until the deadline.

Here is a big news flash for all of you, Jake Gardiner, Mitch Marner and Patrik Laine are NOT going to be on the New Jersey Devils in the 2019-2020 season. The only remote possibility is Nikita Gusev, but nobody knows if the Devils are even really in on him or not. So overall I would not hold your breath.

All I can tell you Devils fans today is to keep calm and trust in Ray Shero.

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