NEWARK -- Brian Boyle remembers exactly how he felt facing the Tampa Bay Lightning shortly after they traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs late last season.
“I had a great time in Tampa, loved my time there, but after the trade, I wanted to stick it to them,” explained Boyle.
So, Boyle has a solid perspective on what both Sami Vatanen and Adam Henrique feel heading into Monday’s game between the Devils and Ducks at the Prudential Center.
Less than three weeks ago, the Devils sent Henrique, the popular center, to the Ducks along with fellow center Joseph Blandisi in exchange for Vatanen, a much-coveted defenseman. Now, as each player continues to adjust to new teammates, new surroundings and new routines, they face their former teams.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Henrique. “Honestly, I’m going to try to not think about all that all day. But, it’ll be hard not to. I’m sure it will be emotional.”
From the locker room: @AdamHenrique on his return to New Jersey! #LetsGoDucks https://t.co/JiXvAGLYou
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) December 18, 2017
Vatanen was more measured in his take on Monday morning.
“I am actually pretty calm right now,” offered Vatanen. “I got to the rink, saw the boys (from Anaheim). I think it will be OK when it’s time to play. I’ll just think about playing hockey.”
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This was a trade to immediately help both teams. With a plethora of injuries up front, the Ducks desperately needed a top-six forward, preferably a center, and had a glut of talented young defenders to trade from. The Devils depth is weaker on the back end and stronger up front, so they filled their need with this trade while helping the Ducks at the same time.
“I think Anaheim got a very good player and a high-character guy. We got a very good player and high-character guy,” said Devils coach John Hynes. “I think both teams filled some voids that they felt needed to be a little bit stronger in both lineups. I think both teams made out well.”
Sami Vatanen meets with the media prior to #ANAvsNJD. https://t.co/JetCbKVRwF
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 18, 2017
Henrique started out strong with the Ducks, recording points in each of his first five games following the trade, though he is without a point in the past three. Overall, Henrique has three goals, three assists and six points with the Ducks.
Vatanen averaged nearly 22 minutes of ice-time in his first eight games with the Devils, playing on both the power play and penalty kill, and pairing primarily with John Moore at even strength. Though Vatanen calls his own play since the trade “a bit of a roller coaster”, Hynes is pleased with his new defenseman.
“Sami is a tremendous competitor, plays the game hard,” explained Hynes. “He doesn’t have any points yet, but you can see it coming. We are really happy with him.”
Monday will mark the ninth game since the trade for both teams. The Ducks are 3-1-4 with Henrique in the lineup and sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division and 11th in the Western Conference with 36 points. The Devils are 4-3-1 since Vatanen joined the club on Nov. 30. They are two points out of first place in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division with 41 points.
Both teams battled major injuries in this span. Ryan Getzlaf and Hampus Lindholm recently returned to the Ducks lineup, but Ryan Kesler has missed all 33 games following hip surgery, Patrick Eaves is out indefinitely with Guillain-Barre syndrome and now Corey Perry joins them on the sidelines with a significant lower body injury. In all, the Ducks already amassed 200 man-games lost due to injury.
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Likewise, the Devils have not iced their complete healthy lineup once yet this season, though they get closer to full health Monday with the return of two top-flight forwards in Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. Another key injured forward, Marcus Johansson, is expected back later in the week, though defenseman Mirco Mueller remains out indefinitely with a fractured collarbone.
“Whenever you are watching your team be successful, it makes it a lot easier dealing with injuries,” said Palmieri, who missed 19 games already this season with an ankle injury and a broken right foot.
Palmieri, a former Ducks forward traded to the Devils prior to the 2015-16 season, also recalled what it was like facing his former club the first time.
“It was definitely weird,” stated Palmieri. “I think it’s a little different when you’re going back to your old building like Adam is tonight. It’s weird walking over to the visitors’ side. Looking back on it, it was a good experience, a lot of fun, too.”
Henrique can expect a tribute on the video scoreboard at some point Monday, and a rousing ovation from the fans at The Rock. He will be forever loved in Newark for knocking the hated Rangers out of the Eastern Conference Final in 2012 with an overtime goal in Game Six that vaulted the Devils into the Stanley Cup Final against the Kings.
“I think Adam is going to get a tremendous reception,” noted Hynes. “He was a great Devil on and off the ice.”
And it is a big night for Vatanen, too.
“Sami is similar to Adam, he was an important part of the organization in Anaheim, he’s gone on some playoff runs (two Western Conference Finals),” explained the Devils coach. “He’s a great guy, cares about where he plays. So, any time you get traded and then play that team recently, it’s going to be a bit emotional for him, too.”
No winner or loser from this trade will be decided Monday night.
In fact, this deal has all the makings of a rare win-win for both the Devils and Ducks, this season and for many years to come.