Among the nuggets in my Jack Hughes feature: He went to the SNL afterparty and sat there peppering Lorne Michaels with questions about hockey and NY sports.

My story on a month of good, bad and controversial for the #NJDevils star since the golden goal.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/48280406/nhl-2025-26-olympics-team-usa-jack-hughes-gold-medal-goal-puck-controversy

New rink. New sheet. New opportunity.

Welcome to the East Brunswick Ice Arena, a new home for our Learn To Play program presented by @[email protected].

#NJDevils | @[email protected]

Sheldon Keefe says that Brett Pesce is questionable to be able to return this season.

Stefan Noesen has been ruled out for the remainder of the year.

#NJDevils

On to the #NJDevils, in the midst of a rare 3-day layoff:

-- Still wondering what will happen this offseason. Report recently that the team could bring in someone above GMTF and keep him in place; last I checked Harris/Blitzer does have someone above Fitz (Bob Myers). How many presidents do you need?

-- A healthy Jack Hughes means so much to this group. And you can't really plan for him to not be healthy, other than having a group that can handle playing without their star. Maybe that's a reason to change the non-Jack core a bit this offseason -- guys who know how to fill the void and drag the team along.

-- Markstrom has been marginally better during his recent run of starts, with a positive GSAx since the Olympic break. A reminder that his early season injury was a big blow to him being consistent. He's 36 so he's not gonna be injury proof, but this weirdo season fell apart in a lot of different ways in November/December.

-- Like seeing the fight left in this group, banding together when shit goes down. More than any Ws/Ls and individual points right now, that's the stuff that helps going forward for me.

A Tri-State Hockey report after a devastating couple of games for the #Isles, with the biggest one of the season on tap tonight, plus whatever we got to discuss about the #NYR and #NJDevils...

#Isles first, obv, with data from @[email protected]:

-- Thursday was a crusher and last night was an embarrassment. #Isles had 1 SOG and 1 total scoring chance 3rd period in OTT -- one chance in the 3rd period of a playoff-type game is shocking. That's not just sitting back, it's malpractice. 2015 G7 in Wash level nerves, which shouldn't happen to such a veteran team.

-- OK, shake that off going into last night. Still all to play for. 1st period? 8-1 HD chances for MTL. Sorokin and a decent 2nd had them tied early in the 3rd but this was a lopsided game. Unacceptable for the group and the coaching staff to be unable to stiffen up and take the play to either team last two.

-- #Isles are 9-7-0 in their last 16 games. Their team xG metrics aren't terrible in that span -- 8th in the league in xGF at 5v5, 22nd in xGA -- but the goaltending hasn't been as eye-popping. Sorokin ranks 15th in the league in that span at +2.88 GSAx; he's at 28.36 GSAx for the season.

-- There's some high-ranked teams this season who are doing quite well trading HD chances and/or relying on mid goaltending. The #Isles are not one of those teams. And I don't know if they can buck the season-long trend and simply play better defense, especially against settled offense in their zone, because they haven't done it well all year.

-- Sorokin goes again tonight. It's a desperate move by Roy and the staff. 4 starts in 6 days after getting a ton of work all year... I would have hesitated to do it. We'll see if Sorokin can come up with another gem, or maybe his teammates will help him have an easier night. Maybe?