Dr Hockey Segment Does a reunion with Adam Henrique [https://www.nhl.com/ducks/player/adam-henrique-8474641] make sense for the New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/news/new-jersey-devils-jack-hughes-nhl-all-star-weekend-jesper-bratt]? It has become a topic that has been making its rounds since Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman spoke about Henrique on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/]. "Adam Henrique, for example. If I were the New York Rangers and I were the Devils - I would find it very hard to believe the Devils, in particular, have not looked into Adam Henrique - and I think there are a lot of teams that have. You could plug him into the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, Devils, Rangers, you can plug him into a lot of places and he would be a good fit. (He's) a guy with a really good rep around the league." The idea of Henrique once again donning the Devils' crest has left fans salivating. From the outside, it appears New Jersey has a new void to fill at center now that Michael McLeod [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/news/new-jersey-devils-michael-mcleod-world-juinior-canada-team] has officially been charged with sexual assault. Henrique is a fan favorite and a capable and versatile middle-six player. He has 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 48 games with the Anaheim Ducks this season, and like Friedman said, is desirable for a handful of teams. Before diving any further, there are a few things to note. First, he has an average annual value of $5.8 million and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Second, he has a 10-team no-trade clause. Finally, over his 14-year career, he has only made the playoffs twice. The last time was the 2017-18 season when the San Jose Sharks swept the Ducks in the first round. At 33 years old, Henrique will want to be traded to a Stanley Cup contender, and one can not blame him. <em>USA TODAY Sports</em> [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0MDIzOTU5Nzc0MDQ1Njkx/nhl--winnipeg-jets-at-anaheim-ducks.jpg] <em>USA TODAY Sports</em> This leads to the first question: Are the Devils contenders this season? Injuries and inconsistent play have been the theme of the Devils 2023-24 season. At the time of publication, the Devils are in the fifth wild-card spot. It is hardly ideal, and with no real timelines on any of the team's injured players, the club will face a steep hill to climb when they return from the All-Star Break. As much as Henrique could be seen as an upgrade over some of their current centers, he is not the answer to the Devils' problems or the player who will propel New Jersey into the postseason. Without McLeod, the Devils still have six players listed as centers, and that does not include Erik Haula [https://www.nhl.com/devils/player/erik-haula-8475287] or Tomas Nosek. The team has Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Haula, and Nosek down the middle when healthy, and those four are more than capable in the dots. The second question is: Are there more pertinent needs in New Jersey than a center? The obvious answer is yes. Offense has not been the team's issue. At the time of publication, the Devils are averaging 3.43 goals per game, which is ninth-best [https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask?q=2023-24+teams+with+most+goals+per+game] in the league. That number has dipped without Hughes's creativity, but it is still not the team's biggest area of concern. The first 47 games of the season have validated that goaltending and defense need to be at the top of general manager Tom Fitzgerald's to-do list. For nostalgia, a reunion between Henrique and the Devils would be a true dream for fans. While anything is possible, if Fitzgerald is unable to address any of the other glaring issues on his roster and still makes a move for the Ontario native, he would be doing a disservice to Henrique and his team.
