Just about everyone hated when the New Jersey Devils traded a solid prospect in Zakhar Bardakov away for a sluggish career enforcer in Kurtis MacDermid, but the team appears to have finally rectified their mistake with a smart pivot.
The Devils traded MacDermid, 31, to the Travis Green-coached Ottawa Senators in exchange for another tough guy in Zack MacEwen, and, while nobody will confuse MacEwen for Jack Hughes on the ice, the new guy has looked legit in limited action so far.
The 29-year-old was, by the analytics, the Devils' most efficient player in Monday night's 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders.