"I love to hockey": Neil Villapiano on Hischier & Meier and the Latest on the NJ Devils

  Welcome to Episode 16 of the Mooseheads Nation podcast! Duddy and Benny are back to talk Halifax Mooseheads and welcome special guestNeil Villapiano, a sports content creator, author, and host of the Devil's State of Mind podcast for the New Jersey Devils.What's in this episode:Mooseheads Recap The guys catch up on the Mooseheads' recent split against the Charlottetown Islanders and the tough loss to the Seadogs, featuring Joseph Veleno's hat trick and some controversial refereeing. They look ahead to the game against Baie-Comeau and the upcoming battle with the defending Q cup champions in Moncton.Thoughts and Prayers Benny and Duddy take a moment to acknowledge the sad news surrounding Giants owner John Mara and locally, the battle facing beloved Mooseheads anthem singer Peter Baylis.Devils Scoop: Luke Hughes' New Deal Neil Villapiano breaks down the massive seven-year, $63 million contract extension for defenseman Luke Hughes. He discusses what this means for the Devils' future, the fan reaction, and the immediate cap conundrum facing GM Tom Fitzgerald, including speculation around Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat.Young Guns Neil shares which Devils prospects have him most excited, including Arseni Gritsiuk, who's already turning heads in the preseason, and former University of Michigan teammate Ethan Edwards. He also touches upon the growing trend of players choosing the NCAA route over Canadian junior leagues.Mooseheads Alumni Spotlight The conversation turns to former Mooseheads stars and current Devils players, Timo Meier and captain Nico Hischier. Duddy shares a favorite Timo Meier memory, and Neil discusses Meier's potential to become a more consistent offensive threat for New Jersey. Neil then gives his perspective on Nico Hischier, the 2017 first-overall pick, and his character and impact on the team.Check out Neil's work over at pucksandpitchforks.com And at https://linktr.ee/devilsstateofmindVisit the FFM Linktree