Look Back: John Marino

It was a brand new scene for John Marino last season, moving on from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the New Jersey Devils. 

Marino came in with three years of experience and walked into a team that needed to find its way defensively after struggling in years past. At just 24 years old at the time of the trade, Marino was still young with many valuable years ahead of him. But there's always the unknown when a player makes a move from one team to another. How exactly will they fit in? Can the adapt to the system fast enough? 

What the Devils found out last season is that they traded for a player who would help transform the collective team's defensive numbers. 

Looking back at the Marino trade highlights yet again another fantastic move by Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. 

Marino, after three seasons in Pittsburgh, was acquired by the Devils in a deal that swapped defensemen. New Jersey sent Ty Smith and a third-round pick to Pittsburgh and Marino joined the Devils. 

What's more, is Fitzgerald traded for a high-value contract, Marino was already under contract for another five years when he joined New Jersey at a value of 4,400,000 per year.  

John Marino ended up being a gem.

The Bullet Points:

From His Peers

While Marino is a man of very few words, it doesn't take much coaxing to hear his teammates to sing his praises. Take for example veteran defenseman Brendan Smith, who in full detail, explained exactly what Marino brings to a team. 

"He breaks out pucks better than anybody," Smith said in February, "And so, he's playing in the O-Zone and you aren't being hemmed in your own zone. It's just the way he skates, reads the play, and breaks up three-on-twos and stuff and his breakout passes.

"It's such a skill that isn't like goal scoring where like everybody gets a credit for the goal, and we almost put a person that goes back and breaks up pucks behind that," Smith continued.

"It doesn't get as much credit as it should, is what I'm trying to say," Smith added, "and he's incredible at that. I just kind of wish and maybe in the future will be credited more as a player that goes back and tends to just break pucks out like 70% of the time and so you're not playing in your own zone. I think that's the biggest thing in getting back (the way Marino does), it changes the whole momentum."

A Revelation 

Although already three seasons into his NHL career and providing the Penguins with some solid numbers, Marino was stuck behind a defensive group highlighted by Kris Letang. 

But when he arrived in New Jersey, he was immediately given a bigger role, depended on in all situations and it was a role he flourished in. Marino helped transform the depth of the defensive, which was part of what Fitzgerald said was a personal mandate for the summer of 2022. 

Immediately Marino was an impact player, playing some of the bigger minutes on the back end while logging an average time on ice of 21:04.

What the addition of Marino did to the Devils' defensive core must be appreciated. He helped balance out the depth on the team, taking a consistent Top 4 role, essentially slotting other defensemen into spots better suited for their abilities. 

Although his offense wasn't as strong as in years past, his Hockey IQ felt was off the charts in some games this season. He demonstrated himself as a cerebral player, who could also contribute on the scoresheet at times.

There's Still More

This off-season saw a pair of Devils defensemen leave the organization in Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, opening up what could possibly be an even bigger role for the 26-year-old. He'll be one of the more experienced defensemen on the current roster even with just his 253 NHL games. 

And while last season we saw Marino's excellent abilities on the defensive side of the game, used primarily as a top shut-down guy. Will this coming season be an opportunity for Marino to unlock more of his offensive game?

Remember This?

Oh what an assist! It's hard to forget this slick pass from Marino from behind the net to Tomas Tatar in Game 7 against the New York Rangers.