2023-24 NHL Season Preview: New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are one of the most fun and fast-paced teams in the NHL today. After a huge breakout season for what seems like the whole roster, the Devils have moved all their chips into the pot this season. Making multiple blockbuster offseason moves, the Devils look ahead with their chin high this season.
New Jersey entered the season last year as one of the more intriguing teams. Question marks arose around the team regarding when they were going to make some noise – and noise is what they made. Making the playoffs for the first time since 2018. The young team even won a seven-game series against their rivals – the New York Rangers.
Now during preseason play, the Devils haven’t let off the gas one bit. Scoring 22 goals in just five preseason games. The Devils are here to play and play hard.
Let’s take a look at their upcoming roster for this season, including some key additions and subtractions from the squad.
Projected Lineup (Via Daily Faceoff)
Forwards:
New Faces
The Devils started off the offseason the same way they did last season: Red hot. New Jersey has moved all their chips into the middle, trading for forward Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames. Toffoli is one of the most underrated wingers in the league, scoring 34 goals and 39 assists last season with a plus-16 plus-minus. Toffoli adds another level of depth to an already deep forward lineup in New Jersey. The Devils also acquired former first-round pick Curtis Lazar from the Vancouver Canucks.
Offseason in Total
The Devils didn’t make a lot of blockbuster moves in acquiring new players. They did what they had to do when it comes to their own team. Re-signing multiple key players, including Nate Bastian, Timo Meier, Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt. Tom Fitzgerald had one of the best offseasons as a general manager in a while, putting on an absolute masterclass of moves for New Jersey.
Three Players to Watch
The Devils have a ton of fun and exciting players to watch this season, one being young star forward Jack Hughes. Hughes broke out last season for New Jersey, breaking Patrick Elias’ point record in four fewer games. With the new addition of Toffoli to Hughes’ line, the American-born forward looks to not only break his own point record again, but is a serious candidate for the Hart Trophy.
As you might’ve guessed it, Luke and Jack are related. Not only are they related, they’re both wizards with the puck. The Devils drafted Hughes fourth overall in the 2021 NHL draft, pairing him and his brother together on the same team. Luke has had high expectations ever since being drafted, some say he might even have a higher ceiling than his brother. Now that Luke is on the blue line for the Devils full-time, the Devils could be more dangerous offensively than we thought. In the two games Hughes played in the last regular season, he shined brightly. He scored one goal and one assist in his first two NHL games, and in his postseason debut, he also racked up two points in three games. Hughes is certainly a player to watch this season.
The New Jersey Devils have been racking up the talent in the NHL draft, one being Swedish forward Alexander Holtz. He has been on the brink of a good season, but some things just haven’t clicked for the young forward. With the Devils at their best in a long time, Holtz could be in for a breakout season that Devils fans have been hoping for, for years on end. Holtz has all the tangibles you want in an offensive player, he just has to put the pieces together. This season, it becomes make or break for the 21-year-old, keep an eye out for Holtz.
Riser and Faller:
New Jersey has a lot of talent in their hands this season, becoming one of the most stacked teams in the league. With that being said, there is room for improvement and decline in their organization.
One player that stepped up for the Devils last season was goaltender Vitek Vanecek. This year, I can see a slight decline in him, but not in statistics. Vanecek had a great year last year, but he became slightly overworked at times. Playing a career-high 52 games is a tall task for any goaltender, but for Vanecek, playing time needs to be decreased if the Devils want to be truly great.
Young goaltender Akira Schmid took the pipes last season towards the end, where he became a very good option for New Jersey. With that being said, Vanecek needs to take some time off and let Schmid into the net. Having two stellar goaltenders is a recipe for success in the NHL, especially come playoff time. Vanecek might see a decline in playing time, but it’s for the better.
The riser for the Devils comes as no surprise to New Jersey fans. My prediction this year is veteran forward Erik Haula. Haula has been knocking on the door of having a fantastic season this whole offseason. Posting three points in preseason, Haula would already be on pace to smash his point record in a season. On top of that, Haula has Holtz and Ondrej Palat beside him in a fast-paced Devils squad. Book Haula as one of the biggest risers for the Devils this season.
(Honorable riser mentions: Brendan Smith, John Marino, and Dawson Mercer.)
The Biggest Question Is….
The Devils hold multiple questions heading into the season. Can they keep the ball rolling? Will their goaltending hold up? Can they live up to expectations? All of these are questions a Devils fan, like myself, is asking in their mind right now going into the season. The one big question I have for the Devils is will their defense keep in stride with their offense? We all know the Devils have one of the best offenses in the league, no questions asked, but can their defense show up this year? Not in terms of scoring, but for actual defensive play.
After being defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the playoffs last season, a question arose for this Devil’s squad in my head. Why are the Hurricanes so good? To answer my question in one short word is defense. The old saying goes, defense wins championships. Defense leads to more offensive chances in hockey. Being able to stop your opponent and taking away their scoring chances is key. The Devils did not do that in that series, and it showed a weak point in the team. If the Devil’s defense can be slightly above average, even just by a hair, they can go as far as any team in the league.
The Verdict
Boy, have the Devils broken my heart and given me a ton of expectations over the years. But this year just seems special. It may be the offseason masterclass from Tom Fitzgerald or the Jack Hughes breakout year from last year. This team just makes me smile. Through the pain and suffering, I love this team at the end of the day. I truly believe this year is our year to lose. After a taste of the playoffs last year and an incredible run, I think the boys are hungry for the whole pie. If things go south before the trade deadline, I know Fitzgerald has my back (just give him the keys to the city already). Fitz will make moves and do what’s best for this team. Lindy Ruff will coach this team to perfection.
With that being said, the verdict and prediction of this New Jersey Devils squad is Stanley Cup or bust. This team will give it everything it has this year. It’s the Devils’ year. Be ready.
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