With half of the 2024-25 season completed, the New Jersey Devils must seek and maintain momentum. They need to find the same level of on-ice chemistry they had at the start of December. The team is in the middle of a three-game losing streak, but the Devils are still second in the Metropolitan Division with a 24-14-3 record.
But despite their recent frustrations, the Devils have been strong in one area: physicality. While shifting the team’s identity to become more physical, one Devil has been an unsung hero. Brenden Dillon has had a positive impact since joining the Devils’ roster as an enforcer, allowing the team to embrace a tougher mentality.
Dillon’s Blue Line Grit
Dillon is not afraid to put his body on the line, and his gritty style of play has been exactly what the Devils needed. So far this season, he has landed 102 hits and blocked 58 shots. He is able to land hard checks and use his size to his advantage. He can easily regain puck possession in the defensive zone, disrupting the other team’s scoring chances by blocking their passing lanes. His stature also enables him to win crucial battles along the boards, limiting turnovers and breakaways.
He leads the team with four major penalties and ranks second-highest with 46 total penalty minutes. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Most of the time, he heads to the penalty box for defending his teammates, which is a welcome difference from last season.
Part of the reason the Devils were injured so frequently during the 2023-24 season was due to the absence of an enforcer. For example, no one came to Nico Hischier‘s defense after he suffered an illegal head check by Connor Clifton in October 2023. However, the days of the Devils being pushed around are long gone. Dillon has shaped the Devils’ new defensive era, allowing the team to become a more physical and tight-knit group.
Devils Have Each Other’s Backs
Following a disappointing loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, Dillon spoke to the media and praised the Devils’ recent shift toward a grittier style of play. “We can play a heavy, physical game, and we’re not going to be intimidated,” said Dillon. He added that it’s important to know your teammates will always be there to back a play or dive headfirst into a scrum as needed.
Between Dillon and Kurtis MacDermid, the team has had no shortage of heavyweight players who are more than willing to drop the gloves. Dillon has started a trend of defending his teammates, and the rest of the Devils have embraced this mindset. In Tuesday night’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, Hischier exchanged blows with Mason McTavish when Timo Meier was knocked down after scoring a goal. Their recent surge in physicality makes the Devils much harder to play against, and they can compete with more aggressive teams like the Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers.
Dillon’s Scoring Contributions
Even though he is not particularly known for his scoring abilities, Dillon has managed to score two goals and nine assists. Throughout his career, he has averaged 15 points per season and is currently on pace to score 22 during the 2024-25 season.
The defensive pairing of Dillon and Dougie Hamilton has also had a decent amount of success. Their line leads the team in both goals for (34) and high-danger scoring chances (121). This pairing also helped the Devils set an NHL record by limiting their opponents to 20 or fewer shots on goal for seven games straight. Compared to the rest of the league’s defensive pairings, Dillon and Hamilton are tied for second in goals for and rank fifth in total shot attempts.
Related: Devils’ Defensive Mindset Having Success in Recent Games
Dillon’s physicality balances out Hamilton’s offensive capabilities, providing both net-front presence and a higher volume of shot attempts. Dillon’s shutdown skills make it easier for Hamilton to cross into the offensive zone. In fact, Hamilton ranks in the 96th percentile in offensive zone time among all defensemen. While there is still plenty of room for defensive improvement, Hamilton has had positive puck possession when paired with Dillon.
Dillon’s Impact Moving Forward
So far this season, Dillon’s impact on the Devils has been understated. He is a bold player who brings a level of tenacity and aggression that the team lacked last season. He doesn’t hesitate to drop the gloves, and his skill set complements his defensive partner. Since becoming a part of the Devils’ locker room, Dillon has helped the Devils transform into a faster, tougher, and more physical team.
