The New Jersey Devils have had an underwhelming and frustrating season through 30 games. Injuries, poor goaltending, and immense struggles in the second half of back-to-backs have left fans concerned. Moreover, the surprise success of other Metropolitan foes, such as the Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, and Philadelphia Flyers, has kept New Jersey out of a top-four spot in the division.
Furthermore, the Devils have dealt with constant line shuffling and injury call-ups due to injuries to top players such as Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, and Dougie Hamilton. Despite the laundry list of problems, the team is only two points out of an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot with games in hand at the 30-game mark of the season.
Heading into the season, the expectations for the young team were the highest they have been in the last 13 years. Unfortunately and beautifully, there is no predicting how a hockey season will go. Fortunately, there is still time for the Devils to find a more consistent rhythm amongst the team, along with better luck. Adversity will benefit a team that is filled with young talent and be beneficial to the experience of all of the players.
One aspect of the Devils’ season that is living up to expectations so far is the skillful and productive play of most of their star players. There is a clear ‘most valuable player’ through 30 games that will surprise no hockey fan. However, there are multiple options for the ‘most underrated player’ and the player that ‘needs improvement’ so far. With a record of 16-12-2, the team will look for their next 30 games to be more positive in the 2023-24 season.
Most Valuable Player: Jack Hughes
In the 2022-23 season, the league took notice of the emerging star, Hughes. The 2019 first-overall pick had a career season and finished with 43 goals and 56 assists for 99 points. Not breaking 100 points was a frustration that haunts Devils fans and Hughes himself, “I’m a competitive person, so definitely a little like, ‘Damn,’ you know? I wanted that because I’m competitive,” (from ’32 Thoughts,’ Sportsnet, 05/29/2023). Hughes went into the 2023-24 season with pressure from outside sources and himself.
Fortunately, the 22-year-old center did not stumble after his explosive season last year. Hughes has 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 25 games played. Unfortunately, the star player was injured in a game against the St. Louis Blues but only missed five games. He leads the team in points, goals, assists, shots, and all forwards in ice time with an average of 20:51.
There is not much more that the Devils can ask from a 22-year-old center. However, one area that he can improve in is his giveaways. He has 33 giveaways through 25 games played. However, it is not uncommon for playmaking stars to turn over the puck a lot. Unfortunately, many of his giveaways have led to the opposing team scoring, as they are careless mistakes that can easily be avoided. Despite this small blip on the impressive stat line for Hughes, the Devils would be much further down in the standings without the star center.
Other contenders: Jesper Bratt
Most Underrated Player: Michael McLeod
Micheal McLeod is a bottom-six forward that every team in the NHL would love to have on their roster. He is not going to light up the scoresheet or make the prettiest plays every shift. However, McLeod gives 110% effort on every shift and is often the only spark on the team some nights. He also leads the team in faceoff win percentage with an impressive 65.8%. This success rate is also good enough for fifth in the league.
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While the Devils’ top two centers Hischier and Hughes were sidelined with injuries, McLeod stepped into the #1 center role and kept up with opponents and his linemates. He is tied for fourth on the team with seven goals and eighth with 12 points. McLeod’s impressive stat line is made more impressive with the limited minutes that he is given. He is playing an average of 14:12 and clearly making an impact in every way that he can.
McLeod is a clinical role player that is needed for teams to succeed in the league. Whether he is taking a crucial overtime faceoff or killing penalty minutes, he has been one of the most reliable players on the 2023-24 team. An area where the team is lacking, Mcleod is third on the team with 53 hits. The 25-year-old center is proving that he deserves a contract with term, and he is a vital piece of the team.
Other contenders: Tyler Toffoli, Nico Hischier, and Luke Hughes
Needs Improvement: Vitek Vanecek
The Devils’ biggest issue through 30 games is the poor goaltending that they are receiving from Vitek Vanecek. Akira Schmid’s season is also inconsistent, but the 23-year-old goaltender’s performance has been promising in most games. Unfortunately, Vanecek is not replicating his stellar 2022-23 performance. By only looking at his record, it seems like he is having a decent season. Vanecek has started in 18 games and has 11 wins. However, the offense has had to score four or more goals in over half of those games to secure the two points.
Vanecek’s goals-against average is a whopping 3.30, and he currently has an abysmal .883 save percentage. For a starting goaltender in the NHL, these numbers are not acceptable and will certainly lose your team valuable points.
Furthermore, according to moneypuck.com, Vanecek is ranked 77th out of 81 goalies in goals saved above expected with -6.5. For the team to climb the standings and string together wins, Vanecek needs to improve immensely and immediately. Unfortunately, other teams are experiencing goaltending issues, meaning there will be limited options to bring in an outside goaltender. The easiest and best solution for New Jersey would be for Vanecek to find the play he gave the team last season.
Other contenders: Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler
As New Jersey continues their season, a push for more consistent play is the key to success. Key players that need improvement, such as Vanecek, Meier, and Siegenthaler stepping up their play would solve a considerable amount of the team’s problems. The NHL season is a brutal and long rollercoaster ride where we will all have to wait and see what happens from here on out!
