We are less than a week away from the New Jersey Devils playing their first preseason game. Over the previous few years, there had been plenty of room for experimenting with line combos in exhibition games. That’s less of the case with a more established and talented lineup heading into the 2023-24 season, but there’s still room for head coach Lindy Ruff to find new looks. Let’s go over some line combos (and one to avoid) Ruff could try before the regular season begins.
Bratt, Hughes & Holtz
It’s not make-or-break time for Alexander Holtz, but it’s a big season for the former seventh-overall pick. He needs to contribute in the top-nine, but ideally, he finally breaks out and contributes somewhere in the Devils’ top-six alongside their best players.
Last preseason, Ruff gave Holtz a look with Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palát, and the results were solid. But once the regular season began, Holtz played mostly bottom-six minutes and never got another look alongside Hughes and Palát.
It wouldn’t hurt to give that trio another kick at the can this preseason, but it’s time that Holtz gets a look with Jesper Bratt and Hughes. Holtz will never be a great facilitator, but he has the shot and playmaking ability to be a potential complementary piece on a scoring line with those two.
Bratt and Hughes are great facilitators and can do the hard work in transition, meaning all Holtz has to do is get into the right scoring spots in the offensive zone. His skating isn’t a non-issue, but it has improved, and he should be able to keep up with the team’s pace. The bigger problem a season ago was he wasn’t able to think the game fast enough. If Holtz is getting to the right spots during preseason games, both offensively and defensively, then it might be his time to shine.
Meier, Hischier and Toffoli
If Bratt, Hughes and Holtz click, that should allow Ruff to give Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Tyler Toffoli a look as the top line. Hischier and Meier were linemates for a good portion of the season after the Devils acquired Meier from the San Jose Sharks at the deadline. As you can imagine, the results were excellent.
I’d expect that to be the case again this season. Meier and Hischier are great facilitators and can shoot the puck with frequency, especially Meier, who’s one of the highest-volume shooters in the NHL. Toffoli, who the Devils acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames this summer, is a solid finisher who creates plenty of quality scoring chances.
Toffoli is not the quickest skater, so he’ll need players who can move the puck in transition; that also makes him a fit with Hughes and Bratt. But he should also get ice time with Meier and Hischier, given each player’s makeup. All three are capable of hitting 30 goals and have good two-way impacts, meaning the Devils could run teams into the ground if this trio shows chemistry and forms the top line.
More Hughes & Meier
We saw a little bit of Hughes and Meier after last season’s trade deadline, but not as much as I expected. They played 108 minutes together, a small sample but one big enough to infer that there might be something to work with. Because based on their numbers together, the Devils should be able to outplay teams by a significant margin with them as linemates.
Related: New Jersey Devils’ Prospects Challenge Recap
In those 108 minutes, the Devils posted a 61.2 expected goals percentage (xG%) with Hughes and Meier on the ice together. Meier, Hughes and Bratt could be a lethal combo, but it also lessens options for Hischier. Perhaps something like Meier, Hughes and Dawson Mercer works, leaving Bratt and Toffoli for Hischier.
But regardless, giving Meier some more ice time with Hughes is worth a look. Meier doesn’t have to learn a new system like he did after the trade in February. He’s coming into camp knowing how the Devils like to play, so riding shotgun next to a player like Hughes should be easier this preseason.
Foote in the Top-9
Nolan Foote’s ceiling may be a bit lower than when the Devils acquired him from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Blake Coleman trade three-plus years ago. But he still has the potential to be a top-nine winger, partially due to his rocket of a shot.
Foote got a cup of coffee with the Devils a season ago and fared well, totaling a 67.39 xG% in a sample of 43 minutes. He also put up solid counting totals in the AHL with the Utica Comets, finishing with 20 goals and 37 points in 55 games — a 26-goal, 48-point pace in a 72-game AHL schedule.
There’s reason to believe Foote can contribute to the Devils’ lineup this season, and it’s not unreasonable to think it can be as a third-liner. His skating isn’t great and never will be for a player who’s 6-foot-3, 201 pounds, but it’s at least NHL average now. It’s probably worth trying him alongside Palát and Erik Haula, two responsible players who have enough offense to their game to help put Foote in a position to succeed.
Avoiding Holtz and Meier
Yes, this is an article about finding combos that could work in games. But finding the right fits is as much about avoiding pairings that wouldn’t work. As tempting as it may be to try Holtz and Meier together, it doesn’t seem like their games would complement each other, at least compared to other Devils forwards.
Meier isn’t a bad playmaker, but he’s much more of a shoot-first winger. I would also classify Holtz as a shoot-first type, so it’s easy to see problems arising if they’re both on the same line. Holtz needs to be in the best possible position to succeed this preseason, and I’m not sure having Meier on the opposite wing does that.
Meier is a very good facilitator for a power forward, especially as a winger. He can drive play and can create plenty of chances off the rush, but Holtz would likely benefit more from playing alongside Bratt, Hughes and even Palát.
It Won’t Be Long Before We Know Ruff’s Plans
The Devils will be on the ice for the first time tomorrow (Sept. 21). We might not get line combos right away, but it likely won’t be long before we get an idea of what Ruff is planning to try during the team’s split-squad preseason games on Sept. 25, which opens up exhibition games.
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Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick
