As the New Jersey Devils prepare in Prague to take on the Buffalo Sabres and familiar foe Lindy Ruff in the Global Series, it is an excellent time to connect with our readers and answer the questions on their minds. The first week is shaping up to be a revenge tour of sorts as the Devils clash with former coach Ruff in back-to-backs in Prague on Friday and Saturday and then return home where new head coach Sheldon Keefe takes on his former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in the team’s home opener on Thursday night.
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What better time to step back and answer the most pressing questions on Devils fans’ minds? These are all real questions from real Devils fans.
Could You Explain How Ruff’s “High-Pressure” System Differs From Keefe’s? – @DerMando
With a New Coaching Staff in Place, What Kind of Style Will the Devils Be Playing This Season? – @MrEd315
As with anything with a new coach, time will tell. From my conversations with players, Keefe, former captain, and current television host Bryce Salvador, I see that the systems are similar in how they want to play but schematically very different. Ruff employed a unique coverage scheme in his defensive zone, sometimes leading to missed coverages and assignments when everyone was not on the same page. This was especially difficult for new acquisitions to acclimate to quickly. The crux was players playing defense based on keys other than their position.
So, for example, you would have wingers going below the goal line defensively if they were in the zone first, and other coverages that are different than the traditional way in-zone defense are taught throughout much of hockey. Two seasons ago, the system worked flawlessly when it was deployed with a group of veteran defenders who had been in the system and a goalie who cleaned up mistakes. Last season, there were far too many tactical breakdowns, and the goalies failed to erase errors.
Keefe uses a more traditional structure. In speaking with Bryce earlier in camp, he indicated that it is similar to how most teams scheme their defense. He also said that Keefe’s plan would allow selected forwards permission to look to counter quickly when particular looks arise. There was a lot of emphasis in camp on killing plays early in the zone and immediately turning to transition. Sometimes, this aggression will lead to breakdowns and high-danger opportunities, so the team targeted Jacob Markstrom, who led the league most of last season in high-danger save percentage (HDSV%). Keefe has also said he is implementing a three-zone forecheck, which was new to this group of players. After the first preseason game, he praised the team for picking it up so quickly. He has professed to want to use a high-pressure system in all three zones and will not concede ice.
Look for the forwards to be more aggressive in the neutral zone, trying to intercept pucks and apply pressure rather than back into the defensive zone. One example was Jesper Bratt‘s breakaway goal against the New York Islanders, where Tomas Tatar attacked the puck carrier, separating him from the puck. Nico Hischier pounced on the puck and led Bratt alone on the goalie.
These types of plays, including being more aggressive physically in the neutral zone along the walls, should be hallmarks of what is to come this season and how you can sense that the team is playing how Keefe wants them to play. After practice in Prague, Bratt spent a lot of time discussing how they were working on sprinting. This system will require top conditioning from its players and, when done correctly, will be fast and enjoyable hockey to watch. While it may take time to implement fully, Keefe’s teams have ridden to success with this type of hockey at all levels and appear to be a good match for the Devils’ personnel.
Another thing to remember is that while the Devils have a new head coach and a new coach for the forwards in Jeremy Colliton, much of Ruff’s staff remained in place. “Gilly” to the players, Ryan McGill remains the defense coach. He was the architect of the Devil’s excellent defensive output two years ago and the Vegas Golden Knights’ defenses for the first few years of that franchise. The Devils also return goalie coach Dave Rogalski. He is much maligned by the fan base for his inability to get better performances from mediocre goaltenders. Now, with Markstrom and Jake Allen, he has the two best goalies he has worked with in New Jersey and will have an opportunity to demonstrate his value. The Devils also retained Chris Taylor and Sergei Brylin, who each provide value as skills coaches and in different gameday roles, Taylor on the bench and Brylin as the team’s eye in the sky. Brylin also directly connects to the Devils’ glory days and is a great example to the players of what is possible.
I Heard Someone Is Being Inducted Into the Ring of Honor. Have You Heard Anything About Who It Might Be? It Would Be Classy if the New Jersey Devils Organization Honored the Three Head Coaches Who Brought the Stanley Cup to the Garden State. – Peter Zanelli
I contacted the Devils before the date was announced, but they would not divulge the honoree’s name. Last year, they didn’t announce that Brylin would be inducted until Nov. 21. Honoring the coaches would be an appropriate gesture. One of the good problems is that there are plenty of people deserving of induction besides those coaches, including Lou Lamoriello, John MacLean, Doc Emrick, and Chico Resch, to name a few. I imagine they will begin to add those coaches to the arena facade sooner rather than later.
What Do You Think of (What Appears to Be) Their Goalie Succession Plan Over the Next 5 Years and Who Is the Eventual 1A? – @timwuud
There doesn’t seem to be a plan for the next five years, but that is okay. Markstrom is expected to be the 1A for the next two seasons. Allen serves in the backup role this season, while Nico Daws, Isaac Poulter, and Tyler Brennan get the opportunity to get a lot of reps in the minors. Those three and Jakub Malek will battle to take Allen’s role next season. The Devils are fortunate to have many options and the luxury of allowing the position to work itself out. The other thing to take out of this offseason is that Fitzgerald made it clear that he is unafraid to do what is necessary to get a bonafide starter.
The wildcard in all this is Mikhail Yegorov. The top-ranked North American goalie in this year’s draft has the potential to be a steal and make an impact soon. Fitzgerald said a big reason for the Marino trade was to get a second-round pick to acquire Yegorov. The 6-foot-5 netminder will eventually be heading to Boston University and have a chance to hone his skills at the highest level of the NCAA with great coaching under former Devil Jay Pandolfo.
“He has a huge pro presence and has shown steady development throughout the season. He moves well throughout the crease and has very good structure in his game. He’s very tough to beat down low and in tight situations and has a chance and the ability to become a very good pro with more development. He’s a high-end goalie prospect.”
Al Jensen, NHL Central Scouting on Devils Prospect Mikhail Yegorov
The Devils’ future in net is bright. It is impossible right now to determine who the eventual 1A will be, but the good news is there are many options and the Devils’ depth should allow them to have a player in place once Markstrom can no longer play 55 games a season.
What’s the Concern-O-Meter on the Current State of the D Corps? – @timwuud
It is too early to be concerned. The good news is that Fitzgerald fortified the depth and has invested heavily in his defense over the past few years. That investment is bearing fruit, as Seamus Casey and Jonathan Kovacevic will be making their Devils debuts in the first game against Buffalo. For a team to lose half of its top seven defensemen and still be able to ice a credible six-man unit speaks to its organizational depth.
How well Casey and Kovacevic do these first two weeks will likely go a long way toward determining how much the team rushes Luke Hughes, Brett Pesce, and Santeri Hatakka back from their injuries. Playing with four right-shot defensemen is far from ideal, however, Casey’s experience playing the left side in college is a huge benefit to New Jersey.
At What Point Do We Start to Worry About Meier’s Production and Blaming either the System or the Lines? I Feel Like He Has a History of Starting Seasons Slow and Finishing Strong. – @hockeyfisch
Timo Meier needs to get off to a fast start this season. As you note, he has a penchant for starting slow, and the Devils have the offensive firepower to weather an early Meier slump, but for his confidence, getting off to a fast start is critical. As for worrying about his production, that concern is misplaced. He has led New Jersey in goals since he was acquired. Has he scored as much as he or the fan base would like? Probably not, but nobody on the team has scored more and that counts for something. He did that while rushing back from two MCL tears, an abdominal issue, and playing through a shoulder issue that needed offseason surgery.
Besides dealing with multiple injuries, he struggled to find traction in Ruff’s system. He was often deployed quizzically, constantly shifting between the top three lines and finding himself on the fourth line. His power play time was also curtailed, and he seemed never to find a consistent groove. Meier played on 16 distinct lines throughout the season alongside 11 different linemates (minimum 10 minutes of ice time). His fortune did seem to change when Fitzgerald fired Ruff. Meier was given more regular ice time and linemates from that date forward and produced results. He delivered 24 points in the final 21 games, scoring 15 goals, more than twice as many as any other Devils player.
Despite playing through two knee injuries, Meier still topped out in the 92nd percentile in the entire NHL for top speed (per NHL Edge). He averages 31 goals and 143 hits per 82 games for his career. Add those skills with his speed, and you will have a tailor-made forward to play in the fast-paced, high-pressure system Keefe is looking to install. Meier is an underrated play driver who can skate pucks out of trouble through the neutral zone, enter the offensive zone, and immediately become a threat to score. He is one of New Jersey’s best forwards around the net, both as a screener and at corralling loose pucks and putting them home before the defense and goalie can react. He should have an opportunity to pick up many rebound goals with a healthy Dougie Hamilton bombing from the point. Meier is poised to have a huge season.
What Are the Expectations for This Season? – @matt12r
Playoffs or bust. Step one has to be getting into the playoffs to avenge last season’s dreadful performance. After that, a lot will depend on matchups and health, but the team would certainly not be excited about not going as deep into the playoffs as two seasons ago. From a team perspective on a more granular level, it should be to finish the season in the top five in power play percentage and penalty killing, which is achievable. Should they find a way to weaponize special teams, they will be challenging to play against.
Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. Enjoy the season.
