If we told you in September that the New Jersey Devils were in a dogfight for playoff positioning in March after an injury to Jack Hughes, most fans would understand. Still, there would be confidence that this team could pull through now that they had the goaltending. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen have been stellar for most of the year, and that's kept the Devils in most games.
What's surprising is the offense hasn't been able to do that. Even with Jack Hughes in the lineup, the Devils have not scored. Even with one of the best power plays in the league, the team can't consistently put goals in the net.
Over the season, the Devils are scoring at just under three goals per game. However, since January 1, the Devils have just 2.37 goals per 60 minutes. Only the Vancouver Canucks have scored less in 2025. With so much lost in terms of skill, we took a look at NHL Edge statistics to see if there was a skill deficiency after so many offseason changes. What we learned was shocking.
Skill change No. 1
The Devils are no longer one of the fastest teams
Last season, the Devils drove offense through speed. They would go coast-to-coast often and it led to many game-changing goals. This season, a few things changed. For one, the Devils are playing under Sheldon Keefe and not Lindy Ruff. Keefe's system is more of a grind with defensive responsibility mixed in. Ruff was more of a run-and-gun type offense. The Devils also prioritized grit over skill this offseason, which took off more speed than they probably expected. Stefan Noesen is a pretty slow player. Paul Cotter is pretty average. On top of that, the fastest players aren't hitting their top speeds anymore.
Last season, the Devils' top skating speed for the season was 24.19 miles per hour. That was in the 93rd percentile for teams, showing the Devils as one of the fastest in the league. This season, their top skating speed is 23.58 MPH, which is below the league average.
This Devils team can't get faster overnight, but Keefe can open the offense up a little bit. He's done great things with cycling the puck and moving players in the perfect position, but he hasn't perfected zone exits and entrances, and an extra speed element will only help.