New Jersey Devils: New Jersey Resolutions
New Jersey Devils left wing
(26) and center
(16) celebrate after New Jersey Devils right wing Kyle Palmieri (center) scores a goal at Prudential Center. Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports
Score More
Simply saying that the Devils need to score more seems like an obvious solution. We all know that scoring more isn’t something as simple as saying it and having it happen.
The Devils are a defensive minded team, but even with Cory Schneider in net, they can’t win zero to negative one. The biggest issue the Devils have had is getting shots on goal. The Devils rank dead last in shots on goal per game. That’s right DEAD LAST! The Devils (24.9) average a full 2 shots on goal fewer than the Arizona Coyotes (26.9).
What this translates to is the Devils ranking 25th in the league in goals scored (88), 43 fewer tallies than the league leading Dallas Stars.
Team leader Kyle Palmieri has 16 goals good for 12th best in the league.
With the issue of shots on goal, the Devils need to do one thing better. Throw the puck at the net. Take David Schlemko‘s go-ahead goal in the third period against Carolina on December 29th. After the game coach John Hynes had this to say, “So, I think good things happen when you do the right things and we did the right things and got rewarded for it.” He was speaking specifically about Schlemko’s goal and how the Devils need to throw the puck at the net.
Now this isn’t just my opinion, or even common knowledge from the ever sketchy and questionable “eye test.” There are actual stats to back this up!
I linked to this piece earlier in the week and in it John Fischer talks about the Devils inability to capitalize in the “Royal Road.” Steve Valiquette describes the Royal Road as follows:
"[A]n imaginary line that goes length-wise up the middle of the ice and intersects with another imaginary line that crosses the top of the faceoff circles. Drawing two diagonal lines out from the net to the edge of faceoff circles forms the triangular area in which green shots are taken."
Without going into too much detail, the basis of what Fischer has to say is the amount of passes that the Devils make through the Royal Road, and create shots off them, is extremely small compared to the amount of shots the Devils take as a team. What makes this data odd, is that the Devils actually score at a higher percentage off these types of shots than their opponents do. Much of that credit goes to Schneider though I’m sure.
To sum this all up…The Devils need to throw the puck at/near the net a heck of a lot more than they do currently.
Next: Turn on the red light