New Jersey Devils Are Actually In A Very Good Position

The New Jersey Devils were eliminated from the playoffs for the fifth straight season. While things seem bleak, the team is in a great position to succeed in the future.  

It was one of the most disappointing seasons in New Jersey Devils history. After a big offseason, there was actual hype surrounding the team. Then the season happened, and once again things look bleak for Devils’ fans.

As bad as things look right now, with the Devils spending another postseason watching the playoffs, the team is actually in a really good position.

How must be the first word sailing into your head. The team is on a five year playoff drought. The head coach may or may not be a sitting duck, which may be worse than having no coach at all. Their defense ranks 24th in the league. Their offense ranks 28th. The team seems to play worst when it matters most. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs have more overtime losses.

Despite all of that (admittedly, that’s a lot), the future for the team is still bright.

For one, there is a bonafide superstar forward on the team for the first time since Ilya Kovalchuk “retired.” The trade to bring Taylor Hall to the Devils in exchange for Adam Larsson is still a steal despite the position the Edmonton Oilers are in compared to the Devils. Hall can make his own shot, and can really help the players around him.

Kyle Palmieri proved this season that he can get close to 30 goals each and every season. He has 25 goals this year, on a team that has severely struggled to score. The Devils have Hall and Palmieri signed until at least 2020.

Adam Henrique has become a very good player in his own right. Travis Zajac had a bounce back season of sorts, and proves he can be a very good top six center.

If someone told Devils fans that their top six was possibly the best part of the team, most would sign on the dotted line.

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Cory Schneider has been down for part of this year, but most of it is just that; a down year. Most of the greats had one season that looked out of place. Schneider isn’t getting much help, but can’t stand on his head like he did last season. Whether that’s an issue with confidence, or pure frustration, it is something that can be fixed in the offseason. He can easily get back to his elite performance with some simple tweaks (and maybe a lesson in stopping shots from defensemen).

The Devils defense needs serious help, but that can happen if the rumors of a major push for Kevin Shattenkirk are true. While he is older, Shattenkirk signing with the Devils shows a big name free agent defender is willing to sign with them.

The Devils prospects are actually working out. It seems like forever since the Devils had a first-round pick that turned into somebody. Prior to 2012, the Devils couldn’t buy a good draft pick. Larsson looked like a lock, but he was having issues. Reid Boucher looked like a steal, but couldn’t convert Juniors success into NHL goals. Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby are famous for not working out.

Now, the Devils are seeing players like Pavel Zacha and Miles Wood grow from the minors to serious contributors in the NHL. First-round picks John Quenneville and Michael McLeod lit up their respective leagues, and looked prime to be key contributors on the team next season. Nathan Bastian is also having a decent season in Juniors, and could be ready for a full season in the AHL.

For once, the Devils have a respectable set of prospects that gives fans hope for the future. That is what it is all about, the future. The Devils have something to look forward to after five years of some of the biggest sports heartbreaks imaginable.