New Jersey Devils Daily: Pavel Zacha, Breakout Candidate, More
By Nick Villano
A relatively quiet day on New Jersey Devils Daily. Looking into some comments made by Taylor Hall, who is the Devils breakout candidate and Pavel Zacha working hard this offseason.
Chris Ryan with NJ.com talks with New Jersey Devils center Pavel Zacha. He’s spending the entire offseason in New Jersey so he can improve his game. This is music to Devils fans ears after a season that left much to be desired last season. Head coach John Hynes says he’s already seen a change in Zacha. He’s more confident on the ice, and could be poised for a huge season. With players like Nico Hischier and Marcus Johansson taking up the spotlight, Zacha can have the breakout season we expected from him last year.
What Devils’ Pavel Zacha did differently in training this summer
Pucks and Pitchforks looked into some interesting comments made by Taylor Hall last week. He talked about his desire to make the playoffs after what he called “the longest summer of all.” Hall still has three years left on his deal, but the Devils need to prove to be a playoff team in that time if there’s a chance to keep Hall in New Jersey. It must be especially hard to see all his friends in Edmonton enjoying the postseason while he watched it at home.
New Jersey Devils Need Playoff Berth To Keep Taylor Hall
Pucks and Pitchforks also looked into another team Ray Shero can look to exploit; the Detroit Red Wings. After signing Tomas Tatar to a long-term deal, the Wings have very little in terms of cap space the next two seasons. With Dylan Larkin’s entry level deal ending this season, the team needs to make space. Shero should ask if Gustav Nyquist will waive his no-trade clause in order to come to the Devils. He really needs a fresh start after two straight down seasons. It would cost Shero and the Devils little to bring him to New Jersey.
New Jersey Devils Should Ask About Detroit Red Wings’ Gustav Nyquist
Dave Stevenson with FanSided’s Puck Prose talks about Cory Schneider being the key for the Devils season. Schneider was obviously off his game in a big way last season, posting some of the worst stats in his career. While his age may be a factor, Stevenson correctly points out that Schneider has much less miles on his skates than most goalies his age. He has all the makings of a comeback campaign.
New Jersey Devils: Cory Schneider Critical For Playoff Hopes
Stevenson also looked at the most likely breakout candidates from the Metropolitan Division. He pegged Damon Severson as the Devils candidate. This would be great if Severson can step up as a true number one defender. The team’s defense is obviously the weakness, and having Severson paired with a healthy Andy Greene could really help turn this team around.