New Jersey Devils Preseason Players To Watch: Miles Wood
By Nick Villano
Pucks and Pitchforks will take a look at some of the names looking to make an impact in the preseason, and possibly make it on the Opening night roster for the New Jersey Devils. Miles Wood is the first name we’ll discuss.
The New Jersey Devils changed for the better in a huge way this offseason. They added some great young names through the draft, trades and signings. With so many new names on the Devils roster, some of the young names on the roster prior were overlooked.
Miles Wood was a breakout star for the Devils last season. When he joined the roster at the end of November, he made an immediate impact. Wood scored on his very first night back on the team (he played two games at the beginning of the season, but was sent to the AHL). He scored three more goals before the end of the year on a team desperate for scoring.
Wood lost his momentum by the end of the season, failing to score after February 19th. His inconsistency shouldn’t override his skill, but with so much young talent now on the roster he may miss out on making the team altogether.
Wood’s possession numbers were borderline pathetic at times last season. Despite playing just 60 games, he ended the season with a -21 and had some of the worst CF% and SCF% in the league.
While possession numbers are important, that doesn’t nearly tell the whole story of Miles Wood. He was the most exciting player on the team last season. Every shift was a roller coaster ride. He was a fighter and a scorer all wrapped up in his 6’2 frame.
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Wood needs to prove he worked on his consistency this offseason if he is going to make the team out of training camp. He needs to hold onto the puck, and take much better shots. He’s a decent two-way forward when he wants to be. He had more takeaways than giveaways (16 to 14), but not by enough of a margin.
There will be a lot to see this preseason, which starts with its first game tonight against the Washington Capitals. Wood is not in that first lineup, which doesn’t really indicate much. It does take a chance away for Wood to make an impression on head coach John Hynes.
Wood has to compete with the likes of Michael McLeod, John Quenneville, Joseph Blandisi, Stefan Noesen, Nick Lappan and Blake Coleman (among others), while also trying to find space on the team’s lines. Then, the Devils signed both Jimmy Hayes and Drew Stafford to make the forward competition that much more fierce.
Wood needs to have a very good camp and preseason. If he shows some of the same flaws that plagued him last season, he will find himself in the AHL to start this season.