The New Jersey Devils face off against the Buffalo Sabres in their second straight matinee game. This is the start of the Devils first road trip this season. Here’s what to watch as they get started:
Even Strength Production
The Devils beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in their season and home opener. All four goals came on special teams which can be viewed both positively and negatively.
The Devils were 3 for 4 on the PP and added a shorthanded goal when Jesper Bratt fed John Moore. While special teams production is essential the Devils need to show they can score even strength goals as well.
With plenty of shots against Colorado it’s time to see if the Devils can translate their PP success into even strength success.
The Rookies
Will Butcher had 3 assists, Jesper Bratt had 1 goal and 1 assist, and while Nico Hischier was held off the score sheet he displayed a willingness to stand up for his teammates and just how strong he is on the puck.
Butcher had 3 powerplay assists but only logged 12:45 TOI. We’ll see if the Devils give him an increased role or continue to shelter Butcher defensively as he adjusts to the NHL and continue to utilize his puck moving skills on the power play.
As for Bratt and Hischier both showed they can handle the NHL not only on the power play and at even strength but on the penalty kill as well. Bratt had the most TOI of any Devils forward on the PK with 4:47 while Hischier logged almost 1 minute of PK time.
This teams success will be largely dependent on the play of these three rookies.
Cory Schneider
I wrote in the offseason that Cory Schneider would be fine and in his first game back he showed no signs of regression. Schneider stopped 40 of 41 shots with the lone goal coming on the penalty kill.
According to hockey-reference.com he posted a GSAA of 2.75. While that’s not outstanding it’s a large improvement over what we saw last year.
Look for Schneider to continue his high level of play against a team with more offensive talent. The Sabres have a deeper forward group and are headlined by $80 million dollar man Jack Eichel.
Health
The Devils lost their top two right wings against the Avalanche. Both are travelling with the team on this road trip and neither has been ruled in or out at this point for the game against the Sabres. If Palmieri or Stafford end up being out Jesper Bratt and Jimmy Hayes will likely find themselves top 6 roles.
This Devils team has a ton of potential but certainly can’t afford any additional injuries.
New Jersey Devils Legend Jacob Josefson
Josefson was a Devils 1st round pick in 2009 and spent 7 years in New Jersey before leaving for Buffalo in free agency this year. He’ll be centering their 4th line and this will be the first time he faces off against the Devils.
Josefson never met the team or the fans expectations during his tenure in New Jersey so it will be interesting to see how he handles a new role in Buffalo.