The New Jersey Devils have so many things going right this season. One thing falling under the radar is the massive turnaround of Miles Wood.
Miles Wood came into the last season on a tear. He was providing some scoring on a team that had none. However, when the New Jersey Devils gave him a bigger role, he fell off the face of the Earth.
The most telling stat of the 2016-17 season for Wood was his -21 plus/minus. Only 11 forwards had a worse number in the league, most of which played many more games.
That’s what makes this season so special for Wood. His emergence as a go-to player in all situations is literally the opposite of what he was last season.
Wood currently has nine goals, already more than he had last season. There are some consistency issues, but nothing you wouldn’t expect from any 22-year-old forward. The difference is, this season when Wood is on, he’s amazing.
He has three multi-goal games already. One of those games was his first career hat trick in a 7-5 come-from-behind win against the Chicago Blackhawks. He can take over a game all by himself.
We all knew the skill on Miles Wood. He’s the fastest skater on the team. Nobody goes in a straight line better than Wood. In fact, I would be willing to put him in a race against anyone in the league.
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That speed gets him some great opportunities. He’s taking some pucks right past the defense. He still has some issues with his hands, but his feet are one of a kind.
He’s even doing the little things right. Wood makes smarter hits than he did last season. He’s only fighting when it’s absolutely necessary. He can draw penalties as good as anyone else on the team, even if it means some may believe he’s flopping.
It seems Wood got the message early in the season. He was benched for the first game of the season. When the camera panned to him for season-opening introductions, everyone could tell he was not happy. To his credit, he didn’t let that get him down. He was in the lineup the next game, and never was a healthy scratch since.
So, what should we expect in the New Year from Wood? He’s on pace for 21 goals and 38 points. There’s no reason to believe he can’t hit those numbers. As long as he can stay away from major slumps, he will continue to be a huge part of the lineup.