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5 Players New Jersey Devils Coaches Must Focus On This Season

By Nick Villano

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 27: New Jersey Devils head coach John Hynes works his 200th NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Prudential Center on December 27, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Red WIngs 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 27: New Jersey Devils head coach John Hynes works his 200th NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Prudential Center on December 27, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Red WIngs 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
(Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

5. Will Butcher

Will Butcher will need extra coaching this year, not because of anything he did wrong last year, but because he will have an expanded role this season. Last year, Hynes kept Butcher mostly protected. He started in the offensive zone 71 percent of the time. That’s actually insane. Obviously, Butcher’s offense was his biggest advantage, but it will be near impossible to do that again.

Butcher will have an expanded role on the blue line this season. He will need to work extra hard with Alain Nasreddine. We all believe that Butcher will take the spot left by John Moore.

Butcher will still spend more time in the offensive zone than the defensive zone, but expect him to expand his defensive role. It all depends on who his partner is, and that’s very much up in the air right now, but it’s hard to see the Devils giving him third-pairing minutes again this season.

With this expanded role, coached need to make sure he evens out his game.

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