Pucks and Pitchforks
Fansided

New Jersey Devils Player Grades For October

By Nick Villano

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 27: New Jersey Devils left wing Taylor Hall (9) skates during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers on October 27, 2018 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 27: New Jersey Devils left wing Taylor Hall (9) skates during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers on October 27, 2018 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 7
Next
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Andy Greene: B

Andy Greene has been a much better member of the New Jersey Devils after he was taken off the first line. Greene playing 20+ minutes every night is not something that ends in success. Not now, not ever. He’s too old, too slow and just not good at the things he used to excel at. Here’s the thing, the Devils finally took Greene off the first line, and now he’s excelling.

Greene has been a perfect foil for Damon Severson. Those two have helped the Devils have a respectable top six when everyone is healthy. Greene is 36 years old, so we just want to make sure he’s not being a sieve on the ice. Hopefully, head coach John Hynes doesn’t keep putting Greene out there when the Devils are in overtime. Outside of that situation, Greene has been just fine.

Brian Boyle B

Brian Boyle is still the hero on the Devils, and he’s been quite good to start the season. A new hitch to his game is he’s now on the Devils vaulted penalty kill, which ranks 8th in the league. He’s replacing the loss of Brian Gibbons, who left in free agency. Add into his role on the power play, and now playing wing on the fourth line, Boyle has been quite good to start.

It seems like Boyle has been able to focus more on scoring now that faceoffs and other center duties are not a part of his game. Not sure what caused the Devils to make the change, but it is working. Boyle has three goals to start the season. If he can stay on that pace, we would all take a 25 goal Brian Boyle.

Jean-Sebastien Dea B

Jean-Sebastien Dea was a player that surprisingly came to the Devils at the end of the preseason. The Devils claimed him off waivers right before October started. He was given a chance to make the opening-night roster after Jesper Bratt got hurt. He’s played so well, he worked his way onto the second line.

Do I think Dea is a second line player? No, but this is the situation the Devils find themselves thanks to injuries. Dea was great as a fourth-line player, scoring three goals early on. He’s been held goalless since going to the second line, so maybe it’s time to put him back down. We are grading Dea as if he is a fourth-line player, which gives him an easy B.

Blake Coleman: B

Blake Coleman has been decent to start the season. He has three goals, including the game winner in the game against the Florida Panthers. That game helped the Devils avoid a five-game losing streak.

Coleman hasn’t been out of this world, but he’s been fine. His three goals and his stellar penalty killing gives him a B. He could be better, however.

Home/Editorials