It is officially June, and it is time to get excited for what lies ahead in the not so distant future for the New Jersey Devils.
The clock struck midnight on June 1st, New Jersey Devils fans! It is officially draft month and the future of the franchise sits in the hands of Ray Shero. He is going to make his second first-overall selection in three seasons and this one could be the biggest draft pick in recent years. All signs seem to point to Ray selecting Jack Hughes of the United States National Development Program.
This month could change the Devils’ fortunes for a long time. Jack is projected first overall because of his offensive abilities. He has game-breaking skating, speed, and vision. A one-two punch of Hughes and Nico Hischier could be the center core they need. Nico is on his way to being a premier two-way center and that paired with Jack’s offensive capabilities is something that could be amazing for the Devils.
It is an exciting time to be a New Jersey Devils fan and now that it is officially draft month, fans can truly start getting excited. The Stanley Cup Final is just starting to get good and Devils fans can dream about how the draft night could be what ultimately gets them to that point themselves. Once the Cup is awarded we will truly be onto the draft, but the calendar turning to June is truly exciting. We are just 20 days away from hearing Shero likely call Hughes’ name.
Although there are people that like to hold back expectations, there are also people who like to hope for the best and the best case scenario is that Hughes goes on to be the best offensive player that has ever thrown on the red and black. Either way, adding a player of this caliber is something that is awesome for the Devils and their fans and now it is time to start getting excited.
The hope is that the future number-one overall pick joins a team with Hischier, Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri among others and helps not only get them to the playoffs but helps them get to true contender status. That starts on Friday, June 21st, 2019 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Get excited, Devils fans.