The New Jersey Devils are going to have a wide variety of projections for 2019-20 but this latest one is a little exciting.
The New Jersey Devils were a bad hockey team in 2018-19 once all of the injuries they had started to pile up. They ended up as the third worst team in the entire NHL. It was a step backward from where they were a year prior. But it was a blessing in disguise because some wonderful things have happened since the end of the season.
They won the 2019 NHL Draft Lottery on April 9th, and had the right to make the first-overall pick in the draft. They selected Jack Hughes who looks to become an elite, offensive-minded center to build around for the next decade or more. Then, the very next day right before the 2nd round started, they traded for P.K. Subban from the Nashville Predators. It was a great weekend and one that made the Devils a much better hockey team going forward.
Then on July 1st, the first day of free agency, they signed Wayne Simmonds to a one-year deal worth $5 million. He might not be the player he once was, but he will for sure be better than your typical bottom six level winger. He is also really good on the power play as a net-front presence so it was in all likelihood a good move.
The Devils also had played more than half the season without their superstar left wing and reigning Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall. That was a major blow to the team and one they could not come back from. Now Hall is set to return and it is almost like you’re adding another great player to last years team.
On top of those things, there are guys already here that are sure to take another step next season. Nico Hischier is already developing into an elite two-way center and could end up being one of the better ones in the entire league. He and Hughes should go on to make a truly great 1-2 punch down the middle of the ice.
Guys like Jesper Bratt and Will Butcher have both had really good starts to their NHL careers, and they both now have the opportunity to take the next step in this league. Can Butcher become a true power play specialist from the back end? Can Bratt be a 30 goal scorer? These are two things both players will be looking to do moving forward.
There are also two prospects besides Hughes that everybody is really high on; Ty Smith and Jesper Boqvist. They both appear to be ready for the show and could make an impact as soon as next season. It is going to be sweet to see.
All of these moves has BetOnline calling the Devils the seventh best team in the Eastern Conference. This team currently sits at 12/1 to win the Eastern Conference. They are behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Washington Capitals. All of those teams made the playoffs last year except for Florida who was a great team but just needed goaltending, and they added Sergei Bobrovsky.
All of the additions to the Devils have put them ahead of a few teams that they were not ahead of last year. Notably the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes, who both made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year and won at least one round. Obviously, these are just betting odds but it is fun to see that people think the Devils are going to be that much improved based on the offseason.