New Jersey Devils: Lineup Decisions Are Frustrating Already

This New Jersey Devils season should be one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. However, all we can talk about in the leadup to the season is the ridiculousness that is the possible starting lineup.

The New Jersey Devils had one of the best offseasons in recent memory. They drafted Jack Hughes, one of the best prospects since Connor McDavid joined the league. The team took one day to continue winning the draft after trading for P.K. Subban on day two. Adding a number-one defenseman and a future top-line center who can immediately slot in on the second line is already a great offseason, but the Devils weren’t done. They then spent July signing Wayne Simmonds and trading for Nikita Gusev to really round out the forward group.

On top of it all, the Devils are getting back Taylor Hall, the former MVP. He looks as motivated as ever, and luckily for us the rumors say his contract talks are moving along. Hall wants to show last year was the anomaly not the rule.

On top of all that, Cory Schneider looks dominant. Yes, it’s only preseason, but this was our biggest worry coming into the season. Mackenzie Blackwood looks good himself, and the goalie position might not be the weakness everyone predicted it would be.

Every thing is looking up Devils this offseason. They went from one of the worst teams in the league to one of the most exciting. So, why are the fans not happy in the days leading up to the home opener? Well, the lineup.

So, let’s dissect this for just a second.

The Devils are sitting in lines on Thursday both Connor Carrick and Jesper Boqvist, two players that, as currently constructed, showed they deserve to start. In their place are Mirco Mueller and John Hayden, two players who might be gone the second the offseason starts. We hope they both have better seasons than they have before, but the skill definitely favors Carrick and Boqvist.

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What’s even more mind numbing is that the Devils decided to keep Jesper Boqvist in America rather than send him back in Sweden based on his play in the preseason. Yet, he didn’t play good enough to make it into the opening night lineup.

Then, the coup de grace was that the first-line defense includes Andy Greene next to P.K. Subban. During the preseason, we saw Subban dominating on the ice, but they put him with a 37 year old? We get that Greene has been the captain, and that he has done everything the Devils asked of him. We love Greene. That being said, unless the first five guys get hurt, we don’t want to see Greene on the top line at all. This just proves how weak the Devils defense is on the left side, and why they needed one more move to actually solidify this team.

Ty Smith was supposed to be that guy, but the Devils sent him back to Spokane. Maybe he had a rough preseason, but now it looks like we have top line Andy Greene. If anything, move Sami Vatanen to the left side so at least the talent level is top-line worthy.

It could be a frustrating year if these lines don’t work. With so many moves made, chemistry is so important. Maybe head coach John Hynes sees something we aren’t in practice, and this is a chemistry pick. Or maybe he’ll mix up the lines right before the game, and what we think makes the most sense will prevail.