New Jersey Devils: Swing Through California Feels Different
The New Jersey Devils are about to swing through California. The trip feels a little bit different from it has in the past.
The New Jersey Devils are about to take a journey to California. They are playing well lately thanks in large part to MacKenzie Blackwood in the net so this trip could be fun for them. It is also a chance for them to continue playing well and perhaps see some other guys improve their game as well. This trip feels very different this year than it has in previous years for a few different reasons.
It has been a pretty long time since all three California teams missed the playoffs and that is for sure going to happen this year. They have all made it to the Western Conference Final or better during the 2010s decade. It has been a remarkable run for the three of them but they really are struggling hard in 2020.
The first game for the Devils on this trip is against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. Out of the three teams, this is the only one that is surprising to see play as bad as they have in 2019-20. They were the only ones with not only playoff aspirations but Stanley Cup aspirations as well. Injuries and lackluster play by some guys have led to them being where they are in the standings.
Then after heading south to Southern California, they have a weekend back to back with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. Those two teams were expected to have a tough year in 2019-20 and that is what they’ve had. The Devils have a real chance to continue playing well if they stick to their game and keep working.
Just because these teams are low in the standings doesn’t mean they can’t beat you. The Devils are also low in the standings and they have won some games here recently. All three of these teams still have some of those players that made them great a few years ago so those are the guys that the Devils need to contain to win.
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Stretches like this are important for the young guys. You want to see players like Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and MacKenzie Blackwood take advantage of lesser competition to gain some confidence. You saw it in Detroit with a few guys so hopefully, they can recreate some of that. Although the California teams aren’t dominant anymore, they are still capable of putting together some entertaining hockey against the Devils.