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New Jersey Devils: Why Fans Should Focus On Our Own Rebuild

By Luke Garrison

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 10: Players and staff watch the second phase of the NHL draft lottery as they sit in the recreation area outside Rogers Place on August 10, 2020 during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The New York Rangers won the first pick. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 10: Players and staff watch the second phase of the NHL draft lottery as they sit in the recreation area outside Rogers Place on August 10, 2020 during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The New York Rangers won the first pick. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /
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New Jersey Devils fans need to stop focusing on the team across the river.

Many New Jersey Devils fans were upset when the New York Rangers won the first-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. We said the NHL rigged the lottery for the Rangers and even asked some Ranger fans how we can follow in their footsteps. Once we started to think more clearly, something became apparent. For one thing, we already did have two No. 1 overall picks, meaning the complaints couldn’t really go that far. Also, the Rangers put together an excellent rebuild. We should question the differences between the rebuilds and how the Devils can fix theirs. Well, let’s answer these questions to find out.

How Did the Rangers Do So Well On Their Rebuild?

Perhaps the most substantial difference between these two rebuilds is the handling of prospects and offseason. If you look at the Rangers’ goalies now, they have Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev. The Rangers’ front office knew how to work them to get the new goalie tandem the Rangers needed.

By also adding Artemi Panarin to a Rangers offense, which looked lacking prior to adding the MCP candidate, was big for them. Panarin had a 95-point season on his way to being named a Hart Trophy finalist. As for the defense, it seems to be the only issue that still needs help. They may have added Jacob Trouba last offseason, but even with him the defense still looks lost. That’s the only hole the Rangers have. As for the Devils rebuild, they, however, had many holes

How Did the Devils Rebuild Go?

Once the Rangers got Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba, the Devils needed to do something. After the 1st round of the 2019 NHL Draft, they traded for P.K. Subban with the Nashville Predators. Subban, however, didn’t look like the defenseman we wanted to see. It seems that he’s suddenly declining. Maybe the Devils picked him up at the wrong time in his career.

When the Devils also acquired Wayne Simmonds, he came back from an injury that really changed the way he played. When he did play, he looked all right, albeit missing on several chances to score.

Perhaps one of the best parts of that offseason was acquiring Nikita Gusev. Gusev provided the Devils with something to look forward to in the future. Having a 44-point season, Gusev is making the Vegas Golden Knights regret ever letting him go. Despite that one positive, the rebuild of last year did not do the Devils any good. So, the next question is, where do they go next?

What Could the Current Team Do Now To Continue the Rebuild?

With the current team, the big question is “what can Lindy Ruff do with these players?”. With how young this team is, I am curious to see if Ruff can turn these young players into stars. Makes me think back to when he coached the Dallas Stars and turned Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn into superstars. For goaltending, Mackenzie Blackwood is continuing to be liked by the fans as well as the organization. Having 22-win season he’s looking to improve on that average next year.

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Blackwood even got listed in the top 10 in goalie saves this year. If he continues to stay in that range, he could become the next great Devils goalie. There are still many questions that the fans want to know. Who could the Devils select 7th in the 2020 NHL Draft? What will be the main target for the Devils to sign in the offseason? When will the Devils become good again? While we may not know these answers now, we wait to see what this decade has to offer. While the Rangers may seem to have their decade set, we could end up surprising everyone. Everything in the NHL is always unpredictable.

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