New Jersey Devils: Perfect Lineup For 2020-21 Season

Defense Pair One

Will Butcher-P.K. Subban

The New Jersey Devils don’t have a true number-one pair on defense. They could honestly end up going in any direction based on how the team plays once a few games are in the rearview mirror. To begin, a pair of Will Butcher and P.K. Subban should be the number-one pair. They both find themselves in a position with a lot to prove. It sounds like a cliché, but it could either work out very well for them or they could fall flat.

Subban’s first year in New Jersey was not a good one. He seemed like he was either lost out there or try to do way too much. The new way of playing was difficult to do for him. He was around a bunch of other great defensemen in Nashville but didn’t have that luxury in New Jersey. It showed. He is not as bad as he looked on most nights last season and should be able to somewhat bounce back this year.

Will Butcher is a wild card. We had high hopes for him when the Devils were able to snag him in NCAA free agency after he chose not to sign with the Colorado Avalanche. He had a good rookie year but has been trending down ever since. He never was really given the opportunity to come out of his shell so the new Lindy Ruff system might really be able to help him. Hopefully, this is able to form a great pair for the Devils.