New Jersey Devils: Perfect Lineup For 2020-21 Season

Defense Pair Three

Dmitry Kulikov-Ty Smith

The third pair is going to be a wild card for the Devils. It could be really good by the end of the season or it could be really bad. The hope is that it has Ty Smith on it playing well, regardless of who his partner is. In this case, we have Dmitry Kulikov playing with him. It could be a pair that helps Smith develop at the NHL level because he is a really highly regarded prospect.

Smith has been a top New Jersey Devils prospect since he was drafted with the 17th-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Since his draft, he has dominated the WHL as a member of the Spokane Chiefs. We all thought that he would have made his NHL debut by now, but the Devils have been very careful with his development. There is a good chance that this is the year that he makes the team out of camp.

As for Kulikov, he is a ten-year NHL veteran. He has spent most of his career with the Florida Panthers before bouncing around over the past few years. Now he is with the Devils and could very well play on their third pair with Smith. Hopefully, if given the opportunity, he is able to play well and help along with his young partner.