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New Jersey Devils: 20 Reasons Why 2021 Will Be Better Than 2020

By Nick Villano

Confetti rained down on an empty Times Square in Manhattan after the ball dropped, marking the start of the New Year Jan. 1, 2021. Times Square, usually packed with thousands, was closed to all but a select few due to COVID-19 restrictions,New Year S Eve
Confetti rained down on an empty Times Square in Manhattan after the ball dropped, marking the start of the New Year Jan. 1, 2021. Times Square, usually packed with thousands, was closed to all but a select few due to COVID-19 restrictions,New Year S Eve /
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New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29): Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

Reason #2: Goaltending Is Not A Problem

The New Jersey Devils haven’t had a great tandem in net for what feels like forever. There was always one carrying the other. Keith Kinkaid carried the load in 2018 until he fell off the rails. Cory Schneider carried the load for years beforehand, but the injuries caught up to him. Now, the Devils have the young, successful Mackenzie Blackwood as the starter and the veteran Corey Crawford as the veteran ‘backup’. Every night, barring injury, the Devils will have a really good goalie in net.

Reason #3: Fighting For Spots In Training Camp

Last season, there was really only one open position in training camp. With the additions of P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, and Nikita Gusev, there weren’t many open positions in training camp. Somehow, we knew those “open” positions would be going to Kevin Rooney and John Hayden no matter what happened in camp. This season, it really is open season. Lindy Ruff doesn’t know these players, so he has no preconceived opinions on the roster. That means Yegor Sharangovich, Michael McLeod, and Jesper Boqvist all have a shot to make an impression. The Devils have multiple open spots, so they can carry whoever looks best in camp.

Reason #4: Seeing The New Guys In A Devils Uniform

Last season, the Devils added huge names. It didn’t work. This season, new GM Tom Fitzgerald made much more calculated moves. It will still be a lot of fun to see the Devils new players wear the new uniform. The Devils added Crawford from the Chicago Blackhawks, Andreas Johnsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ryan Murray from the Columbus Blue Jackets. None of them are stars at this point in their careers, but they all make this roster a lot better.

Reason #5: All Rivalries All The Time

You know those games that come on at 10 p.m. EST against the Calgary Flames that most of us aren’t that interested in? It’s still Devils hockey, so we’ll stay up and watch, but it’s nowhere near as good as a Devils-Rangers game or a Devils-Flyers matchup. This season, every game will be against either the Rangers, Flyers, Penguins, Bruins, Sabres, Islanders, and Capitals. These teams are the most hated by Devils fans. Add in the fact that Taylor Hall is now in Buffalo, and now every game feels like a big game.

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