New Jersey Devils: Over/Under Prediction For Every Single Player
NHL hockey is officially back. After ten and a half months, the New Jersey Devils are finally going to lace up their skates and tape up their sticks for a regular-season game. Throughout that ten and half month period, the Devils made a lot of moves to the roster and management. With so many changes coming into the season, who knows where the Devils will stand this season.
Before the Devils’ opening night, I thought it would be fun to know what the fans thought about how many points each Devils’ player scores in 56 games. In this article, we will look at some of these predictions and determine if the player will produce over, under, or at their predictions. This idea was inspired by a YouTube content creator called, OhNyqvist.
Nico Hischier: 36 Points
My Prediction: OVER
Nico Hischier has been doing great so far during his young career. He is entering his fourth NHL season. For each of his three seasons, Nico had a points per game (ppg) ratio above 0.60. Despite the slight fall back last season (36 points in 58 games), he has shown consistency and improvement in his game. His skills on the offensive end are being polished and his defensive game is excellent. He is extremely hard work and a proven leader, especially leading by example. Therefore, I think Nico will produce more than 36 points this season despite missing the first few games. I believe Nico will produce 45 to 50 points this season, being top two to top three on the team in points. He might have a slow start to missing training camp but I believe he will erupt later on and continue to make himself an elite two-way center.
Kyle Palmeri: 32 Points
My Prediction: OVER
Kyle Palmeri was the goal and points leader for the Devils last season. He had 45 points in 65 games. Kyle Palmeri is most likely playing on the first line with Nikita Gusev and Jack Hughes since Hischier is hurt. With fast and dynamic wingers and a fast-paced offensive system led by Coach Lindy Ruff, Palmieri will produce in the 40 or 45 points range. Palmeri will be hungry to find the back of the net and with great playmakers, he might have a great time doing so.
Nikita Gusev: 50pts
My Prediction: LOWER
Nikita Gusev had a great first season for the New Jersey Devils. His 44 points in 66 games made him second on the Devils in points last season. Fans thought his production was underwhelming when comparing his production in the KHL. Fans need to consider that Gusev was adjusting to the smaller ice surface, had to work on a struggling Devils team, and had constantly had different linemates throughout the season. He was in an environment where he would struggle and have growing pains. Despite his struggles, he displayed his incredible hockey IQ and skills on the ice. Gusev looked very good in training camp. He was setting up amazing plays during the scrimmages that were broadcasted to the public. Gusev will have a big increase in production over last year, but he won’t reach 50 points due to the difficulty of the schedule.
Jack Hughes: 30 points
My Prediction: OVER
Jack Hughes did not have a rookie year that a first-overall pick was supposed to have. He scored an underwhelming 21 points in 61 games. Like mentioned earlier, Hughes had a lot of obstacles in his way last season. These obstacles included his undersized frame, a struggling Devils team, changes in management and coaching, and putting him in the lineup where he will not succeed. After last season, it seems like Hughes will not turn out to be the center he was ought to be.
However, Hughes took advantage of the prolonged offseason by significantly increasing his frame. He also looked good later on in training camp. It seems that Hughes is ready to take a big leap this season. Hughes will have a breakout year based on his offseason gains and performance in training camp. He is another player that can lead by example based on these gains. He will most likely play first-line minutes while Hischier is out. Based on how he performs, Hughes might even try to take Hischier’s title of the first-line center. The sky is the limit for Hughes this season production wise. Let’s be conservative and predict that he will score 35 points this season.
Andreas Johnsson: 28 pts
My Prediction: OVER
Andreas Johnsson was acquired by New Jersey in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs for Joey Anderson. Johnsson scored 21 points in 43 games last season on a stacked Maple Leafs team. Johnsson is most likely going to have a top-six role with the Devils. He will bring additional speed, skill, and grit to the team. Due to his numbers, while playing on a limited role and having some experience with playing with players like Auston Matthews, Johnsson will transfer the skills he obtained from Toronto and become a top-six winger. Johnsson will score 30 points in 56 games.
Jesper Bratt: 32 Points
My Prediction: LOWER
Jesper Bratt saw a drop in total production last year by scoring 32 points in 60 games. He produced this much in the middle of a season where there were changes in management and coaching staff. Also, the team was not good. Despite the drop in points, Bratt displayed great playmaking abilities as well as a scoring touch.
All of the skills are there, but he has to work on unleashing them. He has great chemistry with Hischier, and when Bratt returns from Sweden and finishes his quarantine, he will fit right into Ruff’s system and provide a big boost to the Devils’ roster. Bratt should have an increase in production this year. However, it’s not clear how many games Bratt will miss due to the late re-signing, issues with getting a visa, and quarantine. Therefore, I think Bratt will score a little lower than 32 points by scoring 28-30 points based on how many games he plays this season. Even so, Bratt will be very productive in the games he will play.
Jesper Boqvist: 4 Points
My Prediction: OVER
Jesper Boqvist most likely found a spot on the starting roster after a strong showing at training camp. Boqvist saw some time in the NHL time last year but only scored four goals in 35 games. When he got sent down to the Binghamton Devils, Boqvist over time gained confidence and thrived. During the ten-month break, he was one of the players that had the opportunity to compete.
He got loaned to Timrå IK of Hockey Allsvenskan before this season. While there, he had 10 points in 13 games. His speed and creativity were well noticed. During training camp, Boqvist was very noticeable during the scrimmages. His puck movement, skating, and speed were on display and it led to multiple scoring chances. Thus, I see Boqvist scoring at least 20 points this season. The Devils need Boqvist to step up this year because he is great at the shootout. Boqvist can be the difference maker in how the Devils finish in the standings if a lot of the games end in shootouts.
Pavel Zacha: 32 Points
My Prediction: OVER
Pavel Zacha is an interesting case. Despite not living up to bring a player that a 6th overall is supposed to be (yet), Zacha is still a good player for the Devils. He is a huge asset to the penalty kill and shows flashes his offensive capabilities. Zacha’s numbers improved from the 2018-2019 season to the 2019-2020 season by scoring 32 points in 65 games. One of the big concerns about Pavel Zacha is the consistency of his offensive production. If Zacha can be consistent with his production, he can help significantly strengthen the Devils’ offensive depth. I can see Pavel Zacha improving his point production. However, I can see Pavel Zacha scoring a little over 32 points this season by scoring around 34 points.
Yegor Sharangovich: 35 Points
My Prediction: UNDER
Yegor Sharangovich has been a pleasant surprise for the New Jersey Devils as of late. The Devils’ 5th-round pick from 2018 came back from a stunning stint with the Dynamo Minsk of the KHL, where he scored 17 goals and 25 points in 34 games. Before that, Sharangovich found his touch during the second half of the AHL season when the Binghamton Devils were pushing for a playoff spot. During training camp, he was one of the biggest standouts of all the players who were fighting or a spot on the opening night roster. With impressive play in most of the scrimmage games, he earned himself a spot on the Devils’ starting roster. Besides, Sharangovich might play on the top line on opening night.
With Sharangovich’s very impressive performances recently, it is reasonable to say that Yegor can produce at the NHL level. However, I do not see Yegor scoring 35 points this season. He obviously doesn’t have a lot of NHL experience yet. He might face similar struggles as Gusev in his first season; however, Yegor has experience on a smaller ice surface by playing in the NHL. I think Yegor will be placed in a middle 6 role, most likely the third line, despite him starting on the top line. Therefore, we’ll say that Yegor will get 27-30 points this season.
New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19): (James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports)
Travis Zajac: 25 Points
My Prediction: HOLD
Travis Zajac is a key and aging veteran for the New Jersey Devils. He is the best on the team at taking faceoffs and also does very well in the defensive end. However, his production in the offensive end dwindled by scoring 25 points in 69 games. Zajac is expected to play a middle or bottom-six role with the team again and will be crucial at the defensive end. On the offensive end, Zajac will make one last push to be a productive player. Zajac will score the same amount of points as he did last season (25) in 56 games, a slight increase from last season. Don’t be surprised though if he produces less.
Janne Kuokkanen: 15 Points
My Prediction: HOLD
Janne Kuokkanen is one of the many prospects that made the starting roster. This will be Janne’s second chance to be a regular in the NHL after only playing one game with the Devils last year after being traded from Carolina at the trade deadline. Janne was a great fit for Binghamton as he produced six points in four games. He also had the opportunity to compete overseas by playing with Karpat of Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.
Kuokkanen is most likely going to play a bottom-six role with the Devils. He will try to display the skill that he had displayed when he excelled with Bingo. In 56 games, he will score around 15 points this season.
Miles Wood: 27 Points
My Prediction: UNDER
It seems that Miles Wood did not pan out to be the player that he was supposed to be. It is very unfortunate because Wood is one of the fastest players in the National Hockey League. How good is that speed if a player’s skills are not up to par? If Wood learns how to control his speed and be able to stickhandle well at top speed, he would be an extremely dangerous player. With a new coaching staff that loves to help young players develop, Lindy Ruff and Mark Recchi can work with Wood so he can match his skill with his speed.
With that being said, Wood will see a slight increase in production this season in comparison to last season; however, I think he will score fewer points than what some fans predicted. I think Miles will score 21 points in 56 games. This might be Wood’s last chance to prove himself to be a good depth player. If he does not play to what he is expected to, this might be his final season with the big club or maybe with the organization.
Michael McLeod: N/A
My Prediction: 12 Points
Michael McLeod making the starting roster was a huge surprise for me and possibly for a lot of fans. This is a great opportunity for McLeod to show that he belongs with the big club after being a disappointing prospect up to this point. Similar to Miles Wood, McLeod has incredible speed that his hands and skill cannot keep up with. If his skill can accompany his speed, McLeod can be a threatening depth player. Because of his underwhelming stats during his short tenure with the Devils and Binghamton, I predict that McLeod will score 12 points with the Devils this season. I wish the best of luck for him and I hope he can finally find success this season.
Note: I did not get any predictions from fans for McLeod. But, it was necessary to mention him here since he made the opening night roster.
Nathan Bastian: 18 Points
My Prediction: UNDER
Nathan Bastian is getting another opportunity to play with the big club. Despite not being the most skillful player, Bastian makes up for it with his good frame, grit, and strength. When Bastian last played with the Devils last season, he scored three points in seven games, all of them being goals. That is a pretty impressive run for him. Back at Binghamton, he put up decent numbers by scoring 38 points in 62 games. Bastian showed consistent improvement throughout his three seasons with Binghamton.
Bastian has earned this spot on the team and it will be interesting to see how he does with the Devils this season. To me, he will produce 15 points, lower than what some fans predicted. Despite that, Bastian can be an effective player off the puck as well. He might be able to produce more if he is linemates with Michael McLeod and vice versa. Both had great chemistry when they were linemates at Mississauga. I would like to see Ruff put these two together and see what they can do together.
PK Subban: 27 Points
My Prediction: UNDER
P.K. Subban had an abysmal season last season. He barely produced and he was awful defensively. His lack of agility caused a lot of odd-man rushes. Subban needs to have a bounce-back season this season. Under Lindy Ruff’s aggressive, fast-paced, and highly disciplined system, PK Subban will have no room to set back. Subban will bounce back this season offensively and defensively; however, he will score lower than 27 points. He will score 23 points in 56 games this season.
Damon Severson: 31 Points
My Prediction: OVER
Damon Severson is an underappreciated piece of the Devils’ defense. Despite having some big defensive blunders last season, he still did decent on the blue line. Plus, his production has been increasing in the past couple of seasons. If Severson continues to develop and solidify the defensive aspect of his game, he can arguably be the #1 defenseman on the team and can be compared to other great offensive defensemen in the league. Since Ruff’s system encourages the defense to be more involved on offense, Severson will thrive and he will have an increase in production. Severson will score a little more than 31 points by scoring 35 points in 56 games.
Ryan Murray: 20 points
My Prediction: HOLD
Ryan Murray is entering his first season with the New Jersey Devils. He came to New Jersey from a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets back in October. He is a defenseman that is known to produce a little and is mainly known for his defensive play. Murray was a big asset to Columbus’s defensive core when he was there. Unfortunately, he suffered the injury bug during his time there and missed a lot of games. This season, the Devils want Murray to play as much as possible and to stay as healthy as possible. If Murray stays healthy, Murray can get a fair 20 points in 56 games this season.
Ty Smith: 10 Points
My Prediction: OVER
Ty Smith finally made the roster after being sent back down to Spokane for the past two seasons. A lot of fans were worried about how he would do this year at camp because of his underwhelming performance last year. Compared to last year, Ty had a much better camp. He generated a lot of scoring chances and did very well in the defensive zone during the scrimmages despite having some mistakes. This shows that Ty is resilient and knows what it takes to take a step up to the next level. He displayed that in the WHL by scoring 59 points in 46 games and got rewarded with the WHL’s Top Defenseman of The Year Award for the second year in a row.
It will be tough to determine how productive the rookie offensive defenseman will be this season. He will most likely play on the third line. Despite playing fewer minutes, I think Ty will find a way to have a decent rookie year. He will produce 15 points in 56 games this year, higher than what some fans predicted.
Will Butcher: N/A
My Prediction: 27 Points
Will Butcher is a player that has not been living up to peoples’ expectations. While his numbers were not bad compared to his two seasons, it is still a noticeable drop. Butcher has been struggling a lot in the defensive zone. Will is looking to bounce back and become an offensive threat on the blueline. So far, Will looked pretty good at training camp. It seems that Ruff’s system is benefiting Will so far. Because of this, I can see Butcher increase his production in comparison to last year by scoring 27 points in 56 games. He also needs to improve on the defensive aspect of the game if he wants to keep having a big role with the Devils.
Connor Carrick: 18 Points
My Prediction: UNDER
Connor Carrick is a bottom two defender that has average defensive skills and underwhelming offensive ability. Last season, Carrick had six points in 29 games. He has shown a lot of consistency of underwhelming numbers. Connor Carrick this season is going to battle for the bottom two spots on defense this throughout season. He might not play a lot of games this season because other players will come in that more talented than him, including Sami Vatanen. Because of this, I predict that Connor Carrick will score much lower than 18 points by scoring five points.
Dmitry Kulikov: N/A
My Prediction: UNDER
Dmitri Kulikov was acquired through free agency during the long offseason. Kulikov is more of a defense-defenseman than an offensive one. Throughout his NHL career, he only had three seasons more than 20 points. This season, I think it would be a similar situation. I think that he will produce 12 points in 56 games. Despite the lack of offense, expect him to be doing well in the defensive zone blocking the shooting lane.
Matt Tennyson: 10 Points
My Prediction: UNDER
Matt Tennyson is another defenseman that is not known for his offensive prowess. The 30 year old is entering his second season with the Devils organization and he wants to show that he can be an NHL regular. Last year, Tennyson had an impressive training camp which rewarded him with some playing time with the Devils. His performance with the Devils did not hold up his performance in the preseason. This might be Tennyson’s last chance of proving himself because of the rising defensive prospects in the Devils’ system. This season I think Matt Tennyson will score 5 points this season. He needs to step up his game if he wants to stay within the organization.
My Prediction: 23 Points
Sami Vatanen is back for another season with the Devils after being traded to the Carolina Hurricane last season for Janne Kuokkanen. It was bittersweet to see Sami leave because he was an important defenseman for the Devils. Getting Sami back adds a punch to the Devils’ defense. He has been consistent with production as an offensive defenseman. Before he got traded to the Devils, Sami had 23 points in 47 games. This season, the Devils will most likely expect him to continue to produce and to help solidify the blueline. The big question for Sami is whether or not he will stay healthy. Sami is injury prone and it creates a big hole in the Devils’ defense.
Sami is not going to play on opening night due to issues similar to what Jesper Bratt is experiencing. Therefore, I think that Sami can produce 23 points this season based on the fact that he will be playing less than 56 games.
Mackenzie Blackwood: .920 Save Percentage
My Prediction: UNDER
Mackenzie Blackwood had an unreal second half of the previous season. He came out of nowhere and helped the Devils have a winning record under Alain Nasreddine’s tenure. This season is critical for Blackwood because it will see if he can either maintain his high-level goaltending, take his game to the next level, or regress. Blackwood was close to a brick wall in a couple of the scrimmages that were played during training camp. And get this, he played like that against the Devils’ best players. I have high hopes for Blackwood this season and it will help that he will have a stronger defensive core in front of him. However, the division that the Devils are in this year is ridiculously stacked with highly offensive-powered teams. Since the Devils lineup still has holes, is still very young, and is adjusting to a new system, Blackwood will still get assaulted with shots by opposing teams. Also, Blackwood will be playing a lot more frequently since Corey Crawford retired very recently. Therefore, I predict that he will have a save percentage of .915 due to the extreme difficulty of the division and the rawness of the Devils team. Despite that, Blackwood will be amazing for New Jersey.
Scott Wedgewood: N/A
My Prediction: .905
Scott Wedgewood returns home to Newark after spending one year with the Arizona Coyotes and three years playing in the AHL for various NHL affiliates. While in the AHL, Wedgewood had a lot of success when he did play. I have no idea why the Devils released Wedgewood in the first place back in 2018. He is a reliable goaltender as a backup and only had a few hiccups when he played for the Albany Devils (2016-2017) and the Binghamton Devils (2017-2018). I am very happy to see Wedgewood back to have a second chance with the Devils. I think in the games he will play, I think he will have some success with the Devils; however, he will struggle at times due to the stacked division. Thus, I think that Wedgewood will have a save percentage of .905.
Final Thoughts
Those were my answers to the predictions the fan-made predictions for point production by Devils players. I want to thank those who provided me with their predictions. If it was not for you, this article would not have been made. I hope you enjoy this article and feel free to leave a comment below to state your predictions. Let’s get a discussion going.