There’s not much to take from the rest of the New Jersey Devils season. They will likely lose just about every game they play, and there aren’t many players fighting for a spot next season. There are some players who actually put up decent points in a season where they really needed to show something (looking at you, Pavel Zacha). The rookies have played very well, and some already gave themselves a spot on next year’s roster. Lindy Ruff is as safe as he wants to be, and he would only leave the team if he was the one making the decision.
However, it’s not like there’s nothing to watch over the final 11 games. There are players who have been inconsistent that have to show a little more if fans will have confidence in them going into next season. There are a couple of players who are looking to get a new contract, whether that’s with the Devils or with another team. Then, there’s the looming Seattle Kraken expansion draft. Players might want to go there, or they might want to keep their family in New Jersey. Either way, they will look to prove themselves towards the end of the season.
The Devils are coming off a game where they could have easily given up in the first period. Scott Wedgewood was terrible, and the Devils were down 4-0 before most of us got settled. However, despite being down 6-0 to start the third period, the team fought its way back and ended up losing 7-6. It shows the Devils players are looking to find something from the end of the season despite being officially eliminated from the playoff race.
There will be something to take from these games, as the Devils showed they aren’t going to quit on this season. So, who are the players we should be paying extra attention to over these final 11 games? All advanced stats come from Natural Stat Trick.