New Jersey Devils: Most Important Players For Rest Of The Season

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.

Mackenzie Blackwood

There is no other player on this team that is looking at a more important 11 games than goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. It isn’t even close, to be honest. The Devils are hoping this is the goalie of the present and the goalie of the future. He has had flashes of being an elite superstar goalie, but over the entire season, his statistics are not very good.

Blackwood has the fourth-worst goals saved above average in the league. He’s worse than Martin Jones and Brian Elliott. Things aren’t as bad as they are for Carter Hart (who is eight goals worse than the second-worst goalie in the league), but they are still very bad. There are 72 goalies with a better high-danger save percentage than Blackwood’s .770.

Blame the defense, blame COVID, or blame the new coaching staff. It doesn’t matter who you blame, Blackwood has been bad this season. However, there is blame to go around. He clearly thinks he has to make miraculous saves. That might hurt his confidence, which as we saw with Cory Schneider can be a killer for a goalie. He’s too young to be worried for him overall, but putting up five or six really good games over the final few weeks could mean a lot for the confidence the team has in him moving forward.

Of course, Blackwood is out with an injury thanks to Matt Tennyson. So, if he isn’t able to come back in a timely fashion, then that throws a stick in this plan. However, he really needs these games. Despite the defense, he needs to make saves. He’s by far the most important player on this roster right now.

Nico Hischier

Another player who’s had an immensely disappointing season for a completely different reason. The Devils made it sound like Nico Hischier could make it back for opening night after a lower-body injury in offseason workouts. He ended up returning on February 20th, and he played well despite the team recovering from a COVID-19 outbreak (in which he was a part of the protocol list). Then, he got hit in the face by a deflected P.K. Subban slapshot.

In all, Hischier has played in 10 games this season. He only has five points, although four of those points are goals. He needs to show he can distribute a little more, but being a goal scorer is a nice surprise. He has 11 games to show he can keep his scoring prowess up.

Some of Hischier’s advanced stats haven’t been great. He has literally no chemistry with anyone on this team. He probably should play with Jesper Bratt for the rest of the season. They once had chemistry, and it’s clear Hischier is playing on the edges with everyone else. Jack Hughes had found his place in this offense. He’s really, really good. Hischier’s place is a little more up in the air.

Hischier just needs to stay in the lineup and play his game. Even if he ends up playing with Nolan Foote and Miles Wood, Hischier has to show he can make anything work. That’s what the team expects from a $7 million play who is now a captain. He doesn’t need to score 30 goals or hit 100 points, but he does have to make the best of his situation.

Damon Severson

This one is obvious to anyone who is watching the games. Damon Severson was once one of the best defensemen in the league earlier this season. All the stats showed he was a legit number-one defenseman who was helping carry Ty Smith into Calder Trophy consideration. He’s been so bad since the middle of the season, and Ruff was forced to break apart that duo.

Of all the defensemen on the Devils, only Subban has been on the ice for more goals against. However, Subban has been on the ice for a dozen more goals, so at least his offense is helping counteract the issues he has on the other side of the ice.

When we take out Severson’s insane first month and a half, the numbers look a lot worse. He’s eighth among the defensemen in CF% since March 1st. He’s second to last in xGF% in that same time period. He’s allowed 76 high-danger chances in the same time period, which leads the team (last on the team?). When looking at all strengths, that number jumps to 103 high-danger chances against.

Severson was once by far the Devils’ best defenseman, but now he’s on the verge of being the worst. Well, as long as Tennyson is getting minutes he won’t be the worst, but he hasn’t been good at all. He needs to show he can be the defenseman he was in the first month of the season, or the Devils might have to consider what to do with him next.

Miles Wood

Miles Wood has been as good as any player on the Devils this season. He’s cut down on penalties, which made him near unplayable last season. He’s scoring goals, leading the team with 14 on the season. Wood is still playing a hard-nosed style, but he’s making bad decisions. He’s able to use his speed without going through the goalie on the other side. He’s beating icings, causing turnovers, giving players an outlet from the defensive zone, and he’s putting himself into scoring areas. Wood really couldn’t do more this season to prove himself.

However, if he falls off a cliff at the end of the season, he could be heading to Seattle.

The Devils have a really hard decision to make. They will probably lose a really good young asset. It might cost them a draft pick to make sure the Kraken takes the player they want, or it might cost them one of their young forwards who they will be forced to expose. If Wood doesn’t prove himself further, the Devils might decide it’s best to make him the bait and replace him with some of their speedster prospects.

That would be a mistake, but this is just the reality of the situation. The NHL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. Wood needs to show his scoring can be consistent. Again, this is a terrible idea to expose Wood. He’s on pace for 25 goals in an 82-game season. He’s making a very fair salary for one more season. So, he needs to score like five more goals over the next 11 games to put this idea to bed.