5 New Jersey Devils Players Who Could Help Playoff Teams Now
By Nick Villano
![Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/bf59ec6735d57f8515b314c59131175cfc9fec00aed16b56b1c7c2c48087fc69.jpg)
Miles Wood to the Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are dealing with so many injuries going into their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Nathan MacKinnon has played once since May 5th. Brandon Saad is a game-time decision for the beginning of the series. Bowen Byram is probably going to miss the first round. Matt Calvert is out on the team’s bottom six. That has them going into this postseason severely shorthanded.
Most analysts still think the Avs are going to roll through the first round. The Blues didn’t have much to play for at the end of the year as it became clear they were the fourth-place team (they beat the fifth-place Arizona Coyotes by nine points and they trailed the third-place Minnesota Wild by 12 points).
Miles Wood would provide an advantage for a team that’s looking for a major advantage in a very competitive hockey season. The Avs are taking on the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions in the first round, and that will be their easiest matchup of the postseason. Bringing in Wood, who plays with an edge but has really learned how to play smarter with it this season, would give them a secret weapon in their bottom six.
Wood had his best season ever this year. He scored 17 goals in 55 games. He wasn’t in the penalty box nearly as much as he was in previous years. Wood would be a perfect addition to the Colorado Avalanche, who when healthy don’t really need a ton of help anywhere else.