5 New Jersey Devils Who Need A Bounce-Back Season

Damon Severson

Damon Severson was once dominant last season. He had the look of an elite playmaker from the blue line. His pairing with Ty Smith was magic from the start. It helped Smith become an early contender for the Calder Trophy. They looked like a dominant pair that gave the Devils the top pair they’ve been looking for. However, Severson basically fell apart towards the end of the year.

Severson finished the season with a 52.87 CF%, just ahead of P.K. Subban for third on the team (not counting Colton White’s two games). That’s not bad, but at the end of February, that number was almost 60%. There was a massive correction to his numbers, and he became close to a liability.

That isn’t Severson. Something was likely off, and he was dealing with some nagging injuries. It isn’t something Devils fans should be terribly worried about, but Severson is looking to solidify his spot on the roster with Hamilton taking over as the top guy. Subban is likely leaving after this season, and he might get traded in the middle of the season. Severson can establish the Devils right side as one of the biggest strengths in the league if he plays as he did over the first month last season. However, he has to avoid how he played down the stretch or it could worry a lot of Devils fans.