The National Hockey League is starting to think about the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. It is very interesting because this will be a year that features both the All-Star Game and participation in the Winter Olympic Games. There will be no shortage of New Jersey Devils participation in either event.
Now, we know which players are on the ballot for the All-Star Game voting. The captains of each team will be determined this way. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Dougie Hamilton are the three on there for New Jersey and they are well deserving. It is hard to be excited about it because of the way that the team is playing but these guys deserve recognition.
Of course, we need more from all three. That will come as the team gets better but people will naturally not think of them as All-Stars. In the case of Hughes, he hasn’t played much this year because of his injury but he is really starting to ramp it back up. The hope is that he continues to get better and helps lead them to a Stanley Cup.
Nico Hischier takes some heat and rightfully so. He needs to score more. He is a very good two-way player but a first overall pick usually scores a lot more. The analytics love him and he is a very marketable player being a former first pick so his nomination makes sense but he has a long way to go before he is a legit All-Star. You can see the tools there but there is more development needed in his own end.
Dougie Hamilton is one of the best defensemen in the National Hockey League. He should be a top-ten Norris guy every single year of his prime. He has earned this reputation so his appearance on the ballot makes a ton of sense. So far, he feels like the most worthy of the three nominated here.
The New Jersey Devils are represented on the NHLL All-Star voting ballot.
One notable omission is Jesper Bratt. He is the team’s leader in assists and points. He has been their most consistent offensive threat all season long. He got off to a really slow start but then really started to elevate his game.
At this point, however, Bratt would probably be the most deserving player on the team. He isn’t as marketable as two first overall picks or a Norris-level defenseman but that shouldn’t be the criteria. Bratt deserves way more recognition so it is time we give it to him. Writing him in as a vote is certainly a good idea.
At the end of the day, New Jersey Devils fans just want to see New Jersey Devils players play on the biggest stage. The NHL All-Star Game certainly is that so go out there and vote for your favorite players.
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