Pucks and Pitchforks
Fansided

New Jersey Devils: Things to Look At As NHL Trade Deadline Approaches

By David Holliday

Mar 30, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman PK Subban (76) warms up before playing the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman PK Subban (76) warms up before playing the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
New Jersey Devils
Nico Daws #50 of the New Jersey Devils enters the ice prior to the gme against the St. Louis Blues on March 6, 2022 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images) /

As the trade deadline approaches and the season is hitting the last stretch for the New Jersey Devils, the team still has a lot to prove. We will finally see some trades as teams try to get a head start after the Colorado Avalanche took an early initiative. While playoffs are out of the question, the Devils still need to win games and build some confidence. What should they do and what should fans be keeping an eye on?

The continued growth of Hughes and Bratt to NHL stardom

These two are by far the best offensive players on the team. As it sits now, Jesper Bratt would be on pace for an 84-point season and Hughes a 93-point one if both played a full 82-game season. The Devils have not had an offensive threat like these two in a long time outside of one season from Taylor Hall. These two are still young and just hitting their stride. If these two can maintain this pace and continue to drive the play through their primes, the team is in a far better state than people think.

When it comes to goal scoring, a thing the Devils have struggled with for ages, Bratt is on pace for 28 goals while Hughes would be on pace for a whopping 38 goals in a full 82 game season. This once again would be the best since the 17-18 season when Hall scored 39 and previous to that the last Devil to net 35 was Ilya Kovalchuk back in the 2012 playoff run season. The franchise has certainly never been known for goal scoring and these two have always been looked at as pass-first players, but if they can both net 25-30 during their primes it will be a very long way for the franchise.

Nico Daws

The goaltending position has been a disaster for years and it has driven fans insane. Mackenzie Blackwood should have been playing better and anyone over 30 has been so injury-prone it is just beyond bad luck. Watching Cory Schneider going from stud to worst goalie in the league hurt this franchise immensely. Then, Corey Crawford retired before playing a game, and now Jonathan Bernier is out with a hip injury which is probably the worst thing a goalie can suffer if they expect to come back and play at the same level.

Nico Daws has now played in 13 games and has a respectable record of 6-5. Currently, he is this team’s starter thanks to his performances and is probably turning some heads in the organization who likely did not expect to see him in the big league for a couple more seasons. He leads the team’s netminders with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. If the team had a starter with these numbers all season one could argue they would be in the playoff conversation.

Should the Devils have him written in as the starter next year? Probably not. Can he prove that he is ready now if he plays this way for a total of 30games? Absolutely.

Home/Editorials