New Jersey Devils: 5 Players Who Can Raise Their Value Down The Stretch

The New Jersey Devils are likely out of the playoffs when you read this, but that doesn’t mean there’s no point to the final month of their season. These five players have a lot to prove before this offseason.

It’s been a bad New Jersey Devils season that has seen some players step up. Jack Hughes returned from his shoulder injury with a new eight-year, $64 million contract. It looked like a risk at first, but now it’s clear Hughes is this team’s star, and he is well worth the $8 million average salary he’s going to be paid after this season. Jesper Bratt is in a contract year, and he’s never been better. He proved himself to be a point-per-game player at the perfect time. Nico Hischier is also signed long-term, and he is having the best offensive season of his career. He’s finally able to make a play by himself.

The rest of the team is somewhere between “in the right direction” and “outright disappointment”. This season has shown us what we need to know about a few players, even if it doesn’t mean they can be moved in the offseason. The Devils situation next year is kind of strange in the only real free agents they have coming off the books are P.K. Subban, Jimmy Vesey, and Mason Geertsen. That doesn’t really open up a lot of spots on the roster.

Which New Jersey Devils player needs to do more to raise their value before the end of the season?

Still, the Devils are going to be doing some intense litigation of its roster in the offseason. If players want to stay in New Jersey, some have something to prove. If others want to have some leverage in contract negotiations, they need to make some moves right now. Others might want to prove themselves to other teams when it comes to trades in the offseason. There are plenty of reasons to prove oneself down the stretch, but there are only a few players who have a chance to do it.