New Jersey Devils End Of Season Defense Grades And Goalie Evaluations
Dougie Hamilton
GP:62 G:9 A:21 PTS: 30
Pre-Season Prediction: GP:82 G:13 A:42 PTS: 55
Dougie Hamilton had a hot start and was everything that we knew he could be but the injury to his jaw really derailed his season. After that, he never looked the same. He also revealed at the end of the season he was playing with a broken toe, so his drop in play is understandable. He will be ready to go next season though and that is the most important thing and we can expect him to be the normal #1 defender.
Rating: B
Ryan Graves
GP:75 G:6 A:22 PTS: 28
Pre-Season Prediction: GP:76 G:5 A:19 PTS: 24
Ryan Graves came in and gave us most of what we wanted from a big, mean, defenseman, but it did feel like he was a little less than what we saw in Colorado. He was third in hits among defensemen and only three ahead of Hamilton, who played fewer games this season. While the numbers are not always counted accurately, it would be nice to see him throwing at least a few hits a game and to try and match the level thrown out there by the Devils’ fourth line. He was an intense guy and a competitive one in Colorado and while it appeared at times, especially early, it looked like the losing got to him so hopefully, if this team turns it around next year we will see it again from him.
Rating: B
Damon Severson
GP:80 G:11 A:35 PTS: 46
Pre-Season Prediction: GP:82 G:6 A:26 PTS: 32
Damon Severson has been on this team forever and has been a polarizing figure at times with opinions varying greatly. He can still make those big mistakes leading to goals but overall he is still a great NHL defender and does a little bit of everything and does it well. It was a career year offensively for him and with some other good NHL defenders, he didn’t have to shoulder the entire load of hard matchups which really helped him thrive. Hopefully, the team locks him up long-term for a reasonable number.