Assessing New Jersey Devils Lineup After Missing Out On Stars

With the majority of the offseason moves completed, the roster of the New Jersey Devils should be close to set. Barring some unforeseen move, Tom Fitzgerald seems content with the personnel for a pivotal year. With that, we can start to speculate how the Devils might roll their lines next season.

First Line: Palat – Hischier – Bratt

The first line will be much of the same as last year, with Nico Hischier and breakout star Jesper Bratt pairing once more. Bratt was a point-per-game player, and Hischier finally took the next step in his development, scoring 60 points in 70 games. Free Agency acquisition Ondrej Palat joins them to be the player that solidifies the line together. I believe this could be the line that sees the most ice time, as Hischier and Palat could be used in defensive situations.

Second Line: Sharangovich – Hughes – Mercer

A common sight, this line will feature the trio that was considered last year’s 1st line. Jack Hughes’s emergence as a superstar makes me confident that almost any wingers next to him will perform. In this case, however, Hughes gets two young wingers to work with. Yegor Sharangovich had a tough first half but really bounced back in a big way towards the end of the season. His impressive shot and defensive work rate should be a good fit with Hughes. On the other wing, now sophomore sensation Dawson Mercer starts. Even though Mercer hit the rookie wall, he still showed a lot of promise in being a Top-6 Winger.