The New Jersey Devils are a team looking to take the next step this year. It has been a long time since they’ve been a perennial playoff contender but that is what they are trying to build. In order to do that, their new young core has to produce.
It all started for them this year at the 2022 Training Camp. That all seemed to go by so fast as they entered their preseason on Saturday with a tilt against the Boston Bruins. They won the game by a score of 5-3 to push their exhibition record to 5-2-0.
Obviously, the record means nothing as each situation is different for both teams in each preseason game. However, the Devils can be excited that they have played well for most of the early going.
In the final dress rehearsal for the Devils on Saturday against the Bruins, they dressed what is mostly their Opening Day roster. It didn’t have Nico Hischier who is trying to be healthy enough for the first game and there were plenty of other guys trying to make the team.
The New Jersey Devils had a lot to look for in the final preseason game of 2022.
This was the final game for them to show their stuff. One player who did just that was Alexander Holtz. He needed to have a good game to have a chance at making the team out of camp and he did just that. He scored a goal and had an assist on a Jack Hughes tally during the game.
Holtz had lots of chances during the preseason but was very inconsistent with his play. It was a game like this where he finally got on the board with a goal that showed exactly how he can impact a contest. That is the player that the Devils need to see more often.
As you probably could have guessed, Hughes also assisted on the Holtz goal giving them two points each on the night. Whether they play together or not, they are each hoping to impact the team in different ways. In the case of Hughes, he is so ready for the regular season.
Yegor Sharangovich‘s big goal was amazing for the Devils as well. He took advantage of a broken Mike Reilly stick and scored on the turnover. He makes it look like he is going to do anything but shoot, making him a very dangerous goal scorer. He is ready for the real games as well.
It was nice to see both Vitek Vanecek and Mackenzie Blackwood split time in this game. Goaltending is going to be pivotal to the Devils’ success as that can be the difference between making the playoffs and not.
Now that the exhibition season is over, we wait for the roster cuts to see who impressed the decision-makers enough to stay. The Devils are back in action for their regular season debut against the Philadelphia Flyers on the road this Tuesday.