New Jersey Devils 2022-23 Regular Season Player Predictions
The New Jersey Devils season is about to kick off and the starting roster has been announced. There were some small surprises on it, so let’s go ahead and make some predictions for the players that did make it this season.
Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils (Photo by Rich Graessle/Getty Images)
Forwards
Jack Hughes
Goals: 30 Assists: 60 Points: 90
The Devils best player will show the rest of the league what he can do. He took that big step last season to become the player he was with the USNDTP. This was all done coming off a horrible shoulder injury as well. It should be a safe assumption to say he is feeling even better now. His desire to win will be evident every game and he will look like a superstar now, not just a potential one in the future he could even challenge the Devils’ points record and the 100-point mark.
Jesper Bratt
G: 25 A: 50 PTS: 75
The other Devils play driver had a breakout season with 73 points last season. Jesper Bratt is on a contract year. He has a lot to play for and it will show this season as he proves it was not a fluke and that he is a key and core piece for the franchise.
Nico Hischier
G: 20 A: 40 PTS: 60
Captain Nico HIschier is hurt to start the season and unfortunately, he has been banged up for a while now missing significant time two years ago and 12 games last season. He is still a great player and the Devils should have high expectations when he is in the lineup. His two-way game is top tier and if this team is going to push for the playoffs they need the top players all healthy.
Alexander Holtz
G: 10 A: 15 PTS: 25
Alex Holtz had an alright but not spectacular preseason, but it was enough to be on the roster as of the start of the season. He will get his shot to stay in the NHL this season. After this preseason and last year’s nine-game stint, it will be a bit of a learning curve despite his offensive talent. He is definitely close to NHL-ready. This year, expect him to start and finish the year in the NHL. However, a mediocre start would see him get sent to the AHL. If he does play like the sniper from the AHL though he could be a guy who nets 20 goals. This is a big wildcard.
Yegor Sharangovich
G: 30 A: 20 PTS: 50
Yegor struggled at the start of the season without Jack Hughes, but when the two were back together he was on a tear finishing last season with 24 goals. He might have the best shot on the roster and with the playmaking superstar setting him up all season he should find the back of the net a ton.
Ondrej Palat
G: 18 A: 30 PTS: 48
The Devils’ big free agent signing was Ondrej Palat. He left the Tampa Bay Lightning to sign with an up-and-coming team for $6 million per season. It will be interesting to see what he does in such a different situation. Coming off a pair of Stanley Cups and 3 Cup Final appearances, he will bring a lot of experience to this young roster. Now he will be in a higher role versus the one he played in Tampa which had him below a bunch of superstars like Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point. He should be up for the challenge. While his points total won’t jump off the board, his on-ice play should be what the team needs.
Dawson Mercer
G: 22 A: 27 PTS: 49
After his breakout rookie season, the Devils will be needing Dawson Mercer to avoid the sophomore slump that has plagued this team’s youth far too often, especially if he is filling in for Hischier. He has all the tools to be successful whether it is as a second-line center or a third-line winger though and his versatility will not only keep him in the lineup but allow him to find the position that works best for him.
Tomas Tatar #90 of the New Jersey Devils (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Bottom Six
Tomas Tatar
G: 15 A: 20 PTS: 35
Last season, Tomas Tatar was supposed to be the veteran guy on the top line. With his history of putting up points, he should have been a safe bet to hit 60 points not 30. This year, he has a ton to prove and could be anywhere in the lineup from the third to the first line. He is also on a contract year and players tend to play better in those. However, moving forward it is unlikely he is with the Devils unless he finds some great chemistry with a big name. He did have a great preseason though so that could be a sign of good things to come.
Andreas Johnsson
G: 6 A: 8 PTS: 14
After a much better season last year, things could have turned around for Andreas Johnsson. Unfortunately, it is pretty evident the team doesn’t value him all that much. He has no chance of moving into the top six, something most thought was likely when the Devils traded for him.
Erik Haula
G: 12 A: 20 PTS: 32
Erik Haula should fit nicely on the bottom end of the roster but it is hard not to have questions when you have played on 6 teams in 5 years. But if he can hit some people and keep up his production it should be a great short-term fix for the Devils while the kids develop.
Michael McLeod
G: 8 A: 14 PTS: 21
We all know Michael McLeod’s job is to win faceoffs, kill some penalties, and hit people and that is what makes him a good fourth-line center. Nothing flashy but with a full year next to Nathan Bastian and potentially Miles Wood, he could hit 20 points again while doing his job.
Nathan Bastian
G: 15 A: 10 PTS: 25
The big man showed a lot last season after he was reclaimed off waivers from the Seattle Kraken and will do exactly what we expect. Be at the top of the hits chart with Wood, stand up for his team, and put a few pucks in the net along the way.
Miles Wood
G: 20 A: 10 PTS: 30
Miles Wood is an absolute Wild Card. As of right now, Devils fans should just be hoping he is 100% healthy and healed. With the way he plays it would be hard to expect a full 82 out of him either way but he has the speed and skill to net some goals and if he is back in front of the net on the PP he could finally hit the 20 goal mark and hit 30 points for the first time. There is also a lot of opportunity for him to move around the lineup thanks to his size and speed so he is hard to predict.
Jesper Boqvist
G: 12 A: 15 PTS: 27
The man looked like a bust but in my own opinion earned his roster spot at the end of last year. He looked like a legit 3/4 center and he showed a lot more speed and tenacity. At 23 years old though, this is probably his last shot to stick with the team. We’re predicting he finally does it being the first man in for injuries and taking the spot of a trade deadline player eventually, who was only slotted in for trade value purposes.
Fabian Zetterlund
G: 6 A: 9 PTS: 15
Much like Boqvist, Fabian Zetterlund had a strong end to his season with the Devils. He showed a lot of heart on the ice and was fun to watch while not at all looking like a young AHL guy who was in over his head. With 8 points in 14 games, he even produced in a big way and if he had kept it up would have been a 48-point season in 82 games, though this would have been unlikely. These three ould even form a brand new third line at the end of the season if all the pending UUFAsare moved and might even be the top line for Utica till then.
Dougie Hamilton
G: 12 A: 40 PTS: 52
Dougie Hamilton had a rough season after his injury. On top of his broken jaw, he was dealing with lower-body pain for a good part of the season. Even with all that, he was the best defender on the team and still had half a point a game. This season, we should expect a big bounceback. This team will score a lot more goals and with him and Jack on the first PP, his points total will be challenging for a career-high for him.
Ryan Graves
G: 6 A: 23 PTS: 29
Ryan Graves did what the Devils needed from him last year. The big man will be a massive part of the team this season. He just needs to play his game and use his size like before and he will be invaluable to this team. He is also a pending UFA which could make things interesting at the end of the year.
Jonas Seigenthaler
G: 2 A: 12 PTS: 14
Jonas Siegenthaler signed long-term this offseason and finally took the step to being a true NHL top-four defender, which is fantastic to see. He could become a contract steal, but we also need to remember it was just one season. When it comes to points, he will get virtually none because that is not his game which is just fine. This team needs guys who can defend and his value is in that.
Damon Severson
G: 10 A: 32 PTS: 42
Another Devils player in his contract year is Damon Severson. He will be watched closely by everyone this season. Some fans love to hate him, but he was this team’s best defender for years and honestly has taken way too much flak for this team is bad. He is a legit 3-4 guy on a good team and it isn’t his fault that he was thrust into a #1 spot. He is also a veteran now and can put up good points for the team, run the second power play, and do an admirable job killing penalties so fans shouldn’t overlook his importance.
John Marino
G: 2 A: 9 PTS: 11
Despite playing for a close rival team, John Marino never stood out in a good or bad way. While he might not be a points machine, 64 in 189 games is pretty impressive. His role could be that of a second or third-pairing guy as well. Don’t expect to see him on the powerplay at all, but if he can just shut down other teams that is all we as Devils fans need to see.
Brendan Smith
G: 1 A: 4 PTS: 5
Brendan Smith was brought on to be a 6/7 guy. Having a veteran in that spot is the right play. Injuries always happen and it is better to be safe than sorry pulling up AHL guys or youth too soon can hurt their development. Don’t expect much here. He will be better defensively than Ty Smith or P.K. Subban.
Simon Nemec
G: 0 A: 2 PTS: 2 (in nine games)
Right now, Simon Nemec is on the team. While he was taken second overall in the NHL Draft, it probably isn’t safe to say he is staying. His preseason was mediocre and he didn’t look ready at all. As a defenseman at 18 years old, we shouldn’t be worried about that, and letting him play 220 minutes on a good Utica team will go a long way to making him the best. He should play in a few games at least to see what the NHL is all about and get to know the guys on the team and what is going to be expected of him in a few years.
Kevin Bahl
G: 1 A: 5 PTS: 6
Kevin Bahl is a huge dude and is starting to look like he has grown into the big frame and just might be an NHL guy. He wasn’t quite ready last season but was improving as time went on and at 22 could be ready to take that next step. Expect him to be the first call-up when Nemec is sent down or someone is hurt so he should see a fair bit of NHL time this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood
GP: 35 W: 12 GAA: 3.05 Sv%: .903
Last season, I predicted Blackwood would bounce back and he let down not just the fans but his team. If the Devils had average goaltending last season, they would have taken a big step. A lot of that falls on the former number-one guy. With back-to-back subpar seasons, the Devils felt the need to make a move for another guy again this offseason.
Next. What Devils Must Do To Make Playoffs. dark
Vitek Vanecek
GP: 47 W: 28 GAA: 2.55 Sv%: .912
The Devils have taken a third swing at a goalie in as many seasons. Corey Crawford retired and Jonathan Bernier might never be the same at this point. Vitek Vanecek has to land as a good deal or this team in the same position yet again. He has only a small amount of NHL experience, but in both seasons had virtually identical numbers which is a good sign and will be a massive upgrade over last year’s goaltending carousel. The Devils have a very solid defense now and if he can improve just a little bit this team will be a contender for the playoffs and he could rack up a lot of wins.