New Jersey Devils: 5 Bold Predictions For 2022-23 Season
Ah, here we go again. The NHL season is finally upon us. The New York Rangers hype train is going full speed after they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning on opening night. Now, it’s time for the New Jersey Devils to meet the hype train of their Hudson River Rivals. To do that, a lot has to go right. The Devils need to be better, and their best players have to be great.
This is a crucial year for the Devils. We say it constantly because it’s true. Lindy Ruff is fighting for his job. Tom Fitzgerald is fighting for his job. Jesper Bratt and Yegor Sharangovich are fighting for long-term deals. Alex Holtz is fighting for his NHL shot. So are Simon Nemec and Kevin Bahl. Then, there are the seven players who will become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
There is a lot on the line this season, and it could lead to some kooky things happening. That should make this year’s bold prediction piece as wild as ever. Let’s jump right in.
Prediction #1: Jack Hughes Leads Metropolitan Division In Points
Jack Hughes took a huge step in his development last season. He showed he is indeed a superstar despite the injuries. This year, he has a line that is very, very interesting. He will start the season with Alex Holtz and Ondrej Palat as his wings. They both bring something incredible to the table, and it should fit Hughes like a glove.
That leads us to the prediction. Hughes is going to lead the Metropolitan Division in points this season. No, we don’t think he’s going to beat Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews just yet. However, he is going to be the top scorer in his own division. Last season, Artemi Panarin led the Metro with 96 points. Expect Hughes to take that crown this season.
Prediction #2: Jonathan Bernier Will Play 10 Games
Goaltending will be under the microscope this season for the Devils. After playing seven goalies last season, most of which weren’t good, the Devils need goaltending to go well this year. They kept Mackenzie Blackwood on the roster, and he’s expected to take over as the starter. For insurance, they traded for a re-signed Vitek Vanecek to a deal that actually pays him more than Blackwood.
Yet, the goalie making the most money this season is Jonathan Bernier. He was signed to a two-year deal last season to give the Devils a veteran presence in net. He had a major hip injury pretty early in the season, and he had to have surgery. We have only seen him in training camp scrimmages since.
Reports say that Bernier is expected back sometime around Thanksgiving. If that’s true, the Devils will have a decision to make. With Bernier on the roster, they are going to be at the cap ceiling. With him on long-term injured reserve, they will have some breathing room. They will delay this as long as they possibly can. However, don’t expect him to wait until Christmas to put on the pads.
The Devils will have to figure out how to play with three goalies. Bernier is a veteran, so he will have some kind of winning streak in February. It will get us questioning whether there’s actually a goalie controversy here. He will fall off because the hip is still tender, but he will get in 10 NHL games this season.
Prediction #3: Nico Hischier Plays 80+ Games
The New Jersey Devils captain is a critical part of this team’s plans. Going down the middle with Hughes, Hischier, Erik Haula, and then whoever plays the fourth line puts them in a formidable position. Replacing Hischier with Dawson Mercer or Jesper Boqvist in the lineup is quite the drop off.
That’s why it became so shocking when Hischier’s bout with cramps turned into a stint on the IR. However, Hischier skated with the team on Tuesday, and he’s still considered day-to-day. He did not like when someone asked about being injury prone, but that motivation will show its face this season.
Hischier might have gotten off to a rocky start, but that won’t bleed into the season. Hischier is going to be the leader of this team. He may be 23 years old, but he’s been around this team now for six seasons. He is one of the few players who knows what it’s like to play playoff hockey in New Jersey. There’s a need to make it back to the postseason with this roster. Hischier is going to put everything on the line to play every night.
Heck, Hischier might play in game one. The Devils are traveling to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. If Hischier misses that game, he will be in the game for the home opener on Saturday.
Prediction #4: Power Play Finishes Season In Top Ten
Okay, this one might be going a little overboard, but let’s go through the facts. The Devils have Jack Hughes, one of the best possession players in the league already. They have great shooters on the team including Alex Holtz, Tomas Tatar, and Jesper Bratt. Nico Hischier adds enough offensively to make an impact.
On top of that, the X factor is Andrew Brunette. He is a reigning Jack Adams candidate who got the best out of the Florida Panthers’ power play. Their 24.43% success rate was almost 10% better than the Devils. The Panthers were an incredible offensive team, and the Devils want to play in a similar light.
The Devils have all the pieces in place. Their preseason power play did not breed confidence, but don’t expect them to keep Lindy Ruff’s system if it shows early that it isn’t working. They aren’t taking chances with special teams this year. Last year the power play was awful. The year before it was the penalty kill. This year, both special teams have to click.
The Devils have great offensive weapons, and it should easily lead to points with the man advantage. Expect the Devils to break 23% on the power play, good for the top ten in the NHL.
Prediction #5: Luke Hughes Makes Playoff Roster
There is so much going on with this prediction, so let’s walk you through it. One, this requires the New Jersey Devils to end their five-year playoff drought. Two, this required Luke Hughes to stay healthy and play at a playoff-caliber level. Three, the Devils need to have an open spot for Hughes to take when his college season is over. Four, it will take some guts to put a rookie defenseman on a playoff roster, no matter how good Hughes is.
Think about Cale Makar’s coming out party. His 10 games in the 2019 playoffs after his final stint at UMass showed what the Avalanche got in the former fourth-overall pick. Hughes could do something similar to Makar’s six points in 10 games.
The Devils have a bigger weakness on the left side of the defense. It would be a huge surprise if the Devils needed help on the right side at any point, which would likely keep Simon Nemec from getting a similar opportunity. However, the Devils will be relying on Kevin Bahl or Brendan Smith on the bottom pair. Bahl looked good in preseason, but most fans and likely the coaching staff will like the upside that comes with playing Hughes.
dark. Next. 5 Devils Who Can Make NHL Debut This Season
The Devils feel like somewhere in the realm of the fourth or fifth-best team in the Metropolitan Division. Either one might be good enough for the playoffs depending on what happens in the Atlantic Division. So, getting the Devils to 94-96 points is imperative if they want to make the postseason and give us the gift of another Hughes going for a run.