New Jersey Devils Quarter Season Grades: A Lot More A’s Than Years Past
Damon Severson
Gp:21 G:2 A:3 Pts:5
Damon Severson is on the third pairing for the first time in a very long time. After being on the first pairing such a short time ago, it could be a wake-up call for him or a disappointment. He is better than some Devils fans think, and he was playing above where he should have been for a while, but he is still an NHL defender and probably a middle-pairing guy on most teams. He does need to stop making those mistakes that lead to goals, and with the far easier matchups, he should be getting more points and not be a negative +/- player on a very good team. His future probably lies elsewhere with all the players the Devils have drafted high lately, but for now, he is a good bottom-end guy.
Rating: C
Brendan Smith
Gp:21 G:0 A:1 Pts:1
Brendan Smith is a physical player and doesn’t make as many mistakes as we are used to seeing from this team’s defense, especially in a depth role. He might not be flashy, and there might not be the most to say here, but he has been solid enough for his role.
Rating: C+
Vitek Vanecek
GS:11 W:9 GAA:2.14 Sv%:.917
Vitek Vanecek has been the biggest acquisition this team has made in a long time. He might not have come in as a star or high-profile free agent, but it is because the team finally has a goaltender that they are where they are. He not only makes the saves he should but ones he probably shouldn’t as well. He has saved this team on multiple occasions. The fans have loved what he has done, and hearing them cheer for a goaltender in Jersey again after so long feels good.
Rating: A+
Mackenzie Blackwood
GS:7 W:4 GAA:2.79 Sv%:.880
The former number one and former goalie of the future won some games this year, but Mackenzie Blackwood is sitting on a very subpar .880 save percentage. He has made some more big saves than in previous years, but he will need to improve massively if he wants to be this team’s backup moving forward.
Rating: D
Next. Go To Hell And Back With Nathan Bastian. dark
Akira Schmid
GS:3 W:4 GAA:1.24 Sv%:.953
How more impressive can you be than having more wins than games started? Akira Schmid has been an absolute wall in his limited time. If Blackwood is out for much longer could make the statement that he is here now and ready to back up Vanecek. It is absolutely night and day from last year watching him, and the confidence he has is on another level, probably thanks to his AHL success on a good team and the defense in front of him. Development is very important, and we need to keep in mind that he is only 22 years old. If he looks as dominant in the NHL as he was in the AHL, the Devils are set for a long time.