New Jersey Devils Are In A Great Spot At All-Star Break

We have reached the All-Star break/bye week for the New Jersey Devils. Up to this point, they have been better than anybody could have possibly imagined when the season began. It has been so much fun to watch.

Right now, New Jersey is 32-13-4, which is outstanding. They are amongst the best teams in the Eastern Conference right now, and they are still one of the youngest teams in the league. There is no doubt that they will be good for a long time.

One of the biggest reasons for this incredible first half was Jack Hughes. This kid is on pace for about 55 goals and about 105 points which is unbelievable. The Devils have never had a player like this.

Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt may not have been as prolific as Hughes, but they are both right on the cusp of being point-per-game players as well. These three lead one of the best teams in the league in terms of offense.

The New Jersey Devils are in a great spot with a lot of their players.

In Hischier’s case, he is also a stud defensively and should be in the Selke Trophy conversation. The Devils are lucky to have a couple of first-overall picks that play so differently to help the team be as good as they are.

When it comes to the actual position of defense, Dougie Hamilton leads the way for the Devils. He should blow past 60 points and at least be a top-five finisher for the Norris Trophy. He has helped the Devils in many ways this season, including being an incredibly clutch player.

Hamilton is the head of a solid defense core that the Devils have built. Jonas Siegenthaler, Damon Severson, Ryan Graves, and John Marino have all done a great job. This group keeping it up is very important.

Of course, you don’t win in the NHL without goaltending, and the 2021-22 team proved that. This year, Vitek Vanecek has stolen the show as the number one goalie.

He enters the All-Star Break on a nine-game winning streak. Mackenzie Blackwood has been pretty good as his backup, which is also good to know as well.

Between the depth up front led by the big three, the defense, and the goaltending, this is a solid foundation for a great team. The good news is that they are not even close to being done bulging this thing up to where it needs to go.

Guys like Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec are just waiting in the wings as the team’s top two prospects. If they reach their potential in the league one day, the Devils could really be onto something special. Where they sit at this break is a great place for them. It is only going to get better.