The New Jersey Devils begin the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday against the New York Rangers. It is obviously going to be a big test for this young New Jersey squad. It is the first time the franchise has made the playoffs since 2018, when Taylor Hall dragged them into the postseason. This time around, however, they believe that they are set up for sustained success.
Coming into the playoffs, there are a few reasons to think this might not be the year quite yet, but they have as good of a chance as anybody. Obviously, the Boston Bruins are heading into the playoffs after the greatest regular season ever, but the Devils competed for the second-best record until the end. They are an elite team that deserves the respect of the entire league.
The New Jersey Devils are getting ready for a very good NHL Postseason.
The reason that people may disrespect them this year is the way that they got here. They had 49 more points this season than they did last year. They literally went from having the second-overall pick to the third-best record in the league.
It is on them to go into the playoffs with the mindset that they are going to prove every person wrong about them. That can help them take a huge step forward.
In order for this team to win the Stanley Cup, as is the case for every team in the playoffs, they need everything to go right for them. These are the three biggest needs for them heading into the postseason if they want to win the Stanley Cup: