3 New Jersey Devils Who Can Spark a Round 2 Surge
The second round of the New Jersey Devils return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs looked a lot like the first. The Carolina Hurricanes jumped out to a big lead and eventually won 5-1. Evening up the series before returning home to The Rock for Game 3 is pivotal.
To turn the tide against the Canes, the Devils need certain players to step up and give them an edge. These three players can help the Devils grab Game 2 and spark a Round 2 surge.
1. Nico Hischier
The Devils need their captain to ignite his team. Part of the Devils’ 30-goal scorer club, 24-year-old Nico Hischier scored 31 goals in the regular season. This is an increase over last year’s 21 goals. Adding in his 49 assists, Hischier had 80 points this season.
The captain is also a finalist for the Selke Trophy, an award for the best two-way forward. In addition to the offense he brings, Hischier’s defense is important for the Devils. He can hinder the opposing team’s offense by staying on them and taking away their space. Also, look for Hischier to pump up his team with the words of encouragement and motivation the captain provides.
Hischier had five assists in the Round 1 series against the Rangers. Despite 22 shots on goal in that series, plus one shot on goal in the first game against the Canes, Hischier has yet to score a goal in the playoffs. The good news is that he’s still contributing to the offense, but the Devils would like to see Hischier break the scoring drought that dates back to April 2nd and get one in.
Hischier posted just one goal in the Devils’ last 12 regular season games. Now he’s without a goal in the playoffs. But Hischier has been hustling and grinding, grabbing assists and creating chances. Expect him to continue getting those meaningful assists in Round 2 and keep pushing to get one past the Canes’ goalie. He’s taking shots, but he needs to finish. The Devils can feed off Hischier’s energy, so he needs to bring it.
2. Dawson Mercer
Dawson Mercer is playing in his first Stanley Cup playoffs. The 21-year-old played in all 82 games in the 2022-2023 season. He came just shy of becoming a 30-goal scorer, notching 27 goals and 29 assists.
There was no sophomore slump for Mercer, who went from 42 points in his rookie season to 56 points in his second season and celebrated his first career hat trick on April 4th. The young forward has a bright future in the NHL. In the present, he needs to generate some offense in Round 2 of the playoffs.
Although he started off Round 1 relatively quietly, Mercer made some noise in Game 5 by scoring shorthanded for his first career playoff goal. This put the Devils up 3-0 in an eventual 4-0 shutout of the Rangers. Mercer also posted an assist in the game. Mercer scored on a power play in Game 6, although the Devils lost 5-2.
Mercer was quiet in the Devils’ rough series start against the Canes, but there’s no need to panic. He was quiet through the first three games of the Rangers series, too, before breaking out. The Devils need some of Mercer’s sophomore season magic to reappear to help their pursuit of taking down the Canes in Round 2 of the playoffs.
3. Dougie Hamilton
Dougie Hamilton is currently the strongest offensive defenseman on the Devils. This season, the 29-year-old tied a record for most goals by a Devils defenseman in one season, matching Barry Beck with 22. Hamilton is a beast on the power play and has a penchant for dramatic game-tying and game-winning goals. He scored two winning goals in overtime during the regular season and did it again in Game 3 against the Rangers, giving the Devils life in that series.
Hamilton can shut down opponents’ offense when he’s on his A game. He is typically on a line with Jonas Siegenthaler as the top defensive pair. Frustrating defensive mistakes, though, can often lead to him being on the ice for more goals against than for. If he limits the mistakes, Hamilton is a force in the defensive zone.
Hamilton had 54 games of playoff experience prior to the 2022-2023 playoffs. He played on a Bruins team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Hamilton’s game-winning OT goal in Game 3 of Round 1 against the Rangers put the Devils back in the series after falling down 0-2 in the first two games. The Devils stole Game 3 in New York and shifted the momentum, winning three in a row before dropping one game and finally clinching the series in Game 7.
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The Devils rely on Hamilton to play well on both sides of the ice. Hamilton tends to rise to the occasion in big moments, so the hope is that he can do so in Round 2. With his knack for being in the perfect spot on the ice at the right time, Hamilton can help New Jersey soar past Carolina.