3 New Jersey Devils Who Have a Lot to Prove in 2023-24
The 2022-23 season saw the results of a decade-long New Jersey Devils rebuild. The Devils had the third-best record in the NHL during the regular season and reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning their first playoff series since 2012. Following a big season, the Devils will have higher expectations next year. To meet these expectations, certain players must step up their game.
A lot of Devils stood out during the 2022-23 season. Superstar Jack Hughes tallied 99 points, a franchise single-season record. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt joined Hughes in the 30 goals club. Dawson Mercer had a breakout year with 56 points. John Marino played shutdown defense. Vitek Vanecek became the only Devils goalie besides Martin Brodeur to hit 30 wins in a season. Luke Hughes sparkled in his NHL debut, showing he was ready to make the leap from college hockey.
Some players who shined in the regular season struggled in the playoffs. Others struggled throughout the year, either hampered by injuries or unable to gain momentum. Then there are young players looking to make an impression and show they belong with the Devils in the NHL. These players must come out strong next year to help the Devils continue working towards the Stanley Cup.
3. Vitek Vanecek
Goaltender Vitek Vanecek was a brick wall for the Devils during the 2022-23 regular season. He quickly became a fan favorite after signing a three-year deal with the Devils during the 2022 offseason. “Vitek!” chants filled the Prudential Center whenever Vanecek was in goal. With 33 wins, a .911 SV%, and a 2.45 GAA, Vanecek provided stability for the Devils between the pipes.
VITEK 👏 VANECEK 👏
— NHL (@NHL) December 10, 2022
Just a simply remarkable save right here. pic.twitter.com/RvNAxIcFkK
After he collapsed during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, though, Vanecek has plenty to prove next season. Following a couple of rough starts during Round 1, there was concern that Vanecek wouldn’t be able to carry his regular season success into the playoffs. The fears came true, as Vanecek went 1-3 with an .825 SV% and a 4.64 GAA in seven total appearances. He was terrible during the Round 2 series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Vanecek was far from the player the Devils were used to seeing. He looked uncomfortable and utterly lost.
Do the Devils have reason to worry about Vanecek? He played in three playoff games with the Washington Capitals during the previous two seasons. His stats from two of those three starts weren’t great, but that was a small sample size. His appearances in the 2023 playoffs formed a larger sample size, and the numbers also weren’t good.
One explanation for his poor playoff performance is that Vanecek was exhausted by the time the playoffs came around. The regular season was filled with injuries for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, putting pressure on Vanecek to play almost every night. He delivered all throughout the regular season, so it was hard to replace him.
Vanecek’s workload was more than he was used to. He started in 48 games during the 2022-23 season, appearing in 52 games overall. He started in 39 games during the 2021-22 season and 36 during the 2020-21 season. During his time in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, Vanecek never played more than 39 games. His higher workload this past season may have caused him to lose steam. Now that he’s experienced the workload of a number one goalie, the hope is that he won’t lose steam next season when playoffs come around.
Vanecek is a strong goalie who is a big contributor for the Devils. He has proven he can handle the regular season, but he’s yet to show he can deliver in the playoffs. If the Devils are going to be a Stanley Cup contender over the next several years, they will need goaltending that can withstand the pressure of the playoffs.
Next year, Vanecek’s task is to show the Devils there’s no need to panic about their goaltending. His goal is to prove he can have a strong regular season and a strong playoff performance. The team can only reach the next level if they are confident in the goalie they have behind them.
2. Alexander Holtz
Winger Alexander Holtz is a young player with a lot to prove. Holtz ended up being a non-factor in a season where the Devils had so much regular season success and got their first taste of winning a playoff series in over a decade. This is surprising, considering he once seemed primed to claim a spot in the lineup as a top-six forward.
A seventh-overall draft pick in 2020, Holtz was expected to get more experience in the NHL this season. Despite high hopes following a strong preseason, Holtz failed to impress during the regular season. He shuffled around from line to line as head coach Lindy Ruff tried to find the right combination, but Holtz never found a groove.
Holtz played in just nine NHL games in 2021-22 and 19 games in 2022-23. The rest of his time was spent in the AHL or sitting in the press box as a healthy scratch. In 2021-22, he had zero goals and two assists in nine games. In 2022-23, Holtz scored three goals, contributed just one assist, and had a -6 +/- over 19 games. Across 28 NHL games overall, he has a -11 +/-. These stats aren’t what the Devils envisioned from him, although there were glimpses of his potential sprinkled throughout his time in the lineup.
Alexander Holtz...lethal shot👀 pic.twitter.com/ce9A3jCdaZ
— Devils on MSG (@DevilsMSGN) December 2, 2022
It’s worth noting that Holtz has seen success in the AHL. He only played 14 games there this season, and he tallied 11 points including six goals. Last season, in 52 games with the Utica Comets, Holtz scored 26 goals and contributed 25 assists, totaling 51 points. He couldn’t carry that success up to the NHL level, unfortunately. He struggles to keep up with the pace of play and needs to sharpen his awareness of the game. He can’t play on Jack Hughes’ or Nico Hischier’s wing if he can’t keep up with them.
At 21 years old, Holtz is still young enough that he has time to continue developing. Every player develops at their own speed, and plenty of players in the NHL didn’t have their breakout until they were a few years older than Holtz is now. He is not out of chances or time with the NHL. But fans are wondering what the Devils’ plan is for Holtz. He missed out on a lot of ice time by being healthy scratched in the NHL instead of continuing to develop his play in the AHL.
Holtz’s next opportunity in the NHL with the Devils may be his last shot with this team. If he can take off and have a breakout year, he could factor into the Devils’ big picture moving forward. If not, Holtz might end up with a change of scenery. Holtz’s task is to prove he belongs in New Jersey.
1. Ondrej Palat
The Devils brought winger Ondrej Palat in as a steady veteran presence with playoff experience. Palat is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He signed a big five-year $30 million contract with the Devils during the 2022 offseason. The Devils expected him to make huge contributions to the team. Due to a groin injury, Palat spent a chunk of the season on the Injured Reserve list. Despite his injury, Palat remained as that veteran voice in the locker room the Devils wanted him to be.
Despite the importance of his leadership, Palat’s contributions on the ice were limited once he returned from his injury. Palat scored just eight goals in 49 games during the regular season. He had three power-play points. These numbers pale in comparison to the last time Palat played a similar number of NHL games in a season. In 55 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Palat racked up 46 points, twice this season’s total of 23. He scored twice as many goals and had twice as many assists.
A memorable moment of Palat’s 2022-23 season was when he showed what a warrior he is. During the second period of the game on March 7th, Palat took a high stick to the face, bled all over the ice, and was taken into the locker room to receive stitches. He returned during the third period and scored a goal on his first shift back with a busted-up lip. Oh yeah, and he lost three teeth on that high stick. Absolute warrior.
No teeth. No problem.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) March 8, 2023
Ondrej Palat has entered his high-stick revenge era. pic.twitter.com/Q9VRtZULDy
Palat’s 2023 playoff performance was productive but not as spectacular as the Devils were hoping for. He scored three goals and notched four assists in 12 games. His +/- was -6, meaning he was on the ice for more goals against than for. He only took 16 shots between the two series, but his shooting percentage was 18.8%, meaning he made the chances count. Palat had good moments in the playoffs, but the Devils need him to be great.
Palat scored 11 goals in 23 games during the 2022 playoffs. He played in twice as many playoff games last season but had nearly four times as many goals. He has 51 career playoff goals and a lifetime +29 +/- in the playoffs.
2022-23 was disappointing for a player who the Devils believe still has much to give. The Devils need the version of Palat who helped the Lightning with the Stanley Cup twice. Palat is a gamer who wants to contribute to another Cup run. Expect him to have a big bounce-back year next season as he looks to prove himself with the Devils.
Next. 3 Devils Who Will Be Better Next Season. dark
If these three players can have a strong year, they will contribute to the New Jersey Devils’ pursuit of the Stanley Cup.