New Jersey Devils: 5 Dates to Circle with New Schedule Released

New Jersey Devils vs. Chicago Blackhawks, January 5th 6:00 PM EST

Just like the NBA did last week, the #1 pick in this upcoming NHL draft could not be more obvious as the Chicago Blackhawks will (likely) soon select 17-year-old Connor Bedard with the 1st overall pick. Bedard has gotten no less hype than Connor McDavid when he entered the NHL in 2015-16 and is expected the make the end of the Patrick Kane era in Chicago not sting as much as it should. While this isn’t the first time the Devils see Bedard, it is the first time he plays NHL hockey in New Jersey.

While Bedard certainly is exciting, this matchup will serve as yet another reunion between the Devils and former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who very recently was traded to Chicago in a deal with the Boston Bruins.

Despite being in the early stages of a rebuild, bringing on Bedard has certainly inspired the Hawks’ front office to acquire some veterans, including both Hall and Nick Foligno, so who knows what 6-time Stanley Cup Champions will bring to the table this year?

Yes, the Devils made easy work of the Blackhawks last year with a 3-0 win at home in addition to a 6-3 win on the road, but there’s plenty of entertainment value that gives Devils fans more than an incentive to tune into this one.