New Jersey Devils: Predicting Point Totals For All Players
With the long grind of the preseason finally over, the New Jersey Devils are ready to start a brand new season. This is the first season in a long time that even the average fan expects them to do very well. No longer are we a bottom feeder or even the maybe playoff team from last season, now we are a legitimate contender to go for a division title and on a deep playoff run. All that being said let us take a look at the team and some predictions for points.
Jack Hughes
Goals: 48 Assists: 60 Points: 108
Jack Hughes hit that superstar level last season and finished 12th in the entire NHL and came so close to being the first Devils player to hit that 100-point mark. This season he will take another small step forward with the addition of Tyler Toffoli on his side. Get ready for another Devils record.
Jesper Bratt
G: 35 A: 48 PTS: 83
Jesper Bratt has gotten better every year, developing a more shooting-based mentality, especially on the powerplay. He saw his goal totals go up last season yet again, and we believe that will continue. With this team’s powerhouse offense, Bratt will put up a career year in every metric and hit the point-per-game mark at the end of the season.
Tyler Toffoli
G: 30 A: 38 PTS: 68
Tyler Toffoli had a career season on a Flames team that was having nothing but bad seasons all around other than him. He hit 30 goals for the first time since 2015. When coming to a new team, chemistry is a big thing to look for. Hearing Hughes and Bratt talk about him and watching them operate in the preseason, it looks like they are a unit that has worked together for years. Matching his last year’s numbers might be hard due to the possibility of limited powerplay time, but he will bring a lot to this team and should be in line for another great season.
Nico Hischier
G: 30 A: 58 PTS: 88
The captain has grown each and every year. After last season’s massive 10-goal and 20-point jump, we are about to see prime Nico Hischier this season. With Timo Meier and him paired up for hopefully the next decade, this team’s other top-six line should be a massive threat offensively and a defensive nightmare for other teams thanks to Hischier’s 200 200-foot play. This season, he will push for that 30-goal mark again. His offensive production should mainly get its increase from being with a legit sniper(or two) for most of the season.
Timo Meier
G: 43 A: 40 PTS: 83
Meier has had some good numbers, especially on the goal front last year. However, his point totals could probably have been a lot higher had he been on a better team. This season, he finally is and will benefit from it massively. He is surrounded by better playmakers and teams will have to decide if they want to put their best against his line or Hughes’s line which could lead to some easier matchups at times, and his motivation should be very high knowing he is fighting for a Cup not draft position on this team.
Alexander Holtz
G: 16 A: 26 PTS: 42
Alex Holtz is going to be one of the hardest to predict yet again this season. As of right now, he looks like he will be getting a longer chance with Meier and Hischier. The former seventh-overall pick has been very close to making this roster for a long time now, and this is his big chance to show the team that he not only belongs in the NHL but belongs in the top six. If he plays up to his ability and preseason form, he could push half a point per game. Even if he doesn’t spend all his time with the captain’s line, he could do very well on a third line that should be feasting on weaker competition all season.
Dawson Mercer
G: 25 A: 30 PTS: 55
After a fantastic breakout season, most Devils fans won’t be shocked to see Dawson Mercer continue to grow as a player. At some points, he should move into the top six and get some powerplay time, but he might be less relied on this season due to the additions of top six players. Being on the third line allows him to thrive there but I wouldn’t expect him to get many more points for the same reasons as Haula.
Ondrej Palat
G: 16 A: 27 PTS: 43
Ondrej Palat missed a ton of time in his first season only playing 49 games and not impressing as much as many would have liked. With a summer to get healed up and a year now to get used to the system, he should be ready to go. His third-line role could also be big for him as he slows down a bit. He always made use of the more limited ice time in Tampa where they had the depth to win multiple cups in large part due to guys like him destroying the other team’s bottom lines. Expect a solid bounce back from Palat if he stays healthy.
Micheal Mcleod
G: 5 A: 20 PTS: 25
The Devils reliable fourth-line center and faceoff guy will have a big role on this team for all the little things he does, but don’t expect it to translate into many points. He will get more ice time than any other fourth-line guy, but a lot of this should be on the PK where he will more than earn his salary and place on this roster.
Nathan Bastian
G: 7 A: 8 PTS: 14
We are big fans of Nathan Bastian, but history shows that he will not be playing all the team’s games and his numbers are reflective of that. When he is healthy, his big frame and net-front presence make him more dangerous. People realize and he will probably compete for the hits lead on this roster even if he plays 60 games.
Curtis Lazar
G: 2 A: 3 PTS: 5
The guy may be a far cry from the first-round pick he once was, but he has settled into being a decent enough fourth-liner. He plays physically despite his size and never quits on the puck, which is nice to see. He won’t be playing all season, nor will he get a lot of ice time.
Dougie Hamilton
G: 20 A: 45 PTS: 65
The Devils number-one defender had a massive season last year. His numbers might go down a bit, but he should perform the same in the other aspects of the game. It’s likely he won’t get the puck as much on the powerplay, and there is always the chance that Luke Hughes gets some of his minutes in this area. He’ll still be one of the best
Jonas Siegenthaler
G: 4 A: 13 PTS: 17
Jonas Siegenthaler should play a lot of minutes this season, but he will also be relied on heavily to cover for the offensive guys and is not expected to score much. He will be a monster this season defensively but probably not see the scoresheet much. He and Marino are the best two defenders on this team, so he is a massive piece and one that might fly under the radar.
John Marino
G: 3 A: 13 PTS: 16
Like Siegenthaler, John Marino will fly under the radar points-wise. Other teams’ fans might not notice him, but he is a massive piece defensively and will be a big part of their success. He moves the puck well but will probably be handing it off to a more offensively-minded guy like Hughes or Hamilton more often than not.
Luke Hughes
G: 8 A: 31 PTS: 39
Luke Hughes has looked good in his few NHL games and in the preseason, making him hard to predict. Coaches love to bench young players, offensive players who make mistakes, and especially defenders who fall under both categories. He will have growing pains, but if this team is smart, they will let him work through it and keep him with a defensive-minded guy. If they do this, and get him some favorable matchups and powerplay time, he can thrive and grow into a star one day.
Kevin Bahl
G: 3 A: 7 PTS: 10
This season, Bahl will be a full-timer and has earned his spot on this team with his play. He moves well for his size, plays physically, and isn’t a liability on the ice. He has a whole 66 games of NHL experience, but it is over a few seasons. At 23, he is about to be hitting his prime, and at his height, it probably took some time to grow into his frame. He will be a solid depth defender and be a positive part of this team.
Brendan Smith
G: 1 A: 5 PTS: 6
A gritty defensive guy, Brendan Smith will probably get quite a few games this season, but he doesn’t have much of any offensive skill. Right now, they just need him to be not noticed on the ice, and that means he did his job quietly.
Colin Miller
G: 3 A: 9 PTS: 12pts
The other end of the lineup guy, Colin Miller probably will be playing a bit over half the games, but his skating in preseason was incredibly poor. We hate to put much stock in preseason, it was a massive red flag. In the past, he has shown to be a reliable depth guy who put up good points for the spot. Maybe he will find that here.
Next. 3 Winners and 2 Losers From Devils Preseason. dark
Vitek Vanecek
Wins: 33 GAA: 2.40 Sv%: 915
Akira Schmid
Wins: 20 GAA: 2.35 Sv%: 917
When it comes to goaltending, this team will ride the hot hand, and that is the smart thing to do. Most teams are moving to a 1A-1B situation now, and the Devils are no different. It wouldn’t surprise if either guy finished with more starts or better stats, but with Schmid’s age and lack of experience, one would expect him to play a bit less. Moving forward, this could change, but for now, Vanecek is probably the starter. We should feel very happy that two guys are competing for the spot via good performances and the teams not just throwing out a half dozen goalies hoping for the best.