New Jersey Devils: Predicting Point Totals For All Players
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.