5 Reasons To Be Optimistic About New Jersey Devils Playoff Chances

4. Power Play is Sustainable

The one aspect of the Devils on-ice production that can be considered a success is the emergence of this power play. They are hitting at a 37% clip on the PP, which is still the best in the league. Despite not having as many power plays as before, they still lead the league with 23 total power-play goals.

There is a trope that once a team’s power play gets too good, the referees start to swallow the whistle. We see that happening to the Devils, but that stretch will end. If the refs think they will decide the game with their decisions, they will lean towards swallowing the whistle entirely. They will give more power plays to the other team, and the Devils will get screwed. The numbers don’t lie. Currently, the Devils have 61 power play opportunities. Only 11 teams in the league have fewer. The refs have not been calling penalties for the Devils despite some very obvious penalties not getting called.

That will even itself out eventually, and the Devils should be in the top ten in opportunities. There’s no reason to think this team can’t score on 30% of power plays moving forward. With a forward group including Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jesper Bratt, on top of Luke Hughes and Dougie Hamilton on the back end, this PP is sustainable over the long haul.

The publicity around the Devils power play became a negative. With their struggles, that publicity isn’t there anymore. That will actually help.