3 New Jersey Devils players who have been underwhelming to start the season
One month into the 2024-25 NHL season, the New Jersey Devils need more out of these three players if they want to remain successful.
The New Jersey Devils are 8-5-2 in the first month of the 2024-25 NHL season. They clocked in at #10 on NHL.com’s most recent Super 16, but there's more room for the team to grow. It was always going to be a tough October for them, with learning a new system under a new coach, Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton shaking off rust after surgery, and the team missing a key defensive pair for several weeks.
Now the calendar has flipped to November, and the Devils are heating up, winning three of their last four games. Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Stefan Noesen are among the big contributors so far this season. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen have stepped up in recent games. In order to go on a heater, the Devils need more out of some of their players who have underperformed. Here are three players that have been underwhelming this season and have more to give.
3. Dougie Hamilton
Dougie Hamilton has been underwhelming early on this season. It isn’t terribly surprising for him to have a slow start after missing most of last season due to pectoral surgery. As the season goes on, hopefully, he will look more like himself.
Hamilton’s never been known as a shutdown defenseman and has always been a strong offensive defenseman. But this year, his defensive play has been more troubling. With 23 giveaways, Hamilton has the most giveaways of anyone on the team this season. It’s taking some time for him to find a rhythm with Brendan Dillon as a new pairing. Perhaps breaking this pair up would be the right move.
This season, Hamilton has the lowest shooting percentage of his career at 2.1%. He has just one goal in 15 games played, and 0 goals at even strength. Hamilton is typically an asset on the power play. This year, he has contributed five power play points but just hasn’t quite been the threat he once was.
After a slow start of 0 points in his first six games, Hamilton has started to pick it up with eight points in his next nine games. The Devils need more of this from him, and they also need him to take care of business in his own end.
2. Simon Nemec
Simon Nemec is a promising young player who the Devils had high expectations for heading into this season. Now, he’s lost his spot in the lineup. Nemec has played nine games this season, and he was underwhelming.
Nemec hasn’t shown the same ability he displayed last year to defend in his own zone, and he hasn’t been able to win puck battles. He has the third-worst CF% at 41.37. Nemec has just one point this season. His average ice time dropped from 19:52 last season to 16:07.
With the returns of Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes, as well as how good Johnathan Kovacevic has been, Nemec became the odd man out among defensemen. It’s not clear when he’ll get another chance on the ice in the NHL. He’s become a regular healthy scratch, and the Devils should send him down to the AHL to get some playing time so that his development isn’t stunted.
There may not be an opportunity right now, but one day there will be. If he’s sent down, Nemec can work on showing readiness to get back in an NHL lineup. When he gets another chance, Nemec must show he’s ready for it.
1. Ondrej Palat
Ondrej Palat’s struggles are well-known, and he’s received a lot of flak from the fanbase. After an injury-plagued 2022-23 and a below-average 2023-24, this was supposed to be the year he showed he was worth his big contract. The opposite has happened so far.
Palat has not contributed much to the scoresheet, with just three points in 14 games played. His shooting percentage is 6.3%, a sharp decrease from previous years. Palat has a -7 +/-. His poor point production, lack of speed, and trouble winning board battles are hurting the team.
This season, Palat is averaging just 12:42 in ice time per game, which is his lowest average ice time since his first season in the NHL. He averaged about 15 and a half minutes the past two seasons which was already down from his usual with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Sheldon Keefe has put Palat through the line blender, trying to find the right combination to get him going. Oddly enough, it seems like he’s finally found a good spot on the top line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Palat needs to figure it out and get in a groove soon.
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