3 New Jersey Devils Players Who Will Set Career Highs this Season
The regular season is here. And for the Devils, Thursday, Oct. 10 is their big opening night. The New Jersey team is looking a lot better than they have previously. The Devils’ forward core includes Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, and Dawson Mercer. These five are the only returning players with a 20-goal season or better in 2023-24.
So, the New Jersey Devils are completely full of talent on their roster. Which players can reach new heights in the upcoming season?
Between Jack Hughes, Dawson Mercer and Nico Hischier there's certainly a lot of options there for who could have record breaking years.
Let's take a more in depth look at this Pucks and Pitchforks' writer thinks will set new career highs this year.
1. Nico Hischier
Hischier will at the very least replicate or improve from last season, when he had 80 points in 81 games. Guys like Nico get low to keep the puck on their stick and combine that skating ability with their passing ability to prolong offensive possessions.
Hischier became the highest-drafted Switzerland-born player in NHL history when the Devils selected him No. 1 in the 2017 NHL Draft. Just last season, he set a personal league career high of 67 points, including another personal high of 27 goals scored.
With how stacked the Devils' roster is, sometimes people forget that he ranked second among Devils forwards in ice time per game, won 53.9 percent of faceoffs, and had NHL career highs of 31 goals, 49 assists, and 80 points in 2022-23.
Playing with such a high-powered offense also gives Hischier plenty of opportunities to tack on assists. At the Global Series, he played two games and has already logged one goal on the year. Aside from himself, the Devils’ offensive is scary. And he will only build on that success this year.
2. Dawson Mercer
After Dawson Mercer's 42 and 56-point efforts in his first two seasons, his 20-goal, 13-assist downturn sticks out. His career-low output is concerning.
Recently, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald gave the 22-year-old a new contract worth $3 million this coming season, $4.75 million the following year, and $4.25 million in the year after that. Mercer had 20 goals and 13 assists last season, playing in all 82 games. The restricted free agent had a career-high four power-play goals and a time-on-ice average of 17:13.
Mercer was New Jersey's second choice, 18th overall, in the 2020 NHL Draft. He represented Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's 2020 and 2021 World Junior Championships and the 2022 and 2024 Men's World Championships.
He set a Devils franchise record Feb. 25, 2023, when he passed Scott Gomez for consecutive games played (141) to start an NHL career. Mercer has extended the streak to 246 games. He has not missed a game since his debut Oct. 15, 2021.
Adding him to a list of players who likely will have a record breaking year is truly a no brainer.
1. Jack Hughes
Jack Hughes is one of those players who reaches his prime in his early 20s — and hopefully never leaves it — not too mention he will turn 24 during the 2024-25 playoffs.
With a surgically repaired shoulder, this year is showing promise to a sequel to his 43-goal, 99-point season. Is 100 points on the table?
As long as the power play is decent, why not? He had nine goals and 22 assists on the power play in each of his last two seasons, and play like that should very much be the goal. Not only would this mean the Devils having the juice they need to get back to the playoffs, but it will mean big things for Hughes individually as a player.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, Jack Hughes could become a Hart Trophy finalist, as he reaches his prime and plays at peak health. He he solidifies himself among the best forwards in the league.
In 2022-23, Hughes became the first Devils player with 40 goals in a season since Zach Parise scored 45 in 2008-09 in a 5-3 win against the Ottawa Senators on March 25, 2023. So far this year in the Global Series, he played in both games and logged two assists.
Hughes is in prime. This year is his year.
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