The New Jersey Devils have one of the most talented young cores in the NHL, but their production has yet to be enough to make a significant impact in the playoffs. After qualifying for the postseason just once from 2013 to 2022, they have taken a step in the right direction by advancing two of the past three years, but there is still work to be done.
Tom Fitzgerald has brought in players this offseason to address some of the team's issues last year with free agent signings Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown, who should both help contribute some much-needed secondary scoring. KHL star Arseni Gritsyuk will also be joining the Devils on his entry-level contract and should slot perfectly on the wing of either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier.
New Jersey has the star players in place to build around in Hughes, Hischier, and Jesper Bratt; it is now up to the surrounding cast to step up and help this team reach its goal of being true Stanley Cup contenders year after year. These five returning players will need to elevate their games in order for the Devils to make a deep run next season.
1. Simon Nemec
After an underwhelming sophomore season in the NHL, Nemec needs to take his game to the next level and show why the Devils selected him second overall three years ago. The blue line is crowded in Jersey, but with the unfortunate injury to Johnathan Kovacevic, Nemec must seize the opportunity and earn an opening night roster spot. If he can build off of his strong playoff performance and continue to be a solid presence on the back end, he most definitely can help the Devils' defense.
2. Dawson Mercer
Mercer has struggled to regain the form we saw from him in his second season, when he posted 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games. In two campaigns since then, he has not eclipsed the 40-point mark. While he still contributes on the penalty kill and occasionally in the face-off dot, the Devils need him to find his scoring touch again to provide much-needed depth on offense.
3. Timo Meier
Timo Meier is another player who needs to elevate his game for the Devils to make a deep run. We’ve seen in the last few years that the teams that have playoff success are big and physical, a style of play that Meier has shown he is more than capable of playing. Though he has been a 30-goal scorer multiple times in his career, since he arrived in Jersey, he has not been able to produce as consistently. If he can stick to playing a tough game and find more stability in his scoring, he will be the force that the Devils were looking for when they acquired him.
4. Paul Cotter
Paul Cotter had a bit of an up-and-down first season with the Devils, starting off red hot before going ice cold for a long stretch. He put up 12 points in the first 20 games of the season and then managed only 10 more in his last 59 games played. He did, however, bring a much-needed physicality to the offense, leading Devils forwards in hits by almost 100. Cotter showed at times he has the potential to make plays all by himself and seems almost to be a lock in the shootout. He should be able to produce more regularly in his second season with New Jersey and help the club go on a deep playoff run.
5. Luke Hughes
Throughout his first two full seasons with the Devils, Luke Hughes has shown he is following in the footsteps of his brothers and is another elite talent on the ice. After missing a chunk of games to start the year due to a shoulder injury, he came back strong and recorded 7 goals and 37 assists in his 71 games played. He also stepped up big when Dougie Hamilton went down with an injury, putting up 16 points in his final 17 games without Hamilton in the lineup. If he takes another step like he did last year, Luke Hughes will play a huge part in the success of this team.