How New Jersey Devils can have a successful Western Canada road trip?
The New Jersey Devils have been dominant in Western Canada recently. What are the keys to success for this three-game tilt this year?
The New Jersey Devils are heading to Western Canada with mixed feeling about the start of their season. However, this trip has been a jumping off point in the past. How can the Devils ensure this is a successful trip?
Split the Dillon and Hamilton pairing
This experiment needs to be put to rest. The Hamilton and Dillon pairing has been among the worst pairings in the league on the defensive side. They currently rank third worst among all NHL pairings in expected goals against with 7.4. They give up a ton of opportunities and haven’t been able to subside it on the offensive side of the game.
Hamilton's shot is a weapon that only a handful of teams can compete with on their backs. With that advantage, Hamilton and the Devils need to be able to use it. Hamilton has one goal in 12 games this season and is on pace to have his worst goal-scoring production of his career. While I don’t think that stat holds true once the season ends, that can’t be where the bar is set.
Hamilton's best offensive season came when paired with Jonas Siegenthaler. He was more than able to use his shot, hitting career highs in goals and points with 22 and 74, respectively. Siegenthaler, a sound defensive defenseman, complimented Hamilton well, allowing him to use his offensive game to the best of his abilities while also having support on the defensive side. A talent like Hamilton needs to be put in situations where you can get the most bang for your buck. Hopefully, we see Hamilton and Siegenthaler back together at some point this year.
Dillon's physical presence is something the Devils had been missing. A top-paired defenseman to play with Hamilton was not missing. Dillon's physical play, while keeping him away from top lines on the other team, will help New Jersey set that new buzz they were looking for, which will ultimately lead to success.
Hughes and Bratt line have to get going
Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt haven’t taken over a game yet this season like we have seen often in the past. That being said they still have a combined 22 points in 12 games. An already impressive statline that is expected to trend up.
Sheldon Keefe has rolled out a few combinations on the left side, most recently Ondrej Palat. Hughes and Bratt have seemed better as of late but it seems more to do with them rather than the presence of Palat. As enticing as it would seem to pair Timo Meier with the two stars, it doesn’t seem to make enough sense right now with the chemistry he and Nico Hischier have rekindled.
We’ve seen Tomas Tatar find his way around the lineup through the years. Would putting Tatar with Hughes and Bratt work? Maybe. Erik Haula has also found chemistry with Hughes in previous seasons.
And that is what it really comes down to. When you put players with stars they’re going to play better and have more opportunities. This has more to do with Hughes and Bratt themselves because they’re good enough to be a force alone. They have both been point per game players and led the Devils in points in a season the past two years.
It’s not a question of if they will start to take over games but when. If we see them do it over these next three games, New Jersey will have a successful road trip.
Bottom Scoring needs to continue doing their thing
The Devils' bottom six is going to be something that will be accessed heavily on this road trip. Curtis Lazar left the game during the second period on Sunday and will be out for an unknown amount of time.
The Lazar hole hurts, but this bottom six during the month of October hasn’t hurt. Stefan Noesen and Paul Cotter are currently both in the top three on the team in goals. The bottom six has consistently been a factor in all six Devils wins on the score sheet while also setting a tone. It's safe to say General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has nailed the offseason in terms of rounding out his depth scoring group.
Justin Dowling will most likely be making his season debut on Wednesday for the Devils in place of Lazar. Dowling has scored twice in six games with the Utica Comets this season and has played 100 games at the NHL level.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Devils tried a couple of different lineup combinations before making a final decision on who will replace Lazar. Depending on the injury timeline, the possibility of them looking externally is definitely in question.
New Jersey's bottom six has been good and, most importantly, consistently good. There hasn’t been a loss this year where pointing to the depth was the right answer. With Lazar not in the lineup, it's another opportunity for the depth to make an impression.
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