4. Who earns that 7th D spot?
Continuing with defense, another storyline is who ends up earning the seventh spot on defense. There are two guys, in my opinion, that will look to vie for that role. The first is Santeri Hatakka. Hatakka was part of the big package that was highlighted by the Devils acquiring Timo Meier in March of 2023. The young defenseman has had some experience playing in the NHL from the previous year and looked very comfortable in his short time. He's caught the eyes of the Devils' brass and certainly will be given a good shot to make the team out of camp.
The next guy is newly acquired, Johnathan Kovacevic who comes in with a big frame (6'5", 223 lbs) and is not afraid to rough it up. He, just like Hatakka, is more of a defensive-minded player who is very responsible on his end. He also is still young at 27 years old, so he still has time to grow. Blocking shots will be something big that Kovacevic needs to provide.
5. Who fits in the Top 6 wing spot?
The top six is mostly set up, but there's still at least one spot that isn't guaranteed, and one of the winger positions. The Devils acquired Tyler Toffoli a year ago and he was as advertised. However, he was dealt at the deadline due to both the Devils and Toffoli being unable to reach an extension. They replace Toffoli by bringing back an old friend Tomas Tatar on a one-year deal. However, Tatar will have some competition with Ondrej Palat for that winger spot.
For Tatar, in 2022-23, he alongside Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer was one of the most impressive lines in all of hockey as the trio finished with a 64.5% expected goals-for percentage at five-on-five, which was second-best in the league that year. Tatar can provide scoring while also being somewhat responsible in the defensive zone. Having him under contract for that low of a deal could be a major steal for the team.
As for Palat, he comes into his third season with question marks. The game may have been slowly passing him by as he has struggled to stay healthy at times as well as not producing at the level that has been expected of him since he arrived. Not to mention, the contract itself (three years left at $6 million AAV) has not looked good at all. While he does have the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the first-round series vs the Rangers, that was two years ago and the only big thing Palat has done so far in New Jersey. This is a big year for #18 and he, like so many other guys on the team, has a lot to prove.
This is just the beginning of what very well could be a very exciting year for the New Jersey Devils. Training camp is a week away and it won't be long before we see the boys in red and black again on the ice.