5 Ways New Jersey Devils Season Can Be Saved
A loss in regulation to the Tampa Bay Lightning has the New Jersey Devils in a hard way. It will take a near miracle to make the playoffs, but this team might have a miracle in them if these five scenarios take place.
The New Jersey Devils really needed four points from this weekend after losing to the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals during the week. They didn't get it, only beating the Montreal Canadiens before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. They now sit five points out of the closest playoff spot, which is currently held by the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins and Capitals are both vying for that spot as well.
If the season ended today, the Devils would be the most talented team to miss the playoffs. They would be by far the most disappointing team in the NHL in 2023-24. Some might argue for the Sabres or Senators, but the Devils felt like a lock for the playoffs even as early as January. Now, they seem like a longshot at best.
We've seen teams do the "impossible" before. The Florida Panthers had 64 points in 61 games at this moment last season. Right now, the Devils have 62 points in 58 games. If you remember, the Panthers went on a run and made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Devils can do the same, but only if a few very specific things happen.
Scenario 1: Jack Hughes goes Super Saiyan
The first thing that has to happen is Jack Hughes needs to turn back into the Hart Trophy candidate he was in the beginning of the season. Hughes has struggled since returning from injury. He's had six points in 10 games. We chronicled last year that Jack Hughes takes 10 games to return fully from injury. Sunday was game number 10.
Last season, Hughes missed a few games in February and rushed back. He struggled for 10 games, then he went back to his superstar ways. He averaged a point per game for the rest of the season. If Hughes can do even better than that, the Devils could be going somewhere. With 24 games left in the season, Hughes getting points in 90 percent of the matchups and multiple points in at least 40 percent would really send the Devils higher in the standings.
Scenario 2: Goaltending finds a way to stay above a .910 save percentage
Nico Daws has been doing his best to keep the Devils afloat while Vitek Vanecek has been hurt. He started seven games in a row before Akira Schmid finally took a start on Sunday against the Lightning. Schmid wasn't awful, but he did allow a terrible goal in the third to make it 3-1.
If the Devils are going to do this, they need above average goaltending. Daws has been giving them that over the past few weeks, especially when it comes to high-danger chances against. Daws has said the hip surgery he had last offseason helped him with his mobility. Now, he's getting to those big saves that he couldn't reach in seasons prior.
This could also come from a player outside of the organization. The Devils are still heavily involved in talks with the Predators and Flames and other teams on the market for their star goalies. It's probably less likely now than it was a month ago, but the chance is still there, and it could save the Devils season.
It all comes down to price. If the Devils come up a ton or if the price comes down, something may happen. If not, the Devils need Vanecek to come back healthy and much better. They also need Daws to sustain and avoid the stinkers like the Rangers game.
Scenario 3: Devils trade for a defenseman
For the Devils to make a run in the playoffs, they want a goalie trade. However, they need a defenseman trade. The blueline just isn't getting it done. Dougie Hamilton isn't coming back, and Jonas Siegenthaler and John Marino haven't been the anchors they were last season. Luke Hughes is making more mistakes than ever, and Simon Nemec is still playing well but not above his head.
The Devils have been tied to a two-for-one trade for Markstrom and Noah Hanifin. Just getting Hanifin would work at this point, but the Devils would want an extension attached to that. That might seem unlikely. The Devils have been trying to find a player with term, but that's hard to come by at this position.
There are options that won't cost as much as Hanifin, who is likely the best player at his position on the market. Jakob Chychrun could move, and the Devils make a lot of sense. Other moves make sense, but the point is the Devils can't go forward with the current crop. There's a big hole left by Hamilton's injury.
The Devils defense needs work, and the work has to come from outside the organization. Even some of the smaller names would really help.
Scenario 4: Change in coaching philosophy
Read into this as you will, but the Devils need a different direction when it comes to the coaching. The system isn't working. The Devils are as talented a team as any, but they are far out of the playoffs. There are a laundry list of reasons why the Devils are where they are. Injuries and goaltending are at the very top of the list. Rookie defensemen and a power play going into the ground are pretty close behind.
Yet, coaching needs to bring the Devils out of this. Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Ondrej Palat, and the rest of the injured players outside of Hamilton have returned. The excuses are out the door, so the inability to perform at the highest level is on the system they play.
There will be many who point out the defensive system that has left goalies out to dry. It's all sticks and no hits. One could see why they tried this. It really fit the Devils talent if John Marino and Jonas Siegenthaler were the shut down guys they were last season. Unfortunately, they aren't and the system is failing because of it. The coaching staff made some adjustments during the All-Star Break, so hopefully that makes an impact.
The coaching staff overall just needs to take a long look in the mirror. On Sunday, the Devils mustered just three shots on net in the third period on national television in a game they desperately needed to win. That has to wake something up in this team. If it doesn't... well... everyone knows what that means.
Scenario 5: Power Play returns to form
The New Jersey Devils power play has fallen off a cliff. Despite scoring a goal on Sunday with the man advantage, the unit was still a disappointment. Down to the Lightning in the third period, Tampa gave the Devils close to back-to-back power plays. On the first power play, the Devils failed to record a shot. On the second, they didn't fare much better. The Devils finished the game with just that one goal.
The Devils are still getting a ton of chances. Since January 1st, the Devils have been on the power play for just under 126 minutes. That's fourth best in the league in that time. The only team with fewer power-play goals in 2024 than the Devils is the San Jose Sharks. They have less than half the power play time.
This team has the talent to succeed on the power play. Jack Hughes is enough to score (and getting scenario one would really help that), but adding Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Luke Hughes, and Alex Holtz should make it a no brainer to score at will.
If everything goes to plan, the Devils still have a shot. The Flyers did not take advantage of the Devils inconsistent play like the Lightning or the Red Wings did. Plus, the Flyers might sell at the trade deadline. So, there's still a chance, but the Devils need to hit the nail on the head on a lot of these scenarios.
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