Final Play Ratings For New Jersey Devils Players
The New Jersey Devils did not fair well this season. How did the rank in terms of grades?
The New Jersey Devils season is finally over, and after giving it some time time to quell the disappointment, it is time to review the season and how the players all did. On top of that we will also see how how this team can improve moving into next season when the goal should be playoffs or bust. That being said, the biggest concern of all before we even get to individuals is system, toughness, and goaltending.
This team needs to play defense as a unit way better and get some guys who actually hit and can fire this team up. The Devils got run out of the building a ton this season and wilt under any physical pressure, so what they really need to be doing during the playoffs is watching that pretty much every player is hitting everyone they can, and the whistles go away. They lost way too much of that fire in the offseason, and it might be harder to get back than we think.
Jesper Bratt
GP:82 G:27 A:56 PTS:83
Jesper Bratt did what he does again this year and is one of the few guys who were not disappointed. He had a career-high in points and drove the play as only he and Jack can do on this roster, which is insanely necessary on this roster, and he still didn't give up on being a strong 200-foot player. He also did this with some player having questionable years around him, no real top 6 center for a stretch, and his shooting percentage was actually down to 10.9% versus his last two seasons of 15.1 and 13.2, meaning he could have probably hit 30 goals and should next season. He was this team's offensive MVP this season, in my opinion, and having him for a long time at 8 million is a steal.
Rating: A+
Jack Hughes
GP:62 G:27 A:47 PTS:74
Jack Hughes is a superstar, but this season was a step back, and not just from the 99 points he had in 2022-23. He complained way too much when things were not going his way, still can't find a faceoff five seasons in, doesn't commit to any defense, and while we, as Devils fans, may not want to admit it, he's shown to be injury-prone. He makes a lot of plays, way more good than bad, so you have to take the bad giveaways for what they are, and while that is something we can live with, the guy needs to be a little more aggressive in the defensive zone. Watching him on the powerplay was a thing of beauty a year ago, but that didn't translate this season. In the end, it was a disappointing year, and things went downhill for him despite the good point numbers.
Rating: B+
Nico Hischier
GP:71 G:27 A:40 PTS:67
Much like Bratt, Nico Hischier did what he did all season, short of a few injured weeks. It is an absolute blessing to have a guy who can do virtually whatever you want and do it well, making it no surprise that he is a fan favorite. His 56% in the faceoff circle is very impressive. Being almost a point a game is impressive, and doing this while being the team's best defensive forward makes him invaluable.
Rating: A
Timo Meier
GP:69 G:28 A:24 PTS:52
Timo Meier was the ultimate tale of two seasons. He deserved the criticism early and the praise late in the year. He should have been pulled from the lineup for months for his play, and considering we all knew he was injured, it is still insane that they didn't rest him, especially knowing what he can do healthy. That one is on the team and the medical staff. Players will always want to play, no one wants to let the team down even if it hurts to play and honestly even if they would be worse than the AHL replacement. That is just how competitive people are, and you probably are not making it anywhere in life, let alone the NHL, if you aren't a competitive player. Getting that out of the way, when Meier returned to being the Sharks version of Meier, he was a monster and was dominant, leading the league in goals for a stretch, and was the only forward on the roster to hit people if MacDermid was not playing. Next year, we will hopefully get to see what he can do when healthy since he somehow led this team in goals despite only playing well for two months, which says more about the team than him. I see him for a full season actually on the right wing, where he wanted to play the whole time.
Rating: B-
Erik Haula
GP:76 G:16 A:19 PTS:35
Erik Haula had pretty similar numbers to last season and what we would expect from a third-line guy. Nothing he does jumps out at you, but he did play alright defensively, especially compared to the awful rest of the roster, and he is very good in the faceoff circle. Next season, when this team is hopefully better, he should slot in again as 3c and be just fine in the role.
Rating: B
Dawson Mercer
GP:82 G:20 A:13 PTS:33
Dawson Mercer fell off a cliff this season, dropping by seven goals and 23 points while also failing to drive the play at all somehow. His 200-foot play that was fantastic for anyone, let alone a young player, was just gone this season, and it was like watching a whole different player. While +/- is not the best stat, it is a pretty insane stat drop that should be pointed out to go from +22 to -26, especially when you are 22, not 38 years old. Mercer looked like a lock to be a 200-foot player who was probably going to get 25-30 goals a season for a decade, but this year was very concerning, though he should be given the opportunity to earn back the trust from day one next season.
Rating: D
Ondrej Palat
GP:71 G:11 A:20 PTS:31
The shadow of what once was Ondrej Palat continued, and that contract that looked bad on day one is just an anchor already. He was so invisible for 60 games that most fans forgot that he was actually playing and not injured or just on the team. He doesn't do much defensively, doesn't hit, doesn't look involved in the games in any way, and puts up 11 goals. The team should be trying to offload him already, but no sane team would take him, and with Arizona gone, they don't need to get to the cap floor anymore.
Rating: D
Alexander Holtz
GP:82 G:16 A:12 PTS:28
The season was a big waste, and unfortunately, the team used that time to also waste Holtz. The team loved to bench him mid-game for bad giveaways but ignored it when done by other players over and over, which was nuts. On top of that, drafting a guy seventh overall to be a sniper and playing him a few minutes a night and on the 4th line is terrible for development, terrible for his confidence, and terrible for his trade value if you don't want him. Why not play the sniper you drafted to play with Hughes with Hughes? Welcome to Devils coaching this season and hopefully this season only. That being said, putting up 16 goals with his ice time and linemates was very impressive, and he could break out next year, but the only way to tell will be if they give him the shot.
Rating: B+
Curtis Lazar
GP:71 G:7 A:18 PTS:25
Curtis Lazar had a career-high in points, was a positive player on a bad team, and showed up like he wanted to compete each night. He led the entire roster in hits on the season. He is a career fourth-liner but one we're happy to have on the team despite how little there is to say about him.
Rating: A
Nathan Bastian
GP:54 G:5 A:7 PTS:12
Nathan Bastian had an offseason and really only played like the old him for a dozen games at most. They need him to hit a lot more and fire up this roster because it takes a lot to get them going. There is also the issue of his close friend, who is currently gone, and it was probably hard for him to stay focused after that, but next year, they need way more from him.
Rating: D
Chris Tierney
GP:52 G:4 A:8 PTS:12
He had a good run at the end of the season for some games but some people were jumping the gun on thinking he will be apart of this team next year. He didn't do much for most of the season and this team doesn't need a guy who is ok on the bottom of the lineup they need a defender and some toughness.
Rating: D
Kurtis MacDermid
GP:16 G:0 A:1 PTS:1
Kurtis MacDermid was brought in to do one thing: punch people in the face. This team might not be tough, but this guy is, and while having a "goon" on the roster might not be for everyone, the Devils lack of toughness hurts, and he can offset some of that. Hopefully, this team will bring him back because a guy like him in the right situation, such as in Rangers games, will fire up fans and the team.
Rating: B
Luke Hughes
GP:82 G:9 A:38 PTS:47
Luke Hughes can, as advertised and expected, have one of the brightest futures in the league. The guy's offensive ability is incredible for his age, and he has defensive shortcomings that will improve with age. The biggest thing he really needs to work on is not just playing catch with Jack, and the drop pass almost never works, but even with those problems, he is a positive player who can skate like the wind and has a very high offensive IQ. The season also would probably have gone better if the team didn't have to throw him to the olves thanks to Dougie's injury and other players playing so badly. Next season, expect him to get some easier matchups and thrive.
Rating: A
John Marino
GP:75 G:4 A:21 PTS:25
John Marino put up some points, but he fell off a cliff defensively this season without Graves. He pinched way too much at awful times, played soft, and left the net open like his defensive IQ was cut in half. Next season will be a big one because he went from a top shutdown guy to a middle-of-the-lineup guy. I hope he can play in the middle of the lineup and not drag it down this season.
Rating: D
Simon Nemec
GP:60 G:3 A:16 PTS:19
Simon Nemec did not have the flashy season some people might want from a guy drafted 2nd overall, but he was the Devils best defenseman this season. He has the offensive talent and ability, but his IQ and positioning set him ahead at his age. Like Luke Hughes, he was also absolutely thrown to the wolves because of injuries and the team's inability to win, but he finished as a positive defender in most analytics. He is not a guy this team should be trading, even for a goalie, and he could be the team's number-one defender in a couple of years.
Rating: A+
Jonas Siegenthaler
GP:57 G:1 A:8 PTS:9
Jonas Siegenthaler was a very solid defender last season and complimented the offensive side of Hamilton well. This season, he couldn't replicate that with anyone and brought nothing to the Devils. He puts up no points, doesn't hit anyone, and did no defending, especially in front of the Devils net this season. He needs a massive bounce back or this guy will not be here regardless of his contract length.
Rating: F
Brendan Smith
GP:63 G:5 A:10 PTS:15
Brendan Smith should be able to fit in as a 6/7 guy, but he drove me nuts all season. He sometimes plays physically but almost always takes a stupid penalty. He was supposed to be a defensive guy, but he makes awful pinches all the time. He was one of the most frustrating players to watch this year, and ironically, the team that needs toughness needs to not sign him.
Rating: D
Kevin Bahl
GP:82 G:1 A:10 PTS:11
Kevin Bahl finished second on the team in hits behind Lazar, was a positive player and had a lot of defensive zone starts. He sure was not perfect but if he can box guys out in front of the net and up that physical play he should continue to be an effective enough depth defender.
Rating: C+
Santeri Hatakka
GP:12 G:0 A:2 PTS:2
In only 12 games, Santeri Hatakka was really impressive as a defender, and that is what the team needs, not an offensive guy. It might not be a big sample size but he was in position more than the other depth guys and he should be given the chance to compete for a 6/7 spot next season.
Rating: B+
The Devils goaltending made a full-scale change way too late to save the season, and while the other goalies in Daws and Schmid deserve a D, we are just going to touch on the other two who are currently here quickly. First of all, the main thing to say is that even though the others I would rate poor, the overall team defense and coaching should be an F, and it was what killed the season and the goaltending. No one but prime Marty Brodeur would have had a shot at even being .900 for 50 games, and the team should feel embarrassed, not the goalies. Jake Allen came out hot and cooled off a ton, dropping to a .900 as a Devil in 13 games played, while Kahkonen fared really well with a .923, but only in 6 games. Both of these guys deserve at least a B, if not higher, for bailing the awful team in front of them out, and it will be interesting to see if they are both back or not.
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