New Jersey Devils: Forward Report Cards At The Halfway Point
By Nick Natale
Tyler Toffoli (16G - 13A - 29Pts)
When the trade was made for Toffoli, the prospect of another pure goal-scorer was mouthwatering. And yes, Toffoli is tied for the team lead in goals and on pace for 34, but he leaves some to be desired. Toffoli is very much a player who thrives when the team around him is thriving. But as seen with the Devils current injury crisis, he hasn't produced like the team needs him to. Another issue is his lack of pace. He looks out of place when playing next to Hughes and Bratt, and it's evident when the team moves up the ice in transition. It would be nice to see how he plays when everyone is back healthy and considered as a complimentary piece and not a top source for offense.
Grade: B-
Timo Meier (9G - 6A - 15Pts)
It's starting to sound like a broken record, but injuries have seriously hampered Meier's first full season as a Devil. After getting off to a slow start, Meier began to pick up his scoring just before getting hurt. The Devils then inexplicably rushed him back, where he again found trouble scoring. Then, like clockwork, Meier began to find his offense just before getting hurt again. It's been a very frustrating year for Meier, who has now dealt with two injuries and inconsistent play when in the lineup. He showed last season and in some spurts this year how dominant of a power forward he can be, but he needs to be healthy first.
Grade: C
Dawson Mercer (13G - 8A- 21Pts)
The start of the 2023-24 campaign for Mercer was downright atrocious. It took him 11 games to register his first point, and at times, he didn't look like an NHLer. Yet Mercer has once again proved that he is mature beyond his years and has bounced back nicely. He has 21 points over his last 31 games and his Iron Man streak to start his career rages on. Mercer's game is simple and effective and should greatly benefit from a slightly reduced role if the team ever gets healthy. If last year told us anything, it's that Mercer can be a streaky scorer, but when he's on his game, he's hard to stop.