5 New Jersey Devils players who must bring their A-Game after the All-Star Break
The New Jersey Devils have dramatically fallen below expectations this season for a multitude of reasons, so a few players must help them return to form.
The New Jersey Devils were supposed to take another step forward in 2023-24, but they have fallen back, and their fortunes have yet to turn around at the All-Star Break. Fortunately for the Devils, they have until February 6th to regroup and try to pull off an upset over the Colorado Avalanche.
If the Devils plan on turning things around in the final two months of the season, they need their best players to lead them through these tough times. Star forward Jack Hughes is the first player in mind, and when he’s cleared to return from injury, he must quickly regain his form.
Hughes has been one of the league’s most exciting players so far in this long season, even if injuries have given him a few obstacles. Since Hughes can’t do the job alone, the following five players must bring their A-Game when the All-Star Break concludes.
Vitek Vanecek’s struggles must stop when play resumes
Vitek Vanecek enjoyed three solid seasons in the NHL, two with the Washington Capitals, and one with the Devils. Before 2023-24, Vanecek logged a 2.59 GAA in 131 career games, a decent 0.909 save percentage, nine shutouts, and an above-average 0.553 quality starts percentage, so it was easy to believe the 28-year-old would step in and continue to improve on those numbers.
Following his best outing last year, which saw a 0.911 save percentage, a 2.45 GAA, three shutouts, plus an eye-popping 0.667 quality starts percentage, Vanecek hasn’t been the same player since. While his 16-8-2 record looks good, he also ranks 41st in the league with an 0.886 save percentage among goaltenders with at least 20 starts, per QuantHockey, while his GAA is a pedestrian 3.24, which is 34th in the league.
Unless the Devils acquire a goaltender between now and the trade deadline, Vanecek will be the top guy going forward.
Luke Hughes must overachieve down the stretch
Last season, Luke Hughes got his first taste of the NHL, when he recorded two points and a goal in a pair of regular season contests. He also logged a pair of helpers in three playoff games while sustaining 19:15 of average total ice time, foreshadowing a potential leap in 2023-24.
It’s safe to say Hughes has more than lived up to expectations, but with the Devils struggling at the All-Star Break, it’s time for him to take his play up another level. Although Hughes has just 49 games of regular season experience and he’s still technically learning the demands of the NHL, he has also shown this shouldn’t be too tall of an obstacle for him.
He’s getting 20:40 of average total ice time, proving he can play and sustain top-four minutes, and since the new year, that number has grown to 22:39. Hughes has, however, scored just five points in his previous 12 games, which isn’t as effective as the 21 he scored in his first 35.
Given his overall productivity this season, there is little doubt Hughes will continue to pitch in on scoring plays. If that occurs and if he continues to sustain the amount of ice time recently expected from him, the entire team will benefit.
It’s time for Timo Meier to live up to his billing
New Jersey looked as though it won the 2023 NHL trade deadline season when they snagged Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks in a major deal. Although Meier made a massive impact for the Devils following the deadline, he hasn’t parlayed that into a solid 2023-24 campaign.
While injuries haven’t helped Meier’s cause in his first full season with the Devils, we still figured he would have scored more than 18 points and nine goals in 34 contests. It only took 21 games for Meier to find the net nine times in a Devils uniform last year, and he put up another four on the man advantage.
Meier also lived up to his reputation as a strong physical presence after the trade, landing 42 hits on opponents. This season, his aggressive play has faltered, having logged 35 this year to go with just 15 takeaways.
In his last five contests, Meier has also seen the Devils give up plenty of goals when he is on the ice, which has led to a minus-5 rating. He also has just two assists in those games despite putting up 16 shots on goal. The only good news in all of this is that if Meier steps up his game just a notch, the Devils will benefit from it.
Jesper Bratt has got to remain more than consistent
Jesper Bratt recently received an invite to the 2024 All-Star Game, where he will replace Jack Hughes and also play for his teammate’s team. For Bratt, it’s a well-deserved honor, as he has been healthy all season, and has produced 50 points and 19 goals, leading New Jersey in the former.
Bratt’s productivity started to pick up in 2021-22 when he scored 73 points, and that trend continued last season when he ended up with another 73. Now, it looks like he will shatter his career-highs, and given the current state of the Devils, they need him to.
Like the other players listed so far, Bratt sustaining and ideally increasing his consistent output on the ice alone won’t turn the team around. But if he keeps playing at a high level, he’s still doing his part in helping New Jersey embark on a late-season run.
Bratt has also been a go-to player often over the past two seasons on the man advantage and when the team needs a go-ahead goal. If he stays healthy when the season enters its most pressing stage, look for Bratt to remain the go-to in clutch moments.
Nico Hischier must go beyond his consistent play
Nico Hischier sustained an injury earlier this season that kept him out for almost a month, but since then, the Devils captain has found consistent production. In the 29 games since he returned on November 25th, Hischier has 26 points and 11 goals, along with an astounding 18.6 shooting percentage.
The Devils would be better off, though, if Hischier got more aggressive in the defensive zone. Last season, the 2023 Selke finalist recorded 64 takeaways, and the Devils dominated in the Corsi and Fenwick when he was on the ice at 5-on-5, despite an offensive zone starting percentage of just 48.2. If he helps New Jersey reach that kind of productivity again from February until April, they will be far more competitive.
And if there is anyone on this team who needs to bring their A-Game more than anyone else besides Hughes, it’s Nico Hischier. The Devils captain will be that force in the locker room and on the ice who won’t just produce on a nightly basis, but like Hughes, he will elevate his teammates’ play.
It will be great to see a highly-performing Jack Hughes help the team inch closer to what they were advertised to be in 2023-24, but the captain’s guidance will maximize this team’s outlook going forward.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)