2. What is the one player storyline you're most interested in right now?
Villano: Jack Hughes versus his own body. He HAS to stay healthy this season, and he could become a super-duper star if he does.
Parise: I am most interested in seeing what Jack Hughes can do next. Will be finally be that 100+ point player (he had 99 in 2022-23) that the Devils need him to be? If he stays healthy, he will be one of the best.
DeLuca: Tomas Tatar. The way that he never actually wanted to leave NJ but eventually was left with no choice and is now back after a season away. That is going to fire him up and perform more than admirably.
Borges: This may be the obvious choice, but it has to be the health of the Hughes brothers. Can Jack stay healthy a full season and put up 100+ points and will Luke be back to 100% sooner rather than later?
Chauvancy: Can Seamus Casey stick around once Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce return to the lineup? He'll have a good opportunity to showcase his talent to start the season.
Matthews: Stefan Noesen. After reviving his career with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and Carolina Hurricanes, he's a completely different player since the last time we saw him in a Devils sweater.
Patrick: Seamus Casey's hunt to make the Global Series roster is the most obvious, but for one a bit under the radar: Jonathan Kovacevic has a huge opportunity to cement himself on the roster in this first month of the season. When Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce are back from injury, top 6 D spots are going to be hard to come by in Newark, and he seems like he would be the odd man out. Kovacevic has to prove he was worth not only trading a pick to Montreal for, but worth putting in the lineup.
Stanislau: Currently interested in Anton Silayev’s development over in the KHL. Another player but on the farm in Utica is Xavier Parent who is very cerebral and has really good instincts with the puck and has the ability to be a reliable and dynamic playmaker despite being a little short.
Holliday: Alex Ovechkin chasing the goal record. It looked like something that was almost impossible to break but there is a chance it happens this year and it would be cool to see happen even if he is a division rival.
Barrett: Timo Meier scored 17 goals from March 1st on. I expect him to score closer to that rate this season and be a 40 goal scorer once again.
Schiller: I am most interested in how Jack Hughes will respond after last season’s misfortunes. His new and improved shoulder and another year of experience should bode well for #86 in red and black.
Garrison: The one storyline I am interested in seeing is Dawson Mercer. We saw him all off-season, concerned about whether they would give him an extension, and Fitzgerald ended up getting a bridge deal done with Mercer. So now we hope he has a great season, and if he does, he could get a more significant extension in the 2025 offseason.
Rubin: I’m interested to see if Jack Hughes can stay healthy and put up his first 100-point season.
Annaluru: I am definitely intrigued to see if Luke Hughes takes a step into becoming a premier defender in the league.
Villapiano: How big of an impact will Jacob Markstrom bring? Can he be the one to answer the Devils' decade-plus-long woes?