Power Ranking New Jersey Devils' offseason moves impact on winning this season

4. Signing Brendan Dillon

The Devils didn't stop the defensive upgrades at Pesce. He's a right-handed defenseman, but the Devils are weak on the left. While Pesce has played with Dougie Hamilton in the past, it would be smart to upgrade the left side, especially after losing Kevin Bahl in the Markstrom trade. They did that by signing Brendan Dillon, who was with the Winnipeg Jets last season. He's nothing crazy, but adding him really solidifies the defense from 1-6. There really aren't holes, and if anyone falters, they have depth both on the roster (more on that in a moment) and in the AHL with prospects Seamus Casey and Santeri Hatakka. Dillon is the player who really acts as the glue to this great defense.

5. Hiring Jeremy Colliton to be Associate Head Coach

The New Jersey Devils have a pretty good track record for the guy behind the guy. Two years ago, they hired Andrew Brunette, and he lasted a year before he was poached by the Nashville Predators. Last season, both Lindy Ruff and Travis Green got head coaching jobs elsewhere. They are clearly decent coaches. Now, the Devils take another chance on a former head coach who may have just been in the wrong situation. Jeremy Colliton was the former head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks who was dealt multiple impossible hands. It is smart for Keefe, Fitzgerald, and the Devils to give him a shot. We assume he will take over the power play. Ironically, Abbotsford had a middle-of-the-pack PP in the AHL (where Colliton was head coach), but they did lead the Western Conference in penalty kill, so maybe he will help with that, too.