The New Jersey Devils reunited with Stefan Noesen last offseason, and it's safe to say that it's been a pleasant reunion so far. In 78 games played this season, he posted 22 goals (fourth on the team and also a career-high), 19 assists (seventh), 41 points (sixth and also another career-high), and brought a lot of physicality with 152 hits (third). He was also a catalyst for the power play. Half of his goals were scored on the man advantage (11), which ranked second, just behind Nico Hischier. Similar to his teammates, Noesen had his fair share of struggles.
There were a few stretches in the second half where he struggled to score, especially at even strength. He admitted his flaws during exit interviews. However, it doesn't change the fact that Noesen surpassed expectations and arguably had his best season in the NHL. It's incredible to see how far he has come in his hockey journey ever since his first tenure with the Devils (2016-2019).
"Overall, it was great. Coming [back] here, I wasn't sure what to expect...I've learned [a lot] from playing with the Hurricanes, to playing down in the minors, that whole wild rollercoaster of emotions that I went through for a couple of years, and now coming back and giving my experiences and helping these guys, it's been great and fun."Stefan Noesen, Devils forward
During exit interviews, Pucks and Pitchforks had the chance to ask many players their thoughts on Noesen's contributions both on and off the rink. Hischier was on the roster during Noesen's first stint. Not to mention he and Noesen spent a lot of time together on the same line. Hischier acknowledged Noesen's impact from both a hockey and personal standpoint.
"It's been great having him back here. I [first met] him when I was either 18 or 19. He was able to help me a lot off the ice with setting things up and all that stuff. Obviously, on the ice, he's a competitor. He's not a guy you want to play against. He makes big goals, does the dirty work, and it's good to have a guy like that."Nico Hischier, Devils' captain
Erik Haula and Paul Cotter were Noesen's linemates to start the year. All three players got off to red-hot starts to begin the season. Similar to Hischier, Cotter and Haula spoke highly of Noesen's impact despite their pairing being short-lived.
"I think Stef is one of the best net front players that I've played against, and that's where he pretty much makes his living. He's a fierce competitor, wants to win, and cares about the team a lot."Erik Haula, Devils forward
"We started off hot together and then it kinda died down, but that's part of the season...He's structural and a very, very good net front player, which is pretty hard to come by. But you know where he's gonna be. He's also a good talker...I think we meshed pretty well."Paul Cotter, Devils forward
Reuniting with Noesen was a great move by general manager Tom Fitzgerald last offseason. Noesen provides a lot for the Devils. Some of his traits include excellent net front presence, providing physicality, power-play production, and many years of experience inside the locker room. It's great to have him back in a Devils sweater.