Question 1.
Which Devils player will have the best season compared to expectations?
Nick Villano: Luke Hughes. People are really sleeping on this kid, and he just had his first NHL preseason and training camp ever. Don't be surprised if he produces a 60-point season.
Rob DeLuca: Dougie Hamilton. I don’t know how many people noticed because the season was out of reach, playoff-wise. But Hamilton was VERY noticeably playing better and harder once Tom Fitzgerald got fired. Big season coming!
Charlie Borges Jr.:Â With true depth at center, Dawson Mercer staying on the right wing full time should take less pressure off of him. With time away from the faceoff dot, a return to his 2022-23 56-point performance could be in the cards.
Neil Villapiano:Â I'm going with Timo Meier. I believe this is the year he'll score 30 goals because of the linemates he has (Hischier, Evangelista) and being the main guy on the second power play unit.
Joe Stanislau:Â Arseny Gritsyuk is the man to watch because he is strong on and off the puck. His shot release, speed, and forechecking with Luke Evangelista are only going to make him a menace offensively.
Sam Annaluru:Â I think Timo Meier, with some new linemates, will finally break out this season.
Craig Patrick:Â The Evan Rodrigues addition is getting completely memoryholed because he felt like a secondary component to dumping Markstrom's cap hit (and poor performance) on Florida, and we've added Mantha and Evangelista since. But he's a better-than-cromulent improvement over what we've regularly trotted out in our bottom 6 the past few years. He has 30+ points in every year since the COVID season, and he should be able to do that at least that again on a line with Mercer and Gritsyuk, while contributing great defense, or play up on either Nico or Jack's wings if injuries strike.
Damien Flores:Â Luke Evangelista will elevate this team to a new level on the first line and first power play unit.
Travis Ryan:Â Arseny Gritsyuk. He had a strong rookie year and has been flying a bit under the radar amidst other plotlines.
Luke Garrison: The Devils player who will have the best season compared to expectations is Luke Evangelista. Evangelista has a lot to showcase as a good young talent, so I think he could really thrive here.
Question 2.
What is the one storyline you're most interested in going into the season?
Nick Villano: Outside of Quinn Hughes? The growth of Sheldon Keefe. Can he be great when the pressure is on. I'm not sure he can, but I'm trying to keep the faith.
Rob DeLuca:Â The Devils' goalie trio. Look, we all know this is a major gamble after it was a major derailment last season. So it is only fair to call this the most intriguing storyline and see what it can do!
Charlie Borges Jr.:Â Most people will say the goaltending, brothers Hughes health, or even scoring depth. However, I am very interested in whether Anthony Mantha can repeat his 30-goal performance from last season.
Neil Villapiano:Â Can the goaltending be enough to get the team back into the playoffs? Having a trio of Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and newly acquired Remi Poirier is a risk given the lack of consistency starting-wise.
Joe Stanislau: Seeing Nico Daws had been shelved under Tom Fitzgerald and micromanaged. He has shown flashes of brilliance in shutting down the NHL’s finest, now it’s Dan Stewart’s job to help right Daws to success.
Sam Annaluru:Â I am watching to see how this D-core develops this season and if they can hang with the NHL's elite.
Craig Patrick:Â There's a Quinnesota-sized elephant in the room as we begin the season, which I'm sure my colleagues will discuss at length, but I'm fascinated to see which of Sunny's pot sweetener bets will pay off. I doubt all of Lombardi, Remi Porier, and Declan Chisholm will turn into regulars, but the key to Sunny Mehta's success will be in how many of these small bets he can turn into a big stack.
Damien Flores:Â The Devils goalie situation, mainly interested in how Nico Daws bounces back.
Travis Ryan:Â Will Jack Hughes finally play enough games to clear the 100-point mark?
Luke Garrison: The storyline I am most interested in this year is the Devils’ forward depth. I am curious to see that. Do we have someone ready and available if we have another injury-riddled season in that position?
Question 3.
Which NHL team will be the biggest surprise? Biggest disappointment?
Nick Villano: Again, if we're going based on expectations, I think the St. Louis Blues are going to be better than expected. They got rid of some dead weight and have really good young players. I think the run of the Tampa Bay Lightning is over and they finally miss the playoffs.
Rob DeLuca: The San Jose Sharks will be the biggest surprise! This team is so charged up and ready to go; I would not be surprised by a wild card appearance here. The biggest disappointment will be the Winnipeg Jets. I mean does more need to be said? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, no Connor Hellebuyck equals disaster.
Charlie Borges Jr.:Â The Anaheim Ducks will be both the biggest surprise and disappointment. They had a mass roster exodus from a solid playoff group from last year. Most are expecting a playoff year again for the Ducks; I am expecting a meltdown.
Neil Villapiano:Â The biggest surprise will be the San Jose Sharks. The biggest disappointment will be the Minnesota Wild.
Joe Stanislau: The biggest surprise is if the NY Islanders, who have been selecting some amazing talent the last three drafts, finally hit. Biggest disappointment would be the Toronto Maple Leafs making a few trades to right the ship, new GM, and always big pressure in Ontario.
Sam Annaluru:Â I think the Sens will outperform without Tkachuk, and I think Anaheim will disappoint following their troubling summer.
Craig Patrick:Â I think Toronto could bounce back from their hellish season last year and sneak into the wild card with Gavin McKenna, Kirill Marchenko, and a rebuilt blueline in tow. The biggest disappointment will likely be Pittsburgh; I still don't understand how they got 98 points last year, and with another year of mileage on that core, I think it could be rough sledding in an improved Metropolitan Division.
Damien Flores:Â The biggest surprise will be the New York Rangers after an awful season. The biggest disappointment will be the San Jose Sharks.
Travis Ryan:Â As much as it pains me to say it, I think the Rangers take a step forward and the Sharks take a step back.
Luke Garrison: The biggest surprise team in the NHL will be the San Jose Sharks, because of the way Mike Grier constructed that team. The biggest disappointment will be the Detroit Red Wings; they spent all that time with the Dylan Larkin drama and the Ken Holland firing, and they didn’t do that much to improve their roster.
Question 4.
Outside of Quinn Hughes, which player do you want Sunny Mehta to target this season?
Nick Villano: I feel like the Devils don't need any more complimentary pieces, but I'm still curious about Shane Wright. With Evan Rodrigues as third-line center, there might be a better option out there.
Rob DeLuca: Alex DeBrincat. I’m not sure even the Red Wings have an idea of what their season is going to look like. And this could be that top 6 winger that turns the offense into a juggernaut.
Charlie Borges Jr.:Â Jared McCann. Adding another prolific scorer to an already solid lineup on paper is always a welcome addition. With McCann being a pending UFA, that is a perfect deadline addition. Hopefully the Devils are still competing by that point.
Neil Villapiano:Â Connor Hellebuyck. If the Devils' goaltending struggles and Hellebuyck continues to sit out, I can see Sunny making a move for the top netminder that wouldn't cost him an arm and a leg.
Joe Stanislau:Â Thomas Harley. Probably the most interesting all-around CSS target. His combination of skating, puck movement, offensive contribution and size gives him a very balanced profile.
Sam Annaluru:Â I hope we go back on the Hayton idea. I think he could be a natural fit if Erod is not in the plans next season.
Craig Patrick:Â If the price tag starts to drop on Dylan Larkin at all, the Devils have to be ready to swoop in. Not just because Larkin will continue to help the Devils' growing strength in forward depth, but because he is very close friends with the Hughes clan. I'd also be very interested in a deadline rental for Vince Dunn or Alex DeBrincat. We have two firsts next year burning a hole in our pocket and I expect Sunny will be aggressive in March.
Damien Flores: A goalie would be nice if our current tandem doesn’t pan out. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would be a nice get.
Travis Ryan: Though we don’t have the cap space for him at the moment (and things could get especially tight if/when we add Quinn), I’d love to see Jason Robertson in New Jersey. It might take a significant haul, but he’s currently on a one-year deal, and he could be a game-changer if we find ourselves in playoff position come March.
Luke Garrison: I think the Devils should go after Dylan Larkin, especially if Detroit is having an awful season. If there is an opportunity to trade for someone like him, Sunny needs to take that risk, especially if Mercer’s trade value goes up
Question 5.
What needs to happen for the New Jersey Devils to win the Metropolitan Division?
Nick Villano: The goaltending needs to show up. If Allen and Daws are at around .910 combined, the Devils could win the division with the rest of the pieces in place.
Rob DeLuca:Â The Hurricanes and Capitals have A LOT more losses than expected. You have the Stanley Cup Champs and the most active offseason team in your division; very difficult!
Charlie Borges Jr.:Â To win the Metro Division, the Hurricanes need to have a Cup hangover for the ages, Washington does not live up to expectations, the Flyers and Penguins take a step back after surprise seasons, and the Rangers and Blue Jackets stay in the lane of mediocrity and being unserious. The first two won't happen, however.
Neil Villapiano:Â Health. Simply put, as in most years, if the Devils brass can stay healthy and play the way they can, they can compete and win the division.
Joe Stanislau: The Devils now have depth with skill, talent, and Sasquatch ability. Now it’s time to see how well the competition level of the goalies can help them raise their game.
Sam Annaluru:Â I think they will need their goaltending to have a good year and be good enough to cover a theoretically weaker defense.
Craig Patrick:Â Seth Jarvis struggles to recover from his shoulder surgery and misses most of the season. Brandon Bussi proves once again that goaltending is voodoo and struggles to a sub-.890 SV%. Carolina is not able to trade for a goalie improvement in-season, in part because the Devils snake them on a deal for a resurgent Sam Montembeault. Washington and New Jersey battle it out for the top of the Division, but a full 82-game season from Jack Hughes makes him the first Devil to ever score more than 100 points in a season, and a 115-point season leads the Devils to the Metro Division title by a few points.
Damien Flores:Â The Devils need to stay healthy, something they have struggled with over the years.
Travis Ryan: Players need to stay healthy. And if the goalie carousel doesn’t work out the way we hope, we’ll need a timely response from Mehta.
Luke Garrison: For the Devils to win the Metropolitan Division this year, they need to stay 100% healthy; they can’t let one injury make the entire team suddenly forget how to score. The Devils also need their goaltending tandem with Jake Allen and Nico Daws to be as average as possible, given that they have one of the oldest tandems in the league.Â
Question 6.
What is your points prediction for the Devils at the end of the season, and where do they finish in the Metro?
Nick Villano: Devils finish with 96 points and third in the Metro, but they are on fire to finish the season.
Rob DeLuca: This simply has to be and will be a major bounce back season for the Devils. We’re going 96 points which will be good for 3rd place in the Metro!
Charlie Borges Jr.:Â The Devils will finish with 101 points and finish 3rd in the Metro division behind Carolina and Washington.
Neil Villapiano:Â The Devils will finish third in the Metro behind Carolina and Washington with 97 points.
Joe Stanislau: I’m predicting 103 points and 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division. The Devils’ depth from veterans to young veterans and rookies, combined with a healthier core, gives them a strong foundation to climb back toward the franchise’s 2022–23 level.
Sam Annaluru:Â I think they'll finish with 104 points, good for 3rd in the Metro.
Craig Patrick: This question reminded me we are heading into our first 84-game regular season, which will take some getting used to. I think the Devils finish 2nd in the Metro with 104 points.
Damien Flores:Â The Devils will finish with 96 points, finishing third in the Metro behind the Hurricanes and Capitals.
Travis Ryan: With a healthy Jack playing the way he did after the Olympics, let’s say 111, finishing second behind the Hurricanes, without 70+ games of peak Jack Hughes, more like 95.
Luke Garrison: I believe the Devils will have a 102-point season and will be third in the Metro Division. They will be behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who will go on a deep Cup-repeat season, and a much-improved Washington Capitals team.Â
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