In the Sunny Mehta Era, it is interesting to see how both a blend of analytics and the eye test can try to increase the New Jersey Devils' odds of building a successful season. Let’s take a page out of Mehta’s playbook and do our best to analyze and project the season ahead of us. Nothing is perfect, but with the help of different variables, let’s have some fun.
Jack Hughes is projected to get 37 goals and 104 points in 77 games with the pace he is able to playmake and snipe timely goals, and with that linemate next to him is his Swedish wing Jesper Bratt. Bratt is looking at 91 points in 80 games played. Back to the center position, we have the captain in Nico Hischier. The Swiss center is projected to score 83 points in 79 games, following a banner season with fellow countryman Timo Meier. Meier, the bulldozing winger, is almost a point-per-game player with 76 points in 78 games, with 36 goals under the Sunny Mehta system.
The Devils have some pieces to compete in the Metropolitan Division
The Russian native Arseny Gritsyuk is looking to terrorize teams this season with 24 goals and 58 points in 80 games played. Then you have the recently drafted Swedish 2-way center, Alexander Command, where our model has him playing 71 games with 11 goals and 34 points. It will be an introductory season for the young center, as he gets a similar feel to when Arseny Gritsyuk got his first cup of coffee in the NHL. He now has a season to build off of familiarity in the NHL. The same can be said for Command when he does take command.
On the defensive side, we do have Anton Silayev laying 168 points in 78 games with 7 goals and 29 points. A veteran defender in Brett Pesce will nearly mirror Anton Silayev in hits and blocks in the 140 and 180 club, sasquatching their way to shut teams' top lines down. Luke Hughes and Dougie Hamilton will not be anywhere close in the hits category but will be halfway behind while focusing more on blocking shots and rendering 30 goals and 88 assists together.
In the goalie platoon system, we have Nico Daws penciled in at 26-11-4, Jake Allen at 18-10-1, and David Rittich 7-4-1. In the case of the playoffs, Daws would remain the starter and move forward with the team.
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