The New Jersey Devils will have a crucial question to answer, and that question pertains directly to Jack Hughes.
Namely, will Hughes play with Jesper Bratt this season?
The early projections show Hughes and Bratt on the same line, rolling with newcomer Anthony Mantha. That looks like a pretty solid line, but was there ever any real doubt?
Putting Bratt and Hughes together is the classic case of “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke”. After all, why would Sheldon Keefe separate Hughes and Bratt?
The only plausible reason to separate Bratt and Hughes would be if Timo Meier played with Hughes and Bratt lined up with Nico Hischier. Perhaps that move might serve a purpose. Particularly, there’s something to be said for shuffling lines for the sake of making it impossible for opposing coaches.
But beyond that, Bratt and Hughes are like trying to find a better way to combine peanut butter and jelly. The duo has worked very well in the past. So, there’s no reason to move away from that. That is, of course, unless the Devils really wanted to shake things up, so to speak.
That said, there may be a scenario in which splitting up Bratt and Hughes would be necessary.
Jack Hughes may get new linemates if Devils struggle
There is a nightmare scenario in which putting lines in a blender would actually be necessary. If the Devils struggle to score, Keefe may see a need to shake things up.
For instance, Hughes could move to the wing with Dawson Mercer moving back down the middle. Offseason trade acquisition Evan Rodrigues can also play center. In fact, he was the Florida Panthers’ top-line pivot at times last season, as injuries ravaged Florida. Even Nick Bjugstad could move up the lineup in a pinch, providing the Devils with some alternatives should there be a need.
Let’s hope if just doesn’t come to that. The Devils need to have Bratt and Hughes work well together. And that’s a question that needs an answer early in camp.
If there’s anything to keep in mind about this year’s shortened preseason, it’s that there isn’t much room to experiment with things in camp. Coaches need to have a pretty good idea of what their Opening Night lineups will look like. From there, they can tinker with some different looks. But the best way to go will be to have a clear vision of what the final product should look like.
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