It’s been a fun year for New Jersey Devils fans as the NHL makes its way toward the halfway point of the regular season. So many players have made their respective marks, especially stars like Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes, and Nico Hischier.
All of this success also means it’s easy for a few players to get lost in the mix, or at least their successes may not be recognized to the same degree. That said, it made sense to talk about some of the more underrated talents for the Devils so far in 2024-25.
The names you’re about to check out are those you’ve heard of, but you may not be quite as aware of their accomplishments so far. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, considering the outstanding campaign Player No. 1 on this list is having that’s been tough to ignore.
Stefan Noesen
Yeah, I know I said the Devils need to start limiting Stefan Noesen’s ice time just a few days back. But that doesn’t mean he’s been one of the more underrated success stories in 2024-25 for this resurging team.
Noesen has appeared in all 34 games so far this season and is fourth on the team in points with 23. He’s also got 14 goals to his name, which is tied for second on the Devils. Moreover, his 19.2 shooting percentage is a team-best among full-time players.
He’s still a hard-hitter, if not even more of a hard hitter this season than he was last year in Carolina. And if this success continues, we can credit Noesen’s breakout campaign for being a strong catalyst in the Devils resurgence this year.
Jonas Siegenthalar
After his rough season in 2023-24, I didn’t think I’d be speaking highly of Jonas Siegenthalar as we rushed toward midseason. Yet, here we are, talking about how good of a bounce-back campaign Siegenthalar’s enjoyed through at least the first half.
No, he’s not one who will demand attention for his overall points total, with just seven this year. Siegenthalar likely won’t be known for his offensive prowess, period, where he’s got just an 8.8 on-ice shooting percentage this season at even strength.
Still, his on-ice save percentage in the same situation is a healthy 93.2, and he’s watched opponents score just 16 times. Yeah, if you’re keeping track, that’s under a half-goal per game. A dramatic improvement from the 45 he was on the ice for overall last season, but in 57 contests.
If Siegenthaler plays in all 82 games, there’s a good chance the Devils will allow even fewer goals at even strength when he’s on the ice. That’s a remarkable number to be on track for.
Jake Allen
An injury had recently sidelined Jake Allen. But still, he’s held his own so far as a supplement to Jacob Markstrom. No, his numbers haven’t been outstanding for a team that’s among the best in the league, with just a 0.900 save percentage and a 2.74 GAA.
Still, two shutouts and a 0.600 quality starts percentage are nothing to scoff at, especially when you consider 2024-25 is the first time Allen recorded multiple shutouts since 2021-22. As for his quality starts percentage, it’s the best number he’s amassed since his time with the St. Louis Blues in 2019-20.
Overall, Allen has proven to be one of the NHL’s better No. 2 goaltenders, and his admirable play means the Devils won’t need to panic if Jacob Markstrom went down with an injury during the season.