The New Jersey Devils made some decent moves this offseason with additions of Evgenii Dadonov, Connor Brown and Thomas Bordeleau. Not to mention, they are bringing over Arseni Gritsyuk from Russia and Lenni Hämeenaho from Finland to compete for roles on the team this season.
Devils Rumors: Tom Fitzgerald Looking To Add Depth Scoring Again This Off-Season
And while Tom Fitzgerald is concerned with depth scoring, there is an issue with the top six as well. Luckily for the Devils, they are in the Metro Division, a weaker division than, say, the Central or the Atlantic. But as Fitzgerald said at the end of the season and after July 1st, expectations are higher this season. The New Jersey Devils need to make the playoffs and advance to the next round. There are no more excuses.
Injuries can’t be an excuse. Yes, the Devils have had their fair share of injuries over the last couple of seasons, but that can’t be an excuse, as every team in the NHL deals with injuries. Being a consistent playoff team and going back to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is the next step in their evolution.
During an appearance with Mick Kern and Jonathan Davis on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio, the question was brought up about the New Jersey Devils: What stage of their evolution are they in?
DevilsNation.com Transcriptions
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Mick Kern: “Okay, now that all the friendliness is out of the way, tell me why I should care about the New Jersey Devils this season. Because they were a surprise team a couple years ago, I thought they overachieved, then they stepped back. Was the Devils I saw last year, where they should be in their evolution?”
Jim Biringer: “Yes, because they got the thing right on D, and that’s where it starts for the New Jersey Devils. That’s been their MO since they won the Cup. But it’s not the boring trap that we’re used to. It’s not that anymore. But they have an offensive punch to them now with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt.
And this is the progression that they’ve had since Tom Fitzgerald took over as the General Manager. This is where they need to be now. They have to be a consistent playoff team. There’s no stepping back. Now the expectations are higher. You made the playoffs last year. You have to do it again. Now you’ve got to win a round. That’s the progression this team has to take.
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And to me, that’s what we’re going to see on the ice. They’re trying to restructure their depth scoring. To me, they still need a top-six forward in there to score some goals for them that again, yeah, you can rely on Hughes, you can rely on Bratt, you can rely on Hischier, and (Timo) Meier is there, but you still need one more. They still need that one more piece that can help them, especially in the playoffs.”
As everyone agrees, the additions of Dadonov and Brown are good, but they still need some sandpaper on their roster. But there is no reason why the New Jersey Devils are not a playoff team this season. They have a solid tandem in Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. Not to mention, they have a much improved defense. Again, if the Devils were to trade Dougie Hamilton, it would not make them a better team or a playoff team.
But the Devils are not trading Dougie Hamilton. But there are still a couple more moves to make them a true contender. But their evolution is right on track. There are no more excuses, as expectations are playoffs or bust for the New Jersey Devils.
