The New Jersey Devils begin their second season on Sunday against a familiar opponent in the Carolina Hurricanes. It is the sixth time these two teams have met in the playoffs, with the Hurricanes holding a 4-1 edge in the playoffs. The Hurricanes have won the last four playoff meetings, including their most recent matchup in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which was in the second round and went to a five-game series. This is after the Devils won the first one back in 2001.
There’s something about this matchup for the Devils in the playoffs that doesn’t bode well. It begins with how the Carolina Hurricanes smother their opponent in the neutral zone, not allowing them much attack time, especially when they have the lead. The Hurricanes put together a great playbook against the Devils back in 2023. They were able to take their stretch pass through the neutral zone.
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The Hurricanes bring a pressure game that the Devils will need to adjust to. That smothering defence will force the Devils into turnovers, which sometimes end up in the back of their net. Now, the difference this time around is that they have better goaltending in Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. Back in 2023, it was Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanacek. However, the Devils had issues against Carolina with Martin Brodeur in goal.
It is just a bad matchup for them. However, this young team is going to have to execute their plan that has been in place for weeks. The Devils are going to have to break the pressure the Hurricanes bring and put on them. New Jersey can’t fall into the same trap the Hurricanes keep setting for them.
The Devils know the Hurricanes will look to dictate play from the beginning of the game, having home ice advantage. Speaking of home ice advantage, the Devils are 3-12 in 15 playoff games in Carolina. New Jersey has to find a way to win a game on the road as the two teams split the series 2-2. Both the Devils and Hurricanes won on their respective home ice. So it just takes one game. However, weird things happen in PNC Arena in the playoffs for the Devils.
Carolina has a potent offense with Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake. Not to mention their defense of Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Dmitry Orlov, and Shayne Gostisbehere is very good. Once again, the Devils know what they will be getting with a Rod Brind’Amour-coached team in the playoffs. It’s a relentless style that won’t quit.
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While the Hurricanes are still the favourites to win the season, the Devils are getting reinforcements. Even with a fully healthy team, which includes Jack Hughes, the Devils would be in tough against Carolina. However, getting Dougie Hamilton back on the blueline is huge to slot players like Jonathan Kovacevic, Brian Dumoulin, and Brenden Dillon in the right spot. Luke Hughes is the clear number one with the Devils alongside his partner Brett Pesce. There is a chance the Devils could see Jonas Siegenthaler return, but as Sheldon Keefe said, it would be a surprise.
Offensively, the New Jersey Devils have talent with Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, Timo Meier, Erik Haula, Ondrej Palat, and Stefan Noesen. Noesen, Palat, Hamilton, Pesce, and Paul Cotter know what it takes to win in the playoffs. This group has playoff experience, which they must use to understand what proper adjustments they need to make in a series. Not to mention how to play.
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Herb Brooks said to his players during the Miracle on Ice run, “Gentlemen, you don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone.” Sheldon Keefe has echoed those sentiments lately. They just can’t rely on thinking they are talented enough to win games. They have to play above-average or excellent hockey to win. Average will not get it done, and the New Jersey Devils have been playing average hockey recently.
The Devils have the offense to get to Frederik Andersen, but it has not been consistent all season. They must average two to three goals a game to win the series. Not to mention the Devils can’t rely just on Markstrom to win games. Markstrom will be able to make those one to two extra saves per game, but not the three to five extra saves. Eventually, the team in front of him has to play defence as well.
We know Sheldon Keefe’s history in the playoffs. He has shown he can make the proper adjustments to win a series. However, the players must execute those adjustments. Nobody is giving the New Jersey Devils a chance to win this series, so this is the perfect opportunity to go prove a lot of people wrong.
