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You’re reading the latest edition of THN.com’s series in which we break down key issues facing every NHL team. Today, we’re looking at three key issues connected to the New Jersey Devils.
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1. What type of impact will Sheldon Keefe make in his first year as the Devils’ coach?
The hiring of former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was a family decision made much easier by the quality of depth the Devils have at all positions. Keefe showed in his time in Toronto that he could take a talented team near the top of its division and give it more opportunities to succeed than many of his predecessors could.
Indeed, Keefe couldn’t steer the Leafs towards much in the way of serious Stanley Cup playoff success, but in New Jersey, he’s got arguably as good a group of forwards as the Leafs did, but the Devils have a significantly better defense corps than Toronto, so Keefe very well could push New Jersey to a deeper, longer playoff run this year.
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There’s no excuse anymore for this group, and Keefe will be under significant pressure to show he can have post-season success as well as regular-season prowess.
2. Is new goalie Jacob Markstrom the answer to New Jersey’s netminding woes?
Certainly, the acquisition of Markstrom in June addressed most complaints about last season’s goaltending issues in New Jersey. Markstrom is now 34 years old, but showed this past season that he could still be depended on, posting a .905 save percentage and 2.78 goals-against average in 48 appearances. He’ll now be playing behind a much better defensive group, so Markstrom could see a return to the form he had in 2021-22, when he generated a .922 SP and 2.22 G.A.A.
As backup, fellow 34-year-old Jake Allen will likely have to play 30-35 games for New Jersey this year. But Allen had a decent .900 SP in his 13 games with the Devils after coming over from Montreal last season, so he’ll still have an impact on where this team finishes in the Metropolitan Division standings. Markstrom and Allen seem solid enough, as they don’t have to steal games – they just need enough ‘D’ to let their offense do the heavy lifting.
The Devils are going to be a sexy pick to go far in the playoffs this coming year, and that’s because they now have the right goaltending in place on paper.
3. Can Devils sophomore defensemen Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec take a big step forward this year?
The two 20-year-old defensemen enjoyed great seasons in 2023-24, with Hughes amassing 38 assists and 47 points in 82 games last year and Nemec posting 16 assists and 19 points in 60 games after being recalled from the American League. Expectations on both youngsters is very high, in no small part because they were both high draft picks, and they’ve already shown flashes of NHL-star-type players.
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Hughes will likely start the season on New Jersey’s second defense pairing, and Nemec will probably be on the third pairing. But make no mistake – these two D-men are long-term parts of the big picture, and their second NHL season will likely be even more encouraging for them. They might not be Norris Trophy candidates in the next couple of years, but they are part of the Devils’ core, and they’re likely to improve their games this season.
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News Summary:
- NHL's Top Issues Facing the New Jersey Devils: Keefe's Impact, Markstrom's Goaltending and Young Defensemen's Growth
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.