Training camp has yet to even open, but it can be fun to try and predict what the New Jersey Devils lineup will look like come opening night; we attempt to do so today.
Okay, so maybe it’s still a little early for this considering that the New Jersey Devils won’t have rookies reporting for training camp until this upcoming Wednesday, let alone their veterans reporting a week after. Still, 2024-25 is approaching, and while we have an idea of what the team’s roster will look like, we won’t know what lines and pairings the team plans to use until at least the start of the preseason. That isn’t enough to stop us from making some predictions and discussing a little bit as to why they make sense. Here’s how I see the team’s combinations shaking out for when the regular season begins.
The Forwards
Line 1: Tomas Tatar – Nico Hischier – Jesper Bratt
Rationale: It worked once before, why not try it again? I don’t see the Devils splitting up Bratt and Hischier; we could wind up seeing Timo Meier here if for some reason Sheldon Keefe wants Ondrej Palat in the top six, but even with a down season from Tatar outside of New Jersey in 2023-24, I still think he’s the better fit here. Bratt and Hischier are a big part of the motor that drives this team, and both tend to lead by example on the ice. Put Tatar along to clean up some rebounds and keep pace with them, and I don’t see why this line wouldn’t work again.
Line 2: Timo Meier – Jack Hughes – Dawson Mercer
Rationale: Nico’s line gets top billing, as they will often shoulder harsher match-ups, but this could be the Devils’ premiere offensive line this season if these three can get everything to click. Again, maybe Palat goes here if Meier is up on line one, and Tatar starts on the third line, but from a production standpoint, putting this trio together makes a whole lot of sense. Meier needs a big season, Mercer need to bounce back and Jack needs to stay healthy; I say let the stars align for this group to all have big seasons.
** As of this writing, Mercer is still an unsigned restricted free agent.
Line 3: Ondrej Palat – Erik Haula – Nolan Foote
Rationale: Things get a little bit murkier from here, as the Devils might opt to spread around some of their scoring threats in hopes of balancing the points better. If not, I could see this line coming together, with hope that they could provide some depth scoring as well as perhaps take some defensive pressure off of other lines. The bottom six does, however, give some cause for worry, as beyond Haula and Curtis Lazar (we’ll get to him briefly in a second) there isn’t a whole lot that is inspiring confidence.
Line 4: Paul Cotter – Curtis Lazar – Nathan Bastian
Rationale: Based on the Devils’ handling of these players, they make for the final group barring a disastrous camp and/or preseason for any of them. Lazar has earned an every night spot in the lineup based on the effort he puts into every shift; he may make a mistake here and there, but he’s more valuable in the lineup than out. Cotter will be in based on the price of acquisition and deserves a shot in the Devils’ system. Bastian slides in as the final player somewhat by default based on experience and physicality.
The Extras: Kurtis MacDermid and Max Willman
Rationale: Unless the Devils plan on carrying eight defenders, I think we see these two as spot fills for when the Devils need. Maybe Willman edges out Bastian for the final regular spot, but both of these guys will mostly be in as needed based on skill sets and opposing matchups.
The Defense
Pairing 1: Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
Rationale: These two get one more shot together before it’s time to say it isn’t working anymore. I know I said Mercer needs a bounce back season above, but Siegs needs one in an even worse way. Dougie will be coming back off of a major injury as we know, and the hope will be that he can still be the play driver and point producer that he was before. If this pair can rediscover the magic they had in 2022-23, then the Devils won’t have to worry about trying to push more minutes off onto other defenders just yet. Otherwise, we could be seeing more and more of Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, and while both are going to be special players, there were times they were exposed with heightened responsibilities.
Pairing 2: Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce
Rationale: Pesce was the big signing from the Devils this summer, brought in to replace John Marino, who was traded to Utah after his regression last season. He’s going to be expected to be a big, steadying presence for a defense that was easily rocked and shaken last season. Even if he is just Marino+, that plus is still going to be a boost. Luke will have to continue to be Luke: he needs to help bring offence from the back like Dougie while also working on continuing to become a sound NHL level defender. This could honestly be the most interesting pair to watch this season, assuming that the Devils do pair them together.
Pairing 3: Brenden Dillon – Simon Nemec
Rationale: While labeled as the “third pairing” I don’t foresee Dillon and Nemec to be treated as such. Dillon more than likely plays in any situation where the Devils are defending a lead and on the penalty kill, and Nemec proved that he can be trusted in practically any situation last season. An overabundance of minutes could hurt either of these two, but it will be dependent on team needs. This could be a season where we see a fairly even minutes spread among defensemen depending upon what roles and skills are needed each game. If others struggle though, as we said earlier, you might see Dillon or Nemec jump up a pair or two.
Extras: Jonathan Kovacevic and Nick DeSimone
Rationale: One of these two will probably be Utica bound (unless the Devils keep them over MacDermid or Willman, but I’m not so sure that will be the case. Kovacevic probably has the edge to be the press box guy here, as again the team specifically went out and acquired him to help bolster the back end. If Siegenthaler struggles, I could see a Devils lineup where the left side gets shifted around a bit and Kovacevic plays more regularly than Siegs. Let’s hope that’s not the case.
Your Take
There’s still plenty of factors that could affect my projections, but what are your thoughts on these projected groupings for the New Jersey Devils? Are they spot on or way off? Are there simply some minor adjustments you would make? Any pairings or lines that you think could be exciting and/or important to watch this season? Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!