After missing the playoffs by 10 points last season, the Devils will need more scoring from their role and depth players in order to close and exceed that gap in 2024-25.
When the 2023-24 season gets looked back on and discussed for the New Jersey Devils, the main reason for their lack of success was clearly the goaltending. Now at the same time, that doesn’t mean that other areas were firing on all cylinders either. The defense was at times porous and downright bad; the offense, particularly the powerplay, stalled and stunk. There were lengthy cold streaks, underachievement and even the coaching had a hand in the lack of achievement with baffling line-up decisions and even more head scratching combinations of players on the ice.
I want to backup a touch and shift my focus today to the offense. The Devils finished 14th out of 32 teams in terms of goal scoring for the season, which honestly isn’t all that bad. The problem, as the title of this article may have tipped you off to, is how much of the overall offensive weight was shouldered by five players. Of those five, only one (Tyler Toffoli) will not be returning; Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier represent the core of the team and all are set to continue being the forwards that the team is built around.
The big names did their part in terms of overall scoring as Bratt finished the season with 83 points, Hughes with 74 while battling injury, Hischier with 67 and Meier with 52 also while dealing with injury. Toffoli’s 44 points prior to being traded were good, and he technically finished the season with 55, so I’d say he did his part as well. Those five also combined for over half (135) of the Devils’ 264 goals scored all season. The next highest scoring player for the Devils was Luke Hughes, who also did his part by contributing 47 points as a rookie. Beyond these six, however, no one else eclipsed 40.
If the Devils want to see the playoffs again, one of two things need to happen. Either they need to have their core guys finish with stat totals similar to “The Big Four” of the Toronto Maple Leafs (ironic, considering their former coach, Sheldon Keefe, is now at the helm for Jersey’s Team) or they need to get similar contributions from their depth players as they did in 2022-23 when they did qualify. Sub-40 point seasons won’t cut it from Dawson Mercer and Erik Haula, especially if one or both get time on a line with Jack or Nico. Ondrej Palat needs to be at least a point every other game player with the contract he’s on. A returning Dougie Hamilton will help to provide some offense from the back end as well.
The Devils also need more from players not being named here; no more players getting regular minutes who finish the season with single digits for goals and assists. Definitely no more players finishing the season with single digit points totals, unless they’re an injury call-up who only makes a few appearances. I know there are other aspects the Devils are looking to improve upon, namely the aforementioned goaltending and defending, along with being tougher to play against. The additions that the team made through trades and free agency should help with that, but it cannot come at the expense of players getting their name on the scoresheet. If they can’t check multiple boxes (with the exception of the goaltenders, as that is a position that typically doesn’t accrue many points) then maybe they’re not the right fit for this team.
In closing, maybe it seems obvious that the Devils need to be better all around. Maybe it isn’t fair to focus on the one aspect of the team that arguably was passable last season in the overall offense. I do think, however, this team needs more accountability for each player and that starts with meeting expectations of producing more offense. Everyone who is going to be a Devil in 2024-25 needs to do their part to produce and to enable the team to get back to the postseason.
What are your thoughts on the point production from the Devils as a team; do you think more weight needs to be shouldered by the supporting cast? Is it the core forwards that need to do more as well? Do you feel the offense will be fine if the defense and goaltending improve this season? Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!