Black Friday
Welcome to the THW New Jersey Devils Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Devils writers.
In today’s edition, we discuss takeaways from a loss to Detroit, check the Devils Stock Market, give out some in-season awards, look at the impact of Colin Miller, search for help between the pipes, and a lot more.
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Now on to the good stuff…
3 Takeaways From Devils’ Absymal 4-0 Loss to Red Wings
November 23, 2023 by Erica Rosenbaum
The New Jersey Devils traveled to Detroit to take on the Red Wings on Thanksgiving Eve. The Red Wings returned home after playing two games in Sweden in the 2023 NHL Global Series. It was their first game back in North America and they have not played since their Friday (Nov. 17) loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Devils went into the game after a tough 5-3 defeat at home against the New York Rangers on Saturday night (Nov. 18). Both teams looked to rebound after losses and have a more enjoyable Thanksgiving day with a win. Unfortunately, the Devils had their worst game of the season and lost 4-0 to the Red Wings to now go on a two-game losing streak.
Devils’ Stock Market: Mercer, Hamilton, Vanecek & More
November 22, 2023, by Daniel Amoia
This is the second edition of a biweekly series called “Devils Stock Market” – which highlights who’s been on their game and who the team needs to see more from.
Many issues have contributed to the team’s struggles: even-strength finishing, defense, and goaltending. These issues are a direct outcome of over and under-performing players. This series intends to look at the biggest exclamation points – both good and bad – and emphasize certain trends in their play.
So, I’ll begin with the positive…who’s trending up?
Devils’ 2023-24 In-Season Awards: Poor Performances Pile Up
November 23, 2023, by Erica Rosenbaum
Through 15 games, the New Jersey Devils had an 8-6-1 record. Although this was not expected, it is not surprising when the team is dealing with key injuries in Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Timo Meier. In the next five games of the in-season awards, the Devils had a record of 2-3-0.
Despite underperforming, some were able to step up in the absence of key players and provide glimmers of hope. Unfortunately, defensive breakdowns and poor goaltending did not help the offense and were the main factors in a tough stretch of games.
Devils’ Colin Miller Giving the Team a Much-Needed Boost
November 22, 2023 by Josh Reinitz
When the New Jersey Devils lost over 900 games of NHL experience on the blue line this offseason with the departures of Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, many felt that there was no need to go outside the organization to find replacements as the team had Luke Hughes, Kevin Bahl, Simon Nemec, and others in the pipeline. General manager Tom Fitzgerald, ever the bargain shopper, reached out to the Dallas Stars and traded for veteran right-shot defenseman Colin Miller.
3 Potential Goaltender Options for the Devils
November 21, 2023 by Neil Villapiano
Despite only playing 16 games, the New Jersey Devils’ goaltending remains a major issue. General manager Tom Fitzgerald took a calculated risk by sticking with the tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid and so far it has not worked out. For Vanecek, it looks more like his struggles at the end of last season are still there despite a 7-4-0 record. For Schmid, he is showing more signs that he may need to go back down to the American Hockey League and get some more seasoning. It’s not the only issue the team has been facing, but it’s one that needs a major retool.