Devils' Coaching Decision Heating Up & Evaluating the Goaltending Situation
Plus, is Cole Eiserman a good target for the Devils with the 10th overall pick?
Welcome to the THW New Jersey Devils Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our Devils writers.
Grading Potential Coaching Fits for the New Jersey Devils
May 17, 2024 by JP Gambatese (THW Premium Content)
The New Jersey Devils’ head coaching vacancy should be one of, if not the most sought-after destination in the NHL. The mixture of high-end talent and being one of the younger teams in the league should be enough of a reason for any coaching candidate to be salivating at the possibility of leading the Devils. In recent weeks, a few candidates have made themselves apparent: Jay Woodcroft, Craig Berube, Sheldon Keefe, and Todd McLellan. Let’s analyze them as coaches and see how well they would fit the Devils.
Devils Can’t Pass on Cole Eiserman at the 2024 NHL Draft
May 16, 2024 by Daniel Amoia
While the New Jersey Devils’ season went significantly worse than expected, there appears to be a silver lining – they have the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. This year’s draft is a deep one. Thankfully, general manager Tom Fitzgerald and co. have built quite a positive reputation, managing to maximize their draft capital to the fullest.
Don’t forget to check out all of our FREE team Substacks, and sign up for your favorites…or all of them if you want.
You can also upgrade your subscription to a paid THW account, and get access to ALL of our Premium content from ALL of our team Substacks for one low price.
The State of the New Jersey Devils’ Goaltending
May 16, 2024 by Daniel Ivan
On April 15, the New Jersey Devils played their last regular season matchup against their division rivals, the New York Islanders. The 4-1 loss was the final nail in the coffin of a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. The game started like many this season, with the Islanders grabbing a rebound off Semyon Varlamov’s pad, resulting in a two-on-one with Pierre Engvall and Jean-Gabriel Pageau going the other way. Engvall ripped a saucer pass over Brendan Smith’s stick, proper to the blade of Pageau’s stick, for him to rifle the puck into an empty net past Jake Allen.
Pending Free Agents Devils Fans Should Watch During the Playoffs
May 11, 2024 by Josh Reinitz
Even with the New Jersey Devils season having ended in game 82, there is still a reason for fans to tune into the playoffs. The Devils enter their off-season with glaring needs. The first is for a new head coach. Once that is checked off the list, general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald will look to improve his team. With much of his core signed long-term, there is a need to fill in the margins with players who will increase the team’s compete level. Fitzgerald lamented the Devils’ strength and conditioning in his post-season press conference. Those comments and the players discussing a need for accountability and maturity demonstrate that Fitzgerald has significant work ahead. With nearly $20 million in cap space and only 14 players under contract, the ability to sign big-ticket free agents is limited. Instead, he will have to go bargain hunting. He should start by taking a look at the teams in the playoffs.
Devils’ Luke Hughes’ 2023-24 Season Deserves the Calder Trophy
May 9, 2024 by Erica Rosenbaum
The NHL announced that New Jersey Devils rookie defenseman Luke Hughes was named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition.” Hughes joins the Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard and the Minnesota Wild’s Brock Faber on the list of finalists.
The best way to ensure all of the New Jersey Devils content from The Hockey Writers comes directly to you is to subscribe or upgrade your subscription to premium, where you can get weekly columns on the team as well as exclusive player interviews and more. Thank you for being so supportive!