Devils Head Home After Successful Trip Out West
A look at the week that was and profiles of Simon Nemec, Curtis Lazar, a Stock Watch and much more.
Welcome to the THW New Jersey Devils Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Devils writers.
In today’s edition, we look at decisions facing Tom Fitzgerald, Devils prospects who will likely be competing at the World Junior Championships, the early impact of Simon Nemec, and the unsung play of Alex Holtz and much more.
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Devils’ Stock Market: Palat, Hischier, Vanecek & More
December 9, 2023 by Daniel Amoia
The New Jersey Devils got off to a slow start – primarily due to injuries – but are starting to gain traction as they’ve won five of their last six contests. They now sit in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division with a 13-10-1 record (27 points). However, the kicker is that they’re only three points behind second-place Philadelphia, with two games in hand. The division has proven to be extremely competitive, as second and seventh place are separated by just five points.
This is the third edition of a biweekly series called “Devils Stock Market” – which will highlight who’s been on their game and who the team needs to see more out of.
Šimon Nemec Quickly Earning Devils’ Trust and Confidence
December 8, 2023 by Neil Villapiano
Through all of the sadness and disappointment of losing Dougie Hamilton to an injury and a rough 6-3 loss at home to the San Jose Sharks, there was one glimmer of excitement. That was the NHL debut of the New Jersey Devils’ top prospect other than Luke Hughes. That kid is Šimon Nemec. The 19-year-old finally got his long-awaited debut in replace of Hamilton, and so far, through three games, not only has he looked extremely comfortable, but he has quickly earned the trust and confidence in head coach Lindy Ruff and the entire team.
Tom Fitzgerald at an Inflection Point in His Devils Tenure
December 7, 2023 by Josh Reinitz
In his time as the general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Tom Fitzgerald has pushed almost all of the correct buttons. He has drafted well, signed a core group of young players to long-term, team-friendly deals, done a tremendous job at pro scouting, finding players on other teams that fit the Devils’ style, and trading distressed assets to acquire the players, then securing them long term. He has also made calculated free-agent signings that have paid off without saddling the team with dead-cap money requiring buyouts or preventing other necessary acquisitions. He hired the right head coach on his first try, bringing in a grizzled veteran who has found a way to relate to his younger players and develop the talent into all-star-level talent.
Fitzgerald spent this summer assembling a team with the deepest and most talented forward group in the NHL, backstopped by a defense corps that included two of the top ten prospects in hockey, one of the best offensive defensemen in the game, and two shutdown defensive-minded defensemen. The team seemed poised to build on their success last season and was ready to acknowledge that their window of contention had now cracked open. Reports circulated all offseason that Fitzgerald was in discussions with several NHL clubs regarding obtaining a bonafide starting goaltender; however, none of those talks bore fruit. Now, with the team struggling to find consistent play in the net, Fitzgerald faces a key point in his tenure that he must successfully navigate or risk giving away a full season of his young core’s window of contention.
Devils’ Casey & Hameenaho Set to Play Big Roles at 2024 WJC
December 5, 2023 by Daniel Amoia
Regardless of their in-season results, Devils fans will have the luxury of kicking back and watching one of the best tournaments hockey has to offer, starting Dec. 26: the World Junior Championship (WJC).
Recently, the tournament has been flooded with past and present Devils’ players; it’s essentially been a rite of passage for them, as many got to showcase their talent on this big of a stage for the first time.
Devils’ Alex Holtz Deserves More Credit
December 4, 2023 by JP Gambatese
Alex Holtz has had a rollercoaster-esque season thus far in 2023-24. During preseason, he was featured in a top-six role night in and night out. Following that, he was put in the bottom six to start the year, where he remained until he was benched just a couple of weeks ago. After his benching, he was slotted into the Devils’ Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes-less top-six alongside Michael McLeod, where he’s found his own and played as well as anyone can hope.