Devils Shine at World Championship & Looking Toward Free Agency
Plus, an introspection on the development and importance of Šimon Nemec.
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Devils’ Palát Will Be a Crucial Piece for Next Season
May 31, 2024 by Daniel Ivan
Since signing with the New Jersey Devils on July 14, 2022, Ondřej Palát’s tenure has been up and down. Palat came off his best season since 2016-17, where he notched 49 points and helped the Tampa Bay Lightning reach their third-straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. At the time, he was an important veteran signing for a young Devils team with relatively little playoff experience. Palat brought with him to New Jersey two Stanley Cups in tow, with 748 regular season games and 150 playoff games under his belt. And although throughout his time with the Devils he hasn’t been as productive on the scoresheet, he has been an excellent leader and two-way player.
6 Free Agent Candidates to Complete Jack Hughes’ Line
May 30, 2024 by Josh Reinitz
With Tuesday’s formal announcement of Sheldon Keefe as the team’s new head coach, the New Jersey Devils can now set their sights on fixing their personnel issues. Last season much of the blame for the team’s failures was laid at the feet of poor goaltending and inconsistent defense. One simple way to improve the team’s defensive woes would be to score more. However, this season’s Devils slipped to 12th in the NHL in goals scored from fourth in the league in goals per game in the 2022-23 season. The decline in scoring was exacerbated by the injuries to the core offensive players that forced New Jersey to shuffle players from their bottom six into service on their top lines far too often.
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Sheldon Keefe Is Ready to Show Maple Leafs’ Loss is Devils’ Gain
May 29, 2024 by Josh Reinitz
Like many Americans, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald was happy to begin his Memorial Day Weekend a few days early. Fitzgerald told the assembled media that his meticulous and exhaustive search for a new head coach wrapped up three days before the unofficial start of summer when he received a text message from former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe accepting the job offer that Fitzgerald had tendered a few days earlier. Seven days after receiving that text, Fitzgerald, managing partner David Blitzer, and radio play-by-play announcer Matt Laughlin formally introduced Keefe as the 22nd head coach in Devils team history.
Devils Players End Season on High Note at World Championships
May 29, 2024 by Daniel Amoia
Being inside the locker room for the New Jersey Devils’ exit interviews, there was a sense of sorrow and discontent. Following up their winningest season in franchise history with a total dud was, obviously, the exact opposite of what any Devils players envisioned. Regardless, it is now in the past and needs to be moved on from. This year’s edition of the IIHF World Championships may have been the first stepping stone towards cleaning the slate and restoring the vibes.
5 Bargain Free Agents the Devils Must Target
May 24, 2024 by Josh Reinitz
With the New Jersey Devils formally introducing Sheldon Keefe as their next head coach Tuesday in Newark, general manager Tom Fitzgerald can turn his gaze back to the daunting task of filling out his roster. One option available to him would be to harvest players who played under Keefe in Toronto to speed up the learning curve in the Devils locker room and provide comfort for the new coach. Earlier this week, The Hockey Writers examined potential free agents that may interest New Jersey. However, there may be greater value in seeking to add to the team via trade with the Maple Leafs.
The Development and Importance of the Devils’ Šimon Nemec
May 24, 2024 by Daniel Ivan
When the New Jersey Devils selected Šimon Nemec second overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, many fans wondered why they would take a defenseman that high with the talent still available. Instead, New Jersey stuck to their guns and made the best decision for their franchise at the time. He was the best available defenseman in the draft, and they took their chance to flesh out an already solid prospect pool. They already had Luke Hughes in the pipeline after drafting him fourth overall the year before, and now they chose to complement him with a savvy right-shot blueliner with solid two-way potential. Looking back on it now, they look really good taking Nemec when they did.
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