Devils go from last to playoffs, with more needed next year
It would be easy to say the New Jersey Devils are back after ending a six-year playoff drought.
John Hynes’ team went from last in the Eastern Conference in 2016-17 to the post-season in less in the year, riding a career year by left wing Taylor Hall and outstanding first seasons by No. 1 overall draft pick Nico Hischier and Will Butcher. This was a team that made it tough on opponents almost every time it stepped on the ice.
The standings said it all. New Jersey went from 28 wins and 70 points to 44 wins and 97 points.
Still, it was only good enough to outlast the hard-charging Florida Panthers in the closing weeks of the regular season and get the No. 8 seed. The Devils discovered that playoffs were another level. They were eliminated by Tampa Bay, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, in five games.
“Of course, we’re disappointed,” veteran centre Travis Zajac said Tuesday as the Devils cleaned out their lockers. “But we accomplished a lot as a team. This is just the beginning. I like how we come together as a team. We faced a lot of adversity, but we survived. Because the league is so close and it’s going to be that way again next year, we have to continue to get better.”
The Devils have ridden a rollercoaster in Hynes’ first three seasons as coach. They exceeded expectations in his first year, plummeted two years ago and then stunned the league in getting back to the playoffs.
“You have no idea of how good I feel about what we did this year,” said captain Andy Greene, who like Zajac was with the Devils when they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. “We were a lot better. The way we competed every game down the stretch. We were fighting for each other. We were picked last in the division and last in the conference. We took that to heart. It’s all part of the process. You don’t go from the bottom to the top unless you work hard.”
Here’s some things to watch next season:
GOOD GOALTENDING: The Devils have two starters. Backup Keith Kinkaid had 16 wins in the final two months to secure the playoff berth. Cory Schneider, who lost the starting job after groin and hip injuries in January, was outstanding in the playoffs after taking over for Kinkaid in the second game.
FREE AGENCY: General manager Ray Shero has three big decisions with unrestricted free agents: forwards Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner and defenceman John Moore. Maroon, who like Grabner was acquired in a deal near the trading deadline, played better and provided a netfront presence. Moore might be let go to create space for youngsters Mirco Mueller and Steven Santini.
Blake Coleman and Stefan Noesen, who were the wings on the checking line with Zajac, are restricted free agents along with Wood, who had 19 goals. Expect them back along with Santini, another restricted free agent.
HISCHIER: The 19-year-old can play. He’s not in the same class as Connor Mcdavid or Austin Matthews. Still, he does all the little things and he will score more if he starts hitting the net.
Defence: For the second straight year the Devils gave up 244 goals. That’s too many. Sami Vatanen, who was acquired from Anaheim, helped the defence and was Greene’s partner on the top pair. The defence needs a star and Shero may go after the Capitals’ John Carlson.