As expectations rise, Devils ready to meet the challenge
NEWARK >> After an extended period of time in the basement, the sky is now seemingly the limit for the Devils.
Following an unexpected run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final — one in which they came up short to the Los Angeles Kings — a just as unexpected playoff drought began. For the next five seasons, the Prudential Center was empty when the postseason rolled around. Last year was different. After one and two seasons with the team, respectively, Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri flourished, with Hall winning Hart Trophy honors as the National Hockey League’s MVP. Nico Hischier, the first overall pick the Devils “earned” off of their abysmal 201617 campaign, put together a 20-goal season, while another rookie, defenseman Will Butcher, tied for third on the team in scoring with a 5-39-44 line in 81 games.
It all led to a return to the playoffs, albeit one in which they were bounced out in the first round by the Tampa Bay Lightning. But, it also led to a significant increase in expectations coming into this season, with the question not being if they’d make the playoffs, but how far they’d go.
An absolute domination of the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals last Thursday in the home opener, one in which the 6-0 score didn’t even begin to tell the story of how clear it was the Devils were the better team — at least on that night — only added fuel to that fire.
It was a clear statement to the rest of the league that the Devils are for real this season, albeit one those in the locker room chose to downplay.
“It’s a statement, but it’s two points,” Hall said after that win. “They matter just the same as any other win to us. There’s a lot of wacky things that can happen at the start of seasons. You look across the league, and (Washington) beat Boston 7-0 their first game, and then they lose 6-0 to us. At the start of the year, some teams are getting their bearings a little bit, but overall, this was an effort we can be proud of.”
“It’s early,” added captain Andy Greene. “They were coming off a backto-back and we jumped on an opportunity. I think we did a good job of forcing them to skate and playing our game, and not vice versa. I think it was important for us to come out and have a really solid start and then go from there, and obviously we did that really well.”
The thing is, that hasn’t stopped. Two weeks into the season, and it’s the Devils that remain the league’s only undefeated team; their season-opening win over the Oilers as a part of the NHL Global Series in Sweden was followed by that victory against the Capitals, a 3-2 success over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday and Tuesday’s 3-0 shutout against the Dallas Stars.
With regular starting goaltender Cory Schneider still on the shelf as he puts the finishing touches on a recovery from offseason hip surgery — although he’s expected to return shortly — Keith Kinkaid has taken the reigns and then some in the net.
The 29-year-old is 4-0 with a 1.00 goals against average and .961 save percentage in his four starts this season, and has excelled in what may be his last opportunity to stake his claim to an NHL starting job. When asked about just how big an opportunity this was for him, he chose to downplay the significance of it.
“I’m just trying to do my part,” Kinkaid said after Tuesday’s win. “Whether that’s be a good teammate or be in the net and give our team a chance to win, I just want to do everything a good teammate would do.”
Kinkaid’s teammates were more than happy to speak for him.
“The one thing that Keith is that he’s so good at reading the play that even if they have backdoor plays or guys on the backside, he’s very good at reading that and cutting those off,” Hall said.
“He’s been awesome so far this year, even in Europe. Every time they had a Grade-A chance, he was right there.”
Just as Kinkaid has been a perhaps-unexpected bright spot for the Devils this season, so too has Jean-Sebastien Dea, a little-known forward who was claimed on waivers just prior to the start of the season, yet has contributed three goals in the first four games.
The 24-year-old had just six prior games of NHL experience over the past two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but has seemed to have established himself as a regular in the lineup with a hot start.
“I’ve been working my whole life to be where I am today, so I’m really grateful to be here and have a chance to play in the NHL,” Dea said.