The New Jersey Devils opened their season last week to a mixed bag of results. Before their home opener, we took a look at whose stock was up and whose was down after final roster cuts. After a win to open the season against Detroit, the Devils followed up with an OT loss to Arizona, followed by a regulation defeat to Florida. Through three games there have been plenty of takeaways, both good and bad.
New Jersey Devils Stock Up/Stock Down
Stock Up
Jack Hughes
The Devils’ superstar opened the season doing superstar things. Hughes has contributed to six of the Devil’s 10 goals to start the season. The majority of the forward core has looked a step behind to start the season, but Hughes has been dragging this team through the mud. He began the season with two highlight-reel goals against Detroit. Followed by a three-assist night against Arizona. And capped it off with an assist during the Devils comeback attempt against Florida. His ability to be a one-man zone exit and entry has seemingly gotten better in the early parts of the season and has generated more offence than anyone else on the team. It only took two periods for MVP chants to break out.
JACK HUGHES GETS ANOTHER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/wjZwaHhoSd
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 13, 2023
Jesper Bratt
Calling Jesper Bratt the Robin to Jack Hughes’s Batman does him a disservice. Instead, the Devils look like they just have two Batmen. That’s the type of impact Bratt has had early on. Game one against Detroit was a little disjointed, but he hit his stride in a big way against Arizona and Florida. His three goals and two assists have him second on the team in points only behind Hughes. However, what has been the most impressive is the improvement of his shot. The ability to generate offence has always been there, but Bratt has begun to pick corners and his shot looks to have more velocity. Last season was his first time scoring 30 goals, but with this newfound sniping ability, a 40-goal season can’t be ruled out.
Bratter brings us within one. pic.twitter.com/fPSrdbO8v4
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 17, 2023
Stock Down
Timo Meier
It has been all bad from Timo Meier to start the season. Through three games he has produced some of the lowest game scores amongst all Devils. His poor play through the first two games culminated with his benching during the third period against Florida. He has recorded zero points, six penalty minutes, and only four shots on goal. Stats that would be poor for a fourth-line winger, let alone a $70 million goalscorer. On a positive note, Meier did own up to his poor play after the game and admitted he has to play much better. Also, it took Meier until game seven last season to score his first goal. He went on to score 39 more of them.
#NJDevils Meier on sitting in the 3rd period: "I knew what happened. Me and Lindy talked. We both have the same view. (Things) happen. The sun came up again this morning. It's a new day. You go out and work as hard as you can. What's in the past is in the past. You look forward."
— Sam Kasan (@samikasan) October 17, 2023
Nico Hischier
It’s always tough to call out the captain but Hischier has done himself no favours early on. Like Meier, he has zero points and only four shots on goal. However, the most alarming aspect of his game has been his poor faceoff percentage. Against Detroit, he had an abysmal 33.3% faceoff percentage. The next night it slightly improved from abysmal to very poor at 42%. It drastically improved to 75% against Florida but his struggles in the dot are something to note early on. Outside of a poor FO%, Hischier hasn’t been able to drive much offence. He looks a step slower than normal and hasn’t gotten to the dirty areas as often as we’re used to seeing. In recent practices, the forward lines have been put into a blender and it looks like he’ll be reunited with Bratt in their next game, so there is hope he can have an uptick in offence.
Main Photo: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Swaps today for #NJDevils… the two top lines in particular as they try to jumpstart more balanced scoring.
• Hughes moves to Meier’s center
• Hischier between Toffoli and Bratt
• No Haula or Nosek moves things around on the last two lines.
• Miller rotating pic.twitter.com/Qo91Pp0k0U— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) October 17, 2023
