The New Jersey Devils are in a rut. Yes, they are without Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, but even when they were playing it didn’t look great. With the absence of their top two centres, the offence would inevitably take a hit. In the meantime, they needed to hunker down defensively. They haven’t done that. Instead, they’ve given up 48 goals in all situations, but what’s most concerning is that they have a -10 goal differential at 5-v-5. This hasn’t come from a lack of scoring either. The Devils have scored three or more goals in 11 of 13 games. On the flip side, they’ve also given up three or more goals in 11 of 13 games.
The Devils defence as a whole has been less than stellar, but one individual has stood out, and not in a good way. Lindy Ruff has continued to trot out Brendan Smith night after night, and it has continuously bitten them in the rear. Whether it be the eye test or the analytics, Smith has been not only the worst defenseman on the team but one of the worst players. Smith has the third worst Corsi % and Fenwick % on the team, and that includes Tomas Nosek and Chris Tierney, who have played three and seven games, respectively. Underlying numbers aside, Smith has consistently been out-battled in the front of his own net, is often out of position, and provides next to no offence. Fortunately, the Devils have a fair few options available that should help improve the defence, and move Smith out of the lineup.
Defensive Options for the New Jersey Devils
Colin Miller
The easiest, cheapest, and likeliest scenario is Colin Miller replacing Smith. Miller has yet to make his Devils debut after suffering an injury early in the season, but has made his way back to practice. Miller’s preseason was bad, but it’s tough to fault a new player learning a new, complex system, something he admitted to. It looks like he should be available sooner rather than later and his insertion into the lineup should help prop up the defence a little. Analytically, Miller is primarily a defensive defenseman, but with slightly more offence than Smith. At worst, Miller is a net neutral with Smith but gives them better slotting as a right-handed defenseman.
Colin Miller, traded to NJ, is a third-pair defensive defenceman. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/OPmBkg8Pdj
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2023
Simon Nemec
Unlike Miller, Nemec had a fantastic preseason, and based on play alone, should’ve made the roster. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the Devils seem content with keeping him in the AHL and letting his ELC slide to next year. However, if the organization decides to worry about that later, then there’s no better option than Nemec. During the preseason, he displayed his transition and in-zone offensive game, while also proving to be a very capable defenseman. So far in the AHL, Nemec has six points through seven games after missing time with injury. The Devils also have the option of giving Nemec a few games as a tryout before his contract kicks in, although now probably isn’t the time for experimenting. This is the least likely of all the options, but nothing should be counted out at this point.
Add a goal to Simon Nemec’s stellar night 🚨 pic.twitter.com/hX5g2wjmtn
— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) November 12, 2023
Nikita Zadorov
Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov formally requested a trade last week, and like clockwork was linked with the Devils the next day. Zadorov is a big-bodied, physical, defence-first blueliner who is an above-average in-zone defender. As a one-year rental, Zadorov would be a perfect match next to a player like Luke Hughes. The Devils lack a nasty element in their game and that’s Zadorov’s specialty. He’s a perfect blend of old-school physicality and new-aged transition skating. Partnering him with a less physical and offensive-minded player like Hughes could be a dominant pairing. Where the Devils run into trouble is with the cap. Per CapFriendly, the Devils have just over $1 million in cap space, and Zadorov is making $3.75 million. Even at 50% retained, the Devils would be over the cap. Calgary could take a player like Smith or Miller back to make it work, but they have their own cap issues. It likely takes a third team to make a trade work. It’s not an impossible trade to get done, but it would require some moving pieces.
Tor, Van, and NJD are the clubs with strong interest in Zadorov. Tanev, solid right shot Dman is a huge draw and, of course, Hanifin. The Flames are in no hurry to sell assets. If a team steps up in a big way, everything has to be considered. I’m not sensing urgency from Cgy.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 11, 2023
The Field
One other solution is GM Tom Fitzgerald trading for someone who hasn’t been in the rumour mill, or going bargain hunting on the waiver wire. A likely scenario is Fitzgerald waiting until closer to the deadline to make that type of transaction. Once more teams fall of out the playoff race, his options will begin to grow. The downside of waiting is running the risk that the defence doesn’t put it all together and continues to struggle. Players from rebuilding teams like the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Nashville Predators could all be in play. It’s cliche, but only time will tell if Fitzgerald feels the need to go outside the organization to replace Smith and improve the defence.
Main Photo: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
