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New Jersey Devils Best Players Making The Difference

by Jim Biringer

January 1, 2022

in Metropolitan Division, New Jersey Devils, NHL

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While it is only two games since the season restarted as it was paused for COVID-19, the New Jersey Devils look like a completely different team than the one that headed into the pause. New Jersey snapped their six-game losing streak beating the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. The Devils followed that win by defeating the Edmonton New Year’s Eve in a thrilling 6-5 overtime game. A big reason for this is the best players for the New Jersey Devils are making the difference.

Prior to the pause, head coach Lindy Ruff had been talking about how he needed more of his top offensive players. Ruff has gotten that over the last two games, especially Jack Hughes. Granted Ruff missed the Oilers game as he was in COVID protocol, but the result was the same for Alain Nassrdine. Hughes has recorded six points (three goals and three assists) including recording the game-winning goal against the Oilers on Friday afternoon.

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“You need your best players to make a difference for you and Jack made a difference for us, Lindy Ruff said after the Devils 4-3 victory over the Sabres on Wednesday. “I know it was a three-point night but he could’ve been in on a couple more opportunities. We count on him for a lot.”

Not only are the Devils getting contributions from Hughes, who signed a new eight-year deal with the Devils, but Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Andreas Johnsson, Pavel Zacha, Dougie Hamilton, and Yegor Sharangovich as well. Again it is only two games, but the results are there for the Devils. Ruff and the coaching staff put Hughes, Bratt, and Sharangovich together during the Buffalo. That was the first time Ruff put three highly skilled players together. The result was seven points between those three players.

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The momentum carried over to the Oilers game. There Hughes, Bratt, and Sharangovich combined for six points in the win. Having Hughes and Bratt record points is always important, but the fact that Sharangovich has two goals in two games to go along with a three-game point is important not for his confidence but the team as well.

Sharangovich was an important piece to the Devils offence last season. They expected more this season. However, that did not happen. He just had four goals prior to the pause. Now with two goals in two games playing with more skilled players, the Devils hope the production continues going forward.

Early on with Hughes and Hischier out of the lineup, the Devils were being carried by the line of Dawson Mercer, Johnsson and Bratt. While it was hard for the coaching staff to break up the line, it has brought more balance to the offence. Hischier has points in six of his last eight games, and now teams have to worry about him along with Hughes. Plus the Devils have four lines that can score with the fourth line being very physical. With Mercer and Johnsson are still playing the addition of Jane Kuokkanen has added a little bit of jam to that line.

Not only that but Hughes looks like the player he did before the shoulder injury. Having the time off allowed him to rest his shoulder that still was not at 100 percent when he returned. He is showing why he deserved that new contract. Hughes was on the path to take the next step and certainly will this season, but just imagine if he didn’t get hurt.

While the Devils offence goes as Hughes goes, if the New Jersey Devils want to have continued success moving forward they will need their best players to continue to play at this level. Some players just need to keep doing what they are doing, while others have to step up even more. Not only that they need to get contributions up and down the lineup. One guy does not make a team. Because it is easy to stop one guy. It is hard to stop a team that can get scoring from all four lines.