There are 60 days until the puck drops and the New Jersey Devils are back on the ice.
The team has made moves in the offseason to improve their on-ice game and bring the Cup back to New Jersey.
With just over two months to go before the season starts, it’s a good time to look at what has changed since the team last took the ice, and what still needs to be done.
Goaltending
The Devils are in a unique position in the NHL. While many teams are struggling to find a consistent starter, New Jersey has a strong goaltending lineup.
They entered the offseason confident in veteran Jacob Markstrom as their starter.
The backup spot appeared open with Jake Allen testing free agency, but in a surprising move, Allen re-signed with the Devils for five years, solving that concern quickly.
The team also has promising prospects in Nico Daws and Mikhail Yegorov, who are ready to step up if a spot opens in net.
Middle Six
The Devils needed to add depth to their middle six this offseason, and they did so by signing Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov.
These additions also address a major issue from last season: scoring first. Too often, New Jersey surrendered the opening goal, something they must change to make a deeper playoff push.
Still to Do
The biggest remaining task is re-signing Luke Hughes. The young defenseman is expected to receive a large, long-term contract. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has said it’s his top offseason priority, though the deal has yet to be finalized.
There’s little concern about Hughes signing; one theory is that the delay is tied to creating more cap space to offer him a bigger deal.
Trade
The Devils have explored moving Dougie Hamilton and his large contract, but as August begins, no trade has materialized. With just under $7 million in cap space, moving a high-priced contract like Hamilton’s could benefit the team.
Strength Training
One of the Devils’ biggest offseason goals has been improving player health. The team has battled injuries for several seasons, so enhancing strength training and allowing players to fully recover is crucial.
While injury prevention is hard to measure, it’s safe to assume Devils players have spent the offseason training and preparing for a deeper playoff run.
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