The New Jersey Devils are sitting near the top of the NHL with a 6-1-0 record, but it’s still too early to sound the victory bells.
There’s no denying the team has performed well to start the season. They’ve persevered through injuries, seen offseason additions make an immediate impact, and found a way to put the puck in the back of the net. Still, as head coach Sheldon Keefe reminded reporters, there are 77 games left to play.
Jack Hughes has been electric, recording nine points in the first seven games. The 23-year-old has six goals, including a hat trick, and three assists. His play has been nothing short of stellar, though few ever doubted his talent. The bigger question for Hughes is durability. He’s dealt with multiple season-ending injuries, and while his hot start is encouraging, staying healthy for the whole campaign remains the top priority.
Jesper Bratt currently leads the team in points with 11 (four goals and seven assists), continuing to be one of New Jersey’s most consistent offensive contributors.
Rookie Arseny Gritsyuk has also impressed early. The 24-year-old has five points (one goal, four assists), tying defenseman Luke Hughes, who has five assists of his own.
The only skater to appear in more than one game without registering a point so far is Brian Halonen.
While the production from the Devils’ top players is promising, injuries have been a persistent challenge early in the season.
Devils injury report ahead of Friday’s matchup vs. San Jose:
- Glass (upper body), week-to-week
- Dadonov (hand), month-to-month
- Kovacevic (knee), month-to-month
- McLaughlin (undisclosed)
- Lammikko (lower body)
- MacEwen (upper body), week-to-week
- Markstrom (lower body), week-to-week
Stefan Noesen recently returned to the lineup after a groin injury kept him out of the preseason and the start of the regular season.
Starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom remains sidelined, though Nico Daws and Jake Allen have both stepped up in his absence. Still, losing a number-one goalie for an extended period could eventually catch up with the team.
Zack MacEwen was injured in his first game with the Devils after being traded to New Jersey, placed on waivers, and re-signed. Forwards Evgenii Dadonov and Cody Glass are also on the injured list.
Four injuries in seven games is hardly ideal for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Keefe has kept his perspective amid the team’s early success.
"I know the media needs stuff to talk about and ask me about, but we’ve played five games here," he told NHL.com. "You can’t make any proclamations, positive or negative. It’s way too early. Yeah, I like how we’ve handled different situations that have come up in games — whether it’s early penalty kills, not letting the other team get life, or scoring early and getting the lead.”
The season is far from over, and the Devils will need to stay healthy over the next six months to make a serious playoff push.
As Keefe summed up: “All those are positive signs, but there are 77 games left.”