Tyler Toffoli has nine points (six goals, three assists) in seven games with New Jersey.
"Our system is a little different than other teams. It takes time."
New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has repeatedly spoken about how tough it is for a player to join a new organization. He, along with his players, have made comments about their system being confusing at times when it comes to breaks down in certain plays.
This is why the general rule of thumb is to give a player 15 to 20 games to acclimate. Fans saw it last season when Timo Meier was acquired at the trade deadline and didn't immediately meet outside expectations.
Knowing all this it has made Tyler Toffoli's first few games in a Devils sweater even more impressive. Through seven games, he has flourished with nine points (six goals, three assists), one hat trick, and two multi-point games.
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After the team's Oct. 28 practice, he revealed that he has not really played in a system like New Jersey and it comes down to the basics.
"At the end of the day, I feel like it just comes down to working, communicating, and all that," he said.
Toffoli is no stranger to integrating into a new team, as he previously played for the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, and Calgary Flames.
As a veteran in the league for 12 seasons, he spoke about teammates looking out for each other and simplifying play.
"If there are little breakdowns, you just try to support. If guys fall down, try to support, and it ends up being layers and layers," Toffoli said. "(It's) trying to read off of each other and play in the offensive zone as much as possible and not in the defensive zone."
Toffoli will look to pick up his 10th point of the season Sunday evening when New Jersey hosts the Minnesota Wild at Prudential Center at 5:00 P.M.