Through six games, the Devils have earned a 3-2-1 record.
In some ways, the Devils picked up right where they left off when the 2022-23 regular season concluded on April 13. The club continues to make things more challenging for themselves with sluggish starts forcing come-from-behind victories, and Jack Hughes' impressive performance continues to lead the team.
Below are my biggest observations after the team's first six games, starting with the positives.
1. MVP Performance from Jack Hughes
"Yeah, he is an MVP. He is that dude. He is him." - P.K. Subban
At the time of publication, 22-year-old Hughes leads the league in points (17) and assists (13). His 17 points in six games is the most points through the first six games of a season since Mario Lemieux in the 1995-96 season. He already has two four-point nights and, as some pointed out on Twitter, is on pace for over 200 goals.
He became the first Devils player to earn nine points in the team's first four games from the start of a season and, per NHL Pr, became the third player in NHL history to record three assists in a single period on consecutive days, joining Wayne Gretzky and Dan Daoust.
Last season, Hughes finished eighth in Hart Trophy voting behind Leon Draisaitl. According to BetMGM, the first-overall pick currently has the second-best odds to win this season behind Connor McDavid, who has eight points in five games.
It's still early, and a lot can change over the next 76 games, but Hughes could not ask for a better start to the season.
2. A Surging Power Play
Whenever I see associate coach Travis Green at Prudential Center, he has a smile on his face, and after six games, he should.
The Devils have the top power play in the league with 11 goals on 26 opportunities (42.3 percent). Seven players scored a goal on the man advantage, with J. Hughes, Tyler Toffoli, Dougie Hamilton, and Jesper Bratt earning two apiece.
3. Michael McLeod's Elevated Play
Fourth-line center Michael McLeod has been noticeable this season. He has only one goal but has the sixth-best faceoff win percentage in the league (61.3 percent), which is better than Sidney Crosby and Anze Kopitar.
His 14 hits are second-most on the team behind Kevin Bahl, and he continues to bring a physical presence on the ice. He has been impactful every time he jumps over the boards onto the ice and has been doing the little things right.
4. Sluggish Starts and Lack of Consistency
Selena Gomez is sick of that same old love, and head coach Lindy Ruff is sick of the same old starts.
"I've been asked this a number of times, and you'd think by now we'd have it figured out," Ruff said after his team's loss to the Washington Capitals. "It is something we have to figure out as a group."
New Jersey has been outshot, 56-33, and outscored 8-2 in the opening frame. They are the only NHL team not to score first in a game this season. It's the biggest conundrum facing the club and needs to be sorted as the first month of the season comes to a close.
5. Defensive Struggles
Defensively, the team has been bad, and there's no other way to put it. As players will say, defense extends beyond the six blueliners in the lineup and two on the ice. It's about the five players on the ice in front of their goaltender.
"Defense is a commitment by individuals," Ruff said. "It's not about shuffling. If you don't make a commitment, it's not about where I shuffle them to. The only way that you can really eliminate poor defensive play is if I shuffle them out of the lineup."
Entering the season, it was expected there would be an adjustment period among the team's defensemen as Luke Hughes and Bahl adjust to their new roles, and right now, they are in the thick of it.
6. The Sky is Not Falling... Yet
In my opinion, the team's mediocre start is not overly surprising.
New players are adjusting to Ruff's system, and returning players are adjusting to different roles. After six games, they have a point percentage of .583 with 24 goals for and 23 against. Taking away the expectations surrounding the team, it has been a decent start, and for every negative surrounding the team, there is a positive.
Last season, the Devils' October record was 6-3-0, earning 12 points. Currently, they have a record of 3-2-1 with seven points and two games left to play before November 1.
There is still time to break bad habits, and with the Devils earning a "comeback kids" reputation after 26 come-from-behind victories last season, this is familiar territory for the Devils, which is why the sky is not falling... yet.