It’s a long season, and it's unlikely any other season we've seen. With a shortened preseason and 84 regular-season games instead of 82, teams are adjusting on the fly to the new normal for the NHL. The New Jersey Devils are no exception. 

The marathon of a season makes everyone wonder how much to read into the early-season play. It’s been sloppy hockey, and teams are still searching for their identity, but the games still count. A slow start can cost a team a playoff spot in the end. 

In the Devils’ case, it’s not about the 2-2 record or the goals scored or allowed. It’s how the offense looks and how the goals are going. That showed in the team's performance in the handful of games; it's a team that cares more about how it’s playing just over a week into the season. 

For The Marathon Season, It Pays To Have Players Who Have Been There Before

Brenden Dillon has played a lot of hockey over the years. The oldest skater on the Devils has played 1060 games and blocked 1396 shots. The mileage shows on the veteran, a depth defenseman who is still essential to the team. 

He’s the type of player the Devils need for an 84-game grind. He’s been through it all: young and up-and-coming teams, rebuilding teams, competitive teams, and teams stuck in the middle. This is Dillon’s third season with the Devils, and he knows it’s a new-look team that’s still adjusting. It’s why there’s a calmness that emanates from him as he prepares for the big stretch ahead. 

Dillon is also specifically the type of player who helps a younger journeyman like Declan Chisholm. Both players have bounced around and have played on at least four teams in their careers. Chisholm has spent plenty of time alongside Dillon as a defensive pair, and the veteran is quick to tell him that this is his chance to prove he belongs. The Devils acquired the younger defenseman this offseason hoping he'll round out his game, and they have the ideal partner, someone who's been in his shoes. 

The Devils have multiple veterans who are guiding a team that suddenly looks younger. It’s not just Dillon, the 36-year-old defenseman, but a veteran-heavy group that features nine players who are 30 or older. 

In an 84-game season, it’s easy to look at an older team and wonder if they’ll wear down or slow down by midseason. For the Devils, these veterans are key to guiding this team through the marathon. They won’t overreact to the highs and lows. They know that the first month of games is about the process and playing the right way, something the Devils are still working on four games into the season. 

Taking The Two Wins With A Grain Of Salt

The Devils are 2-2, which at the surface isn’t much to react to one way or another. They haven’t been awful, even though their two losses were lopsided, but they haven’t been great either, even with a statement 4-1 win on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. 

That said, it’s easy to take the wins with a grain of salt, largely because they beat two teams that have struggled early on this season. The Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers on opening night, a team that was playing the second of a back-to-back, is one of the worst in the NHL, and they needed overtime to win. The latest win came against a Canucks team that’s in a rebuild and has played competitive hockey but is still depleted of talent. 

A few scouts have noted that the Flyers look like the worst team in the NHL right now, a winless team that is slow and has glaring weaknesses that teams have exposed. It’s easy to throw that 3-2 win out the window. Likewise, the combined record of the two teams the Devils have defeated so far is 2-8-2. 

It’s why it’s difficult to read into the two wins. The power play looked great against the Canucks, scoring three goals on four opportunities, and it’s a promising sign after starting the season 1-14, but it came against a team that’s allowed 11 power-play goals in five games. It’s why the week ahead will be more telling. 

Quick Hits

The Utica Comets, the Devils’ American Hockey League affiliate, are off to a strong start. They won their first two games 2-1 and will wrap up the weekend with a 4-2 win over the Belleville Senators to move to 3-0 on the season. They’ve been a pleasant surprise and a bright spot for the Devils, knowing they are building a winning culture for their farm system.

The standouts are on defense, with Anton Silaev impressing early on. “He’s going to be a problem when he gets to the NHL,” one scout noted about the rookie defenseman. Usually, defensemen take time to develop, but Silaev looks like he’s ahead of schedule and could be on the Devils sooner than initially expected. 

Luke Evangelista was developed by the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League. When asked after Friday’s practice about their head coach, Dale Hunter, and the organization they’ve built there, he spoke glowingly about his time in junior hockey. “He’s built a development factory out there,” Evangelista mentioned. 

London gets players ready for the NHL but also has them fighting for their ice time and playing above their weight. Bo Horvat, Denver Barkey, and Easton Cowan are among the handful of players developed there. Hunter makes his players work, but they feel gratitude in the long run, knowing it prepared them for the NHL. Evangelista checks off those boxes as a player who plays above his weight and fights for the puck. 

The Devils have a tough road ahead and a big week of games. It starts with a back-to-back against the Ottawa Senators and the Detroit Red Wings. The Senators traded Brady Tkachuk this summer but have proven they are still a talented team with a new identity that’s tough to play against. The Red Wings, meanwhile, got off to a slow start but have earned points in two of their last three games and have been a different team since Dylan Larkin rejoined them. 

What’s on your mind from the past week? What will you keep an eye on in the upcoming matchups? Comment below!