There’s still plenty of hockey left in the season, and most teams are adjusting on the fly and finding their identity early on. The New Jersey Devils are particularly adjusting to a new-look roster, and it’s showing through the first six games. 

Some of the skaters have stepped up offensively. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt lead the scoring, as expected, while Nico Hischier has turned a corner with his recent play. Then there are a handful of Devils who have struggled. 

The handful who have played poorly must get going. It’s pivotal for the Devils to have multiple forward lines that can come at teams and run up the score. To do that, a handful of slumping players must step up. 

It’s a surprise to see Dawson Mercer register only one assist in six games. This was supposed to be the breakout season for the young forward, especially since he’s a restricted free agent this summer. 

Instead, he’s struggled to find a spot in the reconfigured forward unit. It’s more surprising since he has a track record of producing on the third line or alongside Jack Hughes. While he’s spent most of his time on the third line this season, he’s one of the skilled forwards who can turn a corner and be the driving force for depth scoring. 

Plenty of shifts have shown Amadeus Lombardi’s upside. He’s a skilled forward who is playing on the fourth line but can eventually develop into a top-six winger. He’s had a forgettable, certainly a regrettable, start to the season and his NHL tenure.  

Lombardi has struggled on the offensive end. In fairness, he’s on a checking line often used to change the pace and provide defense, but he only has one assist despite playing alongside Cody Glass, who has been a pleasant surprise so far. 

What makes Lombardi’s start worse is that he’s taken too many penalties for the Devils’ liking. His eight penalties in minutes lead the forwards and are the second-most on the team. It’s not just that he’s taking penalties; it’s that he’s taking ones that can be best described as rookie mistakes, where he’s out of position or doesn’t have his stick in the right spot. It’s one of those things that a young player learns with time in the NHL, and the Devils are hopeful this early-season ice time allows him to develop on the fly. 

Timo Meier has taken plenty of shifts where he looks like the most talented player on the ice. He skates hard along the boards and looks like he’s about to turn an ordinary shift into a big play. Unfortunately, those plays haven’t come yet from Meier. 

The power forward only has one assist despite generating plenty of pressure in the offensive zone. He’s spent most of his time on the Hischier line, and his skills work well with the captain, yet the results aren’t there. 

Meier’s issues also apply to Anthony Mantha, the other power forward the Devils invested in, hoping to change up the dynamics of the forward unit. Both skaters are a step behind and not impacting the game the way the Devils hope. Mantha moved down in the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings and scored his first goal of the season, so there’s optimism that the line changes will help the offense. 

The power forwards have underachieved, but the entire third line has disappointed. It starts with Evan Rodrigues, the veteran forward general manager Sunny Mehta acquired in the Jacob Markstrom trade, who is centering the third line. 

Rodrigues is a glue player who not only makes the third line work but often helps teams take that next step as contenders. It was certainly the case when he was with the Florida Panthers, helping them win two Stanley Cup titles. However, he’s struggled on the offensive end so far, and the rest of his line has played poorly because of it. 

The latest game was a promising sign for Rodrigues. He gave the Devils their first goal of the night with a quick shot from the slot and added an assist in the 5-4 overtime win. It was his first great game of the season and one the Devils hope he builds on. 

The forward unit has underachieved, but the defense has let the Devils down with poor play in their zone and an inability to take the offense to another level. Luke Hughes has become the scapegoat for the Devils' offense at the point. As someone who was supposed to take another step and become a scoring defenseman, he only has two points and hasn't scored since opening night. 

The Devils can also look at Arseny Gritsyuk and wonder why he hasn’t made much of an impact yet on the offensive end. Like Mercer, this was supposed to be a season where the young winger took a big step and proved he could be a key part of the roster moving forward. He’s failed to do that so far.