The Devils face many questions as training camp approaches.

Expectations will be high for the New Jersey Devils. There's no doubt about it. 

In a recent interview with NHL.com, Devils forward Jesper Bratt spoke about the welcome pressure his team will be under in the 2023-24 season.

"Now we have the pressure, but the pressure is also the thing we've been wanting for so many years."

As training camp quickly approaches, some unknowns still surround New Jersey. Here are five questions about the Devils leading up to this highly anticipated season.

1. Do the Devils Have The Goaltending Depth to Survive Their 82 Game Schedule?

Death, taxes, and Devils fans questioning their team's goaltending.

With players starting to make their way back to New Jersey, it appears general manager Tom Fitzgerald will start the 2023-24 campaign with a goaltending tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid.

Mackenzie Blackwood will be reporting to training camp in San Jose, and if Vanecek or Schmid deal with an injury, the Devils' goaltending depth could prove problematic.

Thanks to his 23 starts in the 2021-22 campaign, Nico Daws is a name that fans are familiar with. Last season, he was the Utica Comets' number-one netminder and was the club's American Hockey League All-Star representative. As Ben Birnell of the Daily Sentinel reported in June, Daws underwent off-season hip surgery.

"It is the labrum surgery that all these goaltenders are having," said Comets GM Dan MacKinnon in an interview with the Daily Sentinel. "His timeline for when he'll be back is right around Christmas." (from 'Utica Comets' Nico Daws out for extended period after surgery,' Daily Sentinel, 06-10-23)

With Blackwood out of the picture and Daws working his way back from injury, who do the Devils have as an option in a worst-case scenario?

The answer seems to be 26-year-old Erik Kallgren, who signed a one-year, two-way contract on July 1. In 21 career starts, he earned a record of 11-6-5 with a save percentage of .892 and goals against average of 3.04. He was part of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization for the past two seasons.

It is common for teams to use more than two goaltenders during the regular season. The reigning Stanley Cup Championship Vegas Golden Knights team utilized five. For the 2022-23 season, only seven NHL clubs used two goaltenders: Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Winnipeg Jets, and Washington Capitals.

While many question who the starter will be between Vanecek and Schmid, the bigger question should be what if an injury occurs to one or both of the goaltenders mentioned above. Does the team have the depth to remain near the top of a highly competitive Metropolitan Division?

2. What Will a Healthy Ondrej Palat Look Like For a Full Season?

The 32-year-old was limited to 49 games last season due to a groin injury he suffered in late October. He appeared in six games and scored three goals before undergoing surgery in Philadelphia on November 1, 2022.

Once he returned, Palat scored five goals between January and April. Many felt underwhelmed, especially when factoring in his six-million-dollar cap hit. Luckily, he found his rhythm in the playoffs and tallied seven points (three goals, four assists) in 12 games. Most notably, he earned the primary assist on Michael McLeod's series-winning goal in Game 7 versus the New York Rangers.

Palat had his fair share of struggles in the regular season but lived up to his reputation as a big-time player in the big moments in the playoffs. Regardless of where he slots in this upcoming season, it will be intriguing to see what kind of impact he will have both on the ice and in the room. 

3. How Will the New Players Adjust On and Off the Ice? 

Joining the Devils for the 2023-24 season are forwards Tomas Nosek and Tyler Toffoli and defenseman Colin Miller.

Over the next several weeks, they will familiarize themselves with the area, help their families settle into a new routine, meet their new teammates, and learn a new system.

While most only focus on a player's adjustment on the ice, their ability to smoothly transistion off the ice and in the room is just as important. The good news is all three of the above players have ties to their new organization. Miller and Nosek were original Golden Knights misfits with Erik Haula, and Toffoli played for Travis Green in Vancouver.

Team chemistry is everything in hockey, and there is always a shift when new personalities enter the room. From an outside perspective, It's going to be a fun process to see where Nosek slots into the lineup and which players bring out the best in Toffoli and vice versa. 

4. Will Kevin Bahl Reach a New Career High in Games Played?

 Even with the departures of Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, New Jersey's defense is almost set. 

It's guaranteed that Jonas Siegenthaler, Dougie Hamilton, John Marino, and Luke Hughes will make up the team's top two defensive pairings. That leaves Brendan Smith, Kevin Bahl, Miller, and possibly Simon Nemec vying for the fifth and sixth spot on the blue line.

Smith and Miller are veterans in the league, and the coaching staff knows what to expect from each of them. Based on previous interviews, it's safe to assume the Devils are in no rush to call Nemec, 19, up. Bahl is in that sweet spot at 23 years old, where he has some experience but is still improving his game. 

The 6-foot-6 blueliner appeared in a career-high 42 games last season. He played 11 of 12 postseason games and earned his first playoff assist versus the New York Rangers. Along with Severson, they were the team's most consistent pair through the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Will he rotate in and out of the lineup, sharing a spot with Smith, who is in the final year of his contract, or carve out a permanent role for himself? Between his large frame and developing physical style, he has the tools to become vital to the club's future. This storyline may be overshadowed by Luke Hughes's rookie season but should be watched as time progresses.

5. How Are They Going to Handle the Pressure?

Last season, the Devils were one of the league's biggest surprises. By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign, they set an NHL record with a 49-point improvement from season to season. Many opponents were taken aback by the team's speed and had trouble defending New Jersey's young stars.

That element of surprise, which worked in their favor, will not be an advantage come October.

Many predict the Devils will finish the regular season as a top team in the league and a potential Stanley Cup contender. In that recent interview with Dan Rosen of NHL.com, Jesper Bratt spoke about the challenge ahead of his team.

"This season is going to be hard," said Bratt to NHL.com. "Teams are going to look at us when they come play us, and they're going to say, 'This is a top team in the League, we have to play our best to beat these guys.' That's the exciting part. Now it's up to us to bring on that challenge and raise it."