New Jersey Devils' Brendan Smith and Curtis Lazar share which teammates they were impressed with during the 2023-24 campaign.

The 2023-24 season was my third as a credentialed sports writer covering the New Jersey Devils, and one of my biggest takeaways is that perspective is everything.

A hockey fan, reporter, player, and coach can watch the same game, and after 60 minutes, each could have a different takeaway.

Knowing how critical that individual perspective is, I asked two of New Jersey's veteran players which teammate impressed them the most this season, whether it was their on-ice performance or how they handled themselves in the locker room.

As I started putting together this article, I took to X, formerly known as Twitter, out of pure curiosity and asked Devils' fans which player caught their eye. Curtis Lazar, Simon Nemec, and Jesper Bratt were among the most popular names.

In the spirit of transparency, I wanted to see if one name would appear in my responses. Unsurprisingly, that name did not appear, which brings me to my first point.

Over the past week, I posed the above question to Brendan Smith and Lazar. Each mentioned more than one teammate, but both began their response with the same name: Chris Tierney.

"Chris Tierney is arguably one of the most impressive players I have seen this year," Smith said. "He has so much patience and is such a smart player. He can play all the way up and through the lineup."

"Chris Tierney is someone who has been in and out (of the lineup). He picks up his game, and every time he slots in, you know what you're getting from him," Lazar said.

Tierney appeared in 52 games this season, earning 12 points (four goals, eight assists) and averaging nine minutes of playing time per game.

Despite not being the most prominent presence in the lineup, he possesses qualities clearly valued by his teammates but can be overlooked by fans. It is a reminder that goals and points are not the only way a player can contribute to a team.

Smith also acknowledged Lazar's game, "Obviously (he) has been a guy on the ice that I think has done a fantastic job. He's really taken a big step."

Even though his season ended earlier than expected with a shoulder injury, Lazar had a career year. He celebrated a career-high 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 71 games.

Speaking of Lazar, he made an excellent point when I asked this question.

"I think every single person has those personal challenges that they go through, and (we) watch guys rise. I could go around the room."

And in true Lazar fashion, he did just that.

"Alexander Holtz, for him to show up, block out the noise, and just work. Never complained. Just showed up and worked.

Nico Hischier and his leadership. When things go sideways, he's the one front and center, answering all the questions. He is such a young guy with a calm demeanor, and he's really, I think, the heartbeat of our hockey club. We rely upon him a lot.

You talk about Luke Hughes and Nemec on the backend. These young kids who are doing their thing, and the confidence they have, it is cool to see.

Smith, his professionalism. An older guy who does not take anything for granted."

The locker room is a sacred place in hockey, and while the media has access, plenty goes on behind the scenes that will remain private amongst the team. It is the reason you need this perspective because it is easy to judge what you see on the ice, but in hockey, there is sometimes so much more to a player and their worth to a team than their stat line.