John Marino was a big part of the New Jersey Devils’ roster in 2022-23. It didn’t take him long to become coach Lindy Ruff’s favorite shutdown defenseman. And with Damon Severson having gotten traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this summer, his role could even increase this coming season.
Marino logged the most difficult minutes of any Devils blueliner, which should continue in 2023-24. But he will have a new defense partner, as Ryan Graves signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent on July 1. How will that impact Marino’s game? Or will it at all? Let’s look at what to expect from the 26-year-old defender in his second season in New Jersey.
Marino Earned the Role of Shutdown Defender
With the Penguins looking to clear cap space and retool their blue line for the 2022-23 season, the Devils pounced on the opportunity to grab Marino. They did so by only giving up a 2023 third-round pick and prospect Ty Smith, and that proved to be a boon for the team.
Marino played a big part in the Devils making a 49-point jump in the standings last season. With Dougie Hamilton and Severson taking on more offensive roles from the back end, Ruff turned Marino into his go-to shutdown defenseman, something the team lacked before his arrival.
Marino played 36 percent of his minutes against elite competition last season, the most among Devils defensemen (via PuckIQ). Even when he wasn’t going up against elite competition, he spent 34.8 percent of his minutes against middle-of-the-lineup players. That means he was going up against top-nine players nearly 72 percent of the time.
Despite the tough minutes, Marino handled the assignments well. He finished with a 51.8 Corsi for percentage (CF%) against elite competition and 52.3 CF% against the middle of the lineup. His expected goals percentage (xG%) for the season was 54.2 percent, so the Devils won the quality and quantity share when he was on the ice.
Marino was also fantastic in the playoffs, particularly in the team’s first-round series against the New York Rangers, which they won in seven games. He had the task of shutting down the Mika Zibanejad line and did not allow that unit to generate much offense, specifically in the back half of the series.
Related: Devils’ Top-6 vs. Rest of Metropolitan Division
There aren’t many questions about Marino’s defensive game. He’s a stalwart in that regard, but does he have more to offer offensively? His microstats indicate so, which is part of what makes him a bit of a frustrating player despite his defensive prowess.
Marino Has More Offensive Potential
Marino showed offensive ability in his rookie season with the Penguins in 2019-20, totaling 26 points in 56 games — a 38-point pace over 82 games. Part of that was due to a high shooting percentage of 9.8 percent, but the puck skills are there. Unfortunately, his offensive production has decreased in every season since.
It was a bit better with the Devils this past season; 18 points in 64 games translates to 23 points in 82 games. But when watching him play, that’s what makes him a bit frustrating. He’s an underrated passer and puck-mover. He can stretch the ice with his passing, but for whatever reason, it doesn’t turn into more offense.
For example, Marino ranked in the 98th percentile in defensive zone shot assists, meaning he was one of the best defensemen in the NHL in creating a shot on goal from stretch passes in the DZ. He ranked in the 94th percentile in passing and was highly efficient moving the puck in transition. He even ranked in the 92nd percentile in rush offense:
No one is asking Marino to become Hamilton offensively, but there is another layer to his game at that end of the ice. I doubt Ruff is suddenly going to throw him into more offensive situations, but he might get a bit more of that time with Severson no longer on the team.
If Marino ends up totaling 30 points or producing at that pace over an 82-game stretch, it would help the Devils add some more offense from the back end. They’ll likely get that from Luke Hughes, who could play the Severson role this season. But Marino is capable of more offensively based on his passing metrics. The Devils just need to figure out how to get it out of him.
Could Bahl Be Marino’s New Defense Partner?
Most seem to think Hughes will end up alongside Marino on the Devils’ second pair to start 2023-24. That’s not a bad assumption, but I’m not sure that’s how Ruff will begin things. Given how general manager Tom Fitzgerald spoke about Kevin Bahl when they re-signed him to a new contract earlier this month, he might start alongside Marino in a shutdown role:
Eventually, Hughes will be too good to keep in the sheltered third-pair role Severson had last season. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Ruff started him alongside Colin Miller, who the Devils acquired from the Dallas Stars on July 1, on the third pair.
That’d leave Bahl with Marino, giving the team a look close to resembling what they had with Graves. Plus, Marino will log the most difficult defensive minutes on the team right out of the gate. Does Ruff want to start Hughes out that way, especially since he only turns 20 in a couple of weeks? That’s why I wouldn’t bet on him being Marino’s defense partner just yet.
Another option would be to give Jonas Siegenthaler and Marino a look together, especially if Ruff wants a shutdown pair. They’re the team’s two best shutdown defenders, and there wouldn’t be much concern about that pair getting hemmed in since Marino is a highly efficient puck mover. But it’s also understandable if Ruff doesn’t want his two best shutdown defenders on the same pair, which could leave his other units exposed defensively.
Regardless, Marino will be a big part of the Devils’ defense in 2023-24. Severson or not, he’s still going to be Ruff’s go-to shutdown defender. He will have a new defense partner, perhaps Bahl, but that’s unlikely to affect his game. And who knows, maybe his encouraging passing metrics will lead to more offense and him producing closer to his rookie season in 2019-20.
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Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick except where noted