The New Jersey Devils entered the Oct. 4 showdown against the New York Rangers still undefeated in preseason play and leading the NHL in preseason goals (22). With only two games remaining in the preseason, head coach Lindy Ruff deployed a lineup closest, so far, to the one that he will ice on opening night against the Detroit Red Wings. The Rangers also brought many of their NHL regulars across the Hudson River for the rematch of last season’s first-round series.
First Look at Full Special Teams
For the first time this preseason, the Devils had most of their NHL personnel on the ice together. They have been deploying special teams units in fragments of what the final product will look like, until last night. Prior to this game Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes had not played together in any of the games. With so many potential permutations there is no reason the Devils should not be able to crack the top eight in power play scoring. A full season of Timo Meier and the addition of Tyler Toffoli adds an extra 23 power play goals to the units. It may take time to find the right mix but the process began in earnest last night and the Devils did not disappoint. The Devils scored three power play goals on five chances, showing that the formation of the new units in associate coach Travis Green’s system has a chance to be a significant weapon for the team.
In last season’s first-round series, the difference in power play success was stark. In each of the three games the Rangers won, they scored on the power play, in the four the Devils won their penalty kill did not surrender a goal. Continuing to upgrade the power play while maintaining last season’s 5v5 dominance is the simplest way for the Devils to maintain their regular season success as they will not surprise anyone this season. If they can routinely outscore their opponents on the power play, it will give them a weapon to overcome scoring droughts and 5v5 defenses designed to slow their pace. Adding an elite power play to the team’s resume will also help offset any decline in defense due to the integration of new players on the blue line. If the last two games are any indication, the new power play tactics could be a game changer for the Devils.
Who Starts on the Fourth Line?
As the preseason winds down, the Devils appear to have an embarrassment of riches on their fourth line. There are essentially four veteran players and two rookies for three spots. With his stellar play in the playoffs and how he has looked in the preseason, Michael McLeod appears to be the only lock. Throughout much of the preseason, he has been flanked by veteran forwards Tomas Nosek and Curtis Lazar while Nathan Bastian recuperates from a shoulder injury. That changed with Bastian’s return to the lineup on Oct. 2. Rookies Nolan Foote and Tyce Thompson remain with the team and in the mix for time on the fourth line but will likely remain in the scratch suite to begin the season.
Ruff has called the depth, “a good problem to have,” and was impressed with the work of his fourth line against the Rangers. “I started them a lot of times in the D zone, they had some great breakouts, won the draw and got out of the zone. It could be a very important line for us.” Both Nosek and Lazar have experience at center but can also play the wing, and like McLeod, each is coming off of a season where their faceoff win percentage was over 50.
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Lazar has earned his way into the lineup. Heading into the game he had not been on the ice for a goal against all preseason and was tied for the team lead in hits. It is unlikely that Bastian will be deployed in back-to-back games early in the season, so there will likely be plenty of minutes for the four veterans. It is incumbent on the Devils to get off to a quick start considering their favorable October schedule, which may leave scant room for the younger players to see ice time over the veterans should everyone remain healthy.
A Healthy Palat
In the summer of 2022, after losing out in the Johnny Gaudreau free agency sweepstakes, general manager Tom Fitzgerald pivoted and signed two-time Stanley Cup champion Ondrej Palat to a five-year, $30 million contract. Palat was expected to provide leadership and secondary scoring to a young team looking to join the NHL’s elite. He was named an alternate captain and deployed in the top six to begin the year. Palat suffered a groin injury a week into the season requiring surgery which limited him to 49 games in the regular season. He was never able to get on track, ending the year with only 23 points. He did turn his season around in the playoffs, contributing seven points in 12 games, including creating the opportunity that resulted in McLeod’s series-winning goal in Round 1.
“He’s skating really well, probably coming off that injury to get back in the lineup he never really got to 100% (Now) he looks like a guy that is skating better than when he came back last year.”
– Lindy Ruff on Ondrej Palat
With the addition of Meier and Toffoli the Devils have now slotted Palat on the third line. In that role, he is poised for a bounce-back season in which he has less pressure on him and can focus on the areas that made him successful with the Tampa Bay Lightning. His intangibles are not lost on his teammates or Ruff. Jesper Bratt was effusive in his praise for what Palat means in the dressing room, “He’s such an easy guy to play with, you can trust him all the time on the ice, he’s always in the right spot, he makes the tough plays along the wall. He makes the tough plays that not a lot of people talk about. He is a leader on and off the ice.” Those plays were on display against the Rangers and resulted in three assists on the scoresheet. A full season of a healthy Palat, allowed to focus on doing all the small things that winning teams need could be a huge boon for New Jersey.
The Devils will close out the preseason Friday evening on Long Island in a rematch of Monday’s (Oct. 2) game against the Islanders. Akira Schmid is likely to get the start. The Devils remain the only undefeated team in the NHL and are the league leaders in goals scored.
