After a disastrous first three weeks of November, the New Jersey Devils ended the month on a three-game winning streak. The six points they gained this week vaulted them out of seventh place in the Metropolitan Division to a point out of third place. The team’s biggest concerns in November stemmed from a lack of finishing, poor defensive integrity leading to an onslaught of odd-man rushes, and the inability to get consistent goaltending. The team’s issues were exacerbated by losing Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes for significant stretches of the month. As they head into December, they will begin the month without Dougie Hamilton and Erik Haula but hope to have Timo Meier back on the ice.
Last season, the Devils dominated November, riding a 13-game winning streak that enabled them to ride out a difficult December where they could not find consistency in their game. This year, the December travel actually mirrors last November as they will take a nearly two-week road trip through Seattle and Western Canada. The Devils have found a way to play more consistently on the road than at home, and this trip will allow them to come together as a team and solidify their place in a playoff spot.
Reunion
The Devils start the month on the back end of a back-to-back facing the lowly San Jose Sharks on the heels of an overtime victory in Philadelphia. The Sharks game will be the initial return to New Jersey for former Devils players Mackenzie Blackwood, Fabian Zetterlund, and Nikita Okhotiuk. For the Devils, it will be the first time Meier faces the club who drafted him as well. San Jose comes to New Jersey after losing the front end of a back-to-back in Boston, being shut out by the Bruins. The Sharks have the lowest point percentage in the league, with only five wins in 23 games. This is a game the Devils should dominate and do their best to put away early. The Sharks have enough firepower to be dangerous if allowed to hang around.
Toughest Matchup
In this game, the toughest matchup for New Jersey is themselves. They must resist the temptation to play loose and to take the Sharks lightly, especially coming off a tough, physical game the night before. They must make it a priority to get an early lead and play from ahead.
Fun With Stats
The Sharks only score 1.57 goals per game yet give up 3.96 goals. Alexander Holtz became the fourth Devils player in the last 10 years to score his 10th goal before his 50th career game, joining Jesper Bratt, Yegor Sharangovich, and Dawson Mercer.
Go West, Young Men
After playing the Sharks, the Devils will get a brief respite with four days off until their next game. At some point in that time, they will head west to start four games in a six-day trip through Seattle and Western Canada to take on Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. Their timing is not great as, after rough starts, Calgary and Edmonton have picked it up and are now playing well, but after a blistering start, Vancouver has come back down to earth.
Usually, these West Coast trips are rough on the fans, with puck drop coinciding with bedtime; however, fans are fortunate that two of the games on this trip are afternoon tilts of consecutive weekend games in Alberta against Calgary and Edmonton. Each game provides a unique and interesting matchup, including the first-ever NHL game with all three Hughes brothers on the ice together. The rest of the trip provides a look at perennial Hart Trophy candidate Connor McDavid, a glimpse at former Devils fan favorite Yegor Sharangovich, and a chance to get a look at Chris Tanev, who is connected to the Devils as a possible trade candidate.
Toughest Matchup: Edmonton Oilers
While Edmonton has the fewest points of any of the teams the Devils are slated to face on the trip, they are currently on a four-game winning streak and have won seven of their last 10. The team is still five points shy of playoff position and climbing. Making this game more dangerous is that it is the final game of the long trip and is the back end of afternoon back-to-back games.
Fun With Stats
The Kraken and Canucks have the 29th and 30th-ranked home penalty kill units. With the Devils sporting the top power play in the league, this will be an important stat to watch and a matchup the Devils will look to exploit. The Oilers, Kraken, and Canucks all have home power play percentages in the top 10. The Devils are first in the NHL in road power play percentage but 23rd in road penalty killing; the winner of the special teams battle in the games on the trip will have a distinct advantage in the matchups.
Christmas Rush
After four games in six days, the Devils will have two days off before returning home to face the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins, beginning six games in 10 day stretch and ending with a Dec. 23 rematch against the Detroit Red Wings with a chance to find redemption from a game Ruff called the worst he has seen in his time coaching the Devils. Sandwiched between the Bruins and Red Wings are games against four teams outside of playoff position: the Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Oilers. This is the time when the Devils should be able to take advantage of the schedule as five of the six games are at home, and the one trip is a short flight to Columbus. They also benefit from no back-to-back games during this time.
Related: Devils’ 2023-24 In-Season Awards: Depth Pieces Stepping Up
If the Devils can tread water on the western trip and get through the Boston game, they should be able to rack up points the week before Christmas. Anything less than eight points over the five games would be a significant disappointment. After stumbling in early November, this is the team’s best chance to vault back into the race for the division title. Despite the less-than-stellar records of their opponents, the Devils should not lack motivation through these games. The most recent Flyers game included several physical battles and unsettled confrontations; the Devils outplayed Columbus on Thanksgiving weekend but could not come away with a victory, and facing the Oilers in a nationally televised game should also get the team’s attention.
Toughest Matchup: Boston Bruins
Boston currently sits in third place in the entire NHL with the best goalie tandem in the league. The Devils were unable to solve Boston last season, dropping tough games both at home and on the road. One way to declare that this year will be different would be to come out and beat the Bruins on home ice.
Fun With Stats
Other than the Bruins and Ducks games, all of the others in this stretch will be rematches from earlier in the season. As of now, the Devils are 2-2 against these opponents.
Closing Out the Year
The Devils close out 2023 with three games in four days: a home game against Columbus and road back-to-backs against the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins. The Columbus game may mark the emotional return of Damon Severson to the Prudential Center, as he missed the team’s first game with an oblique injury. The Devils have not yet faced the Senators, who, despite predictions to the contrary, have had a difficult year and currently reside in last place in the Atlantic Division. This will again mark a period where the Devils should be disappointed if they do not end the year getting four points from these three games.
The team will benefit from not having to hit the road immediately after Christmas and having three days after the Boston game before heading to Washington to face the Capitals on Jan. 3. Ondrej Palat has had tremendous success in his career against Columbus (21p in 30g), and Jack Hughes averages more than a point per game against the Blue Jackets. The Senators have proven to be a difficult matchup against New Jersey due to their size and heavy game, but with the additions of Meier and Lazar and the way Brendan Smith has played, the team should be able to match up.
Toughest Matchup: Ottawa Senators
Stylistically, the Senators give the Devils difficulty. They are also supremely talented, with the likes of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Jake Sanderson. For some reason, it hasn’t yet come together, but no team has played less games than Ottawa’s 17, so there is still time for them to make a run.
Fun with Stats
Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson’s father, Geoff played 168 games for Lindy Ruff in Buffalo from 1998 to 2000, including being a member of the team that made it to the Stanley Cup Final.
With Hischier and Hughes back in the fold, December presents a great opportunity for the Devils to solidify their playoff position by the time the calendar turns to 2024. Should the Devils falter due to injuries or a cold streak, they will spend the rest of the winter, and it won’t be easy with games against the Lightning, Panthers, Stars, Bruins, Golden Knights, and Hurricanes lurking in January.