With about a week to go until development camp begins and the Devils seemingly done with making major roster additions, it is time to answer some questions submitted by The Hockey Writers readers. As always, these are real questions asked of the author on Twitter.
Any word if Jack is working on his FO skill this summer? – @stokespatrick15
In his exit interview, Jack Hughes did not specifically list faceoffs as a skill he was going to focus on in the upcoming summer. It was something that Jack and several other Devils (Dawson Mercer, Erik Haula, Michael McLeod, Nico Hischier) would work on at the tail end of practice, with coach Chris Taylor dropping pucks for the centers. It is no secret that Hughes’ winning percentage on faceoffs (35.3%) was below where he wanted it to be, especially on a team with a lot of talent at the dot. The good news is his win percentage improved dramatically in the playoffs (49% overall and 56% against the Carolina Hurricanes). It could be that he had more time to study opponents, or it was a bigger focus for him, but it is certainly something he can build on moving forward.
As for working on faceoffs in the summer, earlier in the year, I spoke with Michael McLeod about what he does in the summer to improve his faceoff skills. He indicated that it was difficult to work directly on faceoffs in the summer because you need a person to oppose you and another person to drop pucks. He instead focuses on ways to improve his faceoff skills off the ice as he said, “[I] mostly working on my strength, forearm strength, grip strength, and hand/eye [coordination].”
I would imagine that Hughes, a good friend of McLeod, will similarly look to build off his improvement in the postseason and focus some of his workout time on building strength in those areas. If the improvement in his shot last summer shows anything, Hughes is ultra-competitive and far from a finished product who is willing to put in the work to complete his game.
What Prospects Could Compete for Roster Spots? – @DevilsState
It obviously depends on how you define prospects. For the purposes of this answer, the only “prospect” that is a lock to make the team is Luke Hughes. After playing in the playoffs, it would be a colossal upset to see Hughes anywhere but to John Marino’s left come Oct. 12. The Devils continue to have one of the top prospect pools in the NHL and can fill roster needs from within.
The current roster does not have many holes, but there are likely to be at least four candidates for spots on the team. The Devils have an open spot on their third line for a winger. Three players appear likely to compete for that spot, Alexander Holtz, Nolan Foote, and Graeme Clarke. Each of the three played significant time in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Utica Comets, and all spent some time in the NHL.
Holtz is likely going to get first crack because of his status as a former first-round pick (seventh overall, 2020), but general manager Tom Fitzgerald was bullish on Foote in his exit interview. Clarke turned heads last season by scoring 25 goals for the Comets and brings a scorer’s mentality. Each of the three can provide different styles of play and skills, so it may come down to how head coach Lindy Ruff and Fitzgerald evaluate what the team needs.
After a breakout 2022 preseason, Holtz was given a shot immediately with the Devils and scored the team’s first goal of the season. But afterward, it was all downhill as the Swedish forward spent much of the year in the scratch suite until he later asked to be sent to Utica to have regular playing time.
On the blue line, the Devils will have 2022 second-overall pick Simon Nemec fighting to replace Damon Severson on the right side. The team brought in strong competition for the spot last week when the Devils acquired defenseman Colin Miller from the Dallas Stars. Miller, a right-shot defenseman, was brought in to add a veteran presence as insurance in case Nemec or the other young defensemen falter.
Ben Birnell, who covers the Utica Comets for The Daily Sentinel, suggests that fans keep an eye on Tyce Thompson and Brian Halonen. On Thompson, Ben shared that he “has taken steps in his game. He did have career-bests in goals (seven), assists (19) and points (26). Games, too. (56). I think the biggest thing for him is staying healthy.” He added about Halonen, “he has some good hands and playmaking ability. He finished with 17 goals last season, which were third most on the team. Feel like he’s got a little ‘sandpaper’ to his game.” Devils fans should heed Birnell’s advice and keep an eye out for Thompson and Halonen.
Who Are Some of the Sleeper Prospects in the Devils’ System? – @fsem86
Not including any of the players mentioned above, two players to keep on your radar screen are defenseman Topias Vilen and forward Josh Filmon. Coming into the 2021 draft, Vilen was considered a strong defender with high hockey IQ and an excellent skater whose offensive game needed work. After being drafted in the fifth round, 124th overall, the left-hand shot defenseman spent two more seasons in the Finnish Liiga for Lahden Pelicans. In that time, he showed marked improvement in his offensive game going from six points in 50 games in 2021-22 to 17 points in 41 games this season.
Related: Devils Still Have Options to Improve for 2023-24
Vilen then finished the season with nine points in the Pelicans’ 18 playoff games en route to losing in the Liiga Championship. At the conclusion of his Finnish season, he joined the Comets, where he played in one game before their season ended. While there appears to be a logjam on the left side, Fitzgerald has mentioned Vilen as having an opportunity to force his way onto the team.
Like Vilen, Filmon was a Day 2 draft pick who has rocketed up the prospect charts. Taken in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, he has the size and scoring ability to one day be a power-forward in the league. In his first season since being drafted, he took a huge step forward in his play in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The 19-year-old scored more goals this season (47) than he had total points last season (45). His size jumps out as the Devils lack big, scoring wingers. Before the 2022 Draft, he was ranked the 38th-best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and has lived up to the hype. Since Filmon is too young for the AHL, he is slated for another season in the WHL but another successful season could land him in the NHL sooner than expected.
Do You Think Any of the Devils Will Attend the MTV VMAs Again Like They Did Last Year? – @matt12r
Last year, Dawson Mercer represented the Devils and joined MTV hosts on the red carpet of the VMAs. This year the event is slated to take place on Sept. 12, 2023, about a week before veterans are required to report for camp. The Devils franchise has done a tremendous job of integrating themselves into the events that take place at the Prudential Center, and there is no reason why history would not repeat itself at this year’s VMAs. I’m not sure if Mercer will reprise his role on the red carpet, but there are plenty of Devils who fit the MTV target demographic. Frankly, it is a great opportunity for cross-promotion and something the NHL and franchises should look to do more often. Which Devil would you want to see on the red carpet?
Is it Better to Have Mercer in the Top 6 or as Third-line Center? @stevenwoj
The simple answer is, why choose one? Ruff has demonstrated throughout his tenure in New Jersey that he is unafraid to mix up the lines. Last year, he attributed his line shuffling to a lesson he had learned from Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman and often said that lines were about finding pairs that worked together and then rotating the third player based on a variety of factors. There is no doubt that Mercer can play either role well, as he has done so throughout his two years in a Devils sweater.
There is reason to believe that a third line of Mercer, Erik Haula, and Ondrej Palat could be the best third line in the league. However, statistically, the team has played best when Mercer is in the top-six and especially when paired with Hischier. The difference in expected goal percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five is stark.
When Mercer is on the ice with Hughes (just over 306 minutes), he has an xGF% of 53.19. When he’s on the ice with Hischier (just over 368 minutes), his xGF% is 63.12. When Mercer is not on a line with Hughes or Hischer (just over 411 minutes), which would presumably mean he is on the third line, his xGF% is a respectable 50.78. Based on this, and against conventional wisdom, perhaps he is best slotted along with Hischier rather than Hughes. Last season, when placed on the first line with Hischier and Tomas Tatar (just over 266 minutes), his xGF% actually increased to 65.59, demonstrating that playing Mercer alongside Hischier and a puck-retriever like Tatar is ideal (xGF% stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick)
Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. If your question did not get answered this round, I will try to include it next time around.