Tonight, the New Jersey Devils (34-13-5) head to Ohio to face the Columbus Blue Jackets (16-33-4). The Devils are coming off a shootout loss in Minnesota on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets upset the Maple Leafs 4-3 north of the border on Saturday.

This is the second meeting of the year between the Metropolitan Division foes after the Devils defeated the Jackets 7-1 in Newark back in October.

Match Overview

Even with Jack Hughes likely out for tonight’s contest, the Devils are still heavy favorites against a struggling Blue Jackets team. The Metropolitan Division’s cellar dwellers have just 36 points on the year, less than half of New Jersey’s total of 73.

As for Hughes, he made a brief cameo at the end of Monday’s practice, but did not participate in team drills, per Amanda Stein. This is an encouraging sign for the young star, who is listed as week-to-week, but don’t expect to see him on the ice tonight. The same can be said for Brendan Smith, who skated as the extra defenseman on Monday.

After two days off for the Devils, Vitek Vanecek figures to be in net once again. The 27-year-old had a personal ten game winning streak snapped Saturday, but has been fantastic of late nonetheless. On the year, Vanecek has a .916 save percentage and a 12.84 goals saved above expected (GSAx). Backup Mackenzie Blackwood has a .900 save percentage and a -2.04 GSAx.

As for Columbus, Johnny Gaudreau has been a lone bright spot in a disappointing season. The man whose free agency was at the center of the Devils’ offseason has 50 points in 53 games. Patrik Laine is second on the team with 31 points in just 38 contests. As a team, Columbus is 30th in the NHL, scoring just 2.53 goals per game.

Defensively, Columbus also ranks 30th, allowing 3.83 goals per game. Both Blue Jackets’ netminders have struggled this season, but Jonas Korpisalo has been better than Elvis Merzlikins. Korpisalo has a .907 save percentage and a -0.35 GSAx this year while Merzlikins owns a brutal .871 save percentage and -25.47 GSAx.

Projected Lines

New Jersey Devils –

Forwards:

Palat – Hischier – Bratt

Sharangovich – Haula – Zetterlund

Tatar – Boqvist – Mercer

Wood – McLeod – Bastian

Siegenthaler – Hamilton

Defensemen:

Graves – Severson

Bahl – Marino

Goaltenders:

Vanecek

Blackwood

Columbus Blue Jackets –

Forwards:

Gaudreau – Jenner – Marchenko

Bemstrom – Sillinger – Johnson

Foudy – Roslovic – Laine

Robinson – Kuraly – Olivier

Defensemen:

Gavrikov – Peeke

Berni – Gudbranson

Blankenburg – Boqvist

Goaltenders:

Merzlikins

Korpisalo

What to Watch For

Top Line Shakeup?

With leading scorer Jack Hughes out of the lineup, the Devils need other players, stars included, to step up to contribute goals. The New Jersey top line is a prime example, and the trio of Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Ondrej Palat have not been playing their best hockey at five-on-five.

Since Palat returned to the lineup on January 5, this line has a 51.70 Corsi-for percentage (CF%) and a 50.89 expected goals-for percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five. Both numbers are middle of the pack results, but those players, especially Hischier and Bratt, had much stronger metrics earlier in the year. In the last five contests, those numbers have dipped slightly, falling to a 49.51 CF% and a 44.44 xGF%.

While the trio appears to remain intact ahead of tonight’s game, it is not guaranteed to stay that way. On Saturday in Minnesota, head coach Lindy Ruff split up the line, elevating Dawson Mercer to play with Hischier and Palat while Bratt played with Erik Haula and Yegor Sharangovich. If the top line starts slowly and can’t gain a foothold against a struggling Columbus team, expect to see line combinations switched before too long.

Dougie Hamilton

Speaking of star players stepping up, Dougie Hamilton has been on a tear as of late. The 29-year-old defenseman is on a seven-game point streak, scoring 14 points in the span. That brings his season total to a career-high 52 points in just 52 games. Hamilton has points on 63% of all New Jersey goals in those seven games as well, including scoring three game-winning goals.

However, Hamilton’s underlying numbers have been less kind to say the least. Since the end of the Devils’ 13-game win streak in November, Hamilton has just a 51.15 CF% and a 48.80 xGF% at five-on-five. Since the start of January, those metrics have slipped to a 48.05 CF% and a 43.39 xGF%.

Hamilton should be able to control play better against the scuffling Blue Jackets, but his current underlyings and ridiculous scoring pace suggest some regression moving forward. 

In the meantime, enjoy watching one of the league’s best point-producing defensemen almost single-handedly secure points for NJ on a nightly basis.

Special Teams

The Devils have a distinct advantage on special teams tonight. Columbus’ power play has been dreadful this season, sitting at 15.6% which ranks dead last in the NHL. Their penalty kill has not been much better, ranking 21st in the league at 76.4%.

Meanwhile, New Jersey has the league’s 18th-best power play (21.3%) and tenth-best penalty kill (81.1%). However, the Devils’ power play is three-for-ten since the All-Star break which does not include Tomas Tatar’s goal seconds after a penalty expired against Minnesota. The Devils’ penalty kill is six-for-seven over that same stretch. Both of New Jersey’s special teams units are clicking right now, and that should continue tonight.

Where to Watch

The Devils and Blue Jackets can be seen on MSG. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Nationwide Arena.

Note: All statistics via Natural Stat Trick.