Preview
The New Jersey Devils’ next contest will be against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum in what should be another big test for them. There is no secret that the Devils are playing in the toughest division in the NHL. Surprisingly, they have done so while getting out to a good start.
The New York Islanders may be the toughest team the Devils will face off against so far this season. The Islanders have started the season with a 2-1-0 record which includes a convincing 4-0 win and 5-0 loss against the New York Rangers, followed by a 1-0 win over the struggling Boston Bruins.
The Devils currently sit in 3rd place in the East Division behind the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. While this is awesome to see, Devils’ fans certainly remember other seasons where the Devils started out the season strong only to falter throughout the season and miss the playoffs. However, given it is only a 56-game season this good start is imperative.
What to Watch For
Will Hughes Keep Up His Production?
Jack Hughes has been phenomenal to start the season. Make no mistake about it, he is turning into the star that many perceived him to be as last year’s first overall pick. Hughes led the Devils in points coming into Tuesday’s win against the Rangers and then scored two goals while also recording an assist in that contest. Hughes currently leads the team in points with six and assists with four while also being second on the team in goals with two; Miles Wood has three.
Hughes has received a lot of faith and trust from new head coach Lindy Ruff and is proving that Ruff is right to put him out there in almost any situation. Hughes led Devils’ forwards in ice time the first two games of the season. I expect Jack Hughes to continue being a catalyst for this team offensively and that will be much needed against a defensive-sound Islanders team.
Even if Hughes does not end up on the score sheet, he will have an impact on the outcome of this game. And that is when you know that you truly do have a special player.
Bend Don’t Break Defense
One thing that has been apparent watching the Devils through their first three games is the defensive style they are playing with. The Devils have been very efficient on the back-check and positioning in the defensive zone. Along with these factors, the Devils, for the most part, seem to be playing a style of defense where they are perfectly content with letting teams shoot the puck from the outside. This resulting in shots from from low scoring percentage areas.
Mackenzie Blackwood was just as important to the Devils in the team’s win against the Rangers as Jack Hughes was on the scoresheet. Blackwood stopped 47 of 50 shots and some of those shots were certainly big-time saves on good scoring chances. Of the goals he gave up, two of them were pretty fluky as well and its hard to blame him for not being able to stop those.
Bottom-line is that the Devils appear to be playing a “bend but don’t break” style of defense. They are not the most effective at this style, but they also are a team that certainly has the talent to execute this type of style. Coincidentally enough, one team that is very good at this defensive style of play is the New York Islanders.
The “bend but don’t break” defensive style combined with tight back-checking and keeping shots to the outside has been the Islanders bread and butter since head coach Barry Trotz arrived from Washington. This style can largely be attributed to the team’s success. Even if the Devils struggle against the Islanders offensively, they can learn from any frustrations caused by the Islanders’ defensive system. And even practice those same principles in their own defensive system.
Does Miles Wood Make An Impact Yet Again?
Miles Wood has always had a play-style of being a “wrecking ball” that I have always appreciated, as it brings a different dimension to the Devils’ forwards group. Wood has been red hot to start the season in terms of his scoring production, even with the penalty issues against Boston.
If Wood can stay hot, that will certainly benefit the Devils as a team, as well as others on his line. We saw last game against the Rangers, as Wood has emerged as a perfect net-front presence.
Conclusion
The New Jersey Devils will look to stay hot and secure a win against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. The puck drop with be tonight at 7:00 PM ET.