The New Jersey Devils rebuild in the 2022 off-season

By: Cristina Hauerstein

The New Jersey Devils have been struggling to build a playoff team since their last appearance in the playoffs in 2012. Despite having a few first round picks the last few years, they haven’t been able to build a consistent team.

During the summer though, they made really important trades and signings within their team.

They have aquired really special players like Ondrej Palat, back-to-back champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Palat played usually on the first line along with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. He was known as a team playmaker and he was basically there whenever you needed him. He has a total of 423 points in 628 games in his whole NHL career, all played in Tampa.

Right before the trade deadline, they also aquired Dougie Hamilton, a defenseman who played for the Carolina Hurricanes, and in both teams he has proved his defense abilities He has a total of 331 points in 669 career games, which is still pretty good for a defenseman.

The Devils are a younger team so aquiring older, veteran players, might be something that will help the younger players and create a better dynamic for the them to win more games.

As for younger players, New Jersey signed Jesper Bratt last minute, but he had been one of the best players this past season. The young player has 73 points in 76 games played this year. He was only signed for a year, but if Bratt plays just as well or better this next season, he will likely to be signed again next year. Another important player is Dawson Mercer, this year’s rookie put up 42 points in 82 games which is really impressive for your first NHL year.

Now, if players that the team is already familiar with like Jack Hughes, Nate Bastian, Miles Wood, Nico Hischier, Damon Severson, Ryan Graves and players play their best game this year, keeping their game consistant and never giving up, they’ll be close to be a playoff team or will be a playoff team.

More updates to come on the Devils season as the year goes by!