Brief Overview
The draft is complete, and the free agency frenzy is upon us. Regardless of both of those things, the schedule has officially been released. Lindy Ruff remains behind the bench. It is like Christmas came early and delivered the best present of all. Season ticket holders and fans are planning the games to attend or road trips to see their beloved teams. Devils fans have plenty to look forward to. Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood are all back to full health. It is the 40th anniversary of the team. The home opener is set against the Detroit Red Wings on October 15, 2022. If you are a Devils fan, here are five games to look forward to for the upcoming season.
The Games
November 28, 2022, At New York Rangers
The Devils take on the Rangers, who made hr to the Eastern Conference Finals. Every game against their cross-town rivals will always be must-watch hockey. The Devils played the Rangers four times last season and finished with a 1-2-1 record. Their lone win came on home ice with a flurry of goals, which led to a 7-4 victory at Prudential Center.
The Devils will put that behind them and show the Rangers that they are not a pushover of a team. This is the first of three meetings for the season. The Rangers hold the all-time series record at 126-104-21-10.
October 24, 2022 Home Against Washington Capitals
Tom Fitzgerald made a trade splash on Day two of the NHL Draft. A necessary move to upgrade the team. The party started by acquiring Vitek Vanecek from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a couple of draft picks. The new goaltender in New Jersey will get a crack at facing his old team.
After two seasons in Washington, the young goalie is set to form a young tandem in goal. The Devils went 1-2 against Washington last season.
January 19, 2023, At Seattle Kraken
This one is very obvious. After Montreal opted to select Juraj Slafkovsky, you would have thought the Devils went on to select Shane Wright. That did not happen, and they chose to select Slovakian Defenseman, Simon Nemec.
This will be the first time the Devils will get a look at Shane Wright in a game, leaving fans thinking about what could have been. The Devils went 1-1 against the Kraken last season, defeating them at home and losing on the road. Fun fact, Dawson Mercer scored his first career against Seattle.
February 21, 2023 Home To Montreal Canadiens
Is this the juiciest of all matchups? No, not exactly. The Montreal Canadiens are not must-watch hockey, but they do possess must-watch players such as Cole Caufield.
But this pertains more to the draft. The Devils play Montreal early in the season, but this one seems more realistic. Tom Fitzgerald is anticipating having Simon Nemec start the season in Utica.
But if he gets called up to the big leagues, this time of the season would make sense. As fans of the game, we will see the first two overall picks go head to head in a game. The Devils had good success, having a 2-1 record against them.
October 28, 2022 Home To Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche come to town. The defending Stanley Cup Champions match on to Newark. There is nothing more exciting than Cale Makar and Nathan Mackinnon. The Devils have their own star players to make this a fun game to watch.
This is a great early test for the Devils as they take on the Stanley Cup Champions. A young Devils team looking to grow and be competitive draws a tough test, the toughest they will face all month. The Devils went 1-1 against the Avalanche last season.
