The New Jersey Devils got off to a quick start this season under new head coach Sheldon Keefe when they swept the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia back in early October.
In those two games in which the Devils outscored the Sabres by a 7-2 margin, the team looked like world-beaters. They got great goaltending from Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, got timely goal scoring, played solid defensively, and did all the little things that matter to win hockey games.
After those two games, however, things started to slip. The team started to slip in all areas, lost close games, made poor choices with the puck, and looked like the same team they did last season, which was not a good one.
Fast forward to now (Sunday, November 24) and the Devils are flying high. As of this writing, the team is first in the Metropolitan Division, first in the Eastern Conference, and third in the league with a 14-7-2 record for 30 points.
There are several reasons why the Devils are off to a good start this season. For starters, they are getting solid goaltending from both Markstrom and Allen.
Last season, the Devils’ goal crease was a house of horrors. Lots of pucks went into the net, a lot of saves were not made, and a lot of games were lost because of ill-timed poor goals allowed.
That has not been the case so far this season. Markstrom, 34, who was acquired in the offseason from the Calgary Flames, is currently (as of Sunday, November 24) 9-5-0-1 with a 2.54 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage, and one shutout. Those numbers should steadily get better as Markstrom plays more games.
Allen, 34, the team’s backup goaltender, has also provided consistent goaltending for the Devils this season. He is currently (as of Sunday, November 24) 5-2-0-1 with a 2.26 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Speaking of keeping the puck out of the net, the Devils have been much better defensively this season than they were last season. Last year, the Devils were 27th in the league in goals allowed and gave up 3.25 goals-against per game.
Things have been much better to start this season. The Devils are currently (as of Sunday, November 24) 14th in the league in goals allowed as they have given up 60 goals in 23 games, which gives them a 2.61 goals-against average so far.
This is because the Devils are making better decisions with the puck, are doing a better job of making things easier for their goaltenders, are blocking a lot of shots, and are not giving up a lot of shots in general. The Devils are currently seventh in the league in shots allowed per game as they give up about 27 shots (27.2) per game.
Both the team’s goaltending and defensive play have helped with their penalty killing to start the season. The Devils currently have the league’s ninth-best penalty kill as they have killed off 82.3 percent of the penalties they have taken so far this season.
Another reason why the Devils are having a lot of success so far is because their best players are playing the way they are supposed to. Players like Jesper Bratt (10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points), Jack Hughes (eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points), and Nico Hishier (10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points) are leading this club offensively and are generating many scoring opportunities a night for their hockey club.
The team is also getting great secondary scoring this season. Players like Stefan Noesen (10 goals and eight assists for 18 points), Timo Meier (seven goals and seven assists for 14 points), Paul Cotter (seven goals and five assists for 12 points), and Dawson Mercer (five goals and seven assists for 12 points) have all done a good job of taking pressure off of the Devils big three so far this season.
Thanks to their strong offensive output to start the season, the team’s power play has also been a big reason why the Devils are off to a good start. As of this writing, the Devils have the league’s second-best power play as they have converted on 31 percent of the opportunities they have been given so far.
Lastly, a lot of credit needs to be given to Keefe. Keefe had a lot of success with the Toronto Maple Leafs and he did so by instilling a high-octane offense and a strong defensive system.
Both of those have been clear with the way the Devils have played so far this season. The Devils are currently fourth in the league in goals scored and 14th in the league in goals against, which means they are playing well at both ends of the ice.
There is a lot of hockey left to be played, but for right now, the Devils and their fans have to love the way their team is playing and the story they are writing so far this season.
ITR 36: Coaching Carousel – Inside The Rink
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