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Devil’s forwards flying; now it’s time to fix the defensive pairings

November 1, 2019, 2:59 PM ET [9 Comments]
Guest Writer
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By Gilles Moncour


After a dreadful start to the season and a much needed October lull that saw the Devils play only one game in ten days, coach John Hynes seems to have put together — we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and not say ‘stumbled upon’ — forward lines that look cohesive and promising going forward.

Jack Hughes has taken his rightful place on the top line, where he will not face rigorous defensive duties and can adapt his high-skill game to the speedy Taylor Hall and NHL defenses. The ‘Kid Line’ of 20-year old Hischier, 21-year old Bratt, and 22-year old Zacha looked outstanding in their debut Wednesday night and should be given an extended run. Simmonds, Coleman, and Zajac supply defensive awareness, physicality and decent offensive talent in a very good 3rd/checking line. The fourth line of swift Miles Wood (who is not taking as many dumb penalties), and steady chekcers Rooney and Hayden is not hurting the team. Boqvist and Gusev are the odd men out for now, but there is certainly a path for their inclusion as the schedule gets busy.

Of course, while the Devils’ forwards were dynamic against a Tampa Bay team struggling to find regular season motivation, they also let in (gulp) seven goals. The goaltending, obviously, is an issue, with both MacKenzie Blackwood and Wednesday’s starter Cory Schneider leaking in too many stoppable goals. But it is more than just that: even though the shot totals for Tampa and Arizona last week were low, the lack of cohesion in the defensive pairings has led to needless odd-man rushes and repeated down low coverage. John Hynes and his staff need to conduct a defensive overhaul.

The decision to pair PK Subban with Damon Severson... is extremely strange, to say the least. Pairing a PK — renowned league-wide for his high-risk play — with a partner (Damon Severson) who is by far the weakest on the team in reading the rush and in net-front coverage is bewildering. Adding to the absurdity is that this partnership forces Severson to his off-side and takes away from his offensive ability to join the rush and whip shots in from the point, the main reasons he is in the lineup.

PK needs someone steady on his left side; Andy Greene needs to slot in there immediately. Sami Vatanen has been a revelation this year — showing the poise and puck distribution that marked his first few years in Anaheim — so while he and Greene are an effective duo, the Devils’ captain’s defensive skills can be put to better use elsewhere. Yes, Greene has lost a half-step and is showing his 37 years a bit, but with PK out there he can concentrate on defense and let Subban charge around the ice.

Will Butcher might be the long-term answer as PK’s partner, but has looked tentative and out of synch all year (even before his injury) and needs some time to find his game. Keep playing him with Matt Tennyson, the 29-year old who has surprisingly looked the part of a solid NHL player despite playing at least a part of every pro season in the minors following his college stint at Western Michigan.

Back to Severson, who actually had one of his better games against the Lightning (despite a few customary blips, like losing track of Sergachev exiting the penalty box, leading to a breakaway.) Play him with Vatanen, who is solid enough positionally and excellent at reading the play. Yes, someone will still be playing their off-side, at least both Severson and Subban will be playing with partners that provide stability. Putting Severson in more offensive situations should allow him to build his confidence and start contributing meaningfully to the attack.


After tonight’s home game against the Flyers, the Devils go on the road for the next five games, where they will be at the mercy of opposing coaches’ line matching. For the team to come back from western Canada with their playoff chances (and Hynes’ job?) still intact, their defense needs to start meshing as well as the forwards did Wednesday night.
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