Good afternoon Devils fans. As we move farther into September, the Devils will start getting the Black and Red machine rolling again. The Training Camp officially kicks off next week with rookies reporting September 13th and veterans checking in September 20th. From there, the pre-season kicks off on September 25th vs. Philadelphia. This is as good a time as any to make insane predictions about the trajectory of the team and how the season will go.

1. A Rookie/PTO Will Make The Roster

With the camp mixing youth players and peripheral pieces starting September 20th, this will be a good opportunity to see if there is unpredictable magic between players. Could one of those players be a young unproven prospect or a returning rookie looking to prove himself? Absolutely, but most likely on offense. While the blueliners look mostly set, there could be some chances for a bottom 6 forward. Maybe Alexander Holtz will finally find his footing in a position like that. From the last two years bouncing between the AHL and the NHL, Holtz has found consistent success on the minor level but has struggled to find his feet at the big league. That could change with the movement of Yegor Sharangovich, opening up a possible slot for a gritty forward who can score and hit. The defining factor in his success will be consistent time in the roster. Holtz spent many games as a healthy scratch. Notable mentions for other youth forwards like Graeme Clarke and Nolan Foote.

However, the surprise roster piece could end up being a dark horse like a professional tryout. PTOs can be veteran players looking for one more chance or young players having a problem fitting into an organization’s long term system plans. The Devils have lucked out with decent PTOs in the past, including Steve Bernier (ignoring his Cup game 5 min major penalty), Petr Sykora, and Jordin Tootoo. Who could come in to surprise and gain a spot on the team? My guess: Josh Bailey. Hear me out. The utility winger was recently traded from the Islanders to the Blackhawks, who would then put him on waivers to buyout the 6-year, $5M AAV contract that would have expired at the end of this season. While he struggled on the Islanders last year, he can be a good bottom 6 option for the right price. He also has 50 points in 71 playoff games for his career.

2. The Goalie Tandem Will Average over .920 SVP and Win 55 Games

The hottest questions following the end of the Devils first postseason in 5 years was: (a) how will the Devils respond with new expectations and additions this season and (b) will the same two goalies mind the pipes this season. The first question seems to be answered with a patient and strong offseason, with the Devils adding Toffoli, Miller, and Nosek to the roster while trading away pieces for draft capital and resigning Meier and Bratt. The defense, while losing Severson and Graves, will be reinforced with Bahl, Miller, Luke Hughes, and possibly Nemec, depending on how the year goes. Now all eyes are on the goalie tandem.

Simply looking at the numbers, you would think that Schmid would be the go-to starter based on his regular season (strong but limited) and playoff performance (arguably the best playoff Devil last year.) Much buzz this summer has been the Devils discussion with other teams about moving goalies. My mindset is that, out of the two players, Vanacek would end up being moved along with pieces to a team for a Connor Hellebuyck or Linus Ullmark. The problem is that with a strong balanced cap situation between both offense and defense, there isn’t much money left for a big goalie name. If the Devils run with Schmid and Vanacek splitting possibly a 60-40 share, this along with a strong defensive shutdown system could push our goaltending numbers to new levels from last season. I’ll be the first one to admit my distrust for Vanacek in playoff positions. However, let’s not forget this was the same Vanacek that had more wins for the Devils than any other goalie since the great Martin Brodeur. For financial and logistical reasons, I support keeping the tandem as is and investing in stability while making sure the blueliners and attackers clean up the garbage around the crease.

3. The Devils Will Play in a Conference Final

The last decade of Devils hockey has left a lot to be desired for the most part. Since the 2012 Stanley Cup run, the Devils have had limited success, appearing in two playoff years. The first was 2017-18, a flash in the pan with a near sweep by Tampa Bay in the first round. Last year, the Devils were humbled in the first two games by the Rangers before batting down the hatches with a goalie change and altering the course of the rest of that series. Unfortunately, they weren’t enough to keep up with the Hurricanes, losing the series 4-1. What Devils season will we see this year?

Looking at the additions to other teams in the Division (as per my previous article), there’s a good chance the Metro won’t change too much. If the goaltending is as good as we hope for it and we get better scoring earlier in the playoffs, I truly believe that the New Jersey Devils can make it to the Conference Final. The difference maker will be who we line up with in the seeding and how we match up pound for pound in all categories. Offense will be strong, as long as top six glues the bottom six finds some fire. Again, the question is really how the defense and goaltending will jive. If they fire on all cylinders, there’s no doubt in my mind this could be a season worth remembering.

What are your thoughts? Who would you offer a PTO to? Is this Holtz’s year? Can Schmid and Vanacek achieve what we’re all hoping for? What are your postseason predictions?

Leave your thoughts and comments below. Raise Hell,

-Josh Biringer

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