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After missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, Lou Lamoriello said changes would be made.

He kept true to his word, and has added several new faces to the team in hopes of improving the offense and getting the Devils back into the playoffs.

On top of extending two core players in Cory Schneider and Andy Greene, Lamoriello went out and added some talent to help out.

The Devils signed Mike Cammalleri, the NHL's 7th most efficient 5 vs 5 goal scorer last year, to help New Jersey's 29th ranked 5 vs 5 offense next season and beyond. Lamoriello also signed Martin Havlat, who the Devils are hoping will be rejuvenated playing with his Czech teammate and best friend Patrik Elias.

On top of that, they made a few addition by subtraction moves in buying out Anton Volchenkov and letting Martin Brodeur go after a couple decades in New Jersey.

By ridding themselves of Volchenkov, they cleared cap space to give them more flexibility to add elsewhere, and also opened up a spot for one of the team's young puck-movers to grab.

Brodeur is the most accomplished goaltender in NHL history, but his best days are certainly behind him. Over the last couple years he has just a .901SV%, which is well below league average. With him no longer eating up 40 starts a year, Cory Schneider and his .928SV% since 2010 will carry the load. Even if Schneider posts a .915SV% over the course of the season, that's still a big upgrade.

The loss of Mark Fayne will hurt a little bit, but Jon Merrill showed last season he can handle top-4 minutes, and will likely be relied upon to do so this season.

The team will benefit from the additions, but also from significant improvement in shootouts. Even with the same roster there's no way they'd go 0-13 in shootouts again this year. If the Devils won even half last year they'd have been a playoff team, so it's not a stretch to say they can make it this year with an upgraded roster.

It's probably a little early for predictions, I posted my Metro Division outlook the other day. I had the Devils 4th in the division, and penciled them in as a wild card team.

With that in mind, I'll leave you with this: will the Devils be a playoff team this year?



Note: Tomorrow is my birthday so I don't expect to have any posts up barring news.

Devils posts

Thoughts on Andy Greene's five-year extension

On Metro Division goaltending

On Cory Schneider and goal support

On Travis Zajac and Mike Cammalleri

Pete Harrold is a more than adequate No. 7

Jackets posts

Where will Columbus finish in the Metro?

Blue Jackets like analytics, except when it comes to Johnson

James Wisniewski among NHL's elite PP defensemen

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