A few New Jersey Devils notes on this off-day:
1) I think John Hynes and co. should strongly consider putting Jack Hughes on the top line in place of Nico Hischier. For whatever reason, the Taylor Hall - Hischier - Kyle Palmieri line simply isn’t clicking like a season ago.
At 5v5, that trio is controlling 48.21% of the attempts and 46.11% of the expected goals. They’re plus-2 in the goal department but probably lucky that’s the case.
Compare those numbers to a season ago when they posted a 53.53 CF%, 58.75 xGF%, and plus-10 goal differential in 285 minutes together. Night and day.
The top line with Hughes over Hischier owns a 56.72 CF% and 64.71 xGF%. A good dose more of offensive zone starts certainly helps the cause but they deserve credit for taking advantage of that.
When on, Hall is still the best player on the team and Palmieri is the best goal scorer on the team. If it takes Hughes to get them going, it takes Hughes to get them going. Maximize your stars any way possible.
Hischier will be just fine carrying the 2nd scoring line, as he showed earlier this season.
2) Something else I’d like to see moving forward: more minutes for Jesper Bratt – perhaps on a line with Hischier.
While Bratt was a little slow out of the gate, especially in terms of individual chance generation, he’s still averaging 2.21 points/60 at 5v5, which is 1st line production. That’s aided by exactly zero (0) secondary assists. He’s been at the center of the attack each time he’s found the scoresheet.
The Devils rank dead last in attempts/60 and 26th in expected goals/60. Clearly, what they’ve been doing to try and generate offense hasn’t been working.
Why not change it up and put a skilled winger, who figures to be a core piece moving forward, in a position where he can actually make a difference?
3) I really like Sami Vatanen on the top power play for a few reasons. To start, the Devils generate significantly more shots, chances, expected goals, etc. with him quarterbacking as opposed to any other defenseman on the roster. He’s also the only defender with a power play point this season, which is both shocking and sickening.
Perhaps even more importantly, the extra PP points could help inflate his value should the Devils be out of the race and ready to trade the pending UFA at the deadline.
I don’t agree with much the Devils have done this season but Vatanen on PP1 has worked out fantastically in every way.
Numbers via NaturalStatTrick.com Recent Posts On Boqvist’s future, Hughes’ encouraging development, and more