The New Jersey Devils are the hottest team in the NHL.
No, seriously.
After starting the season 0-3-1 the Devils have found their footing and are going full speed ahead as they've won eight of 10 games since.
They were far from perfect against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday but their best players came through and the Devils pocketed another two points as a result.
Notes:
1) Sergei Kalinin had one shot in his first six games. He has 10 shots in seven games since and has recorded at least one each time out. He's not exactly an offensive force but he's been playing better of late and deserved to be rewarded for his efforts. It wasn't the best goal - although Kalinin did make a nice power move leading up to it - but he'll never forget it. Congrats to him.
Your first @NHL goal calls for a pretty epic celebration. Congrats Sergey! #RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/8zM6XNEiSI
— New Jersey Devils (@NHLDevils) November 9, 20152) How long before the Mike Cammalleri - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak line gets the recognition it deserves? All three players have at least 11 points in 14 games and they're driving possession at a 55% clip as a unit. They may not be big name players but they're playing top line caliber right now.
3) I thought Adam Henrique was exceptional once again. He was making plays almost every time he was on the ice - including on the penalty kill - and he had two points to show for it. Henrique scored a shorty, picked up an assist on Cammalleri's goal and also set up Travis Zajac for an empty-netter on the PK that he failed to convert thanks to the post.
Including Sunday's marker Henrique has 11 short handed points since entering the NHL. Only Derek Stepan (12) and Jonathan Toews (13) have more in that span.
4) I don't think Zajac has played this well since Zach Parise was on his wing. He looks a lot more confident making plays with the puck and seems to be using his size more to protect the biscuit and help win it back. This is the guy Lou Lamoriello thought he was getting when he locked No. 19 up long term. It took Zajac a while to get going - he was held pointless in his first four games - but he has 11 points in his last nine games.
5) Kyle Palmieri is getting a long look as a top-6 forward for the first time in his career and he sure is making the most of it. Through 14 games he has five goals, 12 points and 38 shots on goal. Some thought the price New Jersey paid (41st overall in 2015 + a 3rd in 2016) was a little steep for an unproven player but Palmieri has certainly been worth it thus far.
6) My take on the Adam Larsson hit: not as bad as it was made out to be. I think a two minute penalty would have sufficed but it didn't matter as the Devils killed off the five minute major, anyway.
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