P5 New Jersey Devils vs Boston Bruins: Reading the tea leaves

Youngsters like Alexander Holtz, Fabian Zetterlund, and Kevin Bahl have put together strong preseasons; and they're being rewarded with big opportunities.

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A few things to watch as the New Jersey Devils attempt to rebound from their first loss of the preseason:

A golden opportunity

Kevin Bahl entered camp as the favorite to claim the available No. 6/7 slot on defense. Fast forward a couple of weeks and it appears the 6’6’ rearguard is all but a lock to make the team’s opening day roster.

He has played two games thus far and they couldn’t have gone much better. The Devils out-chanced opponents 22-6 (14-0 in terms of high-danger looks) and controlled nearly 90%(!) of the expected goal share with Bahl on the ice.

All the Devils want from their bottom of the lineup defender is physicality and stability in the defensive zone. Bahl has provided that in spades.

Now, the 22-year-old is being given a golden opportunity to play alongside John Marino. With Dougie Hamilton and Damon Severson on the right side, Marino is likely to play RD3 by default. If and when Bahl is in, Marino is his likely partner.

With another strong showing, Bahl could further prove he deserves a chance on the NHL roster; and the Devils would have some peace of mind knowing he can mesh with the guy he’d almost certainly end up partnering with.

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