Three under-the-radar positives for the New Jersey Devils this season
The Devils have been one of the league’s biggest disappointments — but there are still several positives beneath the surface.
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Not a lot has gone right for the New Jersey Devils this season.
That’s why their playoff chances sit at just 2.3% (per MoneyPuck) in a year they entered as one of the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.
As disappointing as the campaign has been, there are still positives to take away.
Let’s highlight three that have flown a little under the radar.
Jack Hughes’ on-ice health
Health is always the question with Hughes because there is no denying his ability on the ice.
Hughes is averaging at least a point per game for the fifth consecutive season despite a) operating in a completely lifeless offense; b) not really being able to shoot the puck since returning from his hand injury.
Lost in the time Hughes missed is that he’s done a great job of staying healthy on the ice.
One lower-body tweak that forced him out of three games prior to the Olympics is the only hockey injury he’s suffered this season. That’s good for 40+ games (including the Olympics).
Given the amount of ice he logs each night, and that he always has the puck with opponents coming after him, it’s hard to avoid injury altogether.
I’d happily take a three-game absence every 40 contests; that’s roughly a 76-game season.
We haven’t seen Hughes go hard into the boards and nuke his shoulders. We haven’t seen him get drilled in open ice. We haven’t seen him awkwardly tossed off the puck. There has been very little hard contact taken and few scares as a result.
I know it’s frustrating he still missed a significant amount of time but I’m not going to knock him for a hand injury at a team dinner. That’s a freak one-off incident.
Hughes has stayed healthy when, you know, actually doing his job. Hopefully, that continues.
