What I'd like to see from each Devils defenseman in 2024-25

From Brenden Dillon to Jonas Siegenthaler, I shared my thoughts on seven blueliners.

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Near the end of every off-season, I share my thoughts on each New Jersey Devils player and dive into what I’d like to see from them the coming season.

We have already dissected the team’s 14 projected forwards (Part 1 here, Part 2 here). Now it’s time to zero in on the defensemen.

Brenden Dillon: Clear the crease

Tom Fitzgerald has done a great job assembling a balanced defense core that should excel at both ends of the ice. That being said, there is only one defenseman on the roster who is going to make you pay a price physically when trying to get to the front of the net. That defenseman is Brenden Dillon.

Now, Dillon is a strong defender who will give you a little bit of offense. He’s much more than just a crease clearer.

But defending the paint has been an issue for the Devils for a while now and Dillon’s ability to clear the paint is no doubt one of the reasons the Devils committed $12 million to him this summer.

Dillon has to be the guy hacking and whacking forwards, creating sight lanes for Jacob Markstrom/Jake Allen, and putting bodies on the floor before opponents can pounce on rebounds. He’s the only one built to do so consistently.

Dougie Hamilton: Juice the power play

The Devils were elite – yes, elite – on the man advantage when Hamilton was healthy. They scored goals more efficiently than every team in the NHL and were also one of the best at generating high-danger chances. Although Hamilton spent most of his time on the 2nd unit, he was a big reason why the power play was so dominant.

Don’t get me wrong, the top unit was lethal. But he ensured the 2nd one was as well. He put up eight power play points in 20 games, bested only by PP1 staples Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Those eight points were accrued in just 33 minutes of ice; remarkable.

I think Hamilton and Hughes may swap units at times throughout the year but, clearly, Hamilton is going to help the PP get results no matter which unit he’s on.

Given how much of a trainwreck the power play was for much of the season, getting more production there would certainly be welcomed.

Luke Hughes: Stabilize