What I'd like to see from each Devils forward in 2024-25: Part 2

From Curtis Lazar to Tomas Tatar (that has a nice ring!), I dove deeper into the rest of the team's forward group.

Follow along on Twitter @ToddCordell | @InfernalAccess

Be sure to join the Discord channel to talk hockey with our writers and subscribers.

---

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

We started the party last week by taking a look at seven different forwards. Now we’re going to do the same with another seven.

Curtis Lazar: Play no-event hockey

The Devils are going to score a lot of goals. They have a ton of firepower at the top of the lineup, great team speed, and a head coach who has shown the ability to convert that into top-tier production.

The flashy stars get all the attention – and rightfully so – but having the likes of Stefan Noesen (coming off back-to-back 36+ point seasons) and Ondrej Palat on the 3rd line is pretty good too.

It’s Lazar’s job to help spearhead the 4th line and ensure very little bad happens when he’s on the ice.

It’s always good to chip in, of course, but I don’t think the Devils want or need much offense from Lazar. They just need strong forechecking, board play, and in-zone defense to make life as difficult on the opponents as possible.

Lazar did a very good job with that last season. Of the 11 Devils forwards to log 500+ minutes at 5v5, Lazar ranked 2nd in high-danger chance suppression. Let’s see more of that.

Kurtis MacDermid: Stop with the penalties

Let me preface this by saying MacDermid’s playstyle will naturally lead to a lot of penalties by way of fighting, roughing, and so forth. That’s completely fine. Like it or hate it, it’s his job to mix things up when he’s in the lineup. Is what it is.

What needs to stop is the unnecessary penalties that consistently put the Devils in a tough spot. Up four goals and somebody just took a healthy run at one of the team’s stars? Go nuts; do what you have to do. There’s a time and a place, though.

When the Devils are trying to start a game on a positive note, or a game is still up in the air, MacDermid can’t be slashing guys 10 seconds after the puck is gone, taking needless hooks on the backcheck when four guys are back, and so forth.

If that continues, he won’t be able to play.

Timo Meier: Keep on rolling

The first 75% of Meier’s season was very disappointing. Be it due to injuries, head-scratching usage, or a lack of consistency with linemates, Meier just couldn’t get going.

That changed in March. Combine improved health with a more appropriate role following a coaching change and Meier was every bit as good as advertised – and then some.

Meier scored 17 goals over his final 23 games, finding the back of the net more than all but Kirill Kaprizov and Filip Forsberg in that span.

His shot-generation numbers skyrocketed, he was lethal on the power play (imagine that!), and he looked downright unstoppable at times.

The power, speed, and high-end skill that made him a 40-goal scorer in 2022-23 were all on full display.

With better health, an even better supporting cast, and a clean slate under Sheldon Keefe, there’s no reason Meier shouldn’t pick up where he left off and be an elite producer from the word go.

Dawson Mercer: Maximize top-6 minutes