In a decisive month like March, the New Jersey Devils need more than ever to secure victories and points if they still want to advance to the postseason. However, in seven games this month, the team has only won two of them. It is still early to say whether changes in the team, such as Vitek Vanecek’s departure, the arrival of other goalkeepers, and Travis Green’s strategy as interim head coach, will have the desired effect on the standings and style of play, or if all of this was in vain for 2023-24.
However, the current scenario is that the Devils’ defense has left much to be desired throughout the season. Check out the following brief summary of how the team’s main defenders have performed so far.
Jonas Siegenthaler, Dougie Hamilton
Jonas Siegenthaler is a big, 6-foot-2, 218-pound defenseman who started in the NHL with the Washington Capitals and arrived in New Jersey as part of the team’s overhaul. Offensively, he doesn’t stand out much, but he wins board battles to protect the backline, denies zone entries, and executes first passes with quality. His experience and maturity in the game are what make him one of the team’s highlights, despite being seldom mentioned or praised during games.
However, for this season, injuries have hindered his performance and kept him out of the lineup for many games, which certainly was crucial in increasing the Devils’ defensive fragility. He has nine points (one goal, eight assists), 68 hits, and 79 blocks in 49 games this season. After taking an elbow to the head against the New York Rangers on March 11, Siegenthaler is sidelined and not playing due to a concussion.
Dougie Hamilton needs no introduction. He is one of the top defensemen in the league. It was one of general manager Tom Fitzgerald’s best trades and had his most productive season in 2022-23 when he scored 74 points (22 goals, 52 assists). He is sorely missed when he is not in the lineup, and his injury disrupted the defensive scheme for the entire current season.
Related: Devils Paying the Price Without Dougie Hamilton
With only 20 games played this season, Hamilton is the cornerstone of the Devils, and there is no other player up to the task of assuming the responsibility he has and the security he provides to the rest of the roster. Injuries are something teams have no control over; it simply happens, but it cannot be denied that it was a key factor in the defensive breakdown of the Newark team.
Kevin Bahl, John Marino
Another big guy is Kevin Bahl, 6-foot-6, 229 pounds, a young defenseman, spacious on the ice, and a defensive player by essence. His style of play has been more physical, and protective, without great offensive skills, being an option for the penalty kill.
He still needs to improve his game, and as he gains more experience in the league, the tendency is for him to solidify and give more security to the team during games. For now, he hasn’t made a big impact, and he also doesn’t seem to be the necessary piece to actually improve the team’s defense. Maybe in two or three seasons.
John Marino is a top-four young defenseman acquired by the Devils in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins and is in his second season with the Newark team. Despite being young, 26 years old, he already has 317 career games. He had an excellent rookie season with the Penguins, with a very solid game as a Devil.
Marino seems to be finding his best form and has been important at times for the team. He has a lot to grow with New Jersey, but 2023-24 has not been his breakout season. Even so, he is not one of the main defensemen responsible for the Devils’ defensive failure. Currently, he has been getting more playing time, but he is also dealing with an injury and will be out of the lineup for a while.
Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec
Luke Hughes is a promising star. In his second season in the league, he is already considered a big name along with his other brothers, Jack and Quinn. He is one of those young players who take responsibility even with little experience, which has earned him good performances.
This season, he has managed to stay free from major injuries and has played every single game (66 games, eight goals, 25 assists). His greatest highlight is his ability and dexterity with the puck, something different for a defenseman. Currently, he occupies the first pairing and takes on the role of number one in the absence of Hamilton. Despite making some mistakes, it’s considered normal for a young player in a maturing phase. He is the least guilty of the current defensive situation of the team.
Simon Nemec, second pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, is also a promising defenseman, a diamond that needs to be polished, just like Luke Hughes. When the two played together on the same pairing, the Devils had an offensive boost. He has received plenty of opportunities so far, played 44 games, and scored 18 points (three goals, 15 assists).
With a 5.2 shooting percentage, he has helped the Devils have more presence in the attack. However, he needs to mature a lot more and solidify his game further. Green has already left him out to make one or two changes in this new phase of the Devils, but he shouldn’t be a healthy scratch or play in the American Hockey League (AHL); his place is in the main team. In the next few years, he might be elite, but for now, too much should not be demanded of the young defenseman.
Brendan Smith, the Weakest Piece of the Puzzle
Brendan Smith was a first-round, 27th pick in the 2007 NHL Draft. A veteran, he has always had limited play and not much ice time. Offensively, he even played as a forward during his career, but his style of play has been more focused on the penalty kill. He had an offensive glimpse during the 6-3 NHL Stadium Series win against the Philadelphia Flyers, when he scored a goal, and an assist, and had a plus-4 rating. But overall, he is underutilized and has contributed the least to the Devils so far this season.
In summary, this is the panorama of the main defensive characters of the Devils this season. From what has been analyzed, it is noticeable that Hamilton’s injury was the major blow the team received, and New Jersey is a bit lost without him. On the other hand, most of the players are young and will mature and gain more consistency in their game as they continue to develop.
The veterans contribute little, either due to lack of skill or because of injuries that also interfered. That said, there is still time to secure a playoff spot. The Devils sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division, five points behind the Philadelphia Flyers. In the wild card, the situation is more difficult. They are six points away from the Tampa Bay Lightning, who currently hold the last spot.