What has happened, and what might happen over the final three months of the regular season and beyond for the Devils? Let’s look:
Devils (25-20-5, tied for second wild card)
Overview
This was the first season since 1986 on which the Devils embarked without Lou Lamoriello in charge, and the first time since that Hall of Fame hire they entered a season having missed the playoffs for three consecutive previous seasons.
Lamoriello hired new general manager Ray Shero this past summer, intending to stay on in the role of team president even as the group decided to hire first-time NHL coach John Hynes. But by July, Lamoriello had accepted the job as GM of the Maple Leafs, and the Devils were expected to flounder.
Instead, Hynes has done an excellent job in getting an underwhelming roster to compete hard on a nightly basis, and they are certainly in the mix with the struggling big boys of Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Montreal for a wild-card spot.
Most valuable player
Cory Schneider. A nice trade to remember Lamoriello by would be when he moved the ninth-overall pick in 2013 to the Canucks in exchange for Schneider, and then signed the goalie to a seven-year, $42 million extension. Rightfully earning his first All-Star appearance, Schneider, 29, has been the backbone for a team still trying to find its way.
Most disappointing player
Travis Zajac. A team leader who has done an admirable job contributing in the locker room while becoming assimilated to a new coaching staff, Zajac has struggled to put up points. The seven goals and 23 points in 42 games is not commensurate with his $5.75 million annual salary-cap hit that runs through 2020-21. If there have been some good surprise contributions, it’s players such as Zajac who need to take the reins down the stretch.
Outlook
Shero doesn’t have the pressure of needing to make the playoffs this season, and with his roster containing 13 players with pending free agencies — nine unrestricted and four restricted — he might be wise to look towards the future.
As long as it’s not a complete overhaul, the Devils will make it an interesting spring in Newark for the first time in a long time. Though they likely will miss the postseason, Shero should have some good draft picks and prospects in his pocket, and the future looks bright.