Revisiting Preseason New Jersey Devils Predictions

Previous to the season, most New Jersey Devils followers have been wanting ahead to what this season needed to provide. Even when this wasn’t a playoff group, they must be extra attention-grabbing than groups of earlier years, proper? Nicely, about that, the Devils ruined any hope we had for the season fairly early on. Each Miles Wooden and Mackenzie Blackwood bought harm within the preseason. Jack Hughes bought harm in recreation quantity two. The group began to disintegrate on the seams, and there was no wanting again.

Previous to the season, we tried to make predictions on some statistical classes, and a few got here out fairly good! Others, I appear like an fool. What else is new. Let’s take a stroll down reminiscence lane and see how I did on my preseason predictions.

1. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier Hit 60 Factors

This one went fairly properly! Clearly, we wouldn’t have predicted that Jack Hughes hit this threshold if we knew he was solely going to play 49 video games, however he got here fairly shut both approach. Hughes was 4 factors away from 60 factors, and Nico Hischier hit 60 factors proper on the nostril. We predicted that full seasons from Pavel Zacha and Jesper Bratt would assist Hischier attain new heights. Nicely, we have been half proper there.

2. Mackenzie Blackwood .920+ save proportion

Woof, this one went so dangerous. The Devils bought nothing from the goaltending place, even when Blackwood was in web. Blackwood suffered a heel harm within the preseason, and he was by no means the identical. The Devils tried giving him a number of weeks to get better originally of the season, however then they leaned on him an excessive amount of when Jonathan Bernier went down. Blackwood ended his season with a .892 save proportion, a full 28 proportion factors off this prediction.

3. Tomas Tatar simply will get to twenty targets

Am I dangerous at this? It’s very potential I’m dangerous at making predictions, however it doubtless received’t cease us This prediction must be embarrassing, however that half comes later. To be sincere, Tomas Tatar a minimum of scored 15 targets. It’s not like he was that removed from 20. Tatar had some respectable stretches, however he was too inconsistent for his personal good.

4. Devils rating north of three.0 targets per recreation

Hey! Possibly we aren’t so dangerous at this! The Devils did certainly rating greater than three targets per recreation, even when it was by the pores and skin of their enamel. They broke the brink. by literal proportion factors. In the event that they scored one much less aim, they’re most likely given the two.9 targets per recreation threshold. The Devils bought large seasons from Hischier, Hughes, Bratt, Yegor Sharangovich, and Dawson Mercer to assist the offense hit new heights. Offense as an entire went nuts this season, so the Devils nonetheless solely ranked nineteenth in targets per recreation. Final season, they might have ranked thirteenth with the identical targets per recreation stat.

5. Pavel Zacha leads in targets once more

Alright, high quality. I’m undoubtedly not good at this.