The 2025 NHL playoffs are going to be here before we know it and the Devils need to make changes before then if they are looking to make a deep playoff run.
With the trade deadline coming up on March 7, now is the time for GM Tom Fitzgerald to really look at his team.
The Devils are a good team at surface level. Their star players – Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Jacob Markstrom – have done everything they could to get their team to where they are now. But, the lack of depth the Devils currently have is a good reason to raise some concerns.
The Devils offense quite literally relies on Hughes, Bratt and Hischier. If these players are not having a good game, odds are the Devils are going to have a tougher game. So who needs to step their game up and what changes need to be made?
Unfortunately for Timo Meier, the points are not there this season. But he is one of the most hardworking players on the ice every night, so why does he not have as many points as usual? It’s an easy answer for an easy question, Meier is not used on the first unit of the powerplay. In the 2024-25 season so far, Meier has only had seven power play goals. Considering how good the Devils power play is, most of the time the first unit has scored before Meier even gets a chance to get on the ice. Despite not having as many points as fans would like, Meier has been good on the physical side and creating chances for his linemates.
Since Meier has not panned out to be the top-six goal scoring winger some fans were expecting, Devils management need to get out there and search for someone to play on Hughes’ wing.
Should the Devils look at someone like Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken as a short-term option? Or should the Devils be thinking long-term?
There is not much to say about the Devils bottom-six. Not much is working for them as a whole and they need a fresh face in the lineup. Concerns around Haula, Lazar and Bastian have risen as these three players have not been adding much to the lineup. Players like Paul Cotter and Dawson Mercer have also caught some heat. Cotter’s style of play does not bring in points, but he is that physical presence in the bottom six that every team needs. Mercer has faded into a middle six player and most likely will stay that way for his career. Although he does not have as many points as the stars, he is reliable on the penalty kill and the defensive side of the game.
A bottom-six player who can get some points on the board is desperately needed for the Devils. The top two lines cannot be the only lines that are producing if the Devils think they have a shot in the playoffs.
Is Montreal forward Jake Evans a good fit in New Jersey? Or is someone like Ryan Donato preferred?
The Devils defense has been as good as you can ask for. With an injury to Jonas Siegenthaler, the Devils need to figure out if they want Simon Nemec or Seamus Casey in the lineup. With the postseason looming, HC Sheldon Keefe needs to work out the kinks in the defensive pairs and stop shuffling them.
In a rare turn of events, Devils goaltending does not need any additional help. With the return of Jacob Markstrom soon, he will resume his starting position in between the pipes. Jake Allen and Nico Daws did a fine job covering for him. When Markstrom returns, he will be taking a good amount of the games, giving Allen time to rest between games because he is not a goaltender that should be starting every game. The duo of Markstrom and Allen will be able to give the Devils a shot in every game.
What changes need to be made to the Devils lineup? Who do you think the Devils should go after before the trade deadline?
