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As New Jersey Devils As they prepare for another year, hoping to go further in the playoffs than they did in 2022-23, some may be wondering how long their window to compete is. On the surface, there are issues like the ages of Jacob Markstrom and Doug Hamilton, who are considered the two most important factors for success in 2024-25. But deeper still is the question of how well the forwards perform, and how everyone will fit into the salary cap as more of the younger players’ entry-level contracts expire. Today, I want to take a deeper look at how the forwards perform.
Looking at today’s NHL scoring leaders, Nikita Kucherov set a career high at age 30, Nathan MacKinnon followed suit with his first 140 points at age 28, Connor McDavid broke 150 at age 26, David Pastrnak broke the 100-point mark at ages 26 and 27 with 113 and 110 points, respectively, and Artemi Panarin broke 100 points for the first time at age 32, reaching 120. The youngest of the top 10 NHL scorers in the 2023-24 season is none other than 27-year-old Connor McDavid. If you expand the list to the top 20 scorers, the youngest is 24-year-old Quinn Hughes (92) — about a year younger than the next youngest on the list, Cale Makar (90) and Elias Pettersson (89).
Currently, the Devils’ forward core consists of Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Timo Maier, Jesper Blatt and Dawson Mercer. Those five are the only players with 20-goal or more seasons returning for the 2023-24 season. Timo Maier is the oldest, turning 28 in October. Jesper Blatt is right behind him, turning 26 at the end of the month. Nico will join him in January. Jack Hughes will turn 24 during the 2024-25 playoffs, and Dawson Mercer will turn 23 in October. For some, it’s hard to avoid the feeling that their favorite team is just… Race against time. Time is the enemy of sports fans and professional athletes.
But when do hockey players peak? Considering that no forward among the league’s top 20 scorers is younger than 26 (Kaprizov, who turns 27 in April), and that most of the top scorers are in their late 20s or early 30s, you’d think elite players would stay elite longer. In today’s NHL, elite forwards appear to hit their scoring peak between ages 26 and 30. With only three of the five core forwards in that range by 2024-25, the Devils need to see better play from Meyer, Hischell, and Blatt. As the “veterans” of the top six (except for the 30-something non-scorers they stick with year-round in Hughes), high production is a necessity.
I would love to see Hisschel replicate or improve upon his age-24 season, when he posted 80 points in 81 games. Of course, Blatt set a career-high with 83 points in 2023-24 and will look to improve again. Meanwhile, Timo Meier needs to build on his performance after the 2024 All-Star break. In the 35 games since, Meier has 19 goals and 15 assists. In the 34 games before that, he had nine goals and nine assists. If this trio stays on a line, I think it would be best suited against an opponent’s top line, as they have a combination of skill, size, speed, and defensive ability, and I expect them to be around a point per game or higher this upcoming season. A top matchup line that sets the tone is critical to making the Devils tougher to handle.
Jack Hughes, on the other hand, is the type of player who peaks in his early 20s — and hopefully never leaves that peak. With a surgically repaired shoulder, I’m looking forward to a sequel to his 43-goal, 99-point season. Is 100 points possible? As long as Jeremy Colliton plays well on the power play (Jack has nine goals and 22 assists in each of the past two seasons), that should be the goal. Not only would it mean the Devils have the energy they need to get back to the playoffs, it would also mean not letting his older brother Quinn outscore him in another season.
The real question in all of this is Dawson Mercer. After putting up 42 and 56 points in his first two seasons, his 20-goal, 13-assist slump stands out as he seeks an extension. Having not heard or seen anything about it, I have to wonder – are they discussing a long-term extension, or is Tom Fitzgerald trying to get Dawson to sign a one-year transitional deal to transition into the next restricted free agent year, as they have done with Blatt multiple times before finally signing him to a long-term deal? Personally, I’m not particularly worried about Mercer. Mercer has seen little power-play scoring in his career, and he has yet to miss a game. If he can stay in shape and keep his head clear next to a healthy Jack Hughes, I’m sure Dawson will bounce back. This is especially true of his assist numbers, which have been a major contributor to his drop in production.
This doesn’t even include the defensive players. I talked about this last weekHughes and Nemec turned 21 in September and February, respectively, and they are still a few years away from the prime of their careers. Thankfully, with the addition of veterans and the return of Dougie Hamilton, the Devils’ forwards won’t have to rely on younger defensive counterparts to win in the coming seasons. In addition, with the back line’s defensive ability restored, the team’s forwards should be able to get to the offensive zone more often. and Reduce loss.
Alex recently Talking about what Sheldon Keefe has to prove this yearI want to add one very specific thing here. Keefe not only needs to prove that he can lead new players to success, he also needs to prove that he That rascal This could transform the New Jersey Devils from a sprint-centric team into one that can beat opponents in the loop game, extending offensive opportunities beyond the initial entry and scoring opportunities. The Devils have a lot of strong skaters — especially when guys like Meyer, Blatt and Hisschel get low and keep the puck on their sticks. Dawson Mercer and Jack Hughes add a lot of mobility, even if they could still handle some weight gain. Pairing that skating ability with their passing ability to extend offensive possessions is something the Devils have somehow been unable to do over the past few years, but finding that loop game is necessary to achieve the recent gains in production many of the league’s top 20-something scorers have seen.
If the Devils can mature their offensive style, they should find at least one or two of their own players to be among the league’s top scorers this upcoming season. However, if Keefe and Colliton can’t succeed where the previous coaches failed, the team will remain too predictable. While being too predictable and relying on the rushing game may not stop them Production Improved defense and goaltending in the playoffs will stop them Winning They are still in the early stages at that stage. They still have many years to compete from now, but it is best not to waste any time.
your thoughts
What do you think about the fact that so many of the league’s top scorers are around 28, 29 or 30 years old? Who on the Devils do you think can reach the next level? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
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