New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils. Yikes. Thank the world for a three game winning streak to end the calendar year.
Other than this three game stretch, there has been a whole lot of nothing.
Taylor Hall is fine, but it is impossible to match what he did last season. Cory Schneider is hurt once again. Keith Kinkaid is a reliable goalie, but nothing more.
What is great for the Devils, and this is about it, is momentum. The Devils are not only starting to string together some home wins, vs the Hurricanes and Canucks in their last two, but they have a new goalie.
They now have Mackenzie Blackwood and he is coming off two straight shut outs. He even was one of the stars of the week this last week to end the year.
The Devils could make the playoffs, but they probably won’t. That is about the nicest I could put it. They are coming around, but are still a not-ready roster.
However, if they could end they year not being miserable to watch, that is fine.
The Devils are still in a re-build. The playoff season last year was not a fluke, but not something set in stone either. The Devils are still building a young core around Hall and Nico Hischier.
They still need some prospects to be ready to come up like Michael McLeod, who has minutes, but barely.
Now, the Devils’ resolution should be to try to climb up the East, but that is obvious.
New Year’s Resolution: Give Mackenzie Blackwood the reps of a number one goalie, fight to finish top 12 in East.