Season Preview: 3 questions facing the Devils
theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
The New Jersey Devils surprised many last season thanks to goalie Cory Schneider, who helped the team stay in the playoff race for much of the season. Here are three questions facing the Devils in 2016-17:
Does it all depend on Schneider?
There's no doubt Schneider was the Devils' most valuable player last season, posting a 27-25-1 record and a .924 save percentage in 58 games. Most impressive is that he posted a winning record despite the Devils finishing dead last in goals for, as they found the back of the net just 184 times.
The Devils have revamped their offensive arsenal for the coming season, knowing they can't always rely on Schneider to cover the gaps.
The 30-year-old has seized his opportunity in New Jersey, and, despite missing last year's postseason by a dozen points, the Devils could once again surprise should the goaltender duplicate his performance.
Is Hall enough of an offensive boost?
The acquisition of Taylor Hall brings much-needed offense to the Devils, who averaged 2.24 goals per game last season.
Hall tallied 65 points last season with the Edmonton Oilers, which tops the Devils' biggest point producer, Kyle Palmieri (57). Beyond that, only two players cracked the 40-point plateau: Travis Zajac (42) and Adam Henrique (50). Furthermore, only four Devils reached double-digit goals, namely Palmieri, Henrique, Zajac, and veteran winger Mike Cammalleri, who finished with 14.
The 24-year-old Hall immediately becomes the Devils' top offensive threat, but the question will be whether he can once again reach 80 points, as he did in 2013-14. The top pick in the 2010 draft will be a key cog in pushing the Devils toward playoff contention.
Can the defensive core hold up?
The Devils paid a steep price to add Hall, trading away top defender Adam Larsson. As much as Hall adds to the offensive ranks, Larsson's departure leaves a significant hole on the blue line - one that wasn't addressed over the offseason.
The Devils will look to veteran defenseman Andy Greene to lead the way. Greene paced all Devils defensemen last season, averaging 22:57 in ice time, while Damon Severson was the top point producer from the back end, scoring 21 points. Blue-liners Jon Merrill, John Moore, and free-agent addition Ben Lovejoy, who won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, will battle for spots in the team's top-four defensive unit.
The Devils' bottom pairing could see a regular rotation, but young defenders Brandon Gormley and Seth Helgeson are both likely candidates. The team also added to its depth in signing veteran defenseman Kyle Quincey to a one-year deal. Quincey, 31, played 47 games with Detroit last season, recording 11 points.