At the quarter mark of the season, the New Jersey Devils have given fans plenty to be thankful for and giving room for optimism of better things to come.
By Patrick Comia
We are talking specifically at the New Jersey Devils, a team assumed to be out of the picture of the running for the playoffs, an after-thought with no visions of promise hockey experts and non-New Jersey fans.
But, the team has defied all that logic, making the impossible, possible. They have raised eyebrows, gave their fans a product on the ice they can cheer for again, and making things fun!
This past offseason, plenty of change occurred in the organization.
The Old Guard was gradually leaving to move onto other opportunities (i.e. former Devils President Lou Lamoriello), and a new wave of personnel took it’s place in the front office with the hiring of former Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Ray Shero.
READ MORE: Change Needs to Start Now For The New Jersey Devils
With that single move, a new sunrise could have been seen for the Devils and their fans. Though Lamoriello had accomplished so much in his two decade-long employment bringing glory in the form of three Stanley Cup Championships, something had to be done to get from under the rug that was covering the team since their last Final appearance in 2012.
READ MORE: Lou Lamoriello Bolts From New Jersey, Turns New Leaf
And overhaul was needed with fresh faces and new ways of doing things. Those were done, and the result so far has been favorable.
So, if you are a Devils fan, as you nibble on that turkey and drown your mashed potatoes in gravy, stop and reflect on what the team has accomplished. It might make all that food taste better and might prompt you to go back for fifths or sixths helpings!
Here are three things fans should thankful for on this day:
A big reason of where the Devils are where they are has to start with the man in net.
It’s had to been tough to get from under the shadow of future Hall of Famer and Devils all-time great Martin Brodeur, but he has certainly proven his worth!
A product of former general manager Lamoriello’s regime, he has been nothings short o brilliant for New Jersey.
He has (10) of the Devils (11) wins this season, and is ranked as one of the top goaltenders this season with a 2.05 goals against average (5th-NHL) and carries a .927 save percentage (8th-NHL).
However, he is on pace to start 78 games this season. That not going to fly, if you want to keep him fresh for a possible playoff run.
That’s where Keith Kincaid needs to assert himself as a competent backup for Schneider. He looks to be getting the start tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens, a true test of his abilities.
Barring injury, Devils hopes will lie on reliable goaltending from Schneider. He will be the ultimate thermometer of where New Jersey will stand at the end of the season.
At one time, he was the leading scorer for the team, however that’s been cooled as of late.
But, that doesn’t mean fans are not thankful to have the former Anaheim Ducks forward on the team.
Acquired at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft for a second-round draft choice, the veteran right winger has been a reliable, hard-working player for the Devils second-line.
He has registered (16) points with (7) goals and (9) assists, which is good for second on the team along with two of teammates (resurgent Adam Henrique and surprising Lee Stempniak).
Palmieri ranks 10th in the NHL with (4) power play points, which are all goals.
At this rate, he is on pace to exceed his previous seasons with the Ducks, setting career high in goals (27), assists (35), and points (62) at season’s end. His previous career highs in all three categories was in goals was (14) last season, (17) assists and (31) points in 2013-2014.
Another reason for fans to be thankful so far.
But, all of this success may not be possible with the fresh eyes of the man behind the bench this season.
Hynes has provided stability and honesty to a Devils team that has been in desperate need of those qualities.
And though they suffered a loss last night, the team is still above .500 and two points out of a playoff spot.
He has navigated this team to a 11-9-1 record with 23 points.
His youthful look (aside from the Professor Xavier resemblance) is perhaps the symbol of much-needed change in New Jersey.
[su_button url=”https://elitesportsny.com/2015/11/26/a-legend-gets-honored-on-thanksgiving/” target=”blank” background=”#000080″ size=”10″ wide=”yes” radius=”0″]NEXT: Brett Favre To Be Honored On Thanksgiving[/su_button]