20-21 Devils Season Review

Continued progress and a step in the right direction.

That is the summary of the season that the Devils had. After an up and down year from the New Jersey Devils, GM Knedel is happy with where the team is at, in terms of the plan that was set forth when Knedel was appointed GM. This is the first we have heard from Knedel since the end of the season, when the Devils missed out of the playoffs by roughly 6 points. In his 2nd full season at the helm, New Jersey is an above .500 team for the first time since the 16-17 season.

“The season was a big step forward for this group, as you saw many of our young players step up and take more of a commanding role than years prior. We had many highs and an equal amount of lows. This season saw the team go on an 8 game winning streak and showed what this team could be capable of. We were all over the standing this season in a very competitive Metro division this year. Looking to next season we look to take that next step and compete for a playoff spot and not land at the back end of the draft lottery.”

In terms of guys stepping up, many of our guys had career seasons:

Barzal - 85 points (MVP & Top Scorer for the 3rd straight season)

DeBrincat - 78 points (Top  Goal Scorer)

Carlo - 44 points

Cole - 41 points (Top Defenseman)

Skjei - 38 points

“Making big moves is what this organization needed to do. Bringing in DeBrincat shows how much of an impact it can have. The pairing of Barzal and DeBrincat saw both of them reach new heights and an instant bond and chemistry formed. If you look at the box scores when one of them scored more than likely the other one had an assist on the goal. Hornqvist was brought in with some wondering if it was too much. His performance showed that it was worth it, posting 28 goals and 33 assists.”

“Even the new guys got in on the action. Ilya Mikheyev and Victor Olofsson showed that they are going to be important pieces moving forward. As an organization we were pleased to see these two rookies excel in their roles and contribute to the team. Choosing our Rookie of the Year award was a tough decision but ultimately it was given to Mikheyev based upon the numbers. We now await the EHE End-of-Season awards to see if either one of them can capture the 2021 Calder Trophy.”

Moving into the offseason the Devils fell to the 14th overall pick in the upcoming entry draft, due to the Leafs jumping up to 1st overall. After not picking in the 1st round last season, the plan is to stay at 14 but who knows anything can happen before New Jersey is on the clock.

With an already full roster and another 6 prospects graduating to either Springfield or New Jersey, there won’t be too many signings this offseason for the Devils. Look for impact guys and maybe some veterans to fill the cracks to help this team make the playoffs for the first time since the 15-16 season.