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Playoff hockey is back for the New Jersey Devils. After missing the post-season last year, the Devils bounced back this campaign and are set to square off against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round because of it.
Facing the Hurricanes will be no easy task for the Devils, as they are a very talented team with plenty of depth. The Canes finished this season second in the Metropolitan Division with a 47-30-5 record and will have a home-ice advantage.
With all of this, let's look at three Devils who are clear X-factors for them against the Canes now.
Jacob Markstrom
If the Devils hope to get by the Hurricanes and go on a long playoff run, they will need Markstrom to be on his A-game. When playing at his best, the 35-year-old goaltender is a legitimate star, and the Devils will be hoping for him to be just that this post-season.
Markstrom was one of the reasons why the Devils got back into the playoffs this year. In his first season in New Jersey this year, he had a 26-16-6 record, a 2.50 goals-against average, a .900 save percentage, and four shutouts.
Jesper Bratt
Bratt will undoubtedly have a lot on his shoulders during the playoffs for the Devils. With fellow superstar Jack Hughes out, the Devils will surely need Bratt to continue to carry their offense for them.
Bratt certainly has the potential to do just that for the Devils, as he was marvelous for them this campaign. In 81 games, he scored 21 goals and recorded new career highs with 67 assists and 88 points.
Nico Hischier
Like Bratt, Hischier will also have a lot of responsibility when it comes to producing offense this post-season with Hughes out. This is especially so when noting that Hischier is the club's first-line center and both their power play and penalty kill units.
Hischier is also coming off a strong season with the Devils. In 75 games with the Metropolitan Division club, the 2017 first-overall pick posted scored a career-high 35 goals and recorded 69 points.
Recent Devils News
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New Jersey Devils Star Entering Playoffs Red-HotWhile Timo Meier's numbers were a bit lower than expected for his standards this campaign, he was still one of the New Jersey Devils' top offensive contributors. In 80 regular-season games, the 6-foot-1 winger finished third on the Devils with 26 goals and fourth on the team with 53 points.
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Former Devils Goalie Has Thrived With New TeamDuring this past off-season, former New Jersey Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Nashville Predators. This was after the 32-year-old netminder posted a 16-7-5 record, a .899 save percentage, and a 2.85 goals-against average in 32 games with the Dallas Stars in 2023-24.
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Devils Announce Roster Moves Ahead Of PlayoffsThe New Jersey Devils' regular-season came to an end on April 16 with a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Now, the playoffs are here for the Devils, and they are set to face off against the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 1 of the first round on April 20.Continue reading...
