The best team and the worst in a statistical category will face off this Tuesday night at the Bell Centre, and you will NEVER believe who it is.
With 11 goals scored and only two allowed, the Canadian currently dominates the league at five against five. On the other hand, no one, so far, has done worse than the New Jersey Devils, who have scored only three small goals while conceding eight.
This is certainly not what the experts saw in their crystal ball, while the Devils were one of the best clubs on the circuit at even strength last year.
This team is not in a bad situation, mind you. On the offensive level, everything is fine. With a haul of 10 points, Jack Hughes is walking on water at the start of the season. And with an efficiency of 42.9%, the numerical advantage is devastating.
However, there are still many adjustments to make at five against five and with a numerical disadvantage. In this last category, the Devils are 26ethey who only served 70.6% of the punishments they received.
Since the advanced statistics say that goalkeepers Akira Schmidt and Vitek Vanecek are doing an honest job so far, a simple way to summarize the situation would be to say that everyone is still finding their feet defensively.
“It’s a fair assessment,” said head coach Lindy Ruff Tuesday morning. Last year, our defensive game was effective. We are not yet at that level. We still made some changes in defense and attack too. Finding our rhythm, as a group, takes time. The first 10 games of the season are for that. »
The changes Ruff talks about aren’t so much numerous as significant. In attack, Tyler Toffoli already completes Jack Hughes’ trio. On defense, the Devils now count on the full-time services of Luke Hughes, the other’s brother, and Kevin Bahl, who finally seems to solidify his place in the NHL. And Damon Severson, a pillar of recent years, now plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Hughes, a raw talent, is just beginning to learn the ropes of professional hockey. And Bahl, at 23, is not yet a finished product either. Of the latter, Lindy Ruff said it had been “ok” so far. He would like to see him gain confidence and speed of execution, especially in his defensive actions. As for Hughes, he is “driven by the desire to improve in all aspects of the game.” Which is generally seen as a good sign.
In short, it is probably only a matter of time before the Devils fully find their feet. Facing a team that played the day before, against a goalkeeper for whom it will be the first match of the season, could well help them in their approach.