New Jersey Devils {3rd overall} Eastern Conference, Metropolitan Division
New Jersey missed being their division champions by one point, the Devils won 52 games earning 112 points for the best regular season in this franchise’s history then opened the playoffs by dropping the first two games before earning two shutouts and taking the series in seven games.
Two seasons ago goaltender Akira Schmid was 0-4 then this past November he earned his first victory but was fourth on the depth chart and became the backup at the end of the 2022-23 regular NHL season.
Mr. Schmid started last season’s playoffs as the backup and when New Jersey went down 2-0 he replaced Mr. Blackwood in the third game in net winning his first playoff game in overtime and then pitched two shutouts to help New Jersey advance.
New Jersey has all the right things going for them, offense, defense, startling good goaltending with Mr. Schmid and Mr. Vanecek, Centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and with Dougie Hamilton leading the ninth overall defense in the league the future is brightly lit towards their fourth Cup.
Buffalo Winter 