A 10 game winning streak has earned the Devils the No. 1 spot in the Metropolitan Division

Back in September of 2022, the New Jersey Devils did not even have a spot in the NHL’s Super 16 Ranking. Now, they are ranked No. 1 in the Metropolitan Division with 26 points and a ten game winning streak. They are currently 13-3-0. 

So, what has been working for the Devils?

Head coach Lindy Ruff has become almost accustomed to immediate success throughout his career. In 1997, he became the Buffalo Sabres’ head coach and took them to the Eastern Conference Final, and then the Stanley Cup Final the following season. In 2014, Ruff guided the Dallas Stars to their first playoff appearance since 2008. However, when he took over the New Jersey Devils in 2020 he did not see immediate success. In fact, the Devils finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division last season. 

His lack of immediate success inspired chants of “Fire Lindy” at the start of this season when the Devils were 0-2-0. However, Devils’ fans are singing a very different tune. They even began a “Sorry Lindy” chant during their ninth-straight win against the Arizona Coyotes Nov. 12, 2022. It would appear that Ruff has finally reached his groove with the Devils and they are looking to have a serious chance of making the Stanley Cup Final. 

Secondly, “The Big Deal” appears to be living up to his nickname. Jack Hughes was signed by the New Jersey Devils first pick overall in the 2019 NHL draft. Since being drafted, Hughes has tallied 126 points in 182 games. This season, he has put up 18 points in 16 games. It is clear that the Devils had high hopes for Hughes since he played 61 games in his first NHL season, and it would appear Hughes has lived up to their hopes as he led the team to a 5-1 victory against the Canadiens for their tenth straight win.  

Thirdly, starting goaltender Vitek Vanecek has been a key component of the Devils’ winning streak. This is Vanecek’s first season with the Devils and so far he has started eight games this season, winning seven of them. Vanecek has 205 saves this season and a save percentage of 0.915, he is truly a force to be reckoned with. 

The Devils have certainly exceeded everyone’s expectations for them. It will be exciting to see if they can maintain their strong play and make a run for the cup this season. 

Sources:

“Jack Hughes Stats and News.” NHL.com, https://www.nhl.com/player/jack-hughes-8481559.

“Lindy Ruff.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Oct. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_Ruff#New_Jersey_Devils.

“Super 16: Avalanche Start Preseason No. 1, East Teams Dominate Top Five.” NHL.com, NHL.com, 22 Sept. 2022, https://www.nhl.com/news/super-16-nhl-power-rankings-september-22/c-335672964.

“Vitek Vanecek Stats and News.” NHL.com, https://www.nhl.com/player/vitek-vanecek-8477970.