Written By Neil Villapiano
It's fair to say that the New Jersey Devils have one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the NHL. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has done a fantastic job of building this team to where it is. With the likes of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Tyler Toffoli, Dawson Mercer, Dougie Hamilton, and more, the possibilities are endless with what this team can do. The question is, how do you put it all together and create the perfect Stanley Cup championship recipe? Let's take a swing at what the lines should look like to generate the most success.
First up, the forward lines.
Line 1: Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Timo Meier
There will certainly be a lot of talk as to who should be the top center for New Jersey. Hischier played most of last season on the top line and it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case this upcoming season. However, you want your top line to be your most dangerous scoring line and that's what you get here with Bratt, Hughes, and Meier. Jack's elite passing ability paired with two scorers makes this one of the most dynamic top lines in the entire league.
Line 2: Dawson Mercer - Nico Hischier - Tyler Toffoli
The image above shows one of the several aspects that this line can bring as New Jersey's second line. As mentioned before, Hischier could easily move up to the top line and you can pair Hughes with the two wingers here. However, I think this will be a little more efficient in terms of scoring with these three.
Mercer has gotten better and better each year in terms of goals and overall productivity. Hischier is ready to make his first real attempt at winning the Selke Trophy with his two-way game. Toffoli is a finisher that the Devils have been needing for a while and coming off a 30-plus goal season, he fits in perfectly with what the other two guys on this line can bring.
Line 3: Ondrej Palat - Erik Haula - Alexander Holtz
The third line is the most interesting to me in the sense that the two veterans are planted here to help one of the Devils' top prospects take their game to a new level. Ondrej Palat brings not just veteran, and championship experience, but is one of the most clutch players in the playoffs in the NHL today. His skills may be on the downward swing, but he can still provide serviceable scoring. Erik Haula not only had one of the best faceoff win percentages on the team but in the entire league last year. He also brings that speed and agitation that drives other teams crazy (particularly the Carolina Hurricanes).
The mystery is with Alexander Holtz. As I mentioned in my last article, it's not time to give up on the soon-to-be 21-year-old scorer. He just needs the right support and guidance around him to get going. He gets just that by playing alongside Palat and Haula. He also gets the chance to have better matchups where he can exploit other team's weaker third lines. Once he gets his confidence and scoring going, this third line creates one of the most talented top nines out there.
Line 4: Curtis Lazar - Michael McLeod - Nate Bastian
Depending on what happens with the 2018 Hockey Canada scandal, this line would and should look different. However, let's take a look at the fourth line in terms of the on-ice product. While the Devils do lack some physicality, these three guys can still crash and hit guys like there's no tomorrow. They also will be the team's energy line. They all bring a little bit of something to form a pretty formidable trio.
With Curtis Lazar, he provides a balanced combination of occasional scoring, grittiness, and penalty-kill success. He's also got speed which fits in well to what Lindy Ruff wants to do with his forwards. Michael McLeod was one of the best faceoff men in the NHL last season and should be up there again this year. The center is also a great penalty killer and was a big reason why the special teams improved. Nate Bastian is the wrecking ball with the ability to provide a little scoring touch here and there.
Let me know what your thoughts are on all the lines in the comments section below.
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