3 reasons why the New Jersey Devils have been in a recent slump – Hockey Writer – New Jersey Devils

After the New Jersey Devils experienced so much heartbreak last season, it's easy for fans to start pointing fingers when things go wrong. In the midst of a four-game losing streak, it's clear the team needs to make some adjustments to stay in the playoffs.

There are several reasons for the Devils' recent struggles, and spoiler alert: goaltending should be the least of their worries. But as we all know, their current road trip has been nothing short of disastrous. Here are three major factors contributing to the Devils' recent slump.

1: Give up the first goal

Some things never change, and for New Jersey, that means giving up that first goal day in and day out. The team has played 42 games and allowed the opponent to score first 24 times. Obviously, the Devils can't start every game, but it certainly puts a damper on their current road trip.

They lost 3-0 to the Los Angeles Kings, which was a particularly hard pill to swallow. Despite outshooting the Kings for much of the game, the Devils again gave up the first goal. Timo Meier nearly tied the game, but his goal was overturned and the Kings added two more. The Devils gave up the first goal in all three games of their California road trip and therefore lost each game, which was no surprise.

The fact that the team has a habit of giving up first goals is concerning. Scoring first sets the tone for the remainder of the game, helping the team gain a psychological advantage and keep them in a defensive mindset. Things will definitely be different when New Jersey takes the lead. The team's record was 12-6-0 when opening the scoring, so Sheldon Keefe had to make the necessary changes to keep the Devils from falling behind.

No secondary rating

The Devils' lack of secondary scoring has become an increasingly clear problem. Erik Haula has not scored in his last 18 games, while Tomas Tatar has been scoreless since late November. The two have only contributed 20 points combined this season.

Injuries are also a major issue for the Devils' bottom six. Curtis Lazar missed 21 games due to knee surgery and has not scored since returning to the lineup. Nathan Bastian also missed a long period of time with a jaw injury and only had 2 goals and 3 assists in 24 games. Now, Haula is expected to miss time with an ankle injury, meaning the Devils' third line will need a backup center. Their best option remains Justin Dowling, who has just three points this season.

If the Devils want to remain in contention for a playoff spot, they need to either replace their bottom-six forwards or move for better scorers before the 2025 trade deadline. Without secondary scoring, teams can easily collapse in the playoffs, so it's important that their third and fourth lines of defense start to come into play.

Is the devil being “targeted”?

Players like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt have so much talent on offense that it's almost impossible for the team to be a “target.” However, the Devils have been shut out six times this season, which is already double the number that will occur in 2023-24. Two of those suspensions came from former Devils players Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood.

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While their recent lack of offensive success is concerning, one thing is for sure: the Devils still have a rock-solid goaltending duo. According to statistics, the Devils' goaltenders rank fourth in the league, allowing just 2.55 goals per game. The Devils' goalie tandem has a combined .907 save percentage (SV%) so far this season and has five shutout wins.

Although Jack Allen has not won a game since late November, he has recorded five wins, two of which have been clean sheets. Jacob Markstrom continues to perform well, tying for the second-most wins among all NHL goaltenders this season and posting a SV% of 0.911. The Devils may be in a slump offensively, but having a reliable goalie who can save the team when needed can make a huge difference.

Devils' success moves forward

Despite the Devils' struggles on the road trip, the team remains in a playoff position near the top of the Metropolitan Division. The good news is that their current problems are easily solvable. Scoring the first goal would help the Devils find momentum early instead of having to come back from behind. Once the team clarifies the secondary scoring situation, it will reduce the pressure on the superstars and allow for a more even distribution of playing time.

As long as they can rediscover their identity as an offensive powerhouse, the Devils should be able to turn their recent slump into a learning experience and get back on track.