The first half of the season has been one of best in the history of the New Jersey Devils franchise. The Devils are on pace for over 100 points and hold a similar record to the 2022-23 team that finished with 52 wins and 112 points. Aspirations of bringing the Stanley Cup to Newark as early as this spring are not distant fantasies. There is however, a glaring issue that is arising as the Devils have had a difficult week since returning from the holiday pause. The lack of production from the entire bottom-six forward group is concerning. The Devils are 9-7-1 in their 17 games since American Thanksgiving.
Over this stretch, Erik Haula, Dawson Mercer and Paul Cotter have combined for nine points. Mercer has six of those points, and Cotter found the back of the net twice over the last four games.
The fourth line has not faired much better. Since a November 25 victory over the Nashville Predators saw Tomas Tatar and Justin Dowling combine for three points. The Devils have gotten one point from the line. Nathan Bastian has not found the score sheet in 12 games since returning from a jaw injury. Curtis Lazar also has yet to record a point since his return just prior to the Christmas break.
Fixing the Bottom-Six Problem from Within
The easiest answer is from within the organization. Sheldon Keefe has shuffled the lineup around early in the season when minor issues arose, but has kept it stagnant throughout December. The Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Stephan Noesen could see Cotter bump up and replace Meier. Moving Ondrej Palat down to the third line and bringing up Mercer to skate alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt could also benefit. Mercer would have some of the pressure off of him and allowing him to find his scoring touch. That would leave Haula in between Palat and Meier, providing a third line with some grit and playmaking ability.
Nolan Foote has continued to develop in Utica. Foote has once again found himself on the wrong side of the roster crunch. The 24-year-old has skated in 25 games across five season with the Devils, but has never been able to stick with the main roster. With 16 points in 24 games with the Utica Comets in the AHL, perhaps another call-up could help spark his career and give the Devils a few more goals.
See What is on the Market
Of course, trades always sound good in your head, but they are easier said the done. The Devils have plenty of defensive depth and prospects that could be packaged for a depth NHL forward. Tom Fitzgerald could look to acquire someone like Kiefer Sherwood. He currently sits at 12 goals and 19 points with the Vancouver Canucks. With rumors of J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson being on the block, perhaps Vancouver would be more willing to sell before the deadline. At only a $1.5 million cap hit for the remainder of the season, Sherwood would be a cheaper option over both Bastian and Tatar while sliding into the same role near the bottom of the lineup.
Waiver Claim
The Devils could also feel inclined to address their issues in the bottom-six through a waiver claim on Arthur Kaliyev. The $875,000 cap hit that Kaliyev would give the Devils makes him a a low-risk move to inject a little life into the lineup. Kaliyev has yet to play this season due to injury, but has scored 27 goals over the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. It might not be the flashiest of moves that most Devils fans are looking for, but taking a chance on a former second round pick who could thrive with a change of scenery could be what saves the Devils season.
Main Photo: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
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