The New Jersey Devils’ season has been a mess-no way around it. From underwhelming performances on the ice to questionable decisions off it, things just haven’t clicked. And while there’s plenty of blame to go around, a few issues are standing out more than others.
Let’s start with the obvious: Jacob Markstrom hasn’t been the answer in net. That’s a problem when your team is struggling to find any kind of consistency.
Then there’s the front office move that raised more than a few eyebrows-extending GM Tom Fitzgerald for two more years. Locking in leadership during a season this turbulent?
That’s a bold call, and not necessarily in a good way.
But the problems don’t stop in the crease or the front office. The offense has gone ice cold.
Timo Meier, expected to be a game-changer, has gone quiet again. Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes-two of the team’s most dynamic offensive weapons-have lost their scoring touch.
And the secondary scoring? Practically nonexistent.
When your top-tier talent isn’t producing and the depth scoring disappears, you’re not going to win many hockey games.
Still, one of the more under-the-radar issues has been brewing since the preseason: the lack of a true bottom-six center. On paper, the Devils technically have four centers.
Jack Hughes is back on the top line after a brief stint alongside Nico Hischier, and Cody Glass has been a bright spot in a tough season, carving out a solid role. But beyond those three?
It gets murky fast.
Heading into training camp, the Devils had those three penciled in-and then a lot of question marks. Juho Lammikko was brought in from Finland’s Liiga, but he was always more of an emergency depth option than a nightly contributor. His recent trip to waivers pretty much confirms that.
Paul Cotter and Dawson Mercer have experience at center, but both are clearly more effective on the wing. That left the Devils scrambling for answers, which led to them offering Luke Glendening a professional tryout.
He earned a contract after a decent preseason showing-nothing flashy, but he held his own. He posted a goal and an assist in five games and put up slightly positive metrics across the board, including Corsi-for percentage and high-danger scoring chances.
But let’s be real: preseason success doesn’t always translate, especially when a good chunk of those minutes come against AHL-level competition. And in Glendening’s case, it hasn’t translated at all.
Through 48 games this season, Glendening has yet to score a goal and has only four assists to his name. At five-on-five, his line has been on the ice for just six goals while giving up 18, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Among all Devils skaters with at least 10 games played, Glendening has the worst goals-for rate per 60 minutes. His line is barely generating one goal per 60 minutes of ice time.
That’s not just a slump-that’s a black hole.
It’s clear the Devils can’t afford to keep rolling him out there every night. The offensive output just isn’t there, and the team needs to pivot-fast.
The good news? The solution might already be on the roster.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe has a chance to get creative here, and it starts with rethinking the lineup structure. Keefe hasn’t been a big fan of using 11 forwards and seven defensemen in the past, but right now, it might be the smartest move he can make.
Why? Because the Devils are facing a nightly dilemma on the blue line.
Dougie Hamilton’s recent play makes it nearly impossible to scratch him, but that leaves Keefe having to choose between Simon Nemec and Johnny Kovacevic. Nemec is a high-octane offensive defenseman with some defensive lapses, while Kovacevic is more of a steady, low-event player.
They bring different strengths, and having both in the lineup gives the Devils more flexibility.
So if you go 11-7, someone from the forward group has to sit. And the most logical choice is Glendening. The only argument for keeping him in is his faceoff ability-but that’s not enough to justify a roster spot when the rest of his game is dragging the team down.
Instead, the Devils could rotate the fourth-line center duties among several players. Lammikko and Cotter are currently playing wing on the fourth line, but inserting someone like Lenni Hämeenaho would give the team a more skilled, versatile look.
Glendening typically logs 10 to 13 shifts per game. Let’s say the average is 12-those shifts can be distributed strategically.
If Jack Hughes picks up two extra shifts, Nico Hischier adds three, Mercer and Glass take on a couple more, and players like Connor Brown and Timo Meier chip in, you’re only asking for an extra minute or two of ice time per player. That’s manageable, and it gives the Devils a chance to mix up their attack.
Right now, New Jersey is way too predictable. Opponents know what’s coming shift after shift.
But imagine throwing Hughes out there with Cotter and Hämeenaho for a couple of shifts, then following that with Meier anchoring a fourth-line look. That kind of unpredictability forces defenses to adjust-and that’s where you can create mismatches.
The bottom line is this: the Devils need to stop waiting for something to change and start making it happen themselves. Glendening isn’t working in the lineup.
The numbers show it, the eye test confirms it, and the results speak for themselves. If New Jersey wants any shot at clawing back into the playoff picture, they have to be willing to make bold, smart adjustments.
It’s time to shake things up. The talent is there. The creativity needs to follow.