The Hockey News’ NHL Hot Seat Radar series continues to unfold this off-season, continuing with the New Jersey Devils.
In these team-by-team files, we’re pointing out someone on the ‘hot seat’ as someone dealing with high expectations to produce above-average results or potentially make things awkward with their team. We’re also pointing out a person on the ‘cold seat’ who is safe and sound in their relationship with their team.
DEVILS’ HOT SEAT: JACOB MARKSTROM, G
Since he was acquired by trade from Calgary in mid-June, Markstrom has been heralded as the solution in net the Devils have been seeking for years now. Veteran Jake Allen will capably back up the 34-year-old Swede, but Markstrom will immediately be under scrutiny to justify the investment Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has made in him.
Markstrom enjoyed a bit of a bounce-back season with the Flames in 2023-24, posting a 2.78 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 48 appearances on a subpar Calgary squad. Those numbers were better than his 2.92 GAA and .892 SP in 2022-23 but weren’t as strong as his 2.22 GAA and .922 SP in 2021-22. He will be playing behind what should be a better defense corps this coming season, but he must hold up his end of the bargain by delivering at least the same individual numbers he generated with the Flames last year.
Markstrom’s $5-million cap hit runs for the next two seasons. At the end of that stretch, he’ll be approaching his late thirties. As the Devils try to put last year’s colossal competitive step back behind them, they’ll need Markstrom to keep them in games and let their high-octane offense take over.
With Allen on board, Markstrom can look forward to likely playing about 50 games in 2024-25 – which should result in a sharper, stronger Markstrom. But if that doesn’t happen, and Markstrom falters, next summer promises to be even more dramatic for Markstrom and the Devils.
DEVILS’ COLD SEAT: JACK HUGHES, C Injuries limited Hughes to just 62 games last season, but the 23-year-old center still managed to put up 47 assists and 74 points in that span. That makes him one of the NHL’s best bargains at an annual salary of $8 million for the next four seasons.
Hughes is still just tapping into his genius-level vision and feel for the NHL games. While Fitzgerald focused his 2024 off-season on improving New Jersey’s defensive performance, the Devils still need Hughes and the team’s forwards to do their share of the heavy lifting. There’s no possible way the Devils will even consider trading Hughes, making his cold seat one of the coldest in all of hockey. As he continues to flourish and begin settling into his prime, Hughes can rest assured knowing he can help lead his team to greater times. Last season should be a competitive aberration that will be quickly forgotten if New Jersey rises through the Metropolitan Division and becomes a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Along with brother and Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Jack Hughes will be one of hockey’s most dynamic performers. And New Jersey’s level of success will rest in no small part on what Jack Hughes does on the ice. Given what he’s done thus far in his NHL career, that should be a great comfort to Devils fans
