The New Jersey Devils were looking like the class of the National Hockey League before their two best centers went down with injury. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are the engines that make this team run, and both have been on the shelf for nearly all of November. And the results have been, if somewhat expected, certainly disappointing for the fan base in Newark.
The Devils are mired in a three-game losing skid and have lost four of five dating back to Nov 4. And they've struggled mightily to keep the puck out of their own net, giving up 22 goals over that span. Both Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid have been disappointing, and neither have provided the kind of netminding worthy of a Stanley Cup contender.
But honestly, it's impossible to tell what kind of team this is without Hughes and Hischier. And the club was dealt another disheartening injury blow on Thursday.
Injuries piling up in Newark
Ahead of the Devils' clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pennsylvania on Thursday night, the team announced that Timo Meier was a game-time decision after being banged up during a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Meier has scored a goal in each of his last three games and is just starting to heat up, with 11 points in 14 contests.
It goes without saying that it would be another crucial loss if Meier was unable to suit up on Thursday. Jack Hughes was already ruled out for the game, although it looks like he's getting closer as he continues to maintain a week-to-week timetable. He'll miss his fifth consecutive game, but could be an option for Saturday night against the New York Rangers.
That probably isn't the case for Hischier, who was placed on injured reserve by the team on Tuesday and didn't join the club for its two-game road trip. He can return from the IR whenever he's ready, but it looks like he could take a few more days to get into game shape than Hughes. Regardless, this team needs all three players to be healthy if they hope to compete for a top spot in a competitive Metropolitan Division.
But although it's been a dark few weeks in Newark, defensemen John Marino has gotten off to a phenomenal start.
John Marino has been fantastic
Dougie Hamilton was the driver of the bus on the back end for the Devils last season, and it looked like it would be Luke Hughes early in 2023-24 after he usurped Hamilton for a spot on the top powerplay unit to play with his older brother. And while both have been good, John Marino has quietly earned a second-pairing spot, and he's put up a goal and ten points in 14 games with no powerplay exposure at all.
That is seriously impressive. Marino is on a five-game point streak, and after scoring his first of the season on Tuesday, he looks poised to continue providing excellent minutes for his team going forward. Like the rest of New Jersey, Marino could be better defensively, but he's been a pleasant surprise through a tough stretch.
Dawson Mercer continues to disappoint
While Marino continues to impress from the back end, Dawson Mercer continues to flounder up front. After being drafted with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, he turned heads in his rookie season, scoring 42 points in 82 games in 2021-22. And he broke out last year, adding 27 goals and 56 points over another full campaign.
The young Canadian seemed poised to improve on those totals this year, especially with a look in the top-six and exposure to the second powerplay group. But that hasn't been the case at all this year, despite the fact he's been skating as the team's second-line center with Hughes and Hischier on the shelf.
Somewhat shockingly, Mercer has accounted for just three goals and no assists over 14 games. The good news is, he's on a two-game goal streak, with tallies against the Capitals and Jets in back-to-back contests. Still, this team needs him to step up in the absences of their two premier centers, and that hasn't been the case in the early part of the year. The hope is that the goal streak can continue for a player who has been a massive disappointment in 2023-24, but has huge potential to bounce back.
When the New Jersey Devils are healthy, they are one of the better teams in the NHL — and they've showed it. But the treading water continues until Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier are all on the ice together again.
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