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The New Jersey Devils came within three wins of advancing to their first Eastern Conference Final since 2012 last season — and forward Erik Haula believes it's only a matter of time before the team goes on a deep run.
“Last year was a really fun year,” Haula said on Wednesday, per NHL.com's Jessi Pierce. “We definitely exceeded a lot of expectations for individuals, and as a team. Now just looking at some of the offseason moves to help build on last year, we're excited.”
The Devils traded for Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames in their biggest summer splash, and also added Tomas Nosek and Colin Miller. But most important for the squad was inking Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier to long-term deals that will keep them in Newark throughout the 2020s.
Although the team lost some key pieces as well, losing defenseman Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, along with forwards Jesper Boqvist and Miles Wood, Haula is still confident heading into the season.
“We can't pretend that we didn't lose some key pieces that were a big part of what we accomplished last year,” Haula explained, per Pierce. “But that's just an opportunity for everyone to take it to the next level. We've got a lot of young talent and I'm excited to get back and really settle in with New Jersey.”
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The 32-year-old was selected with the No. 182 overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild, and the veteran has bounced around to multiple teams before settling in New Jersey.
Haula signed a three-year, $9.45 million contract extension on June 23, after scoring 14 goals and 41 points in 80 regular-season contests. He added six points in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games as the Devils upset the New York Rangers in seven games before bowing out to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference semis.
“We're a young team,” Devils' Erik Haula asserted. “I've been around a lot and seen a lot of different teams and have been in a lot of different scenarios, so I like to think that I'll be able to bring something that they didn't necessarily have before.”
The New Jersey Devils are full of talent as they look to take the next step in the postseason and return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in over a decade.
