NEWARK, NJ — Lindy Ruff was surprised with the impact Jack Hughes made in his third NHL season in 2021-22 and looks forward to the New Jersey Devils center having even greater success this season.
The Devils open training camp Wednesday at the Prudential Center.
“I think when you look at what Jack did, I was surprised that he probably got to that level last year in terms of his goal scoring,” the Devils coach said. “You look at 26 goals and he was hurt twice. So I pictured a more dynamic, playmaking, and maybe secondary scorer, but I think he’s proven to me now that he can be both.
“He can score, and he can create a lot of open space for the guys he plays with.”
Hughes missed 17 games because of a dislocated shoulder and 13 with a left knee injury, but still emerged as an offensive force with 56 points (26 goals, 30 assists) in 49 games. The 21-year-old led the Devils in points per game (1.14), power-play goals (six) and shooting percentage (15.8 percent; minimum 10 games played) and was first among New Jersey forwards in average ice time (19: 34).
He begins an eight-year, $64 million contract ($8 million average annual value) this season that he signed Nov. 30, 2021.
Ruff likes the acquisitions the Devils made this offseason too, including two experienced veterans in forward Ondrej Palatwho signed a five-year, $30 million contract ($6 million AAV) on July 14, and defenseman Brendan Smithwho signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract ($1.1 million AAV) on July 13. New Jersey also acquired goalie Vitek Vanecek in a trade with the Washington Capitals on July 8, forward Erik Haula in a trade with the Boston Bruins on July 13, and defenseman John Marino in a trade wtih the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 16.
Ruff discussed, among other things, his optimism, Palat, goalie Mackenzie Blackwoodand defenseman Simon Nemec, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, in a Q&A with NHL.com:
New Jersey has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past four seasons and nine times in the past 10. How optimistic are you entering your third season as Devils coach?
“Very optimistic. I think if you look up front with Ondrej Palat, we added a couple of defensemen, and we brought in a goaltender. If our goaltending can stay healthy, I think there are times we could play with anybody. We can beat a lot of the best teams in the League.”
What does Palat bring to you lineup?
“It’s a winning pedigree. Coming off two Stanley Cup championships (2020, 2021) and being the type of guy that when the game is on the line, he’s proven he’s been the guy that showed up there for the Lightning. He knows how to play the game the right way. He knows what it takes. I think that all that stuff spills over with some of our guys for sure.”
Video: Ondrej Palat signs 5-year/$30 million deal with NJD
How confident are you that Blackwood can get back to the form he had in his rookie season in 2019-20, when he was 22-14-8 with a 2.77 goals-against average and .915 save percentage?
“I’m confident [Blackwood] can find his game again. It was an extremely tough year on him (in 2021-22). He was hurt the whole year, but he feels great. His training this summer went really well and he’s looking forward to having a good year. I think he’s young enough (25 years old) where it’ll be easy for him to bounce back.”
Andrew Brunette, who was hired as an associate coach July 15, finished second in voting for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year with the Florida Panthers last season. What will Brunette bring to your staff?
“I think he brings a lot from a team that played very similar to us. We played a couple high-scoring games with them. He really knows the fundamentals of the game. I think he’ll be great with our young players, and he’s got a great pedigree from the Minnesota Wild (as assistant coach and assistant general manager), then ending up with Joel Quenneville as an assistant coach in Florida and then eventually taking over with the Panthers (on Oct. 29, 2021). I’ I’m really excited to have him.”
Are you looking forward to seeing what defenseman Dougie Hamilton can do in his second season in New Jersey?
“I think we saw a lot of good things out of Dougie in probably the first 40 games before he got hurt (broken jaw). I think the injury really set him back and it made him tentative at times. I think, admittedly, that everybody feels, including himself, that he played a lot better before he put that mask on. So I’m looking forward to getting the Hamilton back that was there for like the first 30 games of last season.”
Video: STL@NJD: Hamilton lifts Devils in OT
Do you see a lot of promise in the forward prospect Alexander Holtzand can he crack the lineup this season?
“I think we’re looking at a guy that can be a dynamic goal scorer. He got a look last year, played nine games (two assists). I don’t think the puck found him a lot. I’m really anxious to see what he can do when we open main camp. I think he’s added pace and is playing the game faster. He was able to create some space on his own at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo (Sept. 15-19) and I think that’s important. We know that he’s got a dynamic shot and can be a goal scorer, but I think every player in this league has to do more than that.”
What are your initial thoughts of Nemec after watching him at the Prospects Challenge?
“For not knowing him at all, I liked a lot. He makes a simple play. He doesn’t make the game difficult on himself at all and he picks his spots. When he gets some open ice, I’ve seen a dynamic skating side to him. So when you’re looking at a first-year kid playing defense, he might be as good as I’ve seen probably the past 10 years in terms of a young defenseman coming into camp.”
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