Does New Jersey Have What it Takes to Compete for the Cup?
The Devils are tearing up the very tough Eastern Conference right now. That is a fact. They're 47-20-8, clinched for the playoffs, and are seriously threatening the Hurricanes for that #1 in the division spot. In their last 10 games, they're only 4-4-2 though. If the Devils really want to challenge for the Stanley Cup that many think they can, it'll be a tough road. They'll certainly have to deal with one of or both of the Hurricanes and Rangers, and even if they make it through those two, they would have to deal with one of the juggernauts in the Atlantic Division. Let's take a deeper look into the numbers and decipher if this Devils team is a contender or a pretender. Surface Level When you're looking at the surface level stats, everything is looking great in NJ. Their goal differential (52) is 2nd in the east, only outmatched by that of the Bruins (118). Jack Hughes has 40 goals and is going to finish the season close to 100 points, while Jesper Bratt, Nic...