dWo Digest #2: More Good Than Bad

Last night, the New Jersey Devils kicked off the preseason with a 5-4 win over Washington. That score line should already be a red flag to fans that have had to watch the team struggle the better part of the past decade, as the victory still required five shots to reach the back of the net to overcome a turnstile defense. That portion of play looked like an AHL team trying to compete with an NHL unit more often than not. A lack of capitalization on momentum was an issue all night too requiring constant bounce backs.

Five different Devils scored the five different goals, with Hughes and Yegor shinning brightest yet not alone. Holtz, Nico, and Mercer also deserve a shout out, with all showing promise as well. Those are highlights for sure which will hopefully translate to an ability of resilience and spurts of scoring brilliance from the squad as the year continues.

Hughes in particular showcased a skill level that really continued to suggest that superstar potential we've all been seeing continue to grow.

After the game, Ruff was seen giving some praise to the young players while calling them the "future of this team" and I agree with the sentiment. There was more good than bad here, with the victory helping the solidify that stance. I saw enough on the offense to feel sincere excitement and I am hopeful that it's enough to overcome what looks to be a tease for further issues on the defense side of things. Enough to keep a touch above .500, I'd hope. With luck, it'll be even better but cautious optimism and realistic goals aren't terrible things to have. There's time to clean things up ahead of the regular season and I'm thinking the victory could help motivate some signs tomorrow evening as well.

Keep an eye on the Devils. Check them out against the Rangers in a follow up preseason matchup tonight at 7.