In the most recent episode of 32 Thoughts the Podcast, Elliotte Friedman and newly-named co-host Kyle Bukauskas went through their off-season thoughts on all 32 NHL teams.
When they landed on the New Jersey Devils, Friedman had some interesting things to say.
“A lot of people think they had a good summer.”
Friedman mentioned that he feels the Devils are the trendy pick in the Eastern Conference.
“I wonder if the Devils are going to be, like, one of those trendy, fashionable picks in the Eastern Conference this year. I remember after July 1st, when I was chatting with people, who do you think had a good summer? Everybody mentioned Devils.”
Friedman highlighted the acquisition of Jacob Markstrom as one of the best moves for the Devils this offseason.
Related: Markstrom is the Game Breaker That the Devils Need
Aside from Markstrom, New Jersey made a ton of moves. They traded for Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-round pick for Akira Schmid and Alexander Holtz.
They signed Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Stefan Noesen, and Tomas Tatar.
Furthermore, they got physically stronger and brought in more depth on forward, while finally addressing the goaltending. Moreover, they did all this while also hiring a new head coach in Sheldon Keefe to lead the charge.
Their off-season may not be over; there could be a PTO given out by the Devils to the likes of Cal Clutterbuck, Kevin Labanc, or potentially Milan Lucic if he is cleared to play by the league.
Related: Predicting the Devils’ 2024-25 Opening Night Forward Group