The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly | PODCAST

The Devils finished the 2021-22 season a week ago. And this the latest edition of the Speak of the Devils podcast, Matt Loughlin hosted Amanda Stein, Chris Wescott and Sam Kasan to recap the season that was.
"There's been so many moments where something has happened the derailed either the next game or the next couple games or the next several months," Stein recalled. "I'm thinking back to the beginning of the season and part of the conversation we were having was about vaccinations and playing in Canada, all those types of things that are behind us at this point because so much has happened. When I look at this year it really was that roller coaster."
"It would be a nightmare situation if the Devils had the season that they had but weren't developing their young talent both down in the American Hockey League and when they got an opportunity to come up here. And the NHLers as well," Wescott said of the year. "It's been a roller coaster, but the highs are more indicative of the future of this organization."
The group touched on the disappointment of the season, but also highlighted some of the positives to takeaway.
"If we talk about the future and predictions here, you have three potential 30-goal scorers on this roster as it stands today," Wescott said. "We talk about Jesper Bratt at his best, a potential 30-goal scorer there. We talk about Hughes and how he was projecting out to be a 30-goal scorer in the National Hockey League. And now you have Yegor Sharangovich. If he's playing at his best and continues to develop that could be his ceiling for the Devils. That is huge.

"When you look at the landscape of the National Hockey League, it is leaning towards offense. If you don't have it, you're trying to get it. And the Devils have shown that they have some of it, and now, how do they build around those pieces?"
Although the Devils featured the youngest roster in the NHL, the team is moving past the "we're young" phase and into a results-based phase next season.
"They're young, but they're an old young," Kasan said. "Nico Hischier is young, he's 23. But he (played) his 300th game. That's a lot of NHL experience for a guy his age. Same with Jack Hughes, who has played a lot of games despite his age. They've gone through the growing pains of learning through their mistakes."
"Looking at next year, results are really, really going to matter," Kasan continued. "Next year I think the gloves are off. This isn't a veteran team by any stretch of the imagination. I'm not saying that. But at this point, you're looking at a roster of 23 guys where 18, 19, 20 of them have been around the block. Now it's time to get those results.
"Next year, when we come in for camp and get going, the excuses are gone and it's time to put up or shut for this organization and for this team."
Here are some other topics discussed on the podcast…
New Jersey Devils Official Podcast
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2021-22 Season Review | Speak of the Devils