Twenty Games to Go | 10 TAKEAWAYS

Here we are... just 20 games left in the regular season, so let us jump into it with this week's 10 Takeaways, presented by Ticketmaster, starting with, of course, the much-anticipated home debut of a certain player the fans have been clamoring for!

2.

If you're not going to tie Wayne Gretzky, you may as well be right up there with him. And no, I'm not comparing the two players, but Dawson Mercer will always have his name etched in a record book just below that of The Great One.

It was sad to see his goal streak come to an end against the Coyotes, but it wasn't without trying, that's for sure, finishing the night with four shots on goal and some Grade A chances.
What I love about it, is that here in New Jersey we know what we have in Mercer, his work ethic, and the pride he takes in 200-foot game, but when players like Dawson go on runs like this, it makes waves around the entire league. I love when I get asked to do interviews on radio stations around the league and it's not only Jack and Nico talk. Recently it's been about Dawson, and it just goes to show how this team, all together, is really coming into its own.

3.

The goal streak may have come to an end, but the point streak didn't. An assist against the Coyotes leaves Mercer with a nine-game points streak.
Nine games, 16 points.

4.

One more multi-point game for Jack Hughes this season will tie a franchise record for a single season. He's already sitting on 26 multi-point games in his 58 games played.
Taylor Hall holds the franchise lead (27) during the 2017-18 season.

5.

Dougie Hamilton now holds the record of multi-point games for a defenseman in a single season, with his 18th coming in a two-assist effort in Arizona, passing Scott Stevens' 17 from both 1993-94 and 1991-92.

6.

More on Dougie's career year… his first 40-plus assist season is locked in, with 20 games remaining in the year.

7.

Let's check in with what other stars around the league are saying about how Jack Hughes has put himself on the NHL map this year… loved this one from Toronto's Mitch Marner in an
interview with Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet.
"He's very good at making people think he's going one way and switching up at the last second. I know a lot of people did doubt him early, it's good to see him having the year he is because I think a lot of people did realize he's just [as talented as anyone] in the league. He's showing it now."

#

8.

When Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, and Jesper Bratt all lined up on the same line in a game, it had to total the highest combination of numbers in franchise history.
86+96+63= 245
Only seven players, Meier included, have had numbers 90 or higher:
90. Tatar, Jesper Boqvist, Marcus Johansson
91.Dawson Mercer
93. Doug Gilmour
96. Meier
97. Nikita Gusev

9.

Really hoping I'm not jinxing things for tonight's game.
The Devils and Leafs are the only two teams in the league this season who have yet to be shut out by an opponent.
20 games to go.

10.

This Nico goal and his reaction were just perfect.
The game wasn't pretty, but winning in OT set a new franchise record with 10 overtime wins in a season.

New JEsrey has needed extra time 14 times this season, in 10 they've picked up the extra point in OT, and have gone 1-3 in shootouts.