As the New Jersey Devils hit the halfway mark of the season, it's time to look back at the first half and see which players have led the way for the Devils.
Leadership Award
Without a doubt, this award goes to the captain Nico Hischier. Going into this season, some fans on Twitter/X questioned his worth to the team. After Hischier missed some games due to injury and the Devils went through a losing skid, nothing seemed to help the team. Once the captain returned, it seemed like a completely new team. Hischier can be seen as the heart and soul of this team, and it is evident that when the Devils are missing their captain, the chemistry is off.
MVP
Many would think this award would go to Jack Hughes, and if he could stay healthy, it would. Even though he has put up an insane number of points in the limited games he played, staying healthy is part of being an MVP. At the moment, this award goes to Michael McLeod. McLeod has stepped up in ways no one saw coming. Each time one of our centers got hurt and head coach Lindy Ruff started to rely more on McLeod, he stepped up to the challenge in the best way possible. Not to mention, he quietly has been making history with his work in the faceoff dot. McLeod has been one of the most consistent players, especially recently, and is breaking his own personal records this year. Hughes is a fantastic player, but McLeod has been able to stay healthy throughout this season, which is why he is the MVP.
Best Rookie
The Devils have two of the best rookies in the league, defensemen Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. Both are highly talented players who will be a huge part of the Devils' future success, but Nemec tops Hughes right now. Hughes is an incredibly gifted offensive defenseman, but he struggles with turnovers. Nemec has been as good as you can ask a rookie to be. He has been a steady, smart and reliable force on the blue line for the Devils. In his short amount of NHL time, he has proven he is ready to be an everyday NHLer and has shown everyone why he went second overall.
Team Underdog
Going into this season, it was time to see if Alex Holtz would ever hold his spot in the Devils lineup. He has been a pleasant surprise to watch on the ice, as he has given more than enough reason for Ruff to keep him in the lineup. With very limited playing time, Holtz is on pace for a 40-point season. He has finally turned the corner and has secured his spot as an everyday NHLer. Even though he should be getting more playing time, as Ruff has limited it by putting him on the third and fourth line, he is giving it his all every second he is on the ice, which has not gone unnoticed.
Most Reliable
This award is challenging because of the number of injuries this season. This award is about balance, not who has produced the most points or who has scored the most goals. Erik Haula has been moved around the lineup more times than expected. Even with all the shifting, he has continued to produce for the Devils.
Not only does he produce, but he also does things like work on the penalty kill, take important faceoffs, and help on the powerplay. He has scored important goals for the Devils when the top guys are not showing up and has also been on the ice to prevent goals when the Devils desperately need to win the game. Haula also was one of the players who received an "A" on his jersey when both Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palat were out with injuries. This shows that the players look to him as a leader on this team.
Most Exciting
This award will not be given to one player but to a pair of players. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt have become one of the most lethal pairs in the NHL. In a recent interview, Hughes said they are like "peanut butter and jelly." These two are undoubtedly the Devils' best offensive weapons. When Hughes returns from injury, it will be exciting to see how they work together again, knowing the playoffs are coming quicker than everyone thinks.
The second half of the season will be challenging for the Devils. These players and others must continue to step up and help the Devils as much as possible. With how close the playoff race is, the Devils need everyone on the team to play their best game possible.
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