If anybody understands the Devils’ position as they embark on their first playoff series since 2018, it’s the Rangers, who are now tasked with squashing the NHL’s team-of-the-season in the name of pursuing their own Stanley Cup aspirations.
That is why the Rangers should be able to look past the notion that their edge in postseason experience over the Devils means something. The narrative was the same for the Rangers last season, and their conference-final finish had the last word.
It’s true, the Rangers, aided by the acquisition of established postseason players Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, know what lies ahead. They have a fresh understanding of what it will take to not only get back to where they finished last year, but also to go further.
That is what’s unique about this season for the Rangers, who won’t be able to just rely on the 852 playoff games the 20-man lineup has in total under its belt. They’ll have to actually play to it.
It’s not enough to just be able to say you’ve been there before — even if the Rangers have three players who have hoisted the Stanley Cup a combined six times — if you don’t act like it.
“I think guys were excited when we clinched, but I don’t think it was how it was last year,” captain Jacob Trouba said after the final game of the regular season on Thursday. “The feeling was different. I think there’s a little bit more of an expectation amongst the group of getting back — and once you’re there, you’ve got to be ready to go.
Want to catch a game? The Rangers schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) led the team with 99 points during the 2022-23 season. Getty Images
“We’ve talked. All the words have been said. I think we’re ready to play. It’s finally here.”
The Devils are built to rattle such opponents. Between their natural instincts to push the pace and the way they can dominate open ice, the Devils are probably one of the few teams whose skill level rivals the Rangers.
Whether or not the Rangers can play a seasoned team game could be a deciding factor in the series.
The regular-season series between the two clubs did not swing in the Rangers’ favor. They won in overtime in December and lost the other three games, two in regulation and one in overtime. There were plenty of instances in which the Devils simply looked like the better team.
Patrick Kane (88) was acquired by the Rangers before the trade deadline in anticipation of their 2023 playoff push. NHLI via Getty Images
Once the sun rises Tuesday morning in Newark, however, the Devils will be in Rangers territory. New Jersey has skated in just five postseason games in the last decade. It will all be new and exciting for the likes of Jack Hughes, Dawson Mercer, Nathan Bastian and Michael McLeod.
The Rangers will have to be convincing in their role as the veterans.
“They present a challenge,” head coach Gerard Gallant said of the Devils, who skyrocketed into third place in the NHL with 112 points this season after finishing fifth-to-last in 2021-22. “They’re a young team, but they’re a skilled team and a talented team and they can create a lot.
“Some of their guys took big steps, like our young guys this year. I think it’s going to be a great series.”