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The New Jersey Devils have been struggling lately, and a large part of the credit for their lopsided run goes to their poor goaltending and defense.
Nevertheless, there was a sigh of relief for the Devils fans before heading into the Christmas break. New Jersey beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 to clinch two crucial points on Saturday.
The Devils are three points off the East's Wild card slot and are competing against the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes for the precious spot.
The last couple of months have been tough for the Devils. Their roster has been marred with injuries to key players and likely an end to the season for defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
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The rest of the Metro Division is playing well, and while goaltending has been an issue, the defense has been a bigger headache for the Devils. They are in dire need of a defensive upgrade.
According to hockey insider Larry Brooks of the NY Post, it will be interesting if the Devils try to enlist the help of Hurricanes. Brooks speculated whether the Devils will engage in talks with the Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei.
Skjei is in the final year of his $31,500,000 million contract signed with the New York Rangers in 2018. He will become a UFA after the 2023-24 season. This season, the 29-year-old has notched up 21 points through six goals and 15 assists in 34 games with a plus/minus of +3.
What's next for the New Jersey Devils?
The Devils are coming off a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings in their previous matchup and are 6-3-1 in the last 10 games. They're sixth in the Metro Division and 17th overall in league standings with 36 points (17-13-2) in 34 games.
Jack Hughes (39 points) and Jasper Bratt have been the top two scorers for the team, followed by Tyler Toffoli (24 points). The Devils return to the ice on Wednesday, Dec. 27 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
