Before the season even began for the New Jersey Devils, critics and fans alike saw no hope for the 82 games ahead.
The goaltending situation was safe, but the offense was still lacking chemistry and the defense was too young and too weak. The loss of Adam Larsson amidst acquiring a strong forward certainly shortened the defense, but adding the strong forward, Taylor Hall, in the same transaction, would undoubtedly boost the offense.
The analysis was sound and rational.
Looking at the New Jersey Devils situation now, none of that really turned out to be the case.