The New Jersey Devils defense is the obvious red mark on an otherwise great season. Arguably, the two best players on the blue line weren’t even Devils in July.
Will Butcher has been more than anyone could have hoped for as a rookie. He signed as a college free agent, and ranks third on the team with 37 points. Sami Vatanen’s importance is obvious, as he’s been by far the best Devils defenseman since being traded from the Anaheim Ducks.
Outside of Butcher and Vatanen, the Devils defense has been inconsistent at best. One player who’s been increasingly hard to figure out is Ben Lovejoy.