Hey, Devils Fans!
I can’t believe the season is ending tonight! Of course, we’re all extremely disappointed — and it’s almost unfathomable — that playoff hockey won't make its second-straight appearance to the Rock. Yes, there are plenty of things to be negative about, but there were also plenty of positives to take away from a season full of teaching moments. I’m going to focus on the positives for now and during the game tonight. I’ll dig deeper into the issues that occurred this season over the next month or so.
For me, this season will go a long way in the growth process for this young Devils core that is still learning what it takes to win consistently in the NHL. This can be especially said for the 3 young D — Luke Hughes, Nemec, and Bahl — who all took on tremendous playing time and gained invaluable experience this season as a direct result of the injury bug that plagued the NJD back end. When it’s all said and done, I believe this season will be a blessing in disguise due to the development of these 3 guys alone!
That’s something we’ll all talk about on air during tonight’s game vs. NYI, who, with a win, would lock up 3rd place in the Metro Division and punch their ticket to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. From the Devils' perspective, this is a nice opportunity to play spoiler on your rival, sweep your season series against them, and keep them fighting for their lives through Game #82.
Opponent aside, though, the most important thing tonight is that the Devils end the 2023-24 season on a high note in front of the home fans. Finish strong!!!
Thank you, Devils Fans, for following along with my gameday content this season! Although the season didn't go as we all expected, it was a fun time covering the team with my MSG crew and through my Pre-Scout reports here on BryceSalvador.com.
Thank you again, and be sure to join Erika and me one last time for tonight’s final pregame show as GM Tom Fitzgerald joins us on set to recap the season and get a sneak peek of his plan for the busy offseason ahead. It all starts at 6:30 PM!
Sincerely,
Sal
