theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
The New Jersey Devils surprised many last season, finishing just a dozen points shy of the playoffs.
Goals were hard to come by in New Jersey, but the team will hope their big-ticket addition of Taylor Hall pushes them into the postseason this year.
Here's what the Devils' lineup looks like going into the 2016-17 season:
Forwards
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Hall | Adam Henrique | Kyle Palmieri |
| Mike Cammalleri | Travis Zajac | Devante Smith-Pelly |
| Jacob Josefson | Pavel Zacha | Beau Bennett |
| Sergey Kalinin | Vernon Fiddler | Reid Boucher |
- It starts with Hall, who will be tasked with breathing new life into the Devils' forward ranks. New Jersey finished last in goals in 2015-16, and just four players reached double-digit totals. Rookie center Pavel Zacha, who notched two assists in a one-game trial last season, is an intriguing option up the middle.
Defense
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Andy Greene | Damon Severson |
| John Moore | Ben Lovejoy |
| Jon Merrill | Steven Santini |
| Brandon Gormley |
- The departure of Adam Larsson leaves a significant hole in the Devils' defensive core, and its lack of depth is a concern. They added Ben Lovejoy in free agency, fresh off a Stanley Cup championship with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He'll provide the blue line with another mobile defender.
Goalies
| G |
|---|
| Cory Schneider |
| Keith Kinkaid |
- Cory Schneider was the team's most valuable player last season, and he'll see a heavy workload again this season. Camp tryout Anders Lindback will compete against Keith Kinkaid for backup duties.
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