Heading into the 2016 season the majority of New Jersey fans had high expectations for the Devils this year. Most of that faith was rooted in the Devils acquisition of Taylor Hall in the offseason and even though most fans aren’t expecting a playoff finish, the consensus was that this team would be able to build on last year’s success. On one hand the Devils fans were teeming with aspirations, but on the other, the majority of hockey betting sites were doubtful of New Jersey’s imminent success.
But seeing the online NHL betting odds doubt the Devils isn’t surprising to anyone who isn’t a New Jersey fan. In 2015 the Devils struggled to amount a 38-36-8 record. At the end of the season, New Jersey finished 12th within the Eastern Conference and 7th in the Metropolitan. With those kinds of numbers it’s understandable to see the bookies give the Devils some tough odds. After all, was the addition of Taylor Hall really going to make that big of a difference?
Now that we’re entering November we can look back and analyze how the Devils fared in October. From what we’ve seen, the acquisition of Hall has certainly paid off. As things stand now the Devils are sitting on a 4-2-2 winning record. New Jersey hasn’t been able to knock off the fiercest competition they’ve faced; the Panthers, the Blackhawks, or the Bruins, but they’ve always been able to bounce back the very next game. That shows resilience and since it’s still early in the season, there’s plenty of time left to improve. But certainly the most impressive thing we’ve seen from this New Jersey team is their ability to shake off a loss and win the very next game. The Devils haven’t lost two consecutive games, which is more than can be said about some playoff teams from last season. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, what can we expect from the Devils?
It might take a while to convince the online NHL betting odds to favor New Jersey, but if the Devils can keep building on their success then the odds will have to come around eventually. If they want to find more success the Devils will have to address their scoring issues. From what we’ve seen in October, New Jersey can certainly be dubbed a low-scoring team. Also, the teams handling of the puck wasn’t that great. All in all, the Devils are a rebuilding team and even though their October play doesn’t scream playoffs, it does scream steady improvement.
Up next for the Devils is their contest against the Florida Panthers. New Jersey opened their season by facing the Panthers, but ultimately ended up losing 2-1 in overtime. The Devils will be coming into this game with a 4-day rest, while the Panthers will only be coming in on a day’s rest after facing the Bruins on Tuesday. The online NHL betting odds are likely to side with the Panthers on this one, but you can be certain the Devils will be striving for revenge.
