Jack Hughes Is Putting Up 36 Points in 20 Games and the Devils Still Might Miss the Playoffs
Here's the brutal math of the Eastern Conference right now: the New Jersey Devils have one of their best players in the league absolutely scorching hot, and they're still sitting outside a playoff spot with two weeks left. Jack Hughes, the 2019 first overall pick, has been unstoppable since the Olympic break with 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) over 20 games. He just earned the NHL's Second Star of the Week after four games of three goals and six assists. And it still might not be enough to save their season.
The Flyers Are Peaking at Exactly the Right Moment
Meanwhile, Philadelphia is doing everything right. The Flyers sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division at 39-26-12 with 90 points and five games left to play. They're riding the momentum of a 2-1 overtime win against Boston on Sunday, with eight wins in their last 11 games. Since the Olympic break, they're 14-6-1. Coach Rick Tocchet gets it: the hardest part isn't chasing someone down, it's dealing with being hunted. "When you're getting hunted, it's harder," Tocchet said. "We're going to have to learn that. We can only worry about tomorrow's practice and then we worry about the Devils."
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiPorter Martone Is Already Making an Impact
The Flyers are getting help from unexpected places. Porter Martone, the sixth overall pick from last year's draft who just joined the team last Tuesday, had a breakthrough game Sunday. He assisted on Christian Dvorak's goal, then scored the overtime winner in his first NHL game. Tocchet was impressed not just by Martone's play, but by his maturity. The rookie has been talking to veteran teammates about power play positioning. "You can just tell he's been around," Tocchet said. "He's just a hockey player. Love the kid."
The Devils are trying to keep their season alive. New Jersey sits at 40-34-3 with 83 points, seventh in the Metro, and they know they need help to squeeze into the playoffs. After a 3-0 win over Montreal on Sunday, Coach Sheldon Keefe said his players made it clear they're not giving up. "That's what you like to see," he said. The Flyers head to Newark on Tuesday for the next chapter of this playoff chase.
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