New Jersey Devils: 4 Bold Predictions for 2nd Half of Devils' 2011-12 Season

With the NHL regular season dwindling down and the New Jersey Devils barely hanging on to the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, New Jersey’s team will look to end a three-game skid following the All-Star break.

Here are a few bold predictions as to how the next 34 games will look for them.

Adam Henrique Will Win the Calder Trophy

Sitting in second place in rookie scoring, Adam Henrique has been all that the Devils have asked for and more this year.

He is second behind the Edmonton Oilers' first overall draft pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins by only one point. Nugent-Hopkins still remains sidelined with an injured left shoulder and is not expected to return until mid-February, which could give Henrique a big advantage to become the best rookie scorer in the NHL.

Putting individual statistics aside, Henrique has done more for the Devils compared to what any other rookie has done for his team. Unlike Nugent-Hopkins' 14^th-place Oilers, Henrique and the Devils sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. His ability to step in as a first-line center to replace injured Travis Zajac gives him a huge advantage in the Calder Trophy sweepstakes. 

Johan Hedberg Will Start More Games

Over the past few years the Devils have partially blamed their early playoff exits on the fatigue of Martin Brodeur.

Although he has only started 31 games this year, compared to Hedberg’s 21, Brodeur has been getting too many starts. It is obvious that Brodeur is not the goalie he used to be, and he will not be able to start 70 games as he has done in past seasons.

Hedberg will get as many starts as Brodeur in the remaining 34 games, if not more. Getting Hedberg more starts will be important to the success of the Devils, and by doing so Brodeur will have some energy left in him come playoff time. If he is well rested and gets hot going into the playoffs (assuming the Devils make them), he will show some flashes of brilliance that will be huge for his team. 

Jacob Josefson Will Start to Produce

Unfortunately Jacob Josefson, who broke his clavicle earlier this season, has only one point in nine total games.

After the Alexei Ponikarovsky trade, Josefson has two great wingers to help him start to produce. Josefson, Clarkson and Ponikarovsky are three excellent hockey players that would be at least second-liners on most teams in the NHL. Watch out for this trio, especially Josefson, who is playing in the AHL over the break to get a few games under his belt.

Josefson will score 15 to 20 points the rest of the season and will play a huge role for the Devils down the stretch.

The Atlantic Division Will Get Very Interesting

Fifteen of the Devils' last 34 games will be against rivals in the Atlantic Division. Their inter-division schedule looks like this.

Pittsburgh Penguins: three games

Philadelphia Flyers: three games

New York Islanders: four games

New York Rangers: five games

Every spot in the division will come down to the wire, and the Devils will need to win some of their inter-division games to finish in the top three. Only a few points will separate the top four Atlantic Division teams at the end of the season, and all four of them will make the playoffs.

Get ready because things are going to get hectic after the All-Star break.

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