The New Jersey Devils suffered from a lackluster January, kicking off 2025 with a 5-5-3 record. There are a few different reasons for their struggles, but their biggest issue as of right now is injuries. First, they lost starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom, quickly followed by their captain Nico Hischier. However, they were also missing another important part of their roster: Erik Haula.
The veteran forward spent most of January on injured reserve, missing 12 games with an ankle sprain. Head coach Sheldon Keefe was initially hesitant to share a timeline for Haula’s return, marking him as a game-time decision earlier this week. But on Tuesday night, he made his long-awaited return to the Devils’ bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Haula’s recent performance has proven just how crucial he is for the Devils. As the team continues to recover from injuries, he needs to provide veteran leadership and play an important role.
Haula Must Improve Depth Scoring
In Haula’s absence, the Devils struggled with depth scoring. Justin Dowling mainly filled his role as third-line center, but he was unable to match Haula’s volume of shots on goal, recording just three shots on goal in January. Haula, on the other hand, managed three shots in his first game back. While Haula only has five goals and six assists throughout this season, his 47 Corsi For percentage is higher than that of Dowling and Curtis Lazar.
Haula put in a strong performance on Tuesday night, making positive offensive contributions. He created six scoring opportunities, along with four high-danger chances. Centering Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer, he had 12:07 ice time, managing one rebound and one rush attempt. Despite finishing the game minus-one and receiving a penalty for elbowing, it is clear Haula is playing with renewed vigor.
So far, the Meier-Haula-Mercer line has done a good job of generating shots on goal. Against the Penguins, this combination had seven shots on goal, only one less than the Ondrej Palat-Hughes-Jesper Bratt line. And this trend continued on Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. Despite suffering a 3-1 loss on Thursday, the Meier-Haula-Mercer line still managed to create three scoring chances, only one fewer than the Devils’ top line.
Haula’s Faceoff Contributions
For most of this season, Hischier led the NHL in faceoffs and the lack of his two-way skills has been harmful for the Devils. However, Haula has a 54.6 faceoff win percentage, and he can be a temporary substitute until Hischier returns to the lineup.
In the last two games, his faceoff percentage has improved. Against the Penguins, Haula took 14 faceoffs and won only three. But his play in the faceoff dot took a step in the right direction against the Golden Knights when he won 61.54% of faceoffs compared to 21.43% on Tuesday night.
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Nonetheless, he has also been making an impact outside of the faceoff dot and deserves credit for his efforts on both sides of the ice. Since returning from injury, he has recorded three hits, blocked two shots, and drawn one penalty. The Devils still need more from the 33-year-old forward, but he has made positive strides leading up to the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Should Haula Be Given Power Play Time?
Haula needs to accept additional responsibilities in the wake of so many injuries, shifting from a bottom-six role to one of the top lines. However, there is one more way he can contribute: on the power play. Considering that the Devils are three for nine on the power play in their last four games, something needs to change. Haula could be a short-term solution for the second power-play unit.
This season, he has recorded 40:31 of ice time on the man advantage, less than half the amount he spent during the 2023-24 season. Haula has one goal and three assists on the power play so far this season, despite it not being his strong suit.
On the second unit, Mercer is still acting as a temporary center at times. If Haula is added to the power play, Mercer could return to his dominant position on the right wing. It would make sense for Keefe to shake up the power play before facing the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. He should have Haula center the second power-play unit with Meier and Mercer on his wings.
Haula’s Impact Moving Forward
It is clear the Devils are trying to get back to their winning ways and Haula’s presence can help them rediscover that mindset. He has been good at firing shots on goal, but is clearly still adjusting to being thrust into a top-six role.
Haula is supposed to represent Team Finland in the NHL’s Four Nations Face-Off, but it is unclear if he will opt out of the tournament to fully recover from his injury. In the meantime, he will continue to maintain an important role as the Devils work toward having a healthy roster.
