Bahl: 'I Came A Long Way' | FEATURE

Kevin Bahl is often a man of few words. He has a stoic way about him, often quite guarded. But that doesn't mean his eyes and ears are not open, that he's not absorbing everything around him.

But after signing a new two-year contract with the Devils last week Bahl offered a rare insight into his journey thus far, opening up about this past season, where he played a career-high 42 games with the Devils and another 11 in the playoffs.

He's still a young defenseman in the league, with just 66 career games to his name. And at 6'6, 230 lbs. there's a lot to learn about being a towering defenseman in the NHL.

It has taken some time, but that's all part of the hike toward being a full-time NHL player.

"I think kind of needed to grow and find out what I was going to do on this team and what I was capable of," Bahl shared in his media conference. "I think I came a long way."

Bahl started the season on the NHL roster, playing in three games between Oct. 20 and 24 and then spent a stretch as an extra defenseman which started a tale of two seasons in one for the 23-year-old. Over a stretch of several weeks after his Oct. 24 appearance against the Washington Capitals, it wouldn't be until Dec. 1 that he got his next chance to take a spot in a game.

During that time, as an extra, Bahl spent added time after practice putting in work alongside assistant coach Ryan McGill who handles the Devils' defensemen. The relationship built between the two during that time was an important part of the development process for Bahl.

"I think a big thing was learning how to be confident in yourself, that was a big thing I learned from him," he shared, "And then at the same time continuously getting better every time after practice. He's always got a little drill to work on. Especially when they don't take up a lot of energy, you just find a way (each time) to get one percent better."

And each day of one percent better certainly put Bahl in the right spot to seize his moment. On Dec. 1 when head coach Lindy Ruff needed to go 11 forwards and seven defensemen, Bahl was added to the lineup, and he ran with his opportunity. He scored in the game, finished a plus-1 and logged 11:49 of ice time. He would go on to play the next 39 of the Devils' 58 remaining games.

"I think I came a long way," Bahl shared, "I think I was learning to play certain situations, what I can and can't do, what I can get away with. Fast forward a couple of months going into the playoffs, learning that being that physical guy, that's a big element in playoffs especially when you're playing seven games straight. It was a big learning curve."

With his stature, there might feel an added pressure to be ultra-physical, lay the big hits and make his presence known that way. But that too was something of a learning curve, knowing when it is and isn't necessary.

"A lot of it is speed and timing and knowing where to hit guys and where to force guys to make plays," he explained. "I think come playoff time I was doing it a lot more, where I was trying to end plays in certain areas, chip-ins and stuff like that because I knew they didn't have an option or a way to make a play.

"It's about stick positioning," Bahl continued, "if you're going to hit him, you've got to hit him because if he gets around you, just passes it, chips it, bumps it to the middle and flies by you, you're screwed. That's more of the issue, not giving up anything to take a hit."

Bahl's 6.52 hits per 60 minutes ranked second for all New Jersey defensemen who played in more than 10 games during the regular season and he averaged 14:01 in time on ice.

That's plenty to build on. All he has experienced this past season will help him enter training camp with a new level of confidence, one that was particularly nurtured by assistant coach McGill. Explaining how McGill has helped him in his confidence, Bahl says: "Overall there were some lesson's to be learned about how to stay even keel and I think I really progressed in that regard throughout the year."

As the 2023-24 NHL season draws near, there appears to be another opening on the horizon. With the exit of defensemen Damon Severson and Ryan Graves, there's an opportunity to run with. But despite his career-high 42 games, Bahl won't take anything for granted. He knows a spot in the Devils Top-6 is no guarantee.

"I want to come in with the same mindset I had last year, where you've just got to fight for every inch," he said, "I do feel very prepared, but I don't feel at all comfortable."