X Marks the Spot | 10 TAKEAWAYS

What kind of person would I be if I didn't start this week's 10 Takeaways, presented by Ticketmaster with the obvious... oh what a feeling that was!
The Devils are off to the postseason.
I remember that feeling from 2018, but this time it feels different. There's nothing wrong with having had Taylor Hall nearly singlehandedly pull the Devils towards a postseason last time around, but the group effort, the connectivity this time around, it just has a different feeling to it.
Maybe it's like Jesper Bratt said. The emptiness that we've been left with over the last few seasons, after 82 games is no longer there. There is something beyond the regular season and not having to watch it all play out on TV.
They're in.
Where they go from here, that's up to them alone, but I'm excited to see where this goes. Because this isn't just about a one-off, this is about a window opening.

2.

Let's break down that win:
The Devils clinch their first playoff berth since 2017-18, secure their first 100-point season since 2011-12, Jack Hughes becomes a 40-goal scorer and the two points put them at 37 more points than all of last season.
Pretty good.

3.

Not sure if you guys noticed but when the Devils went to the locker room after the first period against the Senators, he stayed out on the ice a little longer and skated over to the Zamboni entrance. Onto the ice came the Mites on Ice and Smith fist-bumped every little player that was skating out for their big moment. It was just the cutest thing. My understanding is that Brendan's son was one of the little Mites.
Such a great moment for every kid out there.

4.

I loved Lindy Ruff's answer to the Tomas Tatar goal being called off for a kicking motion, asked if he thinks the rule should be changed or clarified...
"I've got a lot of other things to worry about."

5.

I've mentioned this so many times over the season, about how as the team has made league-wide impressions with their play and their position in the standings, I appreciate more people taking notice of some of the Devils hidden gems - no longer so hidden with Jesper Bratt being at the top of the list.
But I imagine where those types of things - that type of recognition - matter most is the recognition from ones peers. And Bratt's play has certainly made that impression.
In a poll conducted by the National Hockey League Players Association, one of the questions was who is the most underrated player in the league.
Aleksander Barkov ran away with the vote at 23 percent, but Bratt made the top give (tied with Tampa's Brayden Point) at 2.7 percent.

6.

There might be that twinge of disappointment that Luke Hughes' Michigan team won out in overtime against Penn State University for a trip to the Frozen Four in Tampa, knowing that the Devils is his next stop, but what a great opportunity for him to go and try and win the national title.
Michigan will compete with Minnesota, Quinnipiac and Boston University for the title.
Michigan will play Quinnipiac on April 6 at 8:30 p.m.
The championship game is on April 8.

7.

After April 8 the Devils have two more games left on their regular season schedule:
At home against Buffalo and on the road in Washington.
Hmmm.

8.

Jack Hughes took his third penalty of the season last night (70GP) which is a crazy number for how many minutes he eats up every night. So I decided to see how that stacks up amongst his peers.
Turns out, Hughes has taken the least amount of penalty minutes of any player this season who has scored at least 80 points.
Trailing Hughes is Tampa's Brayden Point with seven penalty minutes (74GP) and Elias Pettersson in Vancouver who has 10 penalty minutes in 71 games played.
Now to be fair to statistics, Point has taken fewer penalties than Hughes, two compared to three, but did have a five-minute PIM night while all Hughes' have been minors.

9.

Back to clinching… please enjoy this fantastic Big Read by Sam Kasan.
I've been watching him working on it for the last few weeks leading up to this moment, always with his computer open during any free time to make sure this was ready the moment it happened.
Sam takes the reader back to the day Tom Fitzgerald took over as Interim GM and takes you right up to Lindy Ruff's post-game press conference after the team clinched. It's a lesson in patience, it's a lesson in sticking to the plan, and really gives you an idea of the immense work that has gone into the franchise to build up to - and beyond - this current moment.
BIG READ: Clinched

10.

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