Devils hope top draft pick Hischier can fill role as playmaker

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is taking a look at where each team stands. Today, the New Jersey Devils:

Despite missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fifth consectuive season in 2016-17, the New Jersey Devils generated a lot of excitement and optimism by winning the NHL Draft Lottery on April 29 and choosing center Nico Hischier with the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft on June 23.
The selection of Hischier, the 2017 Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year, was the first of three key moves in a span of 10 days by general manager Ray Shero that were designed to help end the playoff drought.
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After drafting Hischier, the Devils signed veteran center Brian Boyle to a two-year contract worth $5.1 million on July 1 and acquired forward Marcus Johansson, 26, in a trade from the Washington Capitals for two picks at the 2018 NHL Draft on July 2.
The Devils have been seeking a playmaking center for some time and feel Hischier has the ability to fill that role. Coach John Hynes said the Devils expect Hischier to be able to play center and not need to be eased into the League as a wing.
Keith Kinkaid signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract on June 29 to remain the backup to starting goaltender Cory Schneider.
Here is what the Devils look like today:

Key arrivals

Nico Hischier, C: The No. 1 pick signed his three-year, entry-level contract on July 15 after he had 86 points (38 goals, 48 assists) in 57 games for Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. ... Marcus Johansson, F:He set NHL career highs in goals (24), points (58) and plus/minus (plus-25) in 82 games for the Capitals last season. Johansson, who can play center or wing, has two years remaining on a three-year, $13.75 million contract he signed one year ago, according to CapFriendly.com. ... Brian Boyle, C: The 32-year-old had 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists), 115 hits, 41 blocked shots and a 52.1 percent faceoff winning percentage in 75 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning last season. ... Mirco Mueller, D: The Devils acquired Mueller (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) and a 2017 fifth-round pick for 2017 second- and fourth-round picks on June 17. He had 20 points (two goals, 18 assists) in 62 games for San Jose of the American Hockey League last season. ...Roland Melanson, goaltending coach:Before Schneider was traded to New Jersey on June 30, 2013, Melanson was his goaltending coach for three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks (2010-13). Melanson replaces Chris Terreri, who will take a different role with the Devils.

Key departures

Jon Merrill, D:The 25-year-old was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 21. He has 36 points (six goals, 30 assists) in 216 NHL games over four seasons. ... Michael Cammalleri, F: The Devils bought out the final two seasons of Cammalleri's contract, and he signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1. Cammalleri, 35, had 111 points (51 goals, 60 assists) in 171 games in three seasons for New Jersey. ...Devante Smith-Pelly, F: After the Devils bought out the final season of his two-year, $2.6 million contract, the 25-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000 in the NHL with the Capitals on July 3. ... Jacob Josefson, F: The 26-year-old signed a one-year contract worth $700,000 with the Buffalo Sabres on July 1. Selected in the first round (No. 20) in the 2009 NHL Draft, he has 60 points (18 goals, 42 assists) in 276 NHL games, all with the Devils. He has a 52.4 percent success rate (11-for-21) in the shootout. ...Beau Bennett, F: The 25-year-old right wing signed a one-year contract worth $650,000 with the St. Louis Blues on July 1 after he had 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 65 games last season.

On the cusp

John Quenneville, F:The 21-year-old had four points (one goal, three assists) and a plus-1 rating in 12 NHL games last season. Quenneville (6-1, 195) is expected to be ready for training camp after missing development camp because of an ankle injury. ... Blake Speers, F: Selected in the third round (No. 67) of the 2015 NHL Draft, he was captain and had 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 30 games for Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League last season, then was held scoreless in three games for New Jersey. Speers, who had successful surgery for a broken scaphoid bone in his right wrist in September, was one of the better players at development camp. ...Michael McLeod, C:The No. 12 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, he had 73 points (27 goals, 46 assists) in 57 regular-season games as captain of Mississauga in the OHL, then had 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 20 playoff games.

What they still need

More puck-movers on defense to trigger the transition game. The loss of defenseman Adam Larsson in the trade that brought forward Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers on June 29, 2016, contributed to a minus-61 goal differential last season. Shero had interest in offensive defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who signed a four-year contract with the New York Rangers on July 1.

Pete Jensen's fantasy outlook

The Devils will put Johansson to good use at even strength as a top-six forward and on their first power-play unit. Johansson joins fantasy-relevant players Hall, Hischier and Kyle Palmieri. Johansson played primarily at left wing for the Capitals in recent seasons, but he gives the Devils flexibility if they want to use him at center or right wing on one of their first two lines. But as much as Johansson could benefit the players around him, he takes an individual fantasy hit leaving a power-play spot with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Projected lineup

Taylor Hall -- Travis Zajac -- Kyle Palmieri
Adam Henrique -- Nico Hischier -- Marcus Johansson
Miles Wood -- Pavel Zacha -- Stefan Noesen
John Quenneville -- Brian Boyle -- Blake Speers
Andy Greene -- Damon Severson
John Moore -- Ben Lovejoy
Mirco Mueller -- Steven Santini
Cory Schneider
Keith Kinkaid