Devils building into a contender after hitting rock-bottom

Go West, young man, and find a decent hockey team.

Way out in Newark is where the lone hometown hope resides, the Devils carrying the torch for New York-area hockey — and New York-area winter sports — into the spring. They are a story of redemption and modern retooling. This young energetic group might be flawed and might get overwhelmed if they do hang on to a playoff spot, but they carry with them enough character to warrant attention.

“Our goal was to get to this point in the year where we could play competitive games in March and April and really earn respect back for the Devils uniform,” sparkplug coach John Hynes said before his team’s impressive 2-1 victory over the league-leading Lightning on Saturday night at Prudential Center. “Last year, we were disgusted with how we played, how the organization was represented, where we finished. That was the start.”

The start was the basement, finishing last in the Eastern Conference and 27th overall, which came with it a fifth straight year out of the postseason. With former president and general manager Lou Lamoriello running the Maple Leafs, all that hope that existed when Adam Henrique scored the overtime winner in Game 6 of the 2012 conference finals to beat the Rangers seemed to have vanished. Forget the halcyon days of Marty Brodeur, whose statue out on the corner of Lafayette and Mulberry makes those three Stanley Cups seem like an ancient memory.

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But bottoming out gave the organization a better chance in the draft lottery, and when they lucked out and got the No. 1-overall pick, GM Ray Shero made a terrific choice in selecting 18-year-old Swiss center Nico Hischier. It just so happens the preternaturally mature Hischier — who turned 19 in January — is playing his best hockey when it matters most. He scored his 18th goal of the season Saturday while his team swept the three-game season series against the super-talented Lightning — just as they did against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins, finishing off their epic two-week road trip with a 4-3 victory in Pittsburgh on Friday night.

Both legs of the back-to-back were started by the season-saving goalie from Long Island, Keith Kinkaid, while the 4-2-0 trip also included victories against top-tier teams in the Predators and Golden Knights. The Devils (39-28-8) are trying to hold onto the second wild-card against the surging Panthers, who won again on Saturday are three points back with two games in hand.

Yet this Devils team has been aided by the inspirational story of Brian Boyle, returning after a bout with cancer, and with Taylor Hall finally fully emerging from the gloom of Edmonton to get himself 33 goals and add his 49th assist against Tampa Bay while putting himself right into the mix for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

Shero solidified his backend in November by trading for veteran defenseman Sami Vatanen, who has often playing north of 25 minutes per game and made a great play to deny Steven Stamkos and retain a 2-1 lead late in the third period. The aggressive GM was also able to swing the first-ever deal between the Devils and Rangers, pulling Michael Grabner off Broadway just before the Feb. 26 deadline to add more speed to a team that can already fly.

“I know from playing against them, it was not a lot of fun playing against Jersey,” Grabner said.

The Devils, who always have been predicated on strength in goal, have survived an injury-riddled and a second straight disappointing season from starter Cory Schneider, while their collective even-strength save percentage of .916 was sixth-worst in the league. That might end up being the historically ironic way that a first-round series against the Lightning, Bruins, Capitals or Penguins would go up in flames.

But there is promise with this young group, and after petering off from their hot start to the season, they have shown resolve to keep themselves in the playoff race. They have a base for the future, and a stout backbone in the present — which is more than either the Rangers or Islanders can say for their woeful seasons.

It might not result in a Stanley Cup for the Devils just yet, but out here is an organization worthy of attention.