Palmieri Sees Real Promise in Devils After Midseason Surge

The Devils spent enough of the season reminding people how bumpy an NHL year can get, then found a better gear when it mattered. Palmieri is looking at that turnaround and seeing reasons to believe the future is sturdier than the standings once suggested. Players always talk about growth, but this is the part of the calendar where that word has to mean something. New Jersey now has to prove the improvement was a base, not a brief spike.