The New Jersey Devils came into this season with high expectations following a relatively disappointing ending to their playoff run last season. The loss of Jack Hughes late in the season hampered what could have been a promising postseason campaign.
This season, expectations focused on the Devils’ ability to remain healthy and get productive seasons from their stars like Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, Jesper Bratt, and captain Nico Hischier. The Devils got off to a strong start, winning eight straight, but have since cooled off.
Despite falling back down to Earth, there’s plenty of reason to believe the Devils are a legit Stanley Cup contender in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. So, let’s take a closer look.
3 reasons why New Jersey Devils are still Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26
Elite center one-two punch
Very few teams can boast an elite one-two punch in their top six. The Devils are one of them. The combo of Hughes and Hischier can only be rivaled by clubs like the Edmonton Oilers with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
As we’ve seen plenty of times, Jack Hughes can take over a game on his own. A good example of that came on October 21 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hughes torched the Leafs for three goals, making the club look like amateurs on the ice.
Similarly, Nico Hischier is having another stealthily good campaign. He’s got three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 13 games. That sort of production is what most teams dream about from the #2 center.
The biggest concern, however, will be Hughes’ health. He’s run into injury trouble over the last couple of seasons. As long as he can stay on the ice, opponents will be hard-pressed to hold the Devils back.
High-end blue line
The Devils' blue line has emerged as a significant strength this season. Dougie Hamilton remains a top-pairing blueliner this season. But it’s been his partner, Jonas Siegenthaler, who’s seemingly come into his own this season.
Beyond those two, the pairing of Brenden Dillon and Luke Hughes has emerged as one of the most underrated pairings. Yes, the Devils know what they have in Luke Hughes. That’s why the club extended him to the contract they did. But Dillon has provided sufficient balance to allow Hughes to spread his wings this season.
Despite the bottom pairing being the subject of some speculation, there’s plenty to be optimistic about with this group. The caveat is that the Devils aren’t exactly a grinding, shutdown team. But they play defense well enough to create separation between them and opponents.
Keefe’s still the right coach for the team
Sheldon Keefe, in his second season, has proven he’s the right coach for this club. Keefe isn’t the typical old-school coach focused on grinding down opponents with a dump-and-chase style game. His focus is on puck possession, where his players’ speed and skill drive their high-scoring numbers.
This season, Keefe and the club seem to have found a solid rhythm. Naturally, there have been times when that rhythm has been disrupted. For instance, the 8-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche brought the Devils’ shortcomings to light. But that game can be seen as an aberration, given the Avalanche’s overall talent level.
Keefe remains the right coach for the Devils. Very few coaches in the NHL know how to handle a top-heavy offense-first team. Aside from Kris Knoblauch in Edmonton and Andre Tourigny in Utah, virtually all coaches struggle with high-octane offensive styles.
Unless injuries suddenly devastate the Devils, Sheldon Keefe’s offensive-minded approach should age well as the season carries on.