After a down-to-the-wire overtime win against the Nashville Predators at home, the New Jersey Devils find themselves seven points behind the third-place Islanders in the Metropolitan division and nine points behind the Boston Bruins, who currently hold the last Wild Card spot. With just under 30 games to go, the Devils still have a 51% chance to get in the playoffs according to HockeyStats.com. As of right now, it seems like New Jersey's best and easiest path to secure a playoff spot would be catching up to the Islanders rather than fighting for the last Wild Card spot.
The Devils have just three games remaining before the Winter Olympics break, they face the Senators on the road and then have two home games, hosting the Blue Jackets and Islanders. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has a lot of thinking to do during this break, especially waiting on how bad Jack Hughes recent lower-body injury really is. If he is out long-term, that could possibly change any plans of buying at the trade deadline.
Once New Jersey returns to the ice after the Winter Olympics break, they have 25 games left in the season and just five games before the NHL trade deadline occurs. In those 25 games, the Devils are home for 14 and on the road for 11. 19 of those 25 games are against Eastern Conference opponents, with nine against Metropolitan Division teams.
A big factor is a seven-game homestand running from March 3rd to March 16th. The Devils started hot at home but have since cooled off. This homestand is the perfect chance to get back on track and win some games in front of the home crowd. Just after a haul of games at Prudential Center, the Devils go on a 5-game road trip from March 18th to March 28th. It is also important to note that New Jersey has the easiest strength of schedule out of all teams in the East, a key factor in why certain projections are still giving them a chance to make the playoffs.
There is a lot in play for the Devils this season, but the clock is ticking, and the trade deadline is quickly approaching. This group needs to get it together just to make the playoffs. If things go wrong, then maybe Tom Fitzgerald would decide to possibly sell at the trade deadline. The routes this team could take in the coming weeks are crucial not only now but also for the franchise's future, which hasn't taken the next step with this so-called "core."