Things look bad in Jersey, to put it mildly. The New Jersey Devils somehow find ways to reach new lows as they head into the Olympic break with three straight losses and an exclamation point defeat on Feb. 5 to the New York Islanders.
The Devils have no way out of this mess, at least that’s what it looks like based on how they’ve looked so far. It sets up for the worst-case scenario for the season. That said, even with the Devils stuck, they have a path out regardless of whether their record improves.
Devils Must Start Teardown
The recent stretch and the first half of the season in general showed that the Devils, as constructed, are built to fail. The offense is reliant on Jack Hughes, and when he’s not playing at a high level, everything else falls apart. The defense has good players, but collectively is a weak unit, similar to what the Buffalo Sabres looked like last season.
The Devils can start a teardown where they build around a handful of players. Yes, the no-trade clauses hold them back, but the Devils can still overhaul the roster. The only question is who they want to build around for the future, aside from Hughes and Nico Hischier.
Things can start with a few minor trades. Cody Glass and Dawson Mercer add futures and give the Devils options down the road. The question is what the Devils can do after that? Jesper Bratt is a player they must reconsider with the big picture in mind. He’s a talented player, but not someone they can build around, and too similar to Hughes.
How Stuck Are The Devils?
The only question at this point is whether the front office should be trusted with the next chapter for the Devils? They seem stuck, and can general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald be trusted with a retool or a teardown? The short answer is no, and they must move on from him to be good.
The Devils enter a pivotal trade deadline where they must build for next season and the years after. They need the right person in charge to lead the way, and Fitzgerald’s trade history has proven otherwise.
The Devils also must reconsider the head coach after the season. Sheldon Keefe was brought in to make them a sound team defensively and a structured group. They’ve been far from it, and Keefe’s temperament doesn’t help the cause either. A season that keeps spiraling out of control must force a chance behind the bench, and Fitzgerald isn’t the person who can be trusted with the hire.
Where A Lost Season Works Out For The Devils
The bright spot to the season is that the Devils, if this continues, can end up with a top-five pick in the 2026 draft. The good thing about this draft is that there are NHL-ready players sure to end up in the top five. The Devils can land Ivar Stenberg or defenseman Chase Reid to change the dynamics of the team.
The Devils, like the Islanders a season back, can accelerate their rebound time because of the draft. Matthew Schaefer turned the Islanders around after one season, and the Devils, with an elite young talent, can have their outlook improve overnight.