Since the wins over Minnesota, San Jose, and Colorado, the New Jersey Devils have been in full chokehold mode. Against Minnesota, it was nearly perfect defensively. The only blemish? USNTDP alum Matt Boldy slipped one past Jack Hughes and company to avoid getting pickled. Other than that lone goal, it felt like a mental shutout.
Kirill Kaprizov’s line might as well have been invisible. Nico Daws faced 31 shots, 19 blocked in front of him, and added five takeaways that gave him the breathing room every goalie dreams of. Only eight hits and 19 blocked shots? Low Sasquatch energy, yes, but smart. Minnesota’s quick transition game is lightning fast, so the Devils wisely avoided overcommitting pinches and giving up the pace.
The San Jose game? Dougie Hamilton brought the heart, scoring two power-play goals. The Devils' metrics were locked in: 22 hits, 18 blocked shots, and five takeaways. Jake Allen saw just 17 shots (including zero shots in the second period) in a 3-1 win. San Jose was kept afloat only by Yaroslav Askarov, hungry for a redemption moment after upsetting the Rangers 6 to 5.
Meanwhile, Arseny Gritsyuk is heating up. Two goals in nine games, trending toward a 22 to 35 goal season, on pace for 55 points just like I predicted over the summer on Locked On Devils. Zach Berman has stepped in to keep the coverage alive since Trey Matthews’ crossover, and he is doing phenomenal work keeping the hype real.
This Devils roster is deep. Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, Simon Nemec, Arseny Gritsyuk, Connor Brown, Brenden Dillon, Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton. From the back end to the forward depth, every layer is locked in. Moneypuck currently projects a 105-point pace in the standings. That is elite, especially this early in the season.
And they are doing this without Jacob Markstrom at full strength. Jake Allen and Nico Daws are holding the fort while Jakub Malek develops with the Utica Comets, gaining crucial experience. Big things are brewing: Mikhail “Big Mike” Yegorov coming out of Boston University, and Trenten Bennett, the Ben Bishop sized goalie, is 4-1 in the OHL with a 2.47 GAA and .929 save percentage. Tom Fitzgerald is pacing the team perfectly. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.
An eight-game win streak equals pure bliss. Players, coaches, fans, and season ticketholders are all in. Don LaGreca said it best: “Put a pitchfork in this one!” The Devils are sending a message: deep roster, smart strategy, disciplined defense, and offensive sparks that can ignite at any moment. Keep howling to Howl and ride the WOO.
This is Devils hockey at its finest. Confident, balanced, deadly in all zones. Gritsyuk scoring, Hamilton owning the power play, Daws calm in net, Dillon, Luke Hughes, and Nemec fearless on the backend. Jack Hughes hot out of the gate, Meier dangerous every shift, Bratt and Hischier driving play, Mercer orchestrating chaos, Brown adding clutch depth. Every shift, every player, every layer contributes.
If this pace continues, New Jersey is not just competing; they are setting the tone. Every win reinforces the system, the depth chart, and the trust on the ice. Fans? Pure bliss. Season tickets feel like treasure. The Devils are winning, developing talent, and proving the hype is real.
The energy heading into this road trip is fueling extra savings in the Devils' points bank, giving them a cushion for tougher stretches or injuries. Last season, streaks never lasted more than three games, making the playoffs feel like a rollercoaster. With depth from Utica and a reliable pipeline, this team runs like a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid with All Wheel Drive, efficient, durable, and ready to handle the grind while coming out on top more often than not.