The New Jersey Devils have had a few holes in the lineup this entire season, but good health and a few players stepping up have made those holes less prominent. Cody Glass is playing like a true number-three center, and that’s filled a hole that otherwise would ruin the bottom six. Paul Cotter replaced Luke Glendening as 4C, and it gives the Devils much better options for their fourth line. Dougie Hamilton has stepped up since his benching and is playing like a true number-one defenseman. Jake Allen should be the Devils’ number-one goalie.
With all that being settled, the Devils still have one massive hole in their lineup. The issue is glaringly obvious with Tuesday night’s lineup against the Winnipeg Jets.
Lots of changes for #NJDevils ahead of facing the Jets today.
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) January 27, 2026
Changes nearly everywhere, except for the Gritsyuk-Glass-Hämeenaho staying together.
Jake Allen gets the start.
Here are all your changes: pic.twitter.com/Rbxd5I7wwk
There are two things that actually stand out about the above lineup, but one was addressed. Glendening as a wing is scary, but Connor Brown will be in the lineup when the puck drops.
The other is Evgenii Dadonov on the top line. We actually predicted that Dadonov would play on the top line next to Jack Hughes to start the season, adding Jesper Bratt to that line instead of Dawson Mercer. However, since that prediction, Dadonov has been injured twice, and he has zero points in 13 games played. It's... really bad.
Evgenii Dadonov is not the answer for the New Jersey Devils' top six
Yet, the Devils are forced to put Dadonov on that line. The only other option is breaking up the Arseny Gristyuk-Glass-Lenni Hameenaho line. The rookie Hameenaho has been a revelation since jumping into the lineup last week, and pushing a 36-year-old who has struggled due to injuries isn't the best idea.
The Devils need another top-six forward. They've been tied to guys like Steven Stamkos and Jordan Kyrou in the past. Both would be really good for their lineup, but should the Devils make the move in the middle of a season where they are desperately fighting for a playoff spot? Does it make sense to go all in on a very expensive lineup piece during a questionable time in the standings?
The situation is dire, but it's unlikely to be fixed anytime soon. We don't think Tom Fitzgerald will pull a trigger before the Olympic break and its ensuing roster freeze. Sheldon Keefe has to try finding offense from the pieces he currently has at his disposal.
If Hughes can get the Dadonov who scored 20 goals last season, then it will answer a lot of questions. That's asking a lot, however, and we don't want to stray from the realism associated with this season.