The New Jersey Devils have a long way to go if they want to be one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference. Last season, the Devils made it to the playoffs, but they were basically chum in the water for the Carolina Hurricanes. They needed overtime to win one game, and the Canes moved on after a Game 5 win.
This offseason, the Devils added some important pieces like Connor Brown and Arseniy Gritsyuk. They did a lot to help with the bottom six. The depth is much better, and the Devils are better suited to get goals from all four lines.
Most Devils fans and national analysts are under the assumption that they didn't do enough. Two major holes on the offense (top-six winger and third-line center) could prove to be hurtful. Every year, the Devils go into the season with a hole, and it ends up hurting them severely. Two years ago, going into the season with Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid was risky, and it ended up ruining the season. Last year, they had serious questions about center depth, and they ended the season with Cody Glass on line two.
But... what if they do have enough?
New prediction says the Devils could win the Metropolitan Division
The Devils are insanely talented. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier might be the best one-two punch at center outside of the Edmonton Oilers duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Their defense is stacked, even with the Johnny Kovacevic injury. There are two superstar wingers in Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, even if the latter hasn't hit his ceiling with the Devils. And they have a top head coach in Sheldon Keefe with a better assistant behind him in Brad Shaw.
Because of all this, the latest prediction from JFresh had the Devils in a surprising spot. After securin 104 points, the Devils tie the Carolina Hurricanes for the lead in the Metropolitan Division, and we assume they won on tiebreaker qualifications.
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 27, 2025
It might sound crazy and it might make the most supersticious fans uncomfortable, but the Devils could be the favorite to win this division. If Jacob Markstrom is just as good as he was before his injury, and if the Devils defense plays like it did in the first half while Luke Hughes plays like he did in the final 22 games of the season, this is a great team.
Plus, this division stinks. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Islanders are expected to stink. Columbus has regression possibility. The Rangers still have questions, and the Hurricanes are the worst division leader. The Devils are in an enviable position here.
NOTE: JFresh came up with a slightly updated ranking that had the tiebreaker going to Carolina, but that is semantics at this point.