The New Jersey Devils said goodbye to an up-and-down season on Thursday morning. After losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in double overtime on Tuesday, the players conducted exit interviews on Thursday morning. Most of the players talked and gave insights on the season, their injuries, and what they expect from the offseason.
Of course, one of the most anticipated press briefings would be from Devils' captain Nico Hischier. The media and fans want to hear from the leader of the Devils' locker room about his thoughts on the season and the future.
Hischier gave great insights into this team. He said he was happy with his performance this year, and he enjoyed the responsibility he saw with his defensive zone draws. He told Devils fans that he appreciates their support, but as you can see from his quote below, he knows the expectations need to be higher moving forward.
On raising the bar for next season, here's what Nico Hischier had to poignantly say about his #NJDevils team:
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) May 1, 2025
"I think the next step for this team is having a great year, winning the division, and from there on, going for the playoff run. That’s what I’m looking for." pic.twitter.com/cE6IW6RTTP
Winning the Metropolitan Division would be awesome. How likely is it? Honestly, it's not that crazy.
The Devils finished 20 points behind the Washington Capitals, who were the top team in the entire Eastern Conference. Finding 20 points in the standings next year would be a tall task, but considering this will be Year 2 under Sheldon Keefe, the new additions we expect this offseason, and the players who will return from injury next season, it just might be enough.
Nico Hischier sets the goal as a Metropolitan Division win for 2025-26 New Jersey Devils
Last season, the Washington Capitals were in a very similar position. They finished the season with 91 points (exactly the same as the Devils this season), and the Rangers, who won the Metropolitan Division, finished 23 points higher than them. They made that 20-point turnaround, so the playbook exists for Tom Fitzgerald.
The New Jersey Devils have never won the Metropolitan Division. The realignment in 2013 created the Metropolitan Division, and that coincided with the Devils rebuild. Even during the Devils' record-breaking 2022-23 season, they finished one point behind the division winning Hurricanes. The Devils haven't won their division since 2009-10.
Having this out there as the Devils' goal is a good thing. The Devils' captain is putting accountability on the table. It's up to the front office to give this team what it needs to win the division.