5 New Jersey Devils players who won’t return next season

Nobody wants to see their team take a major step back, but in the NHL, as in all professional sports, sometimes, it’s just not a team’s season to shine. Unfortunately for the New Jersey Devils, they are helping to fill the bottom half of the Metropolitan Division’s standings, and it’s something they would rather not have repeat itself next season. 

They already made a coaching change, and with just a 6-6-0 record since taking over for Lindy Ruff heading into Friday’s matchup with the Buffalo Sabres, Travis Green doesn’t appear to be the answer in Newark. A new head coach behind the bench could be one of a few new faces on the way to the organization next season, but as new people arrive, current members of this team will move elsewhere. 

New Jersey Devils will see quite a few players leave this summer

New Jersey has been a frustrating unit, as back in October 2023, it wasn’t far-fetched to believe this team could make a deep playoff run. They had momentum heading into the season following a year that saw them upset the New York Rangers in the playoffs, and we at least thought they would make a return trip to the postseason. 

That hasn’t happened, but with a team featuring a solid young core of players, there is a good chance they will experience some roster turnover outside of that core in an attempt to get back on track for the 2024-25 season. This means letting some players on expiring contracts walk. However, there may also be a few surprises who, in foresight, would make little sense to move. But in hindsight, such transactions may pay off.

So, which five players won’t be playing in Newark when the 2024-25 season kicks off and will land elsewhere this summer? Let’s start with a couple of unsurprising names before we discuss three players you may either want to see remain with or, in the case of one, make a grand return to Newark.