New Jersey Devils Season Preview: Predicting team's finish, breakout player, more

We've waited for months, but the New Jersey Devils are finally back. They are currently in Czechia preparing to play in the Global Series, and a backup lineup was left behind in New Jersey. As the preseason rolls to the start of the regular season on October 4th, we've gathered the entirety of the Pucks and Pitchforks staff to predict the Devils and the NHL season.

If you want to have a laugh, see some of our predictions from 2023-24. Ah, those were the good times. With the Devils looking to erase the memory of that season, what do we expect to happen? Take a journey with Pucks and Pitchforks as we go through everything that could happen in 2024-25.

1. Who will be the Devils' breakout performer this season?

Nick Villano: I've been on the Santeri Hatakka train for a while, and I'm not going to let an injury change my mind. I really think he's going to be a solid defender for the Devils and will find a starting role at some point (but Arseni Gritzyuk will be the breakout performer in the playoffs).

Vinnie Parise: Simon Nemec is a great candidate for this. He was very good as a rookie in 2023-24 despite there being no plan for him to play. Injury issues forced their hand and he showed them that they have a future star. 

Robert DeLuca: Paul Cotter. He was signed to bring some much needed depth to the team's bottom six. He is going to be way more useful than fans expect. 

Charlie Borges Jr.: This years breakout player is going to be Curtis Lazar. He showed he can be a valuable bottom six player last season. Also, with him being in a contract year, he is going to become one of the better role players in the league. Honorable Mention: Seamus Casey.

Alex Chauvancy: I'm not sure Dawson Mercer counts as a breakout performer this season, so let's go with Simon Nemec. He had an excellent rookie season in 2023-24, and he should build on that with less extreme usage this season.

Trey Matthews: Dawson Mercer. He has a lot to prove after coming off a subpar season. He can't afford another slow start, otherwise he might get the Alexander Holtz's treatment: Constantly seeing his name in trade discussions.

Craig Patrick: Paul Cotter is going to be a menace in the bottom 6. If he and Lazar link up, they could give the Devils what they have so infrequently had since the days of the Ryan Carter/Steve Bernier/Stephen Gionta line-- a legit scoring threat from the third or fourth line.

Joe Stanislau: Paul Cotter due to the fact he can play on a fast, and heavy attacking line. His hits, forechecking, and net presence will bring vibes of a new NJ Crash line.

David Holliday: Simon Nemec. I don't expect a lot of points from him but he will show that last season was not just a fluke by a rookie and that he is already a legit top 4 defender.

Aidan Barrett: Dawson Mercer should have a big year for New Jersey. Key players unlocked their potential under Keefe's system in Toronto. Expect Dawson Mercer to do the same.

Schiller: The Devils' breakout performer this season will be captain Nico Hischier. With many new acquisitions set up for success, the silent captain will prevail the most by taking advantage of his new and improved surroundings to break his single-season scoring record of 80 points. 

Luke Garrison: I believe Jack Hughes is the breakout performer of the season, but the main question and argument is whether he can stay healthy. It’s been a concern every year, but this year, he needs to avoid any injury, if possible, to get into that 100-point range.

Marci Rubin: The Devils’ breakout performer will be Simon Nemec.

Sam Annaluru: I think Paul Cotter will become an important piece this season. 

Neil Villapiano: Dawson Mercer. He's coming off a down year with a bridge contract to prove himself. He also will get a huge chance on the top six along with either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier, who are playmakers that can set up Mercer to score and score often.

2. What is the one player storyline you're most interested in right now? 

Villano: Jack Hughes versus his own body. He HAS to stay healthy this season, and he could become a super-duper star if he does.

Parise: I am most interested in seeing what Jack Hughes can do next. Will be finally be that 100+ point player (he had 99 in 2022-23) that the Devils need him to be? If he stays healthy, he will be one of the best. 

DeLuca: Tomas Tatar. The way that he never actually wanted to leave NJ but eventually was left with no choice and is now back after a season away. That is going to fire him up and perform more than admirably. 

Borges: This may be the obvious choice, but it has to be the health of the Hughes brothers. Can Jack stay healthy a full season and put up 100+ points and will Luke be back to 100% sooner rather than later?

Chauvancy: Can Seamus Casey stick around once Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce return to the lineup? He'll have a good opportunity to showcase his talent to start the season.

Matthews: Stefan Noesen. After reviving his career with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and Carolina Hurricanes, he's a completely different player since the last time we saw him in a Devils sweater. 

Patrick: Seamus Casey's hunt to make the Global Series roster is the most obvious, but for one a bit under the radar: Jonathan Kovacevic has a huge opportunity to cement himself on the roster in this first month of the season. When Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce are back from injury, top 6 D spots are going to be hard to come by in Newark, and he seems like he would be the odd man out. Kovacevic has to prove he was worth not only trading a pick to Montreal for, but worth putting in the lineup. 

Stanislau: Currently interested in Anton Silayev’s development over in the KHL. Another player but on the farm in Utica is Xavier Parent who is very cerebral and has really good instincts with the puck and has the ability to be a reliable and dynamic playmaker despite being a little short.

Holliday: Alex Ovechkin chasing the goal record. It looked like something that was almost impossible to break but there is a chance it happens this year and it would be cool to see happen even if he is a division rival.

Barrett: Timo Meier scored 17 goals from March 1st on. I expect him to score closer to that rate this season and be a 40 goal scorer once again.

Schiller: I am most interested in how Jack Hughes will respond after last season’s misfortunes. His new and improved shoulder and another year of experience should bode well for #86 in red and black.

Garrison: The one storyline I am interested in seeing is Dawson Mercer. We saw him all off-season, concerned about whether they would give him an extension, and Fitzgerald ended up getting a bridge deal done with Mercer. So now we hope he has a great season, and if he does, he could get a more significant extension in the 2025 offseason.

Rubin: I’m interested to see if Jack Hughes can stay healthy and put up his first 100-point season.

Annaluru: I am definitely intrigued to see if Luke Hughes takes a step into becoming a premier defender in the league. 

Villapiano: How big of an impact will Jacob Markstrom bring? Can he be the one to answer the Devils' decade-plus-long woes?

3. Which NHL team will be the biggest surprise? Biggest disappointment? (Not including Devils)

Villano: The biggest surprise is going to be the Washington Capitals. I think they are in the top three in the Metropolitan Division by a pretty clear margin. The biggest disappointment will be the Los Angeles Kings. With the Drew Doughty injury and just a strange offseason, we see them falling out of the playoffs.

Parise: The biggest surprise this season is going to be the Utah Hockey Club. They are no longer under Arizona Coyotes leadership and have resources to become a better franchise. The talent there is undeniable. The biggest disappointment is going to be the Ottawa Senators. There are expectations that they would take a big step but they haven’t made the moves needed for that to be the case.

DeLuca: Biggest surprise is going to the Buffalo Sabres. This team is in the exact same position that the Devils were in when Ruff came along and while that may have only led to one playoff appearance, they won a series. It can be argued the Sabres are in a slightly better spot than the 2021 Devils were so that justifies the hire even further. Biggest disappointment will be the Vegas Golden Knights. Between losing Jonathan Marchessault and the questions in goal after trading away Logan Thompson, there is a lot left to be desired.

Borges: The biggest surprise team in the NHL will be the Utah Hockey Club. With a new move and a youth movement out there, don’t be surprised if they make the playoffs. Biggest disappointment will inevitably be the Vancouver Canucks. With their run last year, it sets up an unrealistic expectation for this season. Especially without Thatcher Demko fully healthy.

Chauvancy: The biggest surprise team will be Utah HC, and the biggest disappointment will be the Boston Bruins, though that depends on how long Jeremy Swayman remains unsigned. 

Matthews: Surprise: I'm excited to see what the Detroit Red Wings can do with Stanley Cup veterans Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Disappointment: Ottawa Senators. Brady Tkachuk will miss the playoffs yet again despite adding Linus Ullmark. 

Patrick: I think the Canadiens will be a surprising contender for one of the last WC spots in the East. Martin St. Louis has buy-in from their young core, and this is the year the true Cole Caulfield superstar turn begins. Meanwhile, Vegas is due for steep regression. I don't like their depth at forward at all, they don't have enough to withstand another inevitable Mark Stone injury. And I still don't believe in that Adin Hill/Ilya Samsonov tandem.

Stanislau: Biggest disappointment would be for the Rangers if Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick have good seasons, but fail to dominate the playoffs. If the Russian netminder has more average games and loses more games then that can alter the standings in the Metropolitan in favor of NJ.

Holliday: The biggest disappointment this season will be the Islanders who despite the middle of the Metro division looking open will finally fall off and miss the playoffs with 15 points less than last season.

Barrett: Anaheim should be contending for a playoff spot for a majority of the year and could even get in with the young talent developing. Los Angeles is throwing out the same lineup they have the past 3 seasons. I could see them falling out and Anaheim bumping into their position.

Schiller: Lots of potential surprises in the eastern conference this season. These include Ottawa, Washington, Detroit, and Buffalo. Out of these, I expect Washington to make a bigger push than the rest. They will be a big surprise if they can put it all together. The biggest disappointment will be those perennial contenders who seemingly find new ways to lose in the biggest moments year after year. Those include Boston, Toronto and the Rangers of New York. Wherever they finish, as long as it is short of a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, it will be disappointing for their fans and everyone involved in the organization. 

Garrison: I believe the Nashville Predators will be the surprise team with a great season, especially with their off-season. The biggest disappointment will be the Ottawa Senators. They didn’t upgrade in the offseason team-wise, and they have Travis Green as head coach, who couldn’t make a system work with the Devils' talent.

Rubin: The biggest surprise will be Utah Hockey Club. The biggest disappointment will be the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Annaluru: I think the Caps might surprise some people again and go on a playoff run, while the Bruins may be in for a transition year. 

Villapiano: The Utah Hockey Club will be the biggest surprise. Recent history has shown that new teams have early success and Utah has talent that can make them sneaky competitive.

4. What do expect out of the first season from Sheldon Keefe?

Villano: As simply as we can put it, we expect big things from Sheldon Keefe. It will start slow, but he'll pick up in a big way around Thanksgiving.

Parise: I expect the New Jersey Devils to be a faster, smarter team under Sheldon Keefe. He has taken offensive stars to the next level before and he can do it again. Now, he has good defensemen and a goalie to work with as well which is something he hasn’t necessarily been used to. This year should be a good one in Newark. 

DeLuca: It is no secret that Sheldon Keefe has been handed high expectations for this season. But he has proven to have immense success in the regular season so one can only wonder what a new roster may do in the playoffs under his leadership.

Borges: In his first season with the Devils, Sheldon Keefe will either be a Jack Adams finalist or fans will want him gone by Christmas and there is no inbetween. In his first job where he was not hired by Kyle Dubas, it will be interesting to see Keefe carve his own path.

Chauvancy: Playoffs at a minimum, given his track record, but I expect him to hold players accountable better than Lindy Ruff. 

Matthews: Playoffs or bust.

Patrick: I expect he will continue to be an outstanding communicator who will get the most out of his players. A playoff run seems likely, but whether he can break the curse of his teams choking in Game 7s remains to be seen. If he leads the Devils to the Metropolitan Division win, he will be a deserving Jack Adams finalist.

Stanislau: I expect Sheldon Keefe to add more to the hits, blocked shots, and stronger forechecking. Having elite-level defensemen and forwards who can be very lethal on the PP, I expect the Devils to dominate the Hits, Blocks, and shock teams in playing fast and heavy hockey.

Holliday: High scoring offensive hockey. He played a very fast paced system in Toronto and the Devils are built to go with that system so that is what I expect out of him in the regular season. Come playoff time it is the real test however and all fans know how bad the Leafs are at that time of year and the Devils do not want that to be our new thing.

Barrett: I expect a team that dominates in scoring chances in a majority of games. They'll be a much better team in transition, much closer to the 2022 team than the 2023 team.

Schiller: I expect a different system of hockey under Sheldon Keefe with more pressure in both the defensive and neutral zone. I expect a fair amount of anticipation and excitement from the fan base. I expect to see a team ready to compete and battle through the many ups and downs of a very demanding 82+ game campaign. 

Garrison: Sheldon Keefe will make sure everyone plays at their natural position, which was a problem with Lindy Ruff. I also expect him to try to find his next Auston Matthews in Jack Hughes and work with the roster to find the best outcome for goals in every game.

Rubin: I expect Keefe to recreate his regular season success and get to the playoffs with the Devils, then change the playoff narrative that he had in Toronto and get past the first round.

Annaluru: I hope that he gets them to be a consistent side on most nights. 

Villapiano: I expect this team to be more playoff-ready and find different ways to win games. I also expect his system to work very well offensively with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Dawson Mercer in particular.