The New Jersey Devils are limping toward the playoffs and facing more adversity in the second half of the season. They are missing Jack Hughes and adding Daniel Sprong and Cody Glass before the NHL Trade Deadline to be showing signs of promise. Going into the 2025-26 season, there will be an even higher bar of expectations for Tom Fitzgerald to improve Head Coach Sheldon Keefe's roster. It will need to be players in free agency and via trades where the Devils get more physical and far more goal-scoring.
Speaking of contracts, players that have not lived up to their billing are in the realm of Curtis Lazar and Justin Dowling, and these guys are not consistent in their defensive and physical play or even offensive output for the bottom-six players. This is why Daniel Sprong and Cody Glass were added to the roster.
However, a player who has maintained average offensive production while being a tremendous defensive forward is Dawson Mercer. Simon Nemec is a far better player than in that game against Winnipeg. That is just the observation from what he has done the season prior, but his defensive ability will flourish on a rebuilding team where his second-line pairing potential gets unlocked via a blockbuster deal that benefits the Devils long term.
When the New Jersey Devils eventually head into the offseason, they need to add a winger and center that can help add scoring contribution to the bottom six. It's not all on Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jesper Bratt, all of whom know how to score when they play very consistently. But adding someone like Sam Bennett with that clutch Sasquatch mindset and style of play is exactly what the Devils should go for at center and wing.
As the head coach, Sheldon Keefe needs Tom Fitzgerald to let him recruit specific free agents and potential trade targets for Garden State to rock the red and black. Last summer, Tom Fitzgerald said the "No D-heads" motto needs players to buy into the Sheldon Keefe brand of hockey, where physical, hard-nosed hockey is key. Adding a winger like Arseny Gritsyuk will be a great addition; he is a KHL veteran and not much of a prospect from those standards, with 4 seasons of experience. In a recent article, we elaborated more on Arseny Gritsyuk's game, and it would help bring a special dynamic, especially if the Devils move on from Dawson Mercer.
The New Jersey Devils need to add more talent in the offseason than they did at the trade deadline
Having the salary cap going up and the upper management realizing this is the time to keep adding pieces to push not only for playoffs consistently but also add players who fit into the mold around Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, to name a few guys. Young guys like Luke Hughes have a little experience around the previous older veterans in the locker room. Jonathan Kovacevic got his big payday, Seamus Casey will want a big cup of NHL playoff hockey, and realizing that he's no longer a star from the University of Michigan and the Utica Comets but is looking to make his mark. A lot of people forget that Seamus Casey and Simon Nemec were drafted in the first two rounds by the Devils, and they were both excellent picks.
However, it was very disappointing that Simon Nemec has soured, knowing that he's with an organization that is built deep on defense and looking to get back to being a consistent playoff team. The shift in that mindset is not what a winning organization wants to deal with. This is why a calm, cool, and collected offensive defenseman in Seamus Casey will flourish with his offensive upside that can be well-rounded by his growing defensive game.