The New Jersey Devils are going into a very important season. The 2025-26 season is where the Devils are supposed to take the next step in contention. It’s Jack Hughes’s seventh NHL season, and Nico Hischier is going into his ninth season. This is a team that needs to be ready to make moves in the Eastern Conference.
With the season finally upon us, as the Devils prepare to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening night game on Hulu and ESPN+, we brought the entirety of the Pucks and Pitchforks team together to get their thoughts on the upcoming season.
Question 1.
Who will be the Devils' breakout performer this season?
Nick Villano: Depends on how you look at this answer, it's either Luke Hughes or Dawson Mercer. I think Hughes gets 60 points as a defenseman and becomes one of the best players at his position. Mercer is going to get a lot of opportunities, and I think he gets back to the 25 goal, 50-point player.
Jon Bailey: The Devils' breakout performer this year will (and needs to be) Simon Nemec. Now is his time.
Vinnie Parise: Luke Hughes. After signing his big ticket late in camp, he now must live up to the number and term. With brother Jack fully healthy, there should be plenty of motivation for them to dominate as a team. From 4-Nations onward, Luke was an elite producer. Now, the expectation is that he will keep it up.
Rob DeLuca: Evgenii Dadonov. This was a player signed for “bottom 6 depth” and yet in preseason he showed us he can skate and perform well with anyone. Especially Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.
Craig Patrick: I am still a firm believer that the best is yet to come for Simon Nemec. I just don't think I've ever seen someone play like a 2-way play-driving defenseman at 19 in the NHL, and then fail to contribute for years after. This year, his platform year before his ELC expires, he'll assert himself as a top 4 defenseman for the Devils by season's end, and put up at least 5 goals and 25 assists.
Marci Rubin: Arseny Gritsyuk. He stood out in the preseason, and he’s someone who can provide secondary scoring.
Neil Villapiano: Dawson Mercer, because I believe that by playing in the top six as a winger, he's going to be able to step up his goal scoring. I think we'll see him get back to where he was in 22-23 with more scoring.
Charlie Borges Jr.: Breakout player: The common answer will most likely be Arseny Gritsyuk. So I’ll go with Paul Cotter. Cotter, who is in a contract year, will be counted on to provide some scoring depth in the bottom six. He should build on what was a solid first year in New Jersey.
Damien Flores: The Devils breakout performer this season will be Timo Meier.
Joe Stanislau: Arseny Gritsyuk is poised to make the big transition from the KHL as a well seasoned young veteran. He has all the tools and talents to dominate on the wing in goals.
Luke Garrison: For this season, the Devils’ main breakout performer must be Jack Hughes. Due to his return from injury, he needs to have a stronger season to keep pace with the high praise in his career.
Sam Annaluru: I think it will be Simon Nemec. After a fairly rough development path, I think this year will finally be the year that Nemec becomes a mainstay on the blueline and push for a top-4 spot.
Question 2
What is the one storyline you're most interested in right now?
Villano: The growth of Simon Nemec. Will he live up to that second-overall status, and will that make him more or less likely to get traded?
Bailey: Quietly, I'm very interested in the Dawson Mercer redemption arc with his reappearance in the top-six with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. If he can return to 2022-23 form, the Devils' fortunes will improve massively.
Parise: Sasha Barkov is out for the season due to an ACL injury. As unfortunate as it is, it opens the field for the Selke Trophy. Is this the year that Nico Hischier wins it?
DeLuca: You have to wonder about how Kirill Kaprizov is going to look for the Wild following setting the NHL record for the highest-paid contract. A lot of expectations there now.
Patrick: I'm about ready to download Telegram. I need those live updates from Arseny Gritsyuk as he settles into North American hockey and life for the first time. I want a live update on his first Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese on an everything bagel almost as much as I want to see his reaction to his first (of many) NHL regular season goal.
Rubin: A storyline I am most interested in is how Jack Hughes will look after recovering from shoulder surgery. Can he stay healthy for a whole season and help the team get to the next level?
Villapiano: How much of an impact does Brad Shaw have on the defenseman? He's got an impressive resume, and coming to a team that was top 3 on the penalty kill last year, I'm curious about how Shaw can make them perform even better.
Borges: The health of the Brothers Hughes. If both look like themselves after surgeries, the Devils have a chance. If they both take a step back or seem fragile, again, this could be a long season.
Flores: The future of Dougie Hamilton.
Stanislau: Absolutely excited to see Lenni Hameenaho watching him reminds me of a younger Tyler Toffoli as a goal scorer and a nose for the crease too.
Garrison: The one storyline I am interested in right now is how Arseni Gristyuk will respond now that he’s in the NHL. We all saw the rookie develop great chemistry with the team in the preseason, so it will be interesting to see how Keefe utilizes him.
Annaluru: One story line I’m very excited to see if whether or not the Devils trade Dougie Hamilton this season.
Question 3
Which NHL team will be the biggest surprise? Biggest disappointment?
Villano: Boston Bruins will be the biggest surprise. They have some interesting foundations here, and we see a bounce back from Jeremy Swayman. I think the Toronto Maple Leafs will be the biggest disappointment. They didn't replace Mitch Marner, and the defense has issues. It puts too much on their goaltending.
Bailey: The biggest surprise will be the Utah Mammoth, and the biggest disappointment will be the New York Rangers.
Parise: The biggest surprise will be Tampa Bay Lightning. Although folks expect them to be a respectable playoff team, they will be one of the top contenders in the league. The biggest disappointment will be the Montreal Canadiens. Don’t expect a second consecutive playoff appearance. It takes time to truly put it all together. Think of the Devils a few years ago
DeLuca: The biggest surprise in the NHL will be the Montreal Canadiens. With how beaten up the defending champ Panthers are, you have to wonder if that potentially opens up a top 3 spot in the Atlantic. The biggest disappointment will be the Utah Mammoth. Are we seriously doing this hype train again, folks? What about their goaltending is any sort of promise that this very young forward core has enough to find a playoff spot? No, it's not.
Patrick: I called Montreal being the biggest surprise last season, so I'll go back to the Atlantic and say the Senators have a sneaky chance of competing for the Division title, with Florida diminished by injuries and Toronto's shaky goaltending situation. Ullmark was in Vezina form down the stretch last year. On the other side of the coin, there is no way that the Kings finish anywhere close to second in the Pacific again this year. In fact, I think it's more likely that Jim Hiller is fired than it is that the Kings are anything better than the second wild card in the West.
Rubin: The biggest surprise will be the Ottawa Senators. They are on the rise after a return to the playoffs. The biggest disappointment will be the Winnipeg Jets. The team is just not the same caliber as it was last season after a rough offseason.
Villapiano: Biggest surprise, I'll say the Ottawa Senators, because of their talent and their speed will become a problem for the rest of the league. Biggest disappointment, I'll go with the Winnipeg Jets, because they lost Nikolaj Ehlers, and I'm not confident Hellebuyck will be able to save them enough times to go deep in the playoffs.
Borges: Biggest Surprise: The Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks should push for a playoff spot with a young core insulated by veterans. Sound familiar? The biggest disappointment will be the Vancouver Canucks. A lot of pressure this season with Quinn Hughes’ new deal on the horizon. They can’t live up to it.
Flores: The team that will be the biggest surprise this season will be the Utah Mammoth. The biggest disappointment will be the Montreal Canadiens.
Stanislau: A lot of people chose the Rangers. They have improved somewhat, but they can’t be as disappointing as they were now that a few veterans are gone. My eye is on the Panthers, where Matthew Tkachuk will miss a few months and Alexander Barkov is out with a knee injury. The Panthers will be tested, and maybe the NJ Devils team will capitalize on their injuries.
Garrison: The St. Louis Blues will be the biggest surprise to me this season, as we all saw last year how well the Blues played under Jim Montgomery, and the Vancouver Canucks will be the biggest disappointment this year, because the pressure of trying to keep Quinn Hughes may get to them in their play.
Annaluru: Biggest surprise team I think will be Flyers making the playoffs, while the biggest disappointment will be Capitals failing to repeat their success of last year.
Question 4
What is the one X-factor of the New Jersey Devils season?
Villano: The reintroduction of superstar Jack Hughes. If he gets to 100 points, the Devils will be considered true contenders.
Bailey: If we're talking strictly performance and not injuries, my biggest x-factor for the Devils this season is the play of Luke Hughes and how big a step forward he can take.
Parise: Jack Hughes. He should be banned from being this answer because he is their best player, but his availability at the end of 2024-25 makes him the answer. If he is there and producing at a high level, the Devils could be elite.
DeLuca: Defense. Luke (Hughes) is here, and that is wonderful. It is time for him and pretty much all of this extremely experienced 6-man core to step up and help out our goalies and forwards on both sides.
Patrick: I mean, the obvious choice is Jacob Markstrom. He'll be 36 in January. Does he run out of road before the Devils can assert themselves as true Cup contenders? The team doesn't seem to think so, as extension discussions continue.
Rubin: Jacob Markstrom. If he plays like he did before he got hurt last season and like how he played in the playoffs, it will be hard to score on the Devils.
Villapiano: Their 5-on-5 play. While the power play was good, if the Devils can find consistency when playing even strength, they can be one of, if not the most dangerous offense in the league.
Borges: The Bottom Six as a whole. Cotter, Brown, Palat, And whomever else fills the bottom six will need to be the X-factor for the Devils this season. The last few years if the top guns don’t get on the score sheet, it’s a long night for the Devils. If they can fill the net, the Devils should cruise to the postseason.
Flores: The one x-factor will be the production from the bottom six.
Stanislau: Winger and defenseman depth. Hameenaho and Gritsyuk are here, and Shane LaChance is here to prove they can be reliable scorers. Defensemen, it’s Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, and Seamus Casey going into proven offensive and defensive line roles. Help showing how deep this team is.
Garrison: The biggest X-factor to the Devils this season is Jack Hughes' health. Last year, we saw how the team underperformed without him there, and they cannot avoid another similar situation like that again, especially with the talent this team has.
Annaluru: One x-factor for the Devils is gonna be how good Gritsyuk can be for them and whether or not he can be a true contributor. If he can, it will add serious depth.
Question 5
What is one player you wish the Devils would target this season to add?
Villano: I've been on the Jordan Kyrou train for a while. I think he makes more sense short and long-term than Jason Robertson and many others.
Bailey: In the realm of realism, I would like to see the Devils add either Yegor Chinakhov or Cole Sillinger from Columbus.
Parise: Evgeni Malkin. With Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Evgeni Malkin down the middle for a season, they would be a matchup nightmare at forward. Although he is an older former superstar now, he would provide the Devils with the bottom six boost that they truly need.
DeLuca: Extremely dependent on whether the Penguins will be in a position to sell or not, which I believe they will be. Bryan Rust can add scoring depth.
Patrick: His first name starts with Q, and his last name rhymes with Blues. Unlike that player's GM, I won't get caught tampering, but let's get it done. Aside from that obvious choice, I think Lukas Reichel has more to give than he's shown in Chicago so far, and he would add some skill and youth to our middle six forwards.
Rubin: Ryan O’Reilly from the Nashville Predators. The Devils could use a two-way center who excels at taking faceoffs.
Villapiano: Jared McCann from the Seattle Kraken. He fits in extremely well with his skill set of scoring consistency and speed in the top six. He also has term on his contract. That is key for Tom Fitzgerald if he wants to upgrade the top lines more.
Borges: The Devils should absolutely target Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Devils still need a top six winger as of right now and Rust fits the bill. A Stanley Cup champion who is a right shot will do wonders for the Devils. Or a random third line center, watching Dawson Mercer take faceoffs is torture.
Flores: Jason Robertson.
Stanislau: Ivan Barbashev is a unique talent he hits, blocks, scores, and has a lot of drive. Especially with his pedigree in Vegas and St. Louis the Devils need a veteran Sasquatch if they move on from Ondrej Palat.
Garrison: I would love if the team could acquire Alex Tuch at the trade deadline. Tuch is in the last year of his contract extension, and is about to turn 30 years old, and if Buffalo is not close to a playoff spot. Fitzgerald should be all over him.
Annaluru: I think one player that could be quite fun to try and add is Sean Couturier. While a bit older, he could be a great defensive presence centering a Hughes line.
Question 6
What is your points prediction for the Devils at the end of the season, and where do they finish in the Metro?
Villano: I think it will be a big point season at the top of the Metro because of how bad the bottom of the Metro is. The Devils finish with 101 points, which is good for second.
Bailey: I'll say the Devils win the Metro with 105 points.
Parise: 101 points and 2nd in the Metro, only behind the Carolina Hurricanes, feels right for the New Jersey Devils as is.
DeLuca: The Metropolitan Division is not strong at all this year. Definitely a chance to take advantage here. Let’s go with 97 points and 2nd in the Metro.
Patrick: 100 points on the dot, and they place second in the Metro behind Carolina, lining them up for a date with either the Rangers or Capitals in Round 1.
Rubin: 109 points, first in Metro. The organization made solid moves in the offseason. I think the Devils will be neck and neck with the Carolina Hurricanes throughout the season and squeak past Carolina in the end.
Villapiano: I have them finishing second in the Metro with 96 points.
Borges: I don’t see the Devils making a massive jump like they did from 2021-22 to 2022-23. 45-28-9 for 99 points and the 3rd Metro spot behind Carolina and Washington.
Flores: The Devils will end the season with 99 points, finishing 3rd in the Metro division.
Stanislau: 45-22-15. 105 points
Garrison: If the Devils keep their pace like last season, and Gristyuk and Lenni Hämeenaho are just as advertised, I can see them at 3rd place in the Metro and about 95 points, as the Hurricanes win the division, and the Captials finish just behind them.
Annaluru: I think the Devils will be better this year, but still losing the division to the Hurricanes. I’m predicting a 99 point team.
Question 7
And finally, do you consider the New Jersey Devils a Stanley Cup contender and why?
Villano: I really want to say yes, but something is missing. They have the right coach, a quality defense, and a veteran goaltending duo. Yet, they don't feel like they should be among the Cup favorites.
Bailey: It's a matter of consistency and health, but the Devils have shown that they can go with the best when they're on their game. With the exception of the bottom-six centers, I also feel the Devils are a deeper team than they get credit for.
Parise: Yes. They have my three pillars of a contender set. They are deep down the middle with their two headed monster leading the way, they are strong on defense with the potential for Luke Hughes to get to another level, and Jacob Markstrom has a track record of being a high-end goalie. If all of these things stay strong in 2025-26, there is no reason that they shouldn’t be one of the best teams in the East.
DeLuca: Right now, no. I don’t believe enough was done to beef up the top 6 scoring. But ask me again after the trade deadline and let’s see what NJ added.
Patrick: Yes, after the top tier of Florida, Edmonton, Vegas, and Dallas, they're right there with Carolina, Tampa, and Toronto in the next group of teams where a Cup win would not be at all shocking. People forget how great Markstrom was playing before he got hurt last season. Also, with Barkov out Hischier cements himself as the clear Selke trophy winner.
Rubin: Not yet. I expect them to be a playoff team, but they really need to show something incredible this year before I’d call them a Cup contender.
Villapiano: Yes, because if they can stay healthy, find consistency/depth scoring, and get good goaltending like they did last year, they can go on a deep run and be a true Stanley Cup contender. Health will be the biggest key to that.
Borges: I don’t see the Devils as a Stanley Cup threat…yet. The bottom six needs to prove they can pick up the top guns when they are struggling, the team needs to stay healthy, and Tom Fitzgerald needs to add one or two more pieces. Until then, first or second round exit is the likely outcome.
Flores: I do not consider the Devils Stanley Cup contenders this season because of how strong the Eastern Conference is once the playoffs come around.
Stanislau: They are a few pieces away but yes I do consider them inching towards that territory especially if a Dougie Hamilton for Quinn Hughes happens. Moving on from Ondrej Palat will do this
Garrison: I’d say yes, but there are a lot of ifs for that to happen. The health of all the players, especially Jack Hughes, and Luke Hughes and Dawson Mercer need to live up to their contract extensions and hope the rookies can continue the strong chemistry from what we saw in the preseason, and hope Markstrom can continue his strong play from last year.
Annaluru: I think the Devils are fringe contenders at the moment. But if the team gels and players take leaps in their games, they very well can become favorites.