The New Jersey Devils have been scoring at a paltry pace since Jack Hughes got injured, and it’s gotten even worse. Since Hughes went out, the Devils also lost scorers Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier from the lineup. It’s been hit after hit this season, and the team has been treading water as much as they can.
It’s helped that the Devils got two big performances from Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom this week to sweep a two-game road trip in Vegas and Utah. That has the Devils back into the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. It’s great to get back on the winning side of things after the team lost seven of nine games, all in regulation. Pulling out four points from the Golden Knights and Mammoth was huge when the rest of the division finally lost some games.
In those last 11 games, the Devils have 23 goals. That includes two shutouts and three instances where they scored just one goal. It also includes an 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where essentially all of the goals were in garbage time.
Scoring has been necessary for the Devils. They are severely lacking in finishers with all of the lineup absences. So, hearing that Timo Meier is returning to the lineup is huge for New Jersey.
Meier has 11 goals and 23 points in 30 games this season. Even with the missed time, Meier is on pace for 28 goals and 59 points. That’s not a terrible season at all.
The New Jersey Devils need Timo Meier to come back and score goals
Even with Meier missing the past two weeks, he’s still the team leader in goals. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Dawson Mercer all have 10 goals this year. It shows the deeper issue the Devils have with offense, but hopefully, with Hughes also coming back soon, we can see a turnaround of sorts.
Where the Devils could really use Meier is on the power play. The Devils have been awful with the man advantage, even failing to convert on three 5-on-3 advantages in the past two weeks. They are missing finishers who can just find the back of the net. Meier hasn’t been perfect on the PP, with just five goals with the man advantage, but he’s much better than the rest of his teammates, and he hasn’t been on the first unit all season.
Meier is actually 13th in goals per 60 minutes on the power play in the league (minimum 50 power play minutes played). Sheldon Keefe has to find a place for him on the first unit power play, even when Hughes returns.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and with these stars returning, 2026 looks like it should be a much better year than 2025 ended up being.