The Devils look like a playoff team in 2026, but will they be a top contender?
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49 Comments
The Cup, what else?
When does training camp start?!?!
Devils content!
What would they trade to get qhughes?
Maybe a little too flattering. I’m still not 100% sold on the bottom six depth, they could use at least one more piece by shipping out Palat or Dougie. But I’m not concerned about team defense- it looks sharp with Keefe and stands to be better with new assistants.
I want to see at least one round won, and probably two.
Top 6 forward, move Palat, get 2 more depth pieces.
Bastian?
Nice green jersey. Palat should be traded to bring cap space and dougie maybe traded to bring a top 6 forward. Jesper Bratt is one of the best players on the team like Nico. He always says “I will get better, my job is to win the cup”. The team hopefully reaches to the ECF this year which is a large task and easier said than done.
NJ content yes
They lack size and grit thats whats next. also dougie is a black hole too slow, lost his shot cant have him on this team if he is a liability 5v5 and he lost his PP spot to Luke. plus dougie 9m needs to be off the books to get luke sign and a real 3C. this team will struggle vs canes,florida and any team the is big,physical and forecheck heavy. palat isnt going anywhere cuz he can veto. when will nj fans stop being scared of size and grit for fwd we have to many soft small dudes.
Woop woop!
Palat and Nosen should not be on any team’s top 6 in 2025
By now it should be very clear that Sheldon Keefe was not the problem in Toronto. I am concerned that if Tom Fitzgerald cannot get rid of the Palat contract that this next season will be very tough to say the least. Palat is not cutting it at $6 Mil per year. Devils have to get deep into the playoffs at the least — obviously past the Canes. Can Jack Hughes remain healthy? I think Mercer has yet to reach his potential.
Honestly, this team is such a question mark since if either of the top centers are seriously injured, management feels the team is done for and will immediately fold up their tents.
Dougie Hamilton, 3 years in Boston, 3 years in Calgary, 3 years in Carolina, 4 years in New Jersey. He's past due. Right now he's just a power play player. Teams are charmed by his 6'6 and right handed shot. He could bring a lot back in return on some team desperate to move up a few spots, like Anaheim or Detroit. If I'm New Jersey and want to move a defenseman to shore up some other weakness, I know who I'm moving.
neutral zone forecheck and puck possession might stay healthy and score while keeping up defense coverage?
next years whats next for new jersey will be all about Quinn hughes singing with the devils so all 3 brothers can play together..you know its coming
the blue line depth is great, they are shopping dougie atm.. devils are far from done this off season. Luke 8×8 would be great. maybe picks and dougie for mctavish sign and trade?
I feel bad for Daws, I wonder if this isn't an Askarov situation.
The devils have arguably the best blue line in the league and depending on Luke hughes, nemec and casey’s development they might be forced to trade hamilton to open up cap space and spots in the lineup for the young guys. The forward group is lacking big time. Their biggest needs are 3C and a top 6 winger. If they ever address those issues this season they can possibly be the team to face Florida in the ECF (if they can finally get past carolina).
Yes JH is Good but alil too small. Not made for POH
I like Dougie but I think he needs to go. We have 3 veteran RHD and 2 blue chip RHD prospects – Dougie adds very little defensively and his cap hit can be used to upgrade pieces (Palat, maybe a 3c) in the forward core.
Oh I forgot to mention, That trip just right before the PO, When Jack Eichel bumped into him into the boards was definitely intentional.
They needed a big shakeup, fitz said they were getting a shakeup…so he signed Connor brown. They’re cooked tbh not enough offense
@TheHockeyGuy Also there is a change in the broadcasting booth. Don LaGreca is replacing Bill Spalding as the Devils play by play announcer. LaGreca has been the co-host of the Michael Kay show on ESPN radio in NY for over two decades, he also did the pre and post game radio broadcast for Rangers games. He has called hockey games on ESPN NY before and filled in for Doc on game 1 in 2014. He is from NJ and grew up a Devils fan.
Perhaps nerdy, but the devils just changed to new announcer’s for the games. Perhaps you can include every teams announcers during this segment as well what’s your opinion about them? The announcers are really the depth during the games to be honest for all watching ☺️
A common theme is “if the Devils stay healthy”. This has been a concern of Devils fans for a while; injuries have played them for many seasons. I wonder if their strength and conditioning coach needs a closer look.
If I see palat in the top 6 again this year I'm gonna lose it.
I'm so with you, Dougie had a 70 point, 20 goal season when he was healthy and he can still produce similarly to that. He is great offensively and I don't think we should trade him, I don't think we would get as much from the back end and we already need more offense
We need more Devils content! Which would require you to get over your hatred for them!
If I was the GM/coach the one thing I would change with the lineups is…putting cotter with Jack and moving palat to the 3rd or even the 4th
TRADE PALAT FOR LIT ANYTHING
If the core (Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Hughes, Hamilton, Markstrom) are all healthy to start the playoffs, New Jersey can beat any Eastern team but Florida. They won't be fully healthy, though. Hamilton has played 65+ games once in the last six years. Hischier is more durable but still misses about a dozen games per year. Jack Hughes hasn't hit 80 games in a season yet, only played 70+ once, and we're now looking at 84-game seasons.
As a Devils fan, I like to think we’re either a third in the Metro or a wildcard team, if we’re a bit healthier than last year. I’m not sure if our improvements are as much as what Carolina, Columbus, or even Islanders/Flyers have done, but I just hope we don’t get stuck against Carolina again in the first round. I like Keefe a lot for how much defensive buy in he got this year as compared to the Lindy Ruff era, but I am not a fan of Fitzgerald if for no other reason than don’t think he’s an aggressive enough GM to make the moves necessary to become a true contender. Two seasons in a row with almost ten million from LTIR from injuries when we’re supposed to be in “our window” and did nothing to fix goaltending or offense two years ago and last year respectively until it was too late
LETS GO DEVILS!
Let's hope this year NJ doesn't lose their star players to injury before the playoffs, that's what doomed them last season.
I genuinely have no idea what to expect from this team this year. I think we'll make the playoffs again, but I could honestly see anything from missing the playoffs by 10 points to getting to the ECF with the right path. We're just so hard to read.
Jack won’t remain healthy and they’ll likely be a fringe playoff team again. Not enough playoff-style players. Too light and finesse is their core strength. That’s not good.
Christmas Jersey! The biggest weakness for this team is center depth. I would love a high end 3C in case Jack gets injured again. Mercer is at his best on the wing in a third line checking role. If they get that done I think they could beat anyone in the playoffs. Luke is going to cement himself as a top 10 d-man this year as well
The problem with jersey is they aren’t healthy when it matters
Things I’d like to see:
Palat needs to go, Dougie should be moved ONLY if it helps the Devils get a top 6 winger. Also, need a legit 3C and hopefully our younger defenseman (Casey/Nemec) can step up and find a consistent role. One more… hopefully limited injuries!!!
more Nico praise please, he's a classic underrated by non-Devils fans Devil
I am a NJ diehard. This organization is going nowhere as long as totally inept GM Tom "BOOZE FACE" Fitzgerald in at the helm.
Booze Face should have been fired 2 years ago.
Remind me of my Avs – a contender on paper, but a lotta guys that tend to get hurt or miss time. Can they stay competitive with Carolina & Washington? Then you've got the Rangers and Pens looking to bounce back and make the playoffs, and the Jackets only missed by a game. Hell, given the seasons that the Jackets and Caps had, maybe the Isles and Flyers surprise the Hell outta everyone this time? Metro looks like the most volatile division for next season.
thats easy ! barely make the playoffs and make a quick exit !
Good points all around HG. When it comes to the Devils, they still need to add a bit more to the bottom 6. They also should look to add another top 6 winger. They definitely need to move money for the Luke Hughes contract extension. I expect more moves coming and this team won't look the same as it does now come September
This team is gonna be so good when Quinn gets to NJD. Looking forward to it. Especially since we won’t have to give up anything to get him.
Timo Time
They are 1 elite top 6 winger away, & Mercer needs to be a legit 3c or they should trade him for 1