The New Jersey Devils have started the season on the right foot after a disappointing opening night in Carolina against the Hurricanes, the place where their season ended last year in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. New Jersey is slowly maturing as a hockey club under head coach Sheldon Keefe, but there is a long way to go to catch up to the Hurricanes.
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But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a belief surrounding the club. Keefe believes the team should win every time they step on the ice. Following that opening night loss to the Hurricanes, the Devils have adopted a more patient style of play, resulting in their first four-game winning streak since January 2023.
Therefore, it will be a battle for the top spot in the Metro Division all season long. Most people believe that Carolina will finish in first place, as they have a deeper team than the Devils do.
The additions of K’Andre Miller, Nikolaj Ehlers, Alexander Nikishin, and Logan Stankoven outweigh the additions of Connor Brown, Evgenii Dadonov, Arseny Gritsyuk, and Luke Glendening. Keeping Jake Allen has been a blessing for the Devils with Jacob Markstrom out of the lineup. Both the Devils and Hurricanes are trying to build their team in the mould of the Florida Panthers.
During a segment on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio, analysts all agreed the Devils are playoff team, but differed on where they could end up in the Metro Division.
TheDevilsNation.com Transcriptions
Arseny Gritsyuk Gives the New Jersey Devils a Balanced Offensive Attack
Mick Kern: “Jim, who you got second in the Met?”
Jim Biringer: “I mean, New Jersey to me finishes second in the Metro Division if they stay healthy. And that’s the big caveat, because every year it seems injuries hurt this team, especially Jack Hughes. But you look at the roster, you look at who they have, the additions they brought in (Evgenii) Dadonov, and Connor Brown should help. Again, they’re looking for depth scoring. If they could add another top-six winger, as we discussed, you’ve got Markstrom. You have everything else in place. This team is the second-place team in this division, right behind Carolina.”
Jake Hahn: “I’ll mix it up. I’ll mix it up. I’ll take Washington in here at number two. I do like the ceiling potential of New Jersey. And Jim just kind of laid it out right there, right? If things go well, if they stay healthy, like there’s a legitimate ceiling in New Jersey, but I still think Washington is solid. I don’t think they’re going to go anywhere. I mentioned maybe a little bit of regression, but I still think they’re going to be solid. I don’t think Ovi’s (Alex Ovechkin) done scoring goals Mick, just because he passed (Wayne) Gretzky.
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I think down the middle of the ice, they’re a little better. Now, I still don’t think it’s top tier, but looking down the middle, seeing Dylan Strome, PLD (Pierre-Luc Dubois). I got to give him some credit, he fit in nicely with Washington. He did not fit with LA whatsoever. And they make the move. And I saw a much better fit there as their 2C and Dylan Strome, maybe he’s not the best 1C in the league, and some might not say he’s not even a 1C, but I think he fits nicely with what Washington is doing.
Is Aliaksei Protas going to do what he did again last year? We’ll kind of wait and see on that, and I’m excited to see more of Ryan Leonard this year. Mick, we’re all kind of pumping his tires late in the season. He came in. He played late-season, regular-season games, and then playoff games. Tough to judge his numbers based on that. Probably more of a third liner to start the season with Washington, but I’m excited to see what Ryan Leonard can do for in this lineup this year, hopefully in a full season.”
Kern: “Okay, so where do you have the Devils?”
Hahn: “I’ll put them third, and Jim put them two, I’ll put them third.”
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It is still early in the season, but the New Jersey Devils are right where they are supposed to be. They are challenging the Hurricanes for the top spot in the division. The Washington Capitals are on the heels, and who knows if the Pittsburgh Penguins can keep things going.
But if the Devils continue to play their style of game with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the offensive charge, there is a good chance they could win the division. It will be tough, but finishing second and avoiding the Hurricanes in the first round should be their goal. Not to mention winning a playoff round or two.
