With r earlier than the s host the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 1, the workforce's beginning lineups and depth chart are coming into clearer view.
Sunny Mehta has labored exhausting in his first offseason as Devils common supervisor to construct a workforce finest suited to the standard, extremely structured taking part in model favored by head coach Sheldon Keefe. Most not too long ago – and arguably, most notably – >.
Forwards
The highest ahead line of wingers Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer centered by Devils captain Nico Hischier was by far the workforce's finest throughout final season, and that shouldn't change this time round, particularly since n. Evangelista's playmaking prowess on the wing, mixed along with his tenacious work ethic to do the soiled work, makes him an ideal match on the workforce's second line alongside star heart Jack Hughes and regular level producer Jesper Bratt.
> tasks because the chief of the bottom-six ahead group. The skilled veteran had a profession yr with the Pittsburgh Penguins final season, and he'll look to deliver his physicality and well timed goalscoring to a Devils workforce determined to get again to the playoffs. Evan Rodrigues, equally, was introduced into the fold after his time proving his price as a key veteran for the Florida Panthers – not coincidentally, throughout Mehta's time as assistant common supervisor and director of hockey analytics – as they gained back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2023-24 and 2024-25. His well-rounded skillset ought to make it simple for coach Keefe to offer elevated minutes for Cody Glass and Arseny Gritsyuk, who have been efficient linemates with the underside six ahead group for New Jersey final season. Jesper Boqvist, a flexible ahead >, will compete with wingers Connor Brown and Stefan Noesen in addition to heart Nick Bjugstad for the remaining two spots in that backside six. 2023 second-round draft choose Lenni Hameenaho, who featured sparingly final season and continues to be simply 21 years outdated, headlines the gamers on the skin wanting in at a full-time roster spot.
Total, a robust ahead group with a pleasant mix of youth and expertise, and I imagine r may very well be an actual X-factor this season.
Defensemen
The line of defense projections are fairly murky, and the important thing to the workforce's success or failure at that finish of the ice can be how Keefe chooses to deploy 22-year-old left-handed defenseman Luke Hughes. As a light-weight, nifty puck service and a contemporary offensive-minded defenseman, partnering Hughes with a bruising right-handed D-man like Brett Pesce or Jonathan Kovacevic makes numerous sense. Final season, these partnerships have been rather more efficient than Hughes taking part in with veteran left-hander Brendan Dillon or fellow teen .It will appear that Dillon's most definitely defensive associate is right-handed level generator Dougie Hamilton, as Dillon's no-nonsense physicality can cowl for Hamilton and provides him the liberty he needs offensively.
The odd man out of Pesce and Kovacevic – which means whichever of the 2 doesn’t associate Jack Hughes – will associate with left-handed all-rounder Jonas Siegenthaler, who appeared in all 82 video games of the common season for the primary time in his profession final season.
That would go away 26-year-old Declan Chisholm because the seventh defenseman on the depth chart. Chisholm was acquired by the Devils the day earlier than the 2026 NHL Draft from the Washington Capitals in alternate for a 2027 fourth-round choose. The left-hander recorded seven factors in 26 video games for the Caps final season, and assuming he performs for the Devils subsequent season, New Jersey can be his fourth workforce in his 5 NHL seasons.
Goaltenders
Out of the three place teams, goaltender is the most important query mark on the Devils roster. The Devils pulled the plug on the ill-fated Markstrom experiment after they made the aforementioned commerce which despatched the Swedish netminder to Florida, and the entrance workplace – barring a possible commerce for want-away American hero and Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck – selected in opposition to discovering a method to considerably bolster the goaltending division this offseason.
As an alternative, New Jersey is seemingly selecting to advertise Jake Allen from part-time starter to full-time starter between the pipes. In a season of turmoil final yr, Allen was a uncommon shiny spot, saving 0.17 objectives saved above anticipated per sport throughout 36 begins. Allen, 36, is coming into his 14th season within the NHL, and hasn't began in not less than half of his workforce's common season video games since his 2022-23 season with the Montreal Canadiens.
To function Allen's backup, 34-year-old journeyman David Rittich will battle German-born Nico Daws, with Rittich probably having the higher hand based mostly on profession resume and up to date efficiency.
Rittich began 28 video games for the New York Islanders final season as the principle backup behind 2025-26 Vezina Trophy runner-up Ilya Sorokin. Rittich recorded the same mark to Allen final season with 0.15 objectives saved above anticipated per sport.
Drafted within the third spherical of the 2020 NHL Draft, Daws, nonetheless simply 25 years outdated, has featured sparingly in his three seasons with the Devils to this point. Actually, he has began simply seven whole video games throughout the final two seasons. He was waived in October of 2025, however cleared waivers to stay inside the group, going 2-1 in his three appearances with the Devils final season. Now, it appears that evidently Daws will get the possibility to show he's worthy of a full-time roster spot.
It’s price noting, nonetheless, that it’s turning into comparatively frequent for groups to hold not simply two, however three goaltenders on the NHL roster. As such, don't be stunned if Rittich and Daws are each trusted with begins for the Devils, not less than early on within the season.