SB Nation • 20 min read

New Jersey Devils 2025-26 Season Preview Part 6: The Predictions

As the regular season begins today for the New Jersey Devils, I thank everyone again for following along with our season preview. For the previous entries, please see:

Hockey seasons are difficult to predict.

But as the Devils settle into playoff regularity, hopefully we do not end up too far off from the ultimate results of the season. Last year, Jared and John were the closest to predicting the results of the season, with both correctly saying that the team would finish third in the Metropolitan Division. Nobody predicted the Devils to take the Division, and nobody predicted them to miss the playoffs. Let’s see who ends up closest this season.

Nathan Pilling

Season Thoughts: While I would’ve liked to have seen another significant addition to the roster this summer, there should be enough available for the Devils to be contending once again at the top of the division. One would hope to see some better injury luck this season, and a return to form for the guys at the top of the lineup. I’m hopeful we’ll see another step forward this season.

Bold Prediction: Arseny Gritsyuk becomes a staple at the top of the lineup and ends the season as a Calder Trophy finalist.

X-Factor: Luke Hughes takes another jump in his development and shows he’s well worth the big chunk of change the organization just handed him.

2025-26 Season Prediction: The Devils will go 48-29-5, finish second in the division and make the playoffs. I see them losing in the second round.

Jared Moore

Season Thoughts: I think the most underrated part of the Devils approach this offseason was replacing a bunch of players who aren’t great skaters with players who are better skaters. The Devils got exposed in the Carolina series (and at various points last season) in part because they were a slower team and played a slower brand of hockey, which is a far cry from where they were a few years ago when they caught the league off guard. They lost a lot of footraces to pucks, and its tougher to win when you don’t have the puck and can’t get it back once its loose.

I think stylistically, the Devils are positioned to look closer to the 2022-23 team than they have been in quite some time, although I think this year’s iteration will be better defensively and have better goaltending.

A Bold Prediction: If I keep saying it every year, eventually it will come true, right? Jack Hughes makes it through the season healthy, finds another level as a player, posts 110+ points this season, and is a finalist for the Hart Trophy.

X-Factor: The obvious pick is Arseni Gritsyuk, but sometimes, the obvious pick is the correct one.

If Gritsyuk shows he is more than capable of handling the rigors of the NHL season, he could wind up being the Top Six forward that we all lamented the Devils not getting this past offseason. I’ll predict Gritsyuk tallies 25 goals, 30 assists, and is named a finalist for the Calder Trophy.

The 2025-26 Season Prediction: The Devils finish second in the Metropolitan Division (behind Carolina) with 103 points, setting up a first round playoff matchup with the Washington Capitals.

James Tracy

Season Thoughts: It’s got to be this year, right? The pieces are mostly there. Can the core stay healthy? I like the depth of this team. There are a few guys on the bubble. More on that below.

A Bold Prediction: Both Lachance and Hameenaho play significant games in the NHL this year with LaChance scoring a key goal in a rival game either late in the season or in the playoffs. Jakub Malek gets recalled and is spectacular enough in limited starts that there is a legitimate debate as to whether the Devils should keep riding him once all three goaltenders are available.

X-Factor: Jack’s shoulder. Please stay healthy.

The 2025-2026 Season Prediction: The Devils will finish first in the Division and ride Grimace all the way to the Conference Finals.

Jackson Baird

Season Thoughts: The New Jersey Devils have not made the postseason in back-to-back seasons since 2008-09 and 2009-10. In 2008-09, Brent Sutter was the head coach and (the criminally underrated) Paul Martin was the #1 defenseman. In 2009-10, Jacques Lemaire was back behind the bench and Martin Brodeur played a staggering 77 games at 37-years old. I think you get the point, it’s been a long, long time since this franchise has seen consecutive playoff berths. That needs to end this year. I’ll be an optimist and say New Jersey’s top players finally stay relatively healthy, and with a much-improved forward group. the Devils are back among the top of the Eastern Conference. They’re not a President’s Trophy contender in my eyes, but I expect (and demand) them to make the postseason with relative ease, unlike last year where a months-long slump made it a lot closer than it should have been.

A Bold Prediction: I’ve been terrible at these since I joined the site. In 2023-24, I predicted John Marino would receive Norris votes (yikes). Last year, I predicted Jonas Siegenthaler’s declining play would lead to him getting traded at the deadline (another yikes). Let’s go back to the well with defensemen once more and see if third time’s the charm: Dougie Hamilton turns back the clock and gives us one more elite season, surpassing his career-high 74 points from 2022-23.

X-Factor: Cody Glass. We know what we’re getting out of the top guys, so Glass is the true wildcard to me. If he can take that next step and become a true shutdown ace against top competition while chipping in around 40-45 points, all of a sudden New Jersey could boast one of the deepest forward groups in the league, enough to carry them to a title.

The 2025-26 Season Prediction: The Devils will go 47-28-7 and finish second in the division and make the playoffs.

Tim Wood

Season Thoughts: This is a make or break year for this group and I expect them to deliver. Everything they have been saying shows they know it too – because if this group flounders again, there will need to be some major changes next season. They aren’t kids anymore, it’s time to deliver on their promise. Playoffs is the absolute floor and it would be another major disappointment if they’re on the outside looking in in April.

A Bold Prediction: Luke Hughes picks up where he left off last season and puts up 77 points, finally converting his toolkit into on-ice results and gets Norris votes. Bonus prediction: Gritsyuk finishes top 3 in Calder voting.

X-Factor: The Palat-Glass-Brown line plays its way into Devils lore, and provides the connective tissue that we were missing the past two seasons. Keefe counts on them for end of game minutes, shutdown minutes, and some surprising scoring.

The 2025-26 Season Prediction: The Devils will go 49-24-7 and finish 2nd in the division and make the playoffs. The Devils exorcise the Hurricanes demons and make the ECF.

Matt Pavlichko

Season Thoughts: I will preface this by saying that yes, I know, and agree that improvement and success in the NHL is not linear. With that being said, the bare minimum should be making the playoffs. Anything less, in my opinion, would be considered an epic failure. I’m going to spoil it for everyone, and spare you the suspense. Players are going to get hurt. It’s not if, it’s when. The Devils, just like any other team, both good and bad, are going to need to figure out how to soldier on with the lineup they have at any point in the year.

The Metropolitan Division is not what it once was, in recent history. The Islanders, Flyers and Blue Jackets will continue to be non-factors that are perpetually irrelevant. The Penguins are hanging on by their finger nails to any last shred of not playing for lottery balls. Washington…well they surprised many naysayers last year, but Ovi is another year closer to 40 and father time is undefeated. The Rangers, hatred for them aside, are one Shesterkin injury away from being a .500 team. That really only leaves the Devils and Hurricanes (sigh, yet again) as the teams to beat in the Metro.

I don’t want to hear about how young the team is anymore. Jack is entering year 7, Nico and Bratt year 9. Their goalies are seasoned veterans. At some point, tomorrow, needs to become today. If half the team gets wiped out by injuries, sure, maybe you have an argument, but at some point, the excuses need to stop, and the team needs to find a way to win, and win consistently.

A Bold Prediction: Jack Hughes becomes the first player in franchise history to reach 100 points, while also scoring 100 points for the first time in his career.

X-Factor: Bratt gets close, but doesn’t break 100 points this year (I’m going to say 95 points). Bratt has been criminally underrated both by this fan base and the league for a few years now. He will dominate in all areas of the game, breaking his personal record of 34 points on the PP from last season. I’m ready for the flame directed my way, but Bratt is the best player on this team right now. He will lead the team offensively again this season and continue to prove the doubters wrong.

The 2025-26 Season Prediction: The Devils will go 48-24-10 and finish 2nd in the division and make the playoffs. The Devils will finally defeat the Hurricanes in the playoffs and lose in the conference finals.

Chris Fieldhouse

Season Thoughts: The Devils have little left to prove in the regular season. Leading the Metropolitan Division would be nice, but the team mostly needs to just start winning playoff games. I do not think this year will resemble last season very much with the hot start and cold second half. With almost the entire roster having years and years of experience under their belt, it should be possible for them to avoid riding the highs too high and sinking too low with the lows, allowing a more consistent performance across the team’s 82 games.

A Bold Prediction: The New Jersey Devils will tie the 21st century record for most 20-goal scorers in a season (nine — St. Louis Blues in 2021-22). They will be: Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Arseny Gritsyuk, Evgenii Dadonov, Stefan Noesen, and Dougie Hamilton.

X-Factor: To me, the X-Factor is Timo Meier. Meier showed last year that he can play a responsible two-way game, and he showed he can score in the playoffs. But can Timo Meier go 30-30 or better this season? Can he go 40-30 while being a pot-stirrer and a solid defensive winger? It’s time for the Swiss connection to rise to new heights.

The 2025-26 Season Prediction: The New Jersey Devils will go 49-26-7 and finish second in the division, losing to the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final.