The 2025-26 NHL season is still young, with many clubs just hitting double digits in games played, and our New Jersey Devils have checked off 10 contests themselves. So far, results have been positive: the club is 8-2-0 good for 16 points and first in not just the Metropolitan division, but also in the NHL on points percentage. A big part of that so far has been that the star players have been as advertised, leading the way not only in points but also in terms of on ice play.
I spoke a bit about the
core forwards (and Dawson Mercer) last week when talking about what’s gone right so far, and I don’t think anyone is disappointed with the forwards right now. Jack Hughes leads the way for the team now with 14 points. Jesper Bratt is also above a point per game with 12. Nico Hischier is at a point per game while Timo Meier has slowed slightly, tied with Mercer with 9 points each. If all of the above names kept pace for the season, and the support players keep contributing, there’ll be a lot less concern about the offense this season.
To keep this place though, the players will need to stay healthy. The team is already having to play through some injury woes (missing Brett Pesce was noticeable last game) but with Stefan Noesen and Juho Lammikko back, the forward group is relatively healthy. However, this is the NHL, and injuries are more of an inevitability rather than a freak accident. Some forwards are still missing, but with the core group pushing them forward, the overall outlook is still bright.
Core defenders are part of this too. I know outside of Luke Hughes there isn’t really any other defender that often gets grouped in as a “core” piece. Dougie Hamilton is an important offensive defender and ditto Pesce’s defensive importance. If you were to ask me for a second name behind Hughes though, I’m going off the board here and taking Jonas Siegenthaler. The Devils suffered down the stretch in 2024-25 without him and his postseason return was a boost. This season, Siegs has been a beast in his own end again and age wise he fits the core time line better. His health is in Tier Two of importance along with Luke and Meier, just behind the big trio.
If the core stays healthy, there’s less worry about the team’s overall success. Players playing higher up in the lineup than where they can contribute has been a problem. While the Devils’ improved forward depth means they now have some pieces that might be okay with a slight bump (Arseny Gritsyuk being the main name that comes to mind) it’s not really an ideal long term plan. As per the defense, with Pesce and Johnny Kovacevic down right now, that depth is already being tested; tonight might be a good indicator of how long the current group can keep the team afloat.
I’m not sure how superstitious our fan base is, but if you are now is the time to put any positives to use. Knock on wood, create an effigy of a player and encase it in bubble wrap, whatever you want to do. Let’s just find a way to keep the core of this Devils team healthy this season. Because just maybe if they stay healthy, they can start delivering on more of the promised success.
Now I’d like to hear your thoughts on the hope that the Devils core stays healthy. Do you think this is a realistic hope? Could the team manage an injury better this season with improved depth in your eyes? How far does this group go of they do stay healthy? Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!
