The New Jersey Devils lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Coming into the season, they had a new coach, a new goalie, and high expectations. But by the time they got to the postseason, their team was ravaged by injuries. Devils forward Timo Meier is not using any excuses when discussing this year’s playoff disappointment.
“We know the standard, and we have to raise the standard,” Meier told NHL.com’s Aaron Vickers. “Just being in the playoffs, that’s not what we’re satisfied with. We want to go further. It should be energizing and motivating. We want more. Everybody works together. The GM is working hard. All the players want to improve and got to improve. Being in the playoffs, you get a taste of it again. For us, we’ve got to be there. We want to be there every year and go further, not just getting there. It’s not enough. We want more.”
The Devils’ star is in Europe, representing Switzerland in the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championships. Playing for your country is always an honor, but playing in Worlds means your team either didn’t make the playoffs or suffered a quick exit. The Devils did not have Jack Hughes for the playoffs, and Dougie Hamilton was fresh off an injury. That cost them in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, burning a year of their competitive window.
Meier came to the Devils in a blockbuster trade from the San Jose Sharks at the 2023 NHL trade deadline. They made the second round that year, but missed the playoffs in 2024 and won just one game this year. The Devils need to take a step forward next year, and Meier needs to be a part of that. Can the Devils make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs next year?
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