Devils Gameday Preview: Homestand Continues Against Ducks

For the fifth-straight game, Brenden Dillon is expected to be a healthy scratch. The veteran defenseman has not been in the lineup since Oct. 12. He averaged 14:26 of ice time per game and had yet to record his first point of 2026-27. Dillon has tallied four blocked shots, 10 hits, and one shot across five games this season.

Nico Daws will receive his fourth start in net and is on the hunt for his second win of the season. He faced some difficulties early on, but led the team to a 7-1 victory over the Rangers, earning a .947 save percentage (SV%) — his highest so far in 2026-27. 

As we approach the 10-game mark, the Devils have struck first in their last four games, and are 3-1-0 when doing so. They’ve outshot every single one of their opponents this season, but it’s crucial that offense establishes and maintains an early lead. 

Another key to success will be depth scoring and special-teams dominance. Secondary scorers such Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist have been important in the Devils’ recent success, contributing stability to their bottom six. 

Their power play, on the other hand, has been struggling lately, with just one goal in their last three games. The Devils are now six-for-30 this season, which puts them 20th overall in the league. Unfortunately, their penalty kill has fared even worse, surrendering seven goals across 24 penalties. Against the Ducks, the Devils should focus on a stronger net-front presence on the power play, while also simplifying puck movement on the penalty kill.

Team Stats

New Jersey Devils

Season Record: 5-4-0

Top Scorers:

• Jack Hughes — 2 goals (G), 7 assists (A), 9 points (P)
• Jesper Bratt — 2 G, 5 A, 7 P
• Nico Hischier — 4 G, 2 A, 6 P
• Arseny Gritsyuk — 4 G, 2 A, 6 P
• Luke Evangelista — 3 G, 2 A, 5 P

Goalie Stats:

• Nico Daws — 1-2-0, 3.38 goals against average (GAA), .857 save percentage (SV%)
• Jake Allen — 4-2-0, 3.15 GAA, .883 SV%

Anaheim Ducks

Season Record: 4-5-0

Top Scorers:

• Leo Carlsson — 2 G, 9 A, 11 P
• Beckett Sennecke — 5 G, 3 A, 8 P
• Mikael Granlund — 2 G, 6 A, 8 P
• Jackson LaCombe — 1 G, 6 A, 7 P
• Cutter Gauthier — 2 G, 3 A, 5 P

Goalie Stats:

• Ville Husso — 1-1-0, 3.09 GAA, .885 SV%
• Lukas Dostal — 3-4-0, 3.16 GAA, .881 SV%

Projected Lineup

(Subject to change before puck drop)

New Jersey Devils

Timo Meier — Nico Hischier — Luke Evangelista
Arseny Gritsyuk — Jack Hughes — Jesper Bratt
Anthony Mantha — Evan Rodrigues — Dawson Mercer
Jesper Boqvist — Cody Glass — Connor Brown

Luke Hughes — Brett Pesce
Jonas Siegenthaler — Dougie Hamilton
Declan Chisholm — Johnathan Kovacevic

Nico Daws
Jake Allen

Scratched: Brenden Dillon, Amadeus Lombardi, Remi Poirier

Injured: Nick Bjugstad

Anaheim Ducks

Alex Killorn — Leo Carlsson — Cutter Gauthier
Nikita Nesterenko — Mikael Granlund — Beckett Sennecke
Jeff Malott — Roger McQueen — Frank Vatrano
A.J. Greer — Tim Washe — Sam Colangelo

Jackson LaCombe — Drew Helleson
Tyson Hinds — Noah Warren
Pavel Mintyukov — Nick Jensen

Ville Husso
Lukas Dostal

Scratched: Tristan Luneau, Judd Caulfield, Nikita Klepov

Injured: Troy Terry, Ian Moore, Ryan Poehling

Next Up for the Devils

The Devils will conclude their homestand on Saturday, Oct. 24, facing the Los Angeles Kings in a matinee matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET.