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Devils Gameday Preview: Homestand Wraps Up Against the Blues
New Jersey Devils right wing Arseny Gritsyuk celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)

Devils Gameday Preview: Homestand Wraps Up Against the Blues

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Devora Slonim  |  Last updated Nov 5, 2026 2:25 PM ET
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The New Jersey Devils will wrap up their two-game homestand on Thursday, Nov. 5, when they welcome the St. Louis Blues to the Prudential Center. New Jersey enters the matchup riding a wave of momentum, having earned two significant victories and winning six of the last seven games.

The Devils have been particularly productive offensively, recording nine goals over their last two outings and will look to carry that offensive energy into Thursday’s matchup as they continue to build consistency on both ends of the ice. Meanwhile, the Blues will be looking to bounce back after suffering a 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

Storylines

One of the biggest storylines for the Devils has been the continued effort to improve their special teams. Head coach Sheldon Keefe made adjustments to the power-play units, most notably moving Connor Brown to the first unit, and the changes have already started to pay off. Brown broke the power-play scoring slump by finding the back of the net on the man advantage, providing a much-needed boost to a unit that has struggled to generate consistent production.

Jack Hughes also added a power-play goal, giving New Jersey two goals with the man advantage in its recent stretch. The increased production is an encouraging sign as they look to build consistency and establish a stronger presence on special teams.

Despite the recent progress, there is still plenty of room for improvement. New Jersey currently ranks 20th in the NHL with a 19.1% power-play success rate. The penalty kill has been an even greater concern, sitting 29th in the league at 67.6%. While the recent power-play progress offers some optimism, the Devils need to find a way to translate that momentum to both sides of special teams.

The continued chemistry of the Devils’ top line of Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes, and Arseny Gritsyuk will look to keep finding success. The trio has quickly established they work well together, combining speed, creativity, and offensive instincts to become the most productive line on New Jersey’s roster. Their ability to create scoring opportunities, generate offensive pressure, and capitalize on their chances has made them a major contributor to the Devils’ recent wins.

Amadeus Lombardi will be another player to watch as the rookie forward continues his search for his first NHL goal. While he has yet to find the back of the net, Lombardi has consistently showcased his skill, hockey IQ, and offensive instincts, putting himself in promising scoring situations. He was particularly noticeable in the Devils’ recent win over the Edmonton Oilers, making several impactful plays, using his speed to create opportunities and stripping the opposition of the puck. Lombardi appears to be getting closer with each game, and it feels like only a matter of time before he finally records his first NHL goal.

Team Stats

New Jersey Devils

Season Record: 10-5-0

Top Scorers:

  • Jack Hughes — 8 goals (G), 11 assists (11), 19 points (P)
  • Jesper Bratt — 2 G, 11 A, 13 P
  • Arseny Gritsyuk — 8 G, 4 A, 12 P
  • Nico Hischier — 7 G, 3 A, 10 P
  • Luke Hughes — 5 G, 3 A, 8 P

Goalie Stats:

  • Connor Hellebuyck: 3-0-0, 1.95 goals-against average (GAA), .900 save percentage (SV%)
  • Jake Allen: 5-3-0, 3.11 GAA, .887%

St. Louis Blues

Season Record: 7-7-1

Top Scorers: 

  • Dylan Holloway — 3 G, 9 A, 12 P
  • Jimmy Snuggerud — 8 G, 3 A, 11 P
  • Mason McTaavish — 6 G, 4 A, 10 P
  • Philip Broberg — 3 G, 7 A, 10 P
  • Robert Thomas — 2 G, 8 A, 10 P

Goalie Stats: 

  • Joel Hofer: 6-4-1, 2.39 GAA, .918 SV%
  • Jordan Binnington: 1-3-0, 4.11 GAA, .846 SV%

Projected Lineup

(Subject to change before puck drop)

New Jersey Devils

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

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

Connor Hellebuyck
Jake Allen

Scratched: Brenden Dillon

Injured: Seamus Casey

St. Louis Blues

Dylan Holloway — Robert Thomas — Jimmy Snuggerud
Connor McMichael — Mason McTavish — Jonatan Berggren
Jake Neighbours — Dalibor Dvorsky — Pavel Buchnevich
Alexey Toropchenko —  Pius Suter  — Ross Johnston 

Philip Broberg — Brandon Carlo
Cam Fowler — Adam Jiříček
Theo Lindstein — Justin Barron

Joel Hofer
Jordan Binnington

Scratched: Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Otto Stenberg 

Injured: Tyler Tucker, Dillon Dube, Colton Parayko

Next Up for the Devils

The Devils begin their three-game road trip by facing their Metropolitan Division rivals, the New York Islanders, on Saturday, Nov. 7. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM ET at UBS Arena.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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