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Ondrej Palat of the New Jersey Devils runs into Laurent Brossoit of the Winnipeg Jets (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Devils’ Toughest Opponents in 2025-26

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Devora Slonim | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 3:50 PM ET

The New Jersey Devils enter the 2025-26 season with high expectations, but the path to the Stanley Cup will be anything but easy. Their schedule is amongst the league’s toughest, opening with their first two games on the road against the previous two years’ Stanley Cup Finalists, 15 sets of back-to-back games, and a Hudson River Rivalry series against the New York Rangers, all in the month of March. The Devils struggled against a few teams in particular last season, and five of those teams once again stand out as their most difficult hurdles this season.

Carolina Hurricanes

The intensity between the Devils and Hurricanes remains as fierce as ever. While the two clubs split their regular-season meetings last season, Carolina has had the upper hand when it matters most, knocking New Jersey out of the playoffs in both 2023 and 2025. Special teams were a glaring issue, as the Devils went 0-for-15 on the power play during the Hurricanes’ 4-1 series victory. Even with injuries to key players like Luke Hughes, Brenden Dillon, and Johnathan Kovacevic, New Jersey struggled to match Carolina’s relentless forecheck and overall pace. Every matchup between these two teams feels like a playoff preview, and beating Carolina consistently in the regular season will be essential to New Jersey’s growth and the Metropolitan Division standings.

Dallas Stars

The Devils have often found trouble against Western Conference opponents, and last season was no different. They went just 1-7-0 against Western teams following a stretch after the Four Nations Tournament break. In their two matchups last season, the Devils fell short both times; Dallas set the tone early in each game, forcing New Jersey to play from behind and attempt to dig out of a two-goal deficit on both occasions.

Historically, the Stars have held the upper hand in this matchup, boasting a 63-44-9-4 overall record against New Jersey. With a deep, experienced roster led by dynamic forwards Mikko Rantanen and Matt Duchene and a solid defensive core surrounding Miro Heiskanen, the Stars challenge the Devils’ speed and skill, making them a consistently difficult opponent. The addition of former Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov to the Devils’ bottom-six core will be essential in defeating the Western powerhouse. Like most of their games in the second half of the season, the Devils will have to find a way to start out on their toes and maintain offensive pressure throughout a full 60-minute game.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets were one of the league’s stingiest defensive teams last season, anchored by Vezina-caliber goaltending and a tough blue line. The Devils endured two brutal offensive shutdowns against Winnipeg, dropping a 6-1 loss at home and a 4-0 defeat on the road. The Jets put on a clinic in both matchups, stifling New Jersey from the opening puck drop and leaving them with no chance to mount a comeback.

The Devils could not generate anything offensively, handing goaltender Connor Hellebuyck his seventh shutout of the 2024-25 season and the team’s 50th victory. The Presidents’ Trophy winners were unbeatable, and head coach Sheldon Keefe remarked to the media, “We weren’t our best today, certainly not even close, but it was better than what it should have been… We’ve got to keep up with our confidence, for sure. It’s going to be our greatest challenge.” The Devils will undoubtedly look to get revenge this season, but it will not be an easy feat.

Vegas Golden Knights

Devils fans remember the first meeting against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Not only did the Devils get get shutout 2-0, but Jack Hughes suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after his skate got tangled with Jack Eichel, throwing him into the boards. The Devils struggled with injury issues all season long, going stretches without starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom and captain Nico Hischier, and losing Hughes was the final component to unravel for an already struggling offensive team.

The Golden Knights have a knack for shutting down speed and offensive pushes, and New Jersey struggled to handle their depth. This coming season will prove to be an even bigger challenge, as Mitch Marner will now skate on their top line with Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev. The Devils will need a full, healthy roster to compete with what will likely be an elite Vegas team.

Columbus Blue Jackets

At first glance, the Blue Jackets might not seem like one of the Devils’ toughest opponents. However, Columbus made a strong playoff push last season, and you can expect their intensity and competitiveness to be even greater in 2025-26. Although the Devils finished 2-1 against Columbus last season, each game was closely contested. In a crowded Metropolitan Division, dropping points to Columbus could come back to haunt New Jersey in the playoff race. They are an underrated opponent that will absolutely be looking to make a case for themselves this season, and how the Devils handle the Blue Jackets could be the difference between comfortably making the postseason and battling for a wild card spot.

The 2025-26 season promises to test the Devils like never before. From playoff-caliber rivals to Western Conference powerhouses, the Devils will face numerous challenges that demand consistency, depth and a healthy roster. How the Devils perform against these five teams will show their readiness to compete for the coveted Stanley Cup.