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New Jersey Devils players celebrate after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 in a shoot out (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

New Jersey Devils’ 2026 New Year’s Resolutions

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Donnah Campbell | Last updated Dec 28, 2025 9:25 AM ET

As the year comes to a close, it’s time for the New Jersey Devils to reflect on their performance so far this season, as well as look ahead to see what 2026 may bring. Currently, the team is three points shy of a playoff spot, struggling to find consistency with a 20-16-2 record. The playoff race in the Metropolitan Division continues to be tighter than ever, with only 13 points separating the best and worst teams in the Eastern Conference.

With the New Year quickly approaching, the Devils are in desperate need of a spark — whether it be more prominent offense, better goaltending, or even a trade to shake things up. Here are three resolutions that could help the team find success in 2026.

Avoid the Injury Bug

All things considered, the main issue that plagues the Devils year-round is injuries. It seems that every season, the team deals with a never-ending list of ailments, almost always including at least one star player. It was no different in 2025.

In March, they lost Jack Hughes to a shoulder injury after he collided with the boards against the Vegas Golden Knights. He was unavailable for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which was a large factor in their first-round playoff exit. Then, the Devils lost him again in mid-November, after he suffered a finger injury at a team dinner. Hughes had surgery once more, and his 18-game absence was debilitating — especially with so many other players unavailable at the same time.

Gradually, players have returned to the lineup, with Hughes and Brett Pesce having the greatest impact since their return. But there’s still a concerning number of Devils on injured reserve, including Simon Nemec, Evgenii Dadonov, Johnathan Kovacevic, Zack MacEwen, and Marc McLaughlin.

The good news is that most of their returns coincide with the New Year. But if the Devils want to have a fighting chance at making the playoffs, their main focus should be staying healthy. Every time they lose another player to injury, it disrupts team chemistry, forcing younger players into the spotlight and adding pressure to the remaining veterans. Here’s to hoping that the injury bug finally goes away in 2026.

Special Teams Improvement

There’s no denying New Jersey’s special teams have been on a steady decline. Throughout October, the Devils scored a total of 10 power-play goals in 11 games. But by the end of December, the number had dwindled to five goals across 31 power plays. A 16.13% success rate is no small issue — it’s an alarming statistic, especially considering they began the season near the top of the league on the man advantage.

At first glance, fans may think that the difference would be not having Hughes in the lineup. But the main cause comes back to another problem Devils’ fans know all too well: a lack of consistent depth scoring. Within the first 15 games of the season, Dawson Mercer had eight goals and seven assists, including three power-play goals and two shorthanded goals. Similarly, Dougie Hamilton scored two power-play goals against the San Jose Sharks at the end of October, but he has not scored on the man advantage since then.

With a 76% kill rate, the Devils are faring even worse while shorthanded. They rank 27th in the league, allowing 24 goals so far this season. But their strength has been shorthanded goals, with the third-highest amount in the NHL (4). Nonetheless, their penalty kill has cost the team far too many games, so they must utilize more discipline and efficiency in 2026.

Being Open to Trades

As problems continue to mount, fans cannot help but wonder if a significant trade before the deadline could help turn things around. The idea sounds excellent on paper, but the elephant in the room must be addressed — their salary cap catastrophe. As of right now, they have just $12,500 in current cap space, with a projected total of minus-$5,030,247.

Approaching the second half of the 2025-26 season, general manager Tom Fitzgerald has been apprehensive about making trades. A package was proposed to the Vancouver Canucks earlier this month in an attempt to acquire Quinn Hughes, but a deal was not reached. But now that the Hughes ship has sailed, it’s high time the Devils clear cap space and upgrade their roster.

Ideally, moves should be made well in advance of the 2026 trade deadline. However, there are still a lot of moving parts involved. What makes Fitzgerald’s job even more difficult is that several players have no-movement or no-trade clauses — including Hamilton and Ondrej Palat, who have both been in the hot seat for their performances this season.

Moving forward, their primary goal should be to add scoring depth. Their current group has scored an average of two goals per game throughout December, as compared to 3.73 in October. To stay in the win column, the Devils have to add players who can bring much-needed goalscoring to their lineup.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As 2025 fades into the rearview, the Devils have their work cut out for them. If they want to keep their playoff chances alive, they must stay healthy, improve their special teams, and make necessary trades to find offensive consistency. It’s undeniable that the team has the necessary talent to take them to the next level, but it’s a matter of whether they can embrace the challenge and come out on top.