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Where the 2025-26 New Jersey Devils Went Wrong

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Donnah Campbell | Last updated Apr 14, 2026 10:45 AM ET

As it stands, the New Jersey Devils are at the tail end of the 2025-26 season, with a record of 42-36-3 that puts them in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. After a red-hot start to the season, fans were anxious to see if the team could qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row — something the franchise has not achieved in 15 seasons.

But after a never-ending series of injuries, a lack of depth scoring, rocky 5-on-5 metrics, and stunted goalscoring, the Devils were unable to claw their way back to the top. Here’s an overview of what went wrong for New Jersey, as well as how they can take a step toward improvement during the offseason.

Injuries Created Inconsistencies

The crux of the Devils’ problems stemmed from one place: inconsistency. More often than not, it was caused by injuries that hindered the team in more ways than one. From star players missing time to constant lineup reshuffling, the Devils were unable to recover their tenacity and scoring pace from the start of the season.

By the end of October, their list of injured players would include Jacob Markstrom, Cody Glass, Brett Pesce, Evgenii Dadonov, and Zack MacEwen. And even though Jake Allen was able to step up and become a temporary starting goaltender, they were unable to bounce back from the loss of Pesce. It also didn’t help matters when Johnathan Kovacevic remained out until January.

Defense was unable to find its footing because their two most prominent pairings from last season were broken up. Hughes-Pesce provided a backbone of offense and veteran strength, while Siegenthaler-Kovacevic shut down opponents’ scoring chances.

But the killing blow to the Devils’ season was the loss of Jack Hughes in November, after the star forward’s freak hand accident required surgery. They also lost him again right before the Olympic break, following a lower-body injury against the Nashville Predators. Despite missing over a quarter of the season, Hughes leads the club with 77 points, solidifying his importance to the lineup.

Unfortunately, the injury news kept coming, even at the end of the season. Arseny Gritsyuk and Luke Hughes both underwent surgery, while Markstrom was shut down to recover from lingering ailments.

But all of this should come as no surprise to fans. For the last three seasons, the team has been plagued with recurring injuries, and without proper depth to see them through, their chances of clinching a postseason slot remain slim to none. Moving forward, having a fully healthy roster could be the difference in the Devils becoming a serious playoff team.

Nonexistent Depth Scoring

The Devils started off strong with an eight-game win streak in October, where the team averaged four goals per game and won their first five contests at Prudential Center. Working like a well-oiled machine, they boasted a myriad of strengths — most notably depth scoring. But where did it all go wrong?

For the majority of the season, the Devils relied on top players to do most of the scoring: Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier. But when their core experienced point lulls, depth scoring couldn’t bail them out. This led to a slump, including nine losses in January and February, where they were either shut out or unable to score more than one goal.

Their road to redemption in March was the result of secondary scoring — players like Gritsyuk, Glass, Dawson Mercer, and Connor Brown finding the back of the net. Since the start of last month, the Devils have had two three-game win streaks, as a result of an uptick in depth scoring. But the reality is that this offense came too little too late. As it stands, Brown was the only player outside of their top six to cross the 40-point mark.

Without additional offense outside their top six, the Devils are set to finish the regular season with 2.79 goals per game — tied for seventh-worst in the league. Which only heightens their current predicament. The team’s first priority will be hiring a new general manager (GM), but their second offseason concern should be adequate secondary scoring.

Unable to Compete in 5-on-5

One area of the Devils’ play in desperate need of improvement is their performance in 5-on-5 scenarios. Special teams were volatile all season long, but their goal differentials were even worse at 5-on-5. This season, the team had a 5-on-5 goal differential of minus-43, marking a steep decline from last season.

They struggled to finish scoring chances, mainly due to a defensive mindset and prioritizing playing conservatively over speed. Unfortunately, the Devils’ expected 5-on-5 differential has been on a steady decline for most of the season, including an all-time low of minus-10.53 in late February, per MoneyPuck.

Only two line combinations produced more than 10 goals in 5-on-5 situations: Mercer-Hischier-Meier and Bratt-Hughes-Brown. Unfortunately, these lines also gave up 31 goals against, as compared to 27 goals for — yet another issue where depth scoring should have made a difference.

The Devils were unable to compete with tough teams, but struggled the most when facing other Metropolitan rivals. They fought to overcome a goal deficit time and time again and played with a lack of urgency. Based on data from NHL EDGE, they ranked below the league average in categories including shooting percentage, high-danger goals, and offensive zone time.

During the offseason, the organization needs to focus on acquiring a finisher in 5-on-5 scenarios — similar to what they had in Tyler Toffoli in 2023-24. Hopefully, this is an issue their next GM will address over the summer.

In Store for a Busy Offseason

This summer will be a major test for the Devils, filled with possible extensions, trades, and roster adjustments. Will they finally take the next steps toward being Stanley Cup contenders, or continue to ignore pressing issues?

First and foremost, Hischier can sign an extension beginning July 1, and locking him into a long-term deal should be a no-brainer. He currently has just one year left on his contract, and his status as an elite two-way center makes him an invaluable asset. Another player worthy of an extension is Gritsyuk. The Russian winger turned out to be a pleasant surprise this season, proving that he can excel at the NHL level.

Likewise, they’ll need to make a decision on Simon Nemec, whose entry-level contract (ELC) expires after this season. He can either be used as a trade bargaining tool or continue his current role as an offensive defenseman. And by getting rid of players like Dougie Hamilton, Nick Bjugstad, and Stefan Noesen, it would be possible to shed enough cap space to ensure scoring and stability.

Either way, the Devils will have to establish a new identity within the coming months. As the offseason unfolds, make sure to follow The Hockey Writers for all the latest news and updates.