The New Jersey Devils made their first round of roster cuts this week. With two preseason games remaining and just nine days until opening night, the lineup is beginning to take shape.
The roster was trimmed from 61 players to 45, and the group practiced together for the first time following the moves.
Roster Moves
Loaned to the Utica Comets (AHL)
- Forwards: Josh Filmon, Cam Squires, Dylan Wendt
- Defensemen: Jeremy Hanzel
- Goaltenders: Tyler Brennan, Jakub Malek
Released from NHL camp; will report to Utica
- Forwards: Tag Bertuzzi, Alexander Campbell, Brian Carrabes, Jack Malone, Matyas Melovsky
- Defensemen: Jimmy Dowd Jr., Luke Reid, Jackson van de Leest
- Goaltender: Jeremy Brodeur
With the roster shrinking, the focus now shifts to fine-tuning the lines ahead of the 2025–26 season, where expectations are high.
Forward Jesper Bratt told NHL.com:
“Every year my expectations are high. I think we learned a lot from last year. We all have some fire in the tank about just really how last season went. I think we took a step last year but we’re far from where we want to be.”
The Devils must reduce the roster to 23 players by October 9, leaving head coach Sheldon Keefe with important decisions in the final week of preseason.
“Decisions aren’t final both within this week and the season at large,” Keefe said.
Bratt noted the benefit of the roster coming together after weeks of being split into smaller groups:
“It’s exciting. It’s been split groups for a couple weeks, so it’s good to get out there with the full group, just see everyone all together. It was probably one of the best practices of the year. So, it was a lot of fun.”
Keefe confirmed that nearly every player will get into a game this week for one final evaluation before opening night.
The Devils will face the New York Rangers on Thursday, October 2, and close out the preseason against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, October 4 at 12:30 p.m. (moved up from its original 3 p.m. start).
With the roster narrowing and competition heating up, players will have one last chance to prove themselves before the puck drops on the regular season.