Can the New Jersey Devils finish at the top of the Metropolitan Division and go further in the playoffs? Mike Stephens and Ryan Kennedy discuss.

The New Jersey Devils accomplished the biggest season turnaround in NHL history last season with a 49-point improvement. Just like that, their expectations went from rebuilding team to Stanley Cup contender.

New Jersey saw some changes on defense and offense over the summer, so how will that affect their expectations for 2023-24? Ryan Kennedy and Mike Stephens analyzed New Jersey as part of their Metropolitan Division preview episode of The Hockey News Podcast. 

New Jersey Devils

2022-23 Result: 52-22-8, 112 PTS, 2nd in Metro, 3rd in NHL, lost in Round 2 to Carolina

Key Additions: Tyler Toffoli (RW), Tomas Nosek (LW/C), Colin Miller (D)

Key Departures: Miles Wood (LW), Tomas Tatar (LW), Jesper Boqvist (C), Yegor Sharangovich (C/RW), Damon Severson (D), Ryan Graves (D), Mackenzie Blackwood (G)

Further Reading

NHL Prospect Overview: Tony Ferrari examines the strengths and weaknesses of the New Jersey Devils' prospect pool. The prospect expert also analyzes the 2023 NHL draft class, other notable players, and the skater he thinks is most likely to graduate to the top team, Luke Hughes.

NHL Hot Seat Radar: Adam Proteau has goaltender Vitek Vanecek on the hot seat with the opportunity to hang onto his starting role or risk losing it to Akira Schmid. Who else is on the hot seat radar?

NHL Off-Season Outlook: Earlier this summer, Adam Proteau examined the biggest needs and positives for the Devils heading into the off-season.

The Hockey News Yearbook: Check out the in-depth preview for all 32 NHL teams, as well as their projected finish in the standings and much more. Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine and get a free issue at THN.com/Free.

The Hockey News’ New Jersey Devils Team Site: Kristy Flannery has the latest news, rumors, analysis and more all about the Devils at THN.com/NewJersey.