The NHL has released the New Jersey Devils' projected lineup for the 2025-26 season:
Projected Lineup:
Ondrej Palat – Jack Hughes – Jesper Bratt
Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Stefan Noesen
Arseni Gritsyuk – Dawson Mercer – Connor Brown
Paul Cotter – Cody Glass – Evgenii Dadonov
Brenden Dillon – Dougie Hamilton
Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce
Jonas Siegenthaler – Simon Nemec
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen
The NHL posed the question: How far can the Devils go with this projected lineup?
The Devils certainly have the potential to make a deep playoff run; however, their success depends on several key factors.
Injuries remain their biggest challenge. Star center Jack Hughes must stay healthy for the entire season if the Devils hope to contend for the Stanley Cup. Hughes has endured two significant shoulder injuries in the last five years, requiring season-ending surgeries in both the 2021-22 and 2024-25 seasons. If Hughes can remain in the lineup this year, the team’s Cup chances will increase dramatically.
Offseason moves have strengthened the roster. The Devils re-signed Jake Allen and Cody Glass, signed Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov, and are expected to make one more move before the puck drops on October 9 in Carolina.
Their season opener will be a rematch against the team that has eliminated them in each of their last two playoff appearances, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are arguably the Devils’ second-biggest hurdle, right behind injuries. In 2022-23, Carolina knocked the Devils out in the second round, and in 2024-25, they were eliminated in the first round, both series ending in just five games.
The final move will be resigning defenseman Luke Hughes to fill out the Devils’ blueline.
The blend of veteran leadership and young talent gives the Devils an edge. At the end of last season, Brett Pesce reflected on the team’s progress to the media:
“I think we are building something here that’s pretty special… We have something that most teams don’t.”
When asked to elaborate, Pesce added:
“Just everything. The guys in the room, the way we blend together, and the personnel.”
This strong locker room culture is echoed by Dawson Mercer, who emphasized the team’s off-ice chemistry at the end of the season media availability as well:
“Away from the rink, we are a good group of guys,” Mercer said.
The Devils aim to push past previous playoff disappointments and make a deeper run this season. Jesper Bratt summed up what needs to change:
“We knew and found the recipe for winning, but we were lacking that consistency.”
The puck will drop at the Prudential Center on October 16th, 2025.
Photo Credit: © James Guillory-Imagn Images