The New Jersey Devils closed out October with a 5-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. The win also wrapped up a 2-1 road trip and a 5-1 Western Conference swing. At 9-5 and boasting the second-best record in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils look like contenders and are playing that way as well.

The catch in the Devils' case is that they’ve had these hot starts before. Last season, they started 8-1, and in 2022-23, they went 6-3 in the first month while going 19-4 by the time American Thanksgiving wrapped up. 

The Devils had had these hot starts before where they looked like Cup contenders. Then the injuries or struggles hit them like a brick wall, and they have a disappointing season. It’s been a theme of the Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier era of the Devils, and it’s why there’s a hesitant feeling around this team. 

It’s still too early in the season, and a lot can change. The Devils found chemistry in their forward lines, but the rest of the league is still figuring out their rosters. The opponents will be tougher as the season goes on. 

Head coach Sheldon Keefe, who is in the middle of his third season behind the Devils' bench and eighth in the NHL, knows this season is a marathon. “What was today? Game 10? We have 84 of these; consistency is the name of the game. This time last year, we won eight in a row. My first year I was here, we set an NHL record; we had seven games consecutively where we gave up 20 shots or less,” he stated after the 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. 

The playoffs feel like an inevitability, and the Devils have their eyes set on more than just that. However, they are far from certain. The Devils know the feeling, especially since they’ve had playoff-caliber teams in recent seasons come up short. 

Keefe admitted that the Devils have gotten off to hot starts in the past. He’s also acknowledged that this team is different, a tight-knit group that is coming together and can do something special. 

“I can’t say enough good things about what’s been happening with our game as of late,” Keefe noted after a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars. “Probably equally as important is just what's happening off the ice with the group and how they're talking to one another, and you can really feel us building momentum as a team,” he added.

The Devils have the right leaders in the room, whether it’s Hischier, who has matured as the captain, or a third-line glue veteran like Evan Rodrigues. Plus, they’ve come together at the right time, with a road trip that wrapped up the month and prepared them for the stretch ahead. 

Plus, Connor Hellebuyck changes a lot about this team. In the past, the Devils were constantly let down by the struggles in the net. They might have outplayed a team and controlled the pace of play, but a few goals squandered by the goaltender would let them down. Now, they have Hellebuyck, one of the best goaltenders in the game, if not the best, who has looked dialed in from the moment he put on a Devils jersey. 

This doesn’t look like the same Devils team. On the contrary, they look poised to only improve from here on out. The roster is coming together, Hellebuyck is getting up to speed, and there’s always a chance general manager Sunny Mehta has another big move up his sleeve. The Devils provide enough optimism that they’ll be among the best teams by the end of the season. 

With the way the season is playing out, the Devils should expect a great season. Even if they don’t win the Stanley Cup, which is still unlikely, they’ll be in the mix and set up for more success in the seasons to come. 

Plus, more should be anticipated from Mehta. He kicked off the ground running with multiple moves in his first offseason and a big swing just one month into the season. If this team is in playoff position by the trade deadline, another splash might be around the corner. 

The Devils will regress at some point and go through a slump. It’s an inevitable part of an 84-game season. That said, this season is shaping up to be a fun one. Hughes, Hischier, and Jesper Bratt should provide plenty of highlights on the offensive end, and Hellebuyck playing at a high level should provide plenty of highlight saves as well. The fans entered this season with renewed optimism, and one month in, that optimism has only been amplified.