The New Jersey Devils play their next eight games against teams in the Western Conference. Starting on Tuesday night, their schedule looks like this. 

It seems a little early for a Western Conference swing, with a road trip in the middle. That said, this is when the Devils want to have this stretch. After half of their first eight games have come against their division, it’s a good thing to face out-of-conference opponents. 

The Devils, like many NHL teams this season, are still searching for their identity. It’s October, when teams are still shaking off the cobwebs of the offseason and figuring out their strengths to lean on. 

It takes time for most teams, and the Devils need more time. The new faces from the offseason and the injuries haven’t helped the cause either. While they’ve started to see the offense hit its stride and notice they play better when they set the tone early, they are still working through everything else. 

This is a good stretch for the Devils to figure things out. They are starting to make progress on the offensive end; the forward lines, with Arseny Gritsyuk moving to the Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt line, are starting to gel. However, the defense must improve, and the Devils must find out what they have in the net. 

Speaking of the net, this stretch is a good time to give Rémi Poirier, who was claimed off of waivers before the season began, a start or two. The Devils can find out what they have in him. If they don’t start him in the next eight games, especially the road trip where they have three games in four days, it raises the question of what the plan is with the young goaltender. 

The Devils haven’t had a big road trip yet this season or many games on the road, for that matter. They’ve had road games here and there, including one in Detroit and another in Washington, D.C., yet they haven’t been on the road for multiple days at a time while the team has been together. 

For some teams, a road trip is what is needed to bring everyone together. It’s those games on the road, the long bus rides and flights, and time spent together that allow teams to bond. The Devils haven’t had that time yet. 

These road trips can make or break teams. A string of wins allows them to come back home stronger and ready to climb up the standings. A skid can leave them both behind in the standings and looking exhausted for the upcoming stretch. The Devils hope the road trip makes them a stronger and more connected team. 

The homestretch features multiple matchups against the Metropolitan Division teams. Six of their final 11 games are against division opponents and, interestingly, the final four regular-season games are at home. It’s those games the Devils can win twofold, where they can either make up ground in the division or build their lead with a strong finish. 

It’s also when the Devils will play their best hockey, or at least they should. By March and April, they’ll know what type of team they are. The games in October and November give them the chance to find out. 

It’s a long time from now, but it speaks to the value of getting this trip out of the way. Likewise, this is the time to face the teams the Devils won’t see often. Every game matters in this 84-game season, but these games aren’t as consequential.