The Hockey News' projection tool ranked teams for the 2023-24 season - and the results may surprise New Jersey Devils fans.

Rankings calculated by KEVIN, a predictive learning model created by The Hockey News' Rachel Doerrie, placed the New Jersey Devils third in the Metropolitan Division.

1. Carolina Hurricanes

2. New York Rangers

3. New Jersey Devils

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

5. New York Islanders

6. Washington Capitals

7. Columbus Blue Jackets

8. Philadelphia Flyers 

New Jersey Devils

Last Year: 52-22-8, second in the Metropolitan Division (lost in the second round to the Hurricanes)

Projected: 3rd in the Metropolitan Division

Keys to the Season

1. Goaltending: Vitek Vanecek had an impressive regular season as he joined Martin Brodeur as the only goaltender in Devils' history to earn 30 or more wins in a single season. Akira Schmid's evolution and postseason performance became one of the best storylines of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Can the duo backstop their team to a second consecutive playoff berth, or will they force GM Tom Fitzerald's hand to make a move at the trade deadline?

2. Bahl establishing himself as a top-four defenseman: Over the summer, the Devils lost veteran defensemen Ryan Graves and Damon Severson. Both played around 20 minutes per game and left big shoes to fill on New Jersey's blue line. Kevin Bahl, 23, is expected to become a mainstay in the lineup and play top-four minutes for the first time in his young career. It's a tall order for a young defenseman who hasn't played more than 42 games in a season, but after a strong training camp and preseason, Bahl appears ready to take the next step.

3. The team's top players picking up where they left off: Fans saw Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Dougie Hamilton offensively break out in the 2022-23 season. They joined Jesper Bratt, who matched his career-high 73 points from the 2021-22 campaign. The Devils will need their top performers to replicate last season's performance if they hope to stay near the top of a highly competitive Metropolitan Division.

Most-Likely Scenario: For a second straight season, the Devils will find themselves competing for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division along with the Carolina Hurricanes. The club will clinch a playoff berth for a second consecutive season and look to build off last season's first-round victory.

Worst-Case Scenario: New Jersey's stars will be unable to remain healthy. While the Devils have depth, they may have difficulty replacing a player like Hughes, Siegenthaler, or either goaltender long-term. Injuries are expected and part of the hockey season, but how detrimental an injury or two can be to a team remains unseen.