The New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils] (21-17-2) take on the Utah Mammoth (19-19-3) at the Prudential Center on Saturday afternoon. The two teams will face off for the second time this season, with Utah pulling out a 2-1 victory the last time they met. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LINEUPS AND INJURIES Devils' projected lineup per NHL.com [https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-mammoth-new-jersey-devils-game-preview-january-3-2026] https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-mammoth-new-jersey-devils-game-preview-january-3-2026Jack Hughes -- Nico Hischier -- Jesper Bratt Timo Meier -- Dawson Mercer -- Arseny Gritsyuk Ondrej Palat -- Cody Glass -- Connor Brown Juho Lammikko -- Luke Glendening -- Stefan Noesen Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton Luke Hughes -- Brett Pesce Brenden Dillon -- Colton White Jake Allen Jacob Markstrom Scratched: Dennis Cholowski, Paul Cotter Injured: Zack MacEwen (lower body), Jonathan Kovacevic (knee), Evgenii Dadonov (wrist), Simon Nemec (lower body) Mammoth projected lineup per NHL.com. [https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-mammoth-new-jersey-devils-game-preview-january-3-2026] https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-mammoth-new-jersey-devils-game-preview-january-3-2026Clayton Keller -- Nick Schmaltz -- JJ Peterka Lawson Crouse -- Barrett Hayton -- Dylan Guenther Michael Carcone -- Jack McBain -- Daniil But Liam O’Brien -- Kevin Stenlund -- Alexander Kerfoot Mikhail Sergachev -- Sean Durzi Nate Schmidt -- John Marino Ian Cole -- Nick DeSimone Karel Vejmelka Vitek Vanecek Scratched: Olli Maatta, Brandon Tanev, Kailer Yamamoto Injured: Logan Cooley (lower body) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLAYER TO WATCH: The player to watch for the Devils is Luke Hughes. Hughes has been on a streak, tallying two points in the team's last matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was announced on Friday that the 22-year-old was not selected to compete for Team USA in the 2026 Milan Olympics alongside his brothers. The young defender was given the day off from practice on Friday, and is the player to watch this afternoon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STORYLINE TO WATCH: The storyline to watch is the Devils' offense. The team ended the year on a high note, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2, but overall, this season has struggled to score. Despite a talented roster, the team has been unable to score enough goals to win games. After the win on New Year's Eve, the team must bring their offensive drive into the new year. The puck will drop at 3 PM. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/] for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. THN.com/free [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/44b85a38-c48b-4cda-9044-d884218643c5.jpeg] THN.com/free For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*rx3p21*_ga*MjYxMTY1NzQ4LjE2ODIzNzc2MTY.*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjQwMTI2ODUkbzIwMTYkZzEkdDE3NjQwMTQ1NjIkajYwJGwwJGgw]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
