EA Sports’ NHL 27 ratings have put a spotlight on the New Jersey Devils’ blue line, and the names at the top may not be the ones some fans expected.
When the game’s top defensemen and goaltenders were unveiled on Wednesday, Brett Pesce emerged as the Devils’ highest-rated defenseman at 87 overall. That mark also makes him the 10th-best right defenseman in the game. EA’s rankings suggest left defense is deeper overall, but Pesce still earned strong recognition.
Right behind him is a cluster of Devils defenders sitting at 86 overall: Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler. Luke Hughes also stands out for another reason - he’s the fastest Devil in the game with a 93 speed rating. Among all defensemen, he has the highest chance of climbing to a better rating down the line.
New Jersey’s next tier on the blue line comes in at 85 overall, where Brenden Dillon and Jonathan Kovacevic both land. That gives the Devils six defensemen rated at 85 or higher, a number most teams can’t match. In EA’s eyes, that kind of depth points to a team that could be strong defensively in 2026-27.
The ratings release also brought some less flattering news in goal. No current Devils goalie appears among the game’s top 300 players, which lines up with a real-world concern for the club right now. Former Devils who did make the list include Scott Wedgewood at 87, Mackenzie Blackwood at 86 and Jacob Markstrom at 84.
The Devils’ skaters have already shown up well in the game’s earlier ratings release. Five forwards were included among the top 300 players: Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Anthony Mantha.
Hughes is the headliner there, checking in as the 16th-best player overall and the 8th-best center in NHL 27. Bratt and Hischier also cracked the top 100, giving New Jersey three forwards in that group.
Put together, EA Sports’ ratings paint a clear picture: the Devils look loaded up front and especially deep on defense, even if the goaltending situation got no love. Playing as New Jersey in NHL 27 should give gamers a roster full of high-end talent to work with.
In Other News...
Devils Blue Line Future Is Starting To Take Shape
The Devils are already looking ahead to 2026-27 with a coaching staff that should look a little different behind the bench, as Brad Shaw takes over the penalty kill and Sheldon Keefe returns as coach. Just as important, the blue line is entering a stretch where several familiar faces are working through the final year of their contracts, which means the shape of the defense could change faster than some around the team might expect.
At the same time, the organization has been quietly restocking the pipeline, and general manager Sunny Mehta has used recent draft picks to add more talent from Russia and Belarus. That gives New Jersey a real chance to keep its defense strong even as veterans like Brenden Dillon face pressure from younger options, including Anton Silayev, who could be part of the next wave when the roster starts to turn over. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Fans Can Finally See Sunny Mehtas Offseason Plan Taking Shape
The Devils spent the offseason reshaping a roster that had started to look stuck in place, and the moves have been broad enough to show a clear direction. New Jersey sent goaltender Jacob Markstrm to Florida in a deal that brought back Jesper Boqvist, Evan Rodrigues and Ben Steeves, then added Anthony Mantha on a two-year contract to bolster the finishing touch that has too often been missing.
A separate move involving defenseman imon Nemec pushed the plan even further toward flexibility, with the Devils bringing in a package of draft capital and a prospect rather than holding tight to their young blue-line piece. Taken together, the transactions suggest a front office trying to balance present-day competitiveness with a cleaner path to future assets, leaving the next layer of the plan to come into focus over time. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Hughes Just Landed In The Middle Of A Heated NHL 27 Debate
Jack Hughes latest rating in NHL 27 has become a talking point far beyond the usual video-game chatter. The Devils center landed at 94 overall, matching the highest mark of his career and putting him seventh among centers in the game, a placement that underscores how highly the developers view his blend of skill and pace.
Still, the number has not gone over quietly with fans, especially with names like Nick Suzuki and Auston Matthews coming in lower despite their strong recent play. Part of the debate comes down to how neatly Hughes game fits NHLs mechanics, where quickness and creativity often get rewarded, but the reaction shows just how closely this kind of rating is watched whenever a star player gets placed near the top of the list. [Read more 🡒]