The Devils spent the offseason reshaping the roster, and the blue line is finally starting to look like a strength again. General manager Sunny Mehta’s plan is beginning to take shape, and with training camp approaching, New Jersey appears set up to chase a deeper playoff run than last time.
The offensive hole in the top six has been filled, the defense is healthy, and help has arrived in net. Even so, one piece of the puzzle still feels unfinished: the Devils’ best shutdown look from 2024-25. That’s why the case for reuniting Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic is so compelling.
Last season didn’t give the Devils much of a chance to keep that pairing together. Kovacevic played only 34 games after an ACL tear and knee surgery, and by the time he returned, the team was already sliding. Siegenthaler, meanwhile, spent most of his ice time alongside Dougie Hamilton, a very different assignment from the hard-matchup role he handled two seasons earlier.
That pairing never really clicked. Siegenthaler and Hamilton were on the ice for 49 goals against and 43 goals for, and the problems showed up in scoring chances and high-danger chances as well.
Siegenthaler did see a slight bump in his scoring chance percentage, but Hamilton’s offense was muted for much of the year before he improved late in 2025-26. The Devils need both players to start strong this season, which makes fit even more important.
The Siegenthaler-Hamilton setup came out of necessity. Now that the blue line is healthy again, there’s no reason not to go back to the duo that worked.
The numbers from 2024-25 make a strong argument. According to Natural Stat Trick, Siegenthaler and Kovacevic shared just under 800 minutes together and produced 29 goals for and 17 against.
Their 63.04 goals for percentage outpaced their expected mark of 58.36 xGF% by 4.68 percentage points. More importantly, they drove play in the right direction and kept opponents from getting comfortable.
Their 51.74 SCF% was backed up by clear individual gains. Siegenthaler’s scoring chance percentage climbed by 11.37%, while Kovacevic’s jumped 22.46%. The pair also finished with 27 more high-danger scoring chances for than against, and Devils goaltenders posted a .944 save percentage while they were on the ice.
That matters for a team built around defensemen who can move the puck and create offense. Hamilton and Luke Hughes bring that element, but New Jersey still needs a dependable group that can lock things down, especially on the penalty kill. Siegenthaler and Kovacevic fit that job perfectly.
Two seasons ago, Siegenthaler’s shorthanded work stood out in particular. He was on the ice for just seven goals against, his lowest total since 2020-21, when the Devils acquired him. Kovacevic benefited from the partnership too, with a 13.75% rise in his unblocked shot attempt percentage and a 24.62% increase in his shots for percentage.
The penalty kill only strengthens the case. Their chemistry and defensive mindset give New Jersey something it can lean on.
Looking ahead to 2026-27, the Devils already have plenty of dynamic pieces on the back end. Hughes and Brett Pesce are fully recovered, bringing speed, offense, and shot blocking. Hamilton also appears likely to remain with the club despite trade rumors resurfacing during the year, and his veteran presence and special teams ability should pair well with Brenden Dillon’s physicality and steadiness.
Still, if the Devils want their defense to reach another level, the answer may already be in the building. Reuniting Siegenthaler and Kovacevic would restore a balanced, reliable shutdown pair - and give New Jersey another reason to believe this blue line can carry real weight.
In Other News...
Jack Hughes' Next Devils Deal Could Get Uncomfortable Fast
Jack Hughes has already reset the market once for the Devils, and his next contract figures to come at a time when the ceiling around him is moving almost as quickly as his game. Around the league, top-end player pay is climbing in a way that would have sounded aggressive only a few years ago, with recent NHL deals for the likes of Leo Carlsson and Macklin Celebrini reflecting a broader trend toward bigger cap percentages for franchise players. For New Jersey, that matters because Hughes is no longer just a star in a vacuum, he is the kind of centerpiece whose deal will be judged against where the salary cap is heading, not where it sits today.
The uncomfortable part for the Devils is the timing. Leaguewide projections point to a sharply higher cap by 2030, and the maximum salary itself is expected to keep rising as collective bargaining changes and expansion reshape the economics around the sport. That gives New Jersey room to breathe in the long view, but it also means every year Hughes waits could make the eventual negotiation more complicated, with the numbers and the leverage both changing underneath the team. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Have A Contract Advantage Fans Should Be Watching Closely
The Devils roster has a lot going for it beyond the names on the back of the jerseys, and a big part of that is how manageable the cap sheet looks when stacked against the production coming from key players. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt remain the clearest examples, both established as top-end drivers whose contracts still look friendly compared with what they bring on the ice. Add in Arseny Gritsyuk, whose underlying numbers point to real promise after a recent extension, and New Jersey suddenly has a core that is giving a lot back without forcing the club into a financial corner.
For a team trying to stay competitive without painting itself into a cap-strapped future, that matters. The Devils do not have many deals that stick out as obvious burdens, and most of the lineup is built on contracts that feel fair or better than fair for the level of play attached to them. That kind of balance does not guarantee wins, but it does give New Jersey room to keep building, and it is the sort of advantage fans should keep an eye on as the roster continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Face The Same Connor Hellebuyck Dilemma All Over Again
Connor Hellebuyck has surfaced again as a name the Devils are monitoring, and the timing makes sense for a team still weighing its long-term answer in goal. New Jersey already has Jake Allen, Nico Daws and David Rittich in the mix, but that has not stopped the club from being linked to one of the NHLs most accomplished netminders as the Winnipeg Jets explore what a deal would look like.
The problem for the Devils is the same one that follows any pursuit of a goalie of Hellebuycks stature: the cost is not just in assets, but in commitment. Winnipeg is looking for a hefty return, and New Jersey is reportedly wary of paying a premium for a player whose age and contract length would create real financial risk, even if his desire to settle his situation quickly keeps the door open. [Read more 🡒]