Even after Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the New Jersey Devils have given plenty of reasons to feel good about their start to 2026-27. Through 19 games, they’ve banked 26 of a possible 38 points, which works out to a .684 points percentage and puts them on pace for about 115 points if this level holds.
That’s the big-picture view. The smaller numbers are where things get interesting, though.
Some of the early stats are exactly what you’d expect. Others are a little strange.
A few are just plain funny.
Start with faceoffs, where Nico Hischier is doing Nico Hischier things. He leads the Devils with a 58.89 win percentage, winning 156 of his 265 draws. That’s the kind of steady work that keeps the puck moving in the right direction almost every time he steps into the circle.
What stands out next is how oddly close some of the other numbers are. Evan Rodrigues has lost 108 faceoffs, almost the same number Hischier has lost.
Jack Hughes has also lost 109, the exact same total as Hischier. The difference is in the wins: Rodrigues has 94, which leaves him at 46.5 percent, while Hughes has only 64 wins and a rough 36.99 percent.
Faceoffs aren’t the whole story, but it’s hard not to wonder whether Jack could use someone else taking some of those draws.
The physical side of the game brings a different mix of expected and unexpected. Timo Meier has 34 hits in 19 games, which is a solid number even if his goal total has been a point of criticism. He’s clearly trying to separate opponents from the puck and help the Devils win battles.
Jesper Bratt also pops up in a place some fans might not expect. He has 20 hits, which puts him tied for sixth on the team and fourth among forwards. For a player who gets labeled as lacking grit by some, that’s not nothing.
Then there’s Jack Hughes again, this time with a truly odd line: he has not been credited with a hit this season. That doesn’t fit the way his game is built, but it is what the stat sheet says.
On the penalty-drawing front, the Devils have several players helping create power-play chances, even if they still need to do a better job finishing those opportunities. Jack Hughes and Timo Meier are tied for the team lead with eight penalties drawn apiece. Rodrigues follows with six, Nico Hischier has five, and Brenden Dillon also has five despite not being an every-night player this season.
One of the stranger notes here is Arseny Gritsyuk. For all the good he has brought in his new Top Six role, he still has not been credited with drawing a penalty. That zero stands out, but it’s not exactly the kind of number anyone is worried about given everything else he’s doing well.
Rebounds created is another category that produced a few surprises. Jack Hughes is second on the team with 16, but Timo Meier actually leads the Devils with one rebound created per game. He’s getting pucks on net and forcing saves, which is better than missing the net altogether, though the Devils would surely like to see a few more of those chances turn into goals.
Dougie Hamilton deserves a mention too. He has 13 rebounds created, which is a useful number, even if the hope is still for a few more pucks to end up in the back of the net instead of bouncing around the crease. Connor Brown gets the odd-stat nod here, since he is the only Devil with zero rebounds created.
Takeaways offer another positive look at the roster. Luke Hughes is the only Devil in double figures, and that alone makes him stand out.
Rodrigues shows up again with seven takeaways, while Jack Hughes has six. Brett Pesce also has six, and so does Amadeus Lombardi.
Lombardi may still be looking for his first NHL goal, but he has been noticeable in a good way in a lot of games. Those little contributions don’t always jump off the page, but they matter.
There’s more that could be dug into, of course, but this is enough for now. The point isn’t to turn every number into a verdict. It’s just a snapshot of a Devils team that has been doing a lot right, while also producing a few odd little stat lines along the way.
And if you want to be critical, the names that don’t show up on these lists are probably part of that conversation too.
Still, the Devils are playing well, and that’s the part worth enjoying. They’ll try to get back in the win column tonight at home against Washington.
In Other News...
Devils Suddenly Face A Blue Line Question At The Worst Time
Mike Matheson is back for Montreal after missing two weeks with a lower-body injury, and that matters for the Devils because he remains one of the leagues most heavily used defensemen. He has led the Canadiens in ice time since 2022 and currently tops the NHL in shorthanded playing time per game, a reminder of how much responsibility he carries whenever these teams line up.
For New Jersey, the timing is less than ideal. The Devils will be without Brett Pesce because of illness, and they have already reached down to Utica for Vladislav Kolyachonok to fill the gap. It leaves the blue line a little thinner at exactly the moment when the matchup is about to get more demanding, with one key Montreal defender back in the mix and New Jersey still sorting out its own availability. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Turned Connor Hellebuycks Winnipeg Return Into A Bigger Mess
Connor Hellebuycks return to Winnipeg was already loaded with emotion, and the Devils only added to the noise by leaving their former goaltender on the bench against the team he once backed up. General manager Sunny Mehta and head coach Sheldon Keefe opted to start Jake Allen instead, a decision that kept the spotlight on a matchup that already carried plenty of baggage for both the player and the building.
The fallout spilled well beyond the ice after the game, when Devils broadcasters Don La Greca and colleagues were confronted by angry fans outside their hotel. Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel also made clear the atmosphere around Hellebuycks return was still raw, pointing to lingering frustration from fans and the organization over how his departure unfolded. What should have been a straightforward stop on the schedule ended up feeling like another reminder that this one still has some unfinished business attached to it. [Read more 🡒]