The Devils have already shown both versions of themselves, and that’s the problem.
In their 7-1 blowout of the Rangers, they looked connected, relentless and sharp - a team checking, supporting and creating offense by getting pucks behind the defense. Two nights later, that version vanished in a 4-2 loss to Washington. Jake Allen put it plainly afterward: “It’s just about putting 60 minutes consistently together,”
That inconsistency has shown up in more than one place, but the second period has become especially costly. Ottawa scored three times in the middle frame Monday, and Washington matched that pattern Saturday.
Both games were tied going into the period, and both were effectively over by the end of it. Sheldon Keefe didn’t dress it up after the Capitals game: “I don’t know if we won a puck battle the entire second period,” he said.
Still, there are pieces here worth building around. Luke Hughes keeps flashing a higher ceiling, and against the Rangers he scored twice.
That’s part of the package, but not the whole thing. His skating and puck movement help the Devils spend less time stuck in their own zone, and Brett Pesce was blunt in his praise Friday: “He’s so good.
I don’t even know if that guy needs a D partner, to be honest.” Hughes now has three goals and an assist.
Jack Hughes also delivered in a tight spot, scoring the overtime winner in Detroit to secure a 5-4 victory over the Red Wings. That game featured a useful offensive line with Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk, but it also showed the same larger issue: the Devils needed a lot of offense just to survive. Giving up four goals and repeatedly handing back leads is a rough way to stack wins.
There were positives from the supporting cast, too. Evan Rodrigues and Anthony Mantha scored their first goals as Devils in Detroit, and Rodrigues added another goal against the Rangers.
Alongside Stefan Noesen, that line has a simple job: put pucks deep, pressure the other team and create chances through work. New Jersey needs that kind of production so the stars aren’t carrying every shift.
Johnathan Kovacevic’s return brought a different kind of lift. He came back in Detroit, then dropped the gloves against the Rangers, something Dawson Mercer clearly appreciated: “Whenever a guy sticks up for anyone on the team, you love to see it,” he said.
Kovacevic also laid out a point that feels central to how this team should play: “For how skilled we are, we play best when we’re a little more simple and defending. Then the game comes to us, and our skill takes off after that.”
That idea has been echoed elsewhere in the room. Nico Hischier had already raised the importance of earning offense, and the recent games showed both sides of that message.
Against the Rangers, the Devils established their forecheck and let the chances come. Against Washington, Timo Meier said the turnovers told the story: “We saw what happens if we get in behind them and forecheck,” he said.
“But there were just too many times where we turned pucks over.”
The power play also needs a fresh wrinkle. In Washington, the second unit took a more direct approach, getting pucks toward the net and creating chances.
Meier finally scored his first goal of the season on a late man advantage, though only 19 seconds were left. A stronger shooting presence on the first unit - whether that means Meier, Gritsyuk or Dougie Hamilton - could help.
Too often, that group looks for the perfect seam instead of forcing the issue.
Health is part of the equation, too. Luke Evangelista missed the Washington trip while recovering from an illness, and Connor Brown was still out.
Keefe said before Saturday’s game that Mercer’s penalty killing had become especially important without Brown. Evangelista’s absence also took away a chance to keep him alongside Hischier and Meier.
Getting those players back would help, even if it won’t solve the puck-management and checking problems on its own.
Eight games in, the Devils have given enough evidence to ask questions - and not enough to answer them definitively. The Rangers game showed what this group can look like when its skill is backed by structure.
Washington showed how fast that can fall apart. They’re back Tuesday against Colorado, and one strong night would matter.
Doing it again after that would mean a lot more.
In Other News...
Avalanche Get A Tougher Devils Test With One Key Forward Back
Luke Evangelista is set to rejoin the Devils lineup after missing three games with an illness, and his return comes at a time when New Jersey could use a little more punch up front. He is expected back in his usual top-six role for the matchup with the Colorado Avalanche, giving the Devils a familiar piece in a part of the lineup that has been asked to carry a lot of weight early.
For New Jersey, the timing matters beyond just getting one skater back. Evangelista came over from the Nashville Predators in the offseason and recently secured a five-year contract extension, so every game he plays now carries a little more meaning for a team trying to settle its forward mix while taking on a quality opponent. The Avalanche will have to deal with a Devils group that looks more complete with him available, even if there is still plenty to sort out around how quickly he settles back in. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Suddenly Have A Depth Problem Devils Fans Should Notice
The Metropolitan Division picture got a little more unsettled this week as the Islanders had to lean on emergency depth, a reminder that injuries can reshape the race faster than any standings update. Around the league, Toronto and Philadelphia also dipped into their AHL pipelines, but the Islanders move stood out because it came alongside a growing list of unavailable regulars.
New Jersey has been watching the division tightly, and this is the kind of development Devils fans should notice. With Alexander Romanov on injured reserve after a torn ACL and Matias Maccelli and Cal Ritchie both leaving a recent game with lower-body injuries, the Islanders are suddenly trying to patch together their lineup while the schedule keeps moving. For a team already looking for stability, the next few days could tell a lot about how deep the roster really is. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Record Is Hiding A Bigger Early Season Debate
The Devils early-season record has left plenty of room for debate, but the deeper numbers are offering a very different view of where this team stands. After the strong 2022-23 campaign that helped set expectations, their advanced metrics dipped in the years that followed, though there has been some improvement under Sheldon Keefe. Even with a .500 start to the 2026-27 season, New Jersey has been driving play at an elite level and sitting near the top of the league in expected goal share.
What makes the conversation so interesting is the gap between process and results. The Devils have paired strong underlying offense with solid defensive numbers, but those trends have not yet shown up consistently in the standings, especially with weaker opponents and score effects shaping part of the picture. For a team trying to prove its identity is real, the early question is not whether the Devils can generate chances, but when the standings will finally catch up. [Read more 🡒]