The Devils’ 4-1 win over the New York Islanders in their final preseason game did more than just close the exhibition slate with a clean result. It hinted at something New Jersey fans have been waiting to see again: a team built to fly.
Luke Evangelista scored twice, while Dougie Hamilton and Arseny Gritsyuk added the other goals in last night’s win over a division rival. The scoreline was tidy enough, but the more meaningful takeaway was how the Devils played to get there.
Preseason wins come with a grain of salt. The final score matters a lot less than the habits underneath it, and New Jersey’s habits looked sharper than the box score suggested. The encouraging part wasn’t just that the Devils won - it was that their process pointed toward a style that should look a lot more familiar to anyone who remembers what made this group dangerous in the first place.
That old identity was all about speed, transition, and punishing teams off the rush. In 2022-23, the Devils led the league in rush offense and set a franchise record in regular-season points. But after that playoff exit, former GM Tom Fitzgerald steered the team toward being “ harder to play against,” even if that meant moving away from the fast, aggressive game that had made New Jersey such a problem.
Now, newcomer GM Sunny Mehta has pushed the roster back in the other direction. The additions of Anthony Mantha, Luke Evangelista, Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Amadeus Lombardi all point toward a group with real rush ability. On paper, this is a lineup that should be able to thrive in transition.
And in the preseason finale, the system looked like it matched the personnel.
The defense moved the puck quickly after retrievals and turned those touches into clean zone exits. Up front, the forwards pressured high in the defensive zone to create turnovers and spring odd-man chances.
Through the neutral zone, all five skaters were active on loose pucks and quick entries. The defensemen joined the attack and pinched with confidence to keep the pressure alive.
It was a much more north-south approach than the dump-and-chase style they had been pushed toward before.
Maybe it’s too much to make of one preseason game. But the signs were strong enough to matter. The Devils appear to have a roster that can execute off the rush no matter who is on the ice, and the system seems to be adjusting to that strength.
If that carries over, New Jersey should be a lot of fun again.
In Other News...
Alexander Holtz Just Revived An Old Devils Development Debate
The Devils trimmed their roster ahead of the official deadline, putting goaltender David Rittich on waivers and claiming Remi Poirier from the Dallas Stars. But the more familiar name in the mix is Alexander Holtz, the former first-round pick New Jersey once hoped would grow into a steady scoring piece.
Holtzs situation has a way of pulling the conversation back to one of the organizations lingering development debates, because he was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights and is now on waivers after limited scoring success. For Devils fans, it is another reminder of how uncertain the path can be for a young forward who arrives with pedigree, leaves with questions, and still leaves plenty of second-guessing behind. [Read more 🡒]
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Jesper Boqvist, Colin White and Stefan Noesen are among the names in the mix, and the numbers game could eventually force the issue through waivers. Amadeus Lombardi is also part of the equation, with a possible AHL assignment looming as the organization weighs whether he is better served by development time or a spot on the big club. It is the kind of roster squeeze that speaks well of the depth, even if it leaves a few players waiting for the final answer. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Opening Night Will Test A Roster That Suddenly Feels Deeper
The Devils head into opening night looking like a club that carried more than just good vibes out of camp. Their preseason showed a group playing with sharper cohesion and a clearer sense of identity, and it was the kind of stretch that made the roster feel deeper than it did a year ago. Amadeus Lombardi was among the players who turned that opportunity into something more concrete, earning a spot and adding to the sense that the pipeline under Tom Fitzgerald is starting to produce real options.
Now the challenge shifts from summer optimism to a game that counts, with the Flyers waiting to provide an early read on how much of that preseason improvement holds up. Depth can look different once the pace rises and the matchups sharpen, and opening night should say plenty about whether the Devils are simply better equipped for the grind or ready to turn that added depth into an edge right away. [Read more 🡒]