The New Jersey Devils walked into Thursday night carrying plenty of noise, and not all of it had to do with the game itself. After the stir created by Sunny Mehta’s Sunday night statement about Connor Hellebuyck not starting against the Winnipeg Jets in his return to his former home, it felt like the Devils were already under a microscope heading into a home-and-home with the Washington Capitals.
Then the injury situation tightened even more.
Brett Pesce and Johnny Kovacevic were already out, with Kovacevic likely sidelined for a long stretch. Anthony Mantha was added to the injured list after being placed on LTIR this week. Suddenly, the Devils were dealing with a level of shorthandedness they had not faced since Kovacevic came back into the lineup.
That left New Jersey in a tough spot against Washington: five left-handed defensemen in the lineup and Lenni Hameenaho making his season debut. The night still broke the Devils’ way, and in a bit of team history, two players making their season debut outside of opening night scored in the same game for the first time in franchise history.
Hameenaho tied the game at 2-2 when he put a puck in off his hand. Then Kolaychonok scored his first goal as a Devil to push New Jersey ahead 3-2, and that turned out to be the winner.
The Devils also got a key lift from Stefan Noesen, whose goal was the best of the night and came after his return to the lineup following another stint with the Utica Comets. Once Mantha went on LTIR, New Jersey had the cap room to bring Noesen back.
After a rough night in Winnipeg, the Devils responded at home with a win that said a lot about the group’s depth. Connor Hellebuyck was excellent after allowing a bad second goal, giving the Devils the kind of steadiness they needed after a messy week in the media.
The bigger takeaway was clear: this is what organizational depth is for. New Jersey is already down three right-handed defensemen this season if Seamus Casey’s injury is included, and a night with five lefties is far from ideal. Still, Luke Hughes and Kolyachonok both handled their offhand roles, at least to varying degrees, and the Devils found a way through it.
They do not love where they are right now, but they believe the structure is there to get through it. The hope is that Pesce returns on Saturday with another Capitals game coming up. If he is not ready, the Devils’ depth may have to carry the load again.
In Other News...
Devils Hot Start Just Got A Boost Fans Have To See
Vladislav Kolyachonok gave the Devils the lift they needed early in the third period, breaking a tie and helping New Jersey surge past the Washington Capitals 5-2. The win kept the home momentum rolling, with the Devils extending their streak to seven straight at Prudential Center and continuing to look like one of the sharper teams in the Metropolitan Division.
Connor Hellebuyck also made a strong first impression in his first start for New Jersey since arriving from Winnipeg, turning aside 26 shots to steady the back end when the game was still in the balance. With the Devils sitting second in the division, this was the kind of complete effort that can make a hot start feel even more real. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Just Got A Painful Reminder About Dawson Mercer
Dawson Mercer is wasting no time making the Devils think twice about moving him. In his first 10 games with Winnipeg, the former New Jersey forward has already piled up five goals and three assists, and he has settled quickly into a second-line role while also working on the power-play unit.
Scott Arniel has pointed to Mercers growing confidence and comfort as part of the reason the fit has clicked so fast. For Winnipeg, that kind of immediate impact has helped fuel a recent winning streak, and for New Jersey it serves as a sharp reminder of what Mercer can do when he finds the right spot in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Look Like A Team Ready For Another Big Swing
The Devils have already shown they are willing to make noise this season, and their latest move only reinforces that sense. With Connor Hellebuyck now in the fold, New Jersey has added a proven goaltender to a team that has started 14-6 and looks built to push deeper into the Eastern Conference race.
Washington has been a useful measuring stick, with the season series even at one win apiece and both clubs sitting in playoff position. For the Devils, the bigger story may be what comes next, because general manager Sunny Mehta has made it clear he is open to bold trades, and the Capitals stockpile of prospects and young players could give New Jersey another avenue to keep swinging big. [Read more 🡒]