The New Jersey Devils are heading into 2026-27 with plenty still to sort out.
They closed the 2025-26 season at 42-37-3, good for 87 points, which left them seventh in the Atlantic Division and 12 points short of an Eastern Conference Wildcard berth. That’s the backdrop for the conversation on last Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, where Tyler Yaremchuk dug into whether New Jersey can find its way back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Yaremchuk’s read starts with the bigger picture in the East. He thinks five playoff teams in 2026-27 will come out of the Atlantic Division, which would leave just three spots for Metropolitan Division clubs.
He pointed to the Carolina Hurricanes as one of those Metro teams because “they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions.” He also cited the Washington Capitals, saying they “just signed everyone and added a ton of quality pieces this offseason.”
That leaves New Jersey staring at a crowded path and, in Yaremchuk’s view, a few too many unresolved issues. He put the Devils on his “Concern O’Meter” for 2026-27.
“I think five of the Eastern Conference playoff teams in 2026-27 are coming from the Atlantic Division. That means there’s only going to be three teams from the Metropolitan Division that make it.
The Carolina Hurricanes will be one of those teams, since they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Washington Capitals just signed everyone and added a ton of quality pieces this offseason.
So where does that leave New Jersey? They’re on my Concern O’Meter for 2026-27. Listen, I don’t want to do this and poo-poo on a team that has a starting goalie who’s a friend of the show, because I think Jake Allen can absolutely play 40-plus games and do good for New Jersey next year.
But what is Nico Daws? Who did they add up front?
They added Anthony Mantha in the offseason, he scored 30 goals last year but I don’t think he’s doing it again this season. I look at this forward group and think it’s pretty similar to the one they had last year.
I look at the blue line and see they didn’t get rid of Dougie Hamilton, so is that just another season full of drama? You have some young pieces and I generally like their blue line, but it’s the same team as last year.
You can say that they won 42 games last season and that they won more games that their lost, which is impressive when you consider there were teams above them in the standings who did not have more wins than they lost, but can New Jersey get 10 more points in a conference that didn’t get any less competitive? I’m not totally sold on that.”
That’s the core issue for the Devils: a team that was above .500 in wins, but still looking up at a playoff line that figures to be even tougher to reach.
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A recent Colorado court ruling has made the situation more complicated by opening the door for some athletes who began college sports in the 2022-23 season and used up four years of eligibility to return to NCAA athletics. Salminen now has a wider menu of choices than the usual pro-hockey decision tree, with the ability to sign with any NHL team, go back to college hockey, or keep his career moving in Europe, and that uncertainty is exactly what makes his case worth watching for New Jersey. [Read more 🡒]