The Devils are rolling into the first full week of November with momentum, but also with a fresh injury concern hanging over the group. New Jersey has won five of its last six and has scored at least three goals in every win, a run that has been fueled by sharp play from the top six, steady depth scoring, and strong work at both ends of the ice. This week brings four games, and the Devils will have to navigate them while waiting on word about Anthony Mantha.
Mantha’s night in Vegas ended early after he was caught up with Noah Hanifin and crashed into the net late in the third period. He did get back on the ice afterward, but he still left before the final horn.
Before exiting, he picked up an assist on Luke Hughes’s opening goal and fired one shot in 13:58 of ice time. Sheldon Keefe didn’t have a firm update afterward, saying the team would need to get back to New Jersey before a full evaluation could happen.
“I wouldn’t read too much into the fact that he didn’t return, just because there was so little time left, but it also doesn’t mean he won’t miss time necessarily. We just don’t know at this point,” stated Keefe.
That would be a setback for a player who had started to settle in. Mantha’s opening stretch was quiet, but he found his footing on the third line with Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist.
Over his last five games, he has four points, and he’s put a shot on goal in every game since Oct. 6 against the Utah Mammoth. The Devils are hoping he’s available Tuesday when they face the Edmonton Oilers.
The biggest reason New Jersey has looked so comfortable lately is the goaltending upgrade. Hellebuyck has come in and done exactly what the Devils needed, winning both of his first two starts.
His first outing came Tuesday against the Dallas Stars, just four days after the trade, and he wasted no time settling things down. New Jersey opened its three-game road trip with a 5-1 win, and Hellebuyck finished with a .944 save percentage after allowing just one goal.
He followed that up against the Golden Knights by stopping 19 of 21 shots. Vegas got to him for two goals in the first period, but he locked things down from there and made 13 straight saves over the final 40 minutes.
The move has already sent a jolt through the lineup, and even Martin Brodeur has weighed in on what Hellebuyck brings. “Elite goalies are elite goalies.
You could put them in any kind of situation, and they’ll succeed…Obviously we’re looking at the big picture with him, definitely excited to have him on board,” said Brodeur.
The Hughes brothers have also been central to the Devils’ fast start, and their impact keeps showing up in different ways. Jack Hughes leads the team with 16 points, and he also sits first in the NHL in shot attempts per game at 8.4.
Over the last five games, he’s piled up four goals and seven points. He’s also getting a major boost from Arseny Gritsyuk, who has helped give the Devils a new look alongside the “PB&J” combination of J.
Hughes and Jesper Bratt. The three have combined for 40 points in the first 14 games.
Luke Hughes has been just as important on the back end. His game has been built around puck control, clean exits through the neutral zone, and handling difficult minutes, and he’s been a big part of why the defense has looked so stable early on.
He’s the only Devils defenseman with more than one goal, and he’s one away from matching last season’s total of six. When he’s on the ice with Jack, the numbers jump even more: the brothers have shared just under 140 minutes together, and New Jersey has scored 11 goals in that time.
Luke’s Corsi has risen by 21% with Jack, while his scoring chances for percentage has climbed by 26.17%.
New Jersey’s week starts Tuesday at home against the Oilers, the first meeting between the teams since Jan. 20, 2026, when the Devils won 2-1. The homestand continues Thursday against the Blues, the first of two matchups between those teams this month.
On Saturday, the Devils head to UBS Arena for a Metropolitan Division rematch with the Islanders after a 6-0 loss on Oct. 3.
Then comes Sunday’s road game against the Maple Leafs, the second half of a back-to-back, with New Jersey still looking for its first sweep in two games on consecutive days.
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