The Devils head into 2026-27 with pressure hanging over the room, and that makes every roster spot feel a little heavier. Declan Chisholm is one of the players caught in that squeeze, even after earning a place on New Jersey’s opening night roster.
That opening came partly because Johnathan Kovacevic is out with an injury, and Seamus Casey was hurt in the Devils’ last preseason game before stepping away from the team for a while. For now, Chisholm is the one who gets the chance to jump in and help stabilize the blue line. He’s set to skate on the third pairing with Brenden Dillon, which also gives him a chance to learn beside a veteran.
Chisholm’s 2025-26 season with the Washington Capitals was a short one. He appeared in 26 games and put up seven points, scoring one goal and adding six assists.
He was often a healthy scratch, which is a big reason his game total stayed so low. His season debut included the secondary assist on Anthony Beauviller’s only goal of the game, and his lone goal didn’t arrive until Jan.
- That goal gave Washington a two-goal cushion, but the Detroit Red Wings rallied and beat the Capitals anyway.
The Devils’ plan for Chisholm feels pretty straightforward for now: keep him around until either Kovacevic or Casey is ready to return. If Chisholm plays well enough, New Jersey could even consider carrying seven defensemen in case another injury pops up. Another route would be sending Chisholm or Casey to the Utica Comets if Kovacevic comes back healthy.
There’s also a clear milestone watch here. Chisholm enters the season with 125 NHL games played.
If he somehow stays up all year and appears in all 84 games, he’d hit 200. That said, it doesn’t look like a likely target with the Devils’ options on defense.
He also has 28 career points, with six goals and 22 assists, and a big offensive jump would be needed for him to reach any major scoring benchmark this season.
My bold prediction for Chisholm is that he ends up with the Comets at some point during the year. New Jersey has too many defensemen who can help, and when Kovacevic returns, the expectation is that he’ll slide back in as Dillon’s partner on the third pair.
That wouldn’t have to be the end of Chisholm’s time with the Devils, either. He could still be brought back later if the situation changes.
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