The Devils keep stacking up reasons to believe this start is for real, but the conversation in New Jersey isn’t just about the 9-5-0 record. It’s also about the new gear, a goalie trade, and a power play that still hasn’t found its rhythm.
After sweeping a three-game homestand, New Jersey picked up two more wins on its latest road trip and closed it with a 5-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. The schedule now swings back to Prudential Center for Tuesday night’s meeting with the Edmonton Oilers, before the week ends with another back-to-back on the road that wraps up Sunday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
One of the biggest off-ice reveals came earlier this week when the league rolled out its Hometown Remix jerseys, a project that “uniquely and authentically celebrates the fans, fabric, and local culture of each NHL team and the cities they call home.” The Devils’ version leans into a familiar look with a fresh twist, drawing from their 2024 Stadium Series jersey while adding a black base, red logo, striped detailing, and sleeve embossing.
The alternate mark is just as eye-catching: a red pitchfork built around the letters ‘NJ.’
We stand together. We stay defiant. It’s not a jersey announcement without @MCRofficial.
- New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 2, 2026
The team had already hinted at the reveal on social media last month with an encoded message that fans quickly decoded as “BLACK PARADE.” The trailer that followed used “Welcome to the Black Parade” from Newark’s own My Chemical Romance, tying the whole rollout together.
New Jersey will wear the Hometown Remix jersey 10 times during the 2026-27 season, with the first appearance coming Nov. 18 against the Montreal Canadiens. It also marks the club’s first black sweater since retiring the iconic “Jersey” jersey last season.
Jerseys and apparel will be sold at the Devils Den at Prudential Center while supplies last.
There was movement in goal, too. On Sunday, general manager Sunny Mehta said the Devils traded Remi Poirier to the Capitals for a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Poirier arrived in New Jersey in September when the Devils claimed him off waivers from the Dallas Stars. The plan entering 2026-27 had been a three-goalie setup with Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich, but once Rittich was sent to the American Hockey League, Poirier made the final roster.
Even so, the 25-year-old never really got traction with the Devils. He got through only one full practice with the team, then spent two games on the bench as Allen’s backup after the Hellebuyck trade, without getting any closer to an NHL debut.
Poirier was candid about the situation in an exclusive interview with Nicholas Kingman of 100 Degree Hockey last week. “I haven’t been practicing much, so that part is a little hard. I feel like you know players more when you practice and play with the guys,” he stated.
He was on the ice for his first practice with the Capitals on Monday and is still chasing a full-time NHL job.
For all the good vibes around the Devils, the power play remains the area that needs a jolt. New Jersey is 7-35 on the man advantage, good for 16.7 percent and 25th in the league. The group came up empty on the last road trip and hasn’t scored a power-play goal since Oct. 22 against the Anaheim Ducks.
The chances are there. The Devils have generated 69 shots on goal and 87 scoring chances, but they’ve only turned that into six 5-on-4 goals.
At practice on Monday, the club tried something different by moving Connor Brown onto the top unit with Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and the Hughes brothers. That pushed Luke Evangelista down to the second group.
Bratt said after practice that Brown’s presence can make a difference on special teams. “I think last year he just helped guys like me, Nico, Jack, and Luke, to just kind of evolve our game a little bit on the power play,” he said.
New Jersey had success late last season with Brown on the top unit, and he finished 2025-26 with four goals and eight points on the power play. The Devils are hoping that familiarity can get the man advantage moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Red Wings Suddenly Face A Real Dylan Larkin Trade Test
The Capitals have at least made themselves part of the Dylan Larkin conversation, and that alone adds another layer to a situation already getting uncomfortable in Detroit. With assistant general manager Kris Draper taking in Capitals games, the Red Wings are clearly keeping tabs on Washington as they weigh what to do with a franchise center whose standoff with the club has now pushed the issue into the open.
For Washington, the intrigue is obvious: Larkin would be the kind of player who changes the top of the lineup, and the Capitals do have a notable young piece in Ilya Protas that could enter the discussion. The obstacle is just as obvious, though, because the cap math is tight enough to make any serious pursuit tricky, which means this is the kind of trade test that can drag on even when both sides know the stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Trade Picture Just Got More Interesting Than Fans Realized
The trade conversation around Dylan Larkin has only grown more layered, and it has Washington fans paying closer attention than usual to who is showing up at Capital One Arena. Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager and head of pro scouting Kris Draper was at the Capitals past two home games, a detail that does not mean a deal is imminent but does add another wrinkle to a situation already drawing interest from around the league.
The Devils, meanwhile, are reportedly not willing to move Nico Hischier or Jesper Bratt if the Larkin discussion keeps developing, which narrows the kind of return New Jersey would have to build. Toronto is also circling the broader market as it looks for help on defense, with the Maple Leafs exploring major options that could involve Morgan Rielly, Easton Cowan and possibly Erik Karlsson, a reminder that one high-end trade elsewhere can quickly ripple through the rest of the league. [Read more 🡒]
Former Capitals Forwards NHL Role Just Took Another Hit
Taylor Raddyshs path back into a steady NHL role hit another snag this week, with the former Capitals forward losing his spot on the Rangers roster after a short look in New York. The 27-year-old had been brought up on Oct. 16 and got into six games with the club, a stretch that included one assist before the team opted to make another change.
For Washington fans who remember Raddysh from his time in the organization, it is another reminder of how thin the margin can be for depth forwards trying to stick at the top level. In a corresponding move, the Rangers brought up Jaroslav Chmela from Hartford, leaving Raddysh back in the AHL and still searching for a longer runway in the NHL. [Read more 🡒]