The New Jersey Devils missed the playoffs with a stellar roster last season. Injuries took Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton out of the lineup and coach Lindy Ruff lost his job. Entering 2024-25, the Devils have a new goalie in Jacob Markstrom and renewed playoff and Stanley Cup hopes. Let’s look at the projected roster and playoff chances for the team heading into 2024-25.
Another big addition for the Devils is head coach Sheldon Keefe. After Ruff was let go mid-season, New Jersey tabbed assistant Travis Greene to run the bench. He was poached by the Senators, leaving the Devils chair empty. They hired the former Maple Leafs’ coach, Keefe, to run the bench. He has had great regular-season success but limited postseason victories.
The goalie is the easiest place to start when it comes to projecting the Devils’ roster for the season. They paid up for Markstrom to make his way from Calgary and be their top goalie. The backup role is slightly more interesting, as both Jake Allen and Nico Daws got NHL time last season. The veteran Allen has the inside track and will likely become the backup.
The defensive unit is led by one of the best in the league. Hamilton surprised everyone by signing with the Devils before the 2022-23 season but immediately showed why he made that choice. They made the playoffs in his first season on the backs of a season that landed him sixth in Norris voting.
New additions Brandon Dillon and Brett Pesce bring veteran stability to their defensive unit. Their top four should be rounded out by Luke Hughes if not for an injury. The second-year player is out for a few weeks with a shoulder injury. The rest of the core includes Jonas Siegenthaler and Simon Nemec.
Devils forward projections, division odds, playoff chances
The Devils have made a concerted effort to surround Jack Hughes with forward talent. They have Timo Meier locked in long-term, Dawson Mercer signed up on a bridge deal, and captain Nico Hischier signed for three more years. Add veteran Tomas Tatar and youngster Jesper Bratt and you have a solid top six.
The Devils have a veteran-laden bottom six that should help them defensively and on the penalty kill. Eric Haula and Curtis Lazar take up the middle and are two of their better penaltykillers. Ondrej Palat is the best winger in this group, providing veteran experience from his two titles with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stefan Noesen, Paul Cotter, and Nathan Bastian round out the group.
There are no big additions to their forward unit and there didn’t need to be. When this group was together and fully healthy, they beat the Rangers in the 2023 playoffs. With Jack Hughes healthy and ready to lead the squad, expect the Devils’ offense to pick up where they left off.
FanDuel likes the Devils this year after futures betters were crushed by the team last year. They have the third-best odds to win the Stanley Cup at +1100, behind only the Oilers and Panthers. They are at +550 to make the Cup Final, +230 favorites to win the Metropolitan Division, and -430 to make the playoffs.
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