The New Jersey Devils have picked things up after dropping their 2025-26 NHL season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes last Thursday. Since then, New Jersey has won back-to-back games in enemy territories versus the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets via scores of 5-3 and 3-2, respectively.
And the Devils haven't even made their home debut yet this season.
That will come this Thursday when they host another tough assignment, with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers coming to town for a game at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
All things considered, the Devils have admirably performed amid a tough schedule to start their campaign, which is not lost on New Jersey head coach Sheldon Keefe.
“This is a tough start to the season, three games in five nights, all on the road, two home openers, three very good teams,” Keefe said, per Craig Merz of NHL.com. “You know, three of the best home teams in the NHL historically here, so to come home with four points is good. You'd always want six, but we'll take the four and the lessons learned along the way and enjoy a day off tomorrow and get to work at home.”
Against the Blue Jackets, the Devils were outshot 33-26, but New Jersey capitalized on the man advantage. The Devils converted on two of five power play chances, which were their first goals of the contest before New Jersey center Dawson Mercer potted in an empty-netter for insurance late in the third period. Conversely, the Devils held the Blue Jackets scoreless in five power play opportunities.
New Jersey could also be catching the Panthers at just the right time. Florida started the season like a house on fire with three wins in a row, during which it outscored its opponents 11-5. But the Panthers took a stumble on Monday, losing to the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-2, to kick off a five-game road trip that makes its next stop in Newark.
In the 2024-25 season, the Devils won the regular-season series against Florida, winning two of three games, with the only loss coming via a shootout. They'll look for similar fortune against the Cats this year, starting on Thursday night.
