The New Jersey Devils enter the 2025-26 NHL season as one of the top contenders in the Metropolitan Division.
The Devils are coming off a year in which they finished seventh in the Eastern Conference. The team posted a 42-33-7 record, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Heading into the year, New Jersey's roster remains very similar to last season. The team had some small offseason additions, signing Connor Brown, as well as Evgenii Dadonov, but didn't make any significant moves.
Despite a similar roster, the Devils have an interesting battle to keep an eye on, heading into the season.
Devils' most interesting battle comes within the defense group
In terms of the similarities with their roster, the Devils' goaltending situation is set. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen will both return, forming what should be a formidable tandem.
Then up front, while there could be battles for the final roster spots, we already have a pretty good idea of who will have spots in the lineup. The Devils have nine returning forwards who will get regular ice time: Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Ondrej Palat, Cody Glass, Stefan Noesen, and Paul Cotter. That said, Noesen is expected to miss time while dealing with a groin injury.
Plus, the team also has their new additions, in Dadonov and Brown, plus Arseni Gritsyuk. So while there could be battles for the final spots within the forward group, we have a good idea of what the lineup could look like with Noesen healthy.
However, the most interesting battle comes on the team's blue line. The Devils do have five defensemen returning who all had regular playing time last season when healthy: Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Johnathan Kovacevic. That number will be increased to six once Luke Hughes signs a new contract.
However, Kovacevic is still recovering from knee surgery and isn't expected to be ready for the start of the season. The defender played a big role in his first season in New Jersey, averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. As a result, there's one spot on the right side of the defense group.
Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey will battle for lineup spot
In the absence of Kovacevic, the two players who will be pushing for the final playing spot in the team's defense group are Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey.
Selected second overall in 2022, Nemec has been one of the team's most interesting prospects. But despite playing games with the Devils over the last two seasons, he hasn't been able to carve out a permanent spot in the team's lineup.
Nemec played 60 games with the Devils in 2023-24, posting 19 points while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. However, his role slipped last season. In 2024-25, Nemec got into just 27 games with the team, averaging only about 15 minutes in ice time. In fact, he spent more time in the AHL than NHL, playing 34 games with the Utica Comets. That said, Nemec was impactful in the Devils' brief postseason run, where he averaged over 20 minutes per game over four games with New Jersey.
Casey, on the other hand, only made the jump to professional hockey last year. The defender played 14 games across three different stints with the team, posting an impressive four goals and eight points. However, like Nemec, Casey spent the majority of his year in the AHL. He posted 18 points in 30 games with the Utica Comets, with a plus-one rating.
Both defenders are still just 21 years old, and it's a safe bet they'll crack the season-opening roster. However, only one of them is likely to start the season with a spot in the lineup. Nemec is likely the favourite, but Casey could certainly make a case for the spot as well.
Devils will have a logjam on blue line once Kovacevic returns
While Nemec and Casey will battle for a spot in the lineup to start the season, it could also be a short-term position. Once Kovacevic returns, the Devils would have eight defenders vying for spots. Obviously, Hamilton will take on a huge role, while both Pesce and Kovacevic are under contract until 2030. Meanwhile, Dillon and Siegenthaler have multiple years left on their respective deals, and Hughes will be a long-term piece within the group.
So while either Nemec or Casey could win a spot in the lineup to start the season, there are still questions as to what happens once Kovacevic returns.
Nemec and Casey are both very young, and either could become an important piece of the defense group. Plus, there's a chance one or the other could make a good impression to start the year and ultimately win more playing time. But at least right now, there also isn't a clear path as to how they fit within the defense group as the year goes on.
