You’ve probably seen the headlines by now, but honestly, the vibe around the Prudential Center right now is just... weird. One day the New Jersey Devils look like they’ve finally figured out the Sheldon Keefe system, and the next, they’re getting blown out 9-0 by the Islanders. It's been a rollercoaster of a month, and if you’re looking for the latest New Jersey Devils news, the real story isn't just the win-loss column. It’s the brewing tension in the locker room and a trade block that’s starting to heat up in ways we didn't expect back in October.
The big elephant in the room is Dougie Hamilton.
Watching a $9 million defenseman sit in the press box as a healthy scratch against Winnipeg on January 11 was a massive "wait, what?" moment for the fanbase. Keefe called him the "odd man out" because the right side of the defense was finally healthy, but let’s be real. You don't scratch a guy with that pedigree just to give Simon Nemec some "reps" unless there’s something deeper going on. Hamilton’s agent, J.P. Barry, didn't hold back either, calling the move "calculated." It’s basically open warfare at this point, with Hamilton reportedly willing to waive his no-move clause to get out of Newark.
The State of the New Jersey Devils News and the Standings
Right now, the Devils are sitting at 24-21-2. That’s 50 points, which keeps them hovering around 6th in the Metropolitan Division. They are technically still in the hunt, but they’re trailing teams like the Flyers and Capitals for those final wild-card spots.
Consistency is the ghost they can't seem to catch.
One night, Nico Hischier is playing like a Selke frontrunner, scoring two goals including an OT winner against Seattle. The next, the defense collapses so hard you’d think they forgot how to skate. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, the Devils are 1-4-0 in their first five games, though they did manage to string together back-to-back wins against Minnesota and Seattle recently.
It’s frustrating.
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You see the talent. You see Jack Hughes out there—when he's healthy, anyway—skating circles around people. But the metrics are screaming for help. The team is 28th in the league in scoring. 28th! For a roster that features Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier, that is borderline offensive. They’re averaging only 2.62 goals per game, which is why every single match feels like a high-stress tightrope walk.
The Jack Hughes Health Factor
We have to talk about Jack. He’s the engine, but the engine keeps spending time in the shop. He missed 18 games recently due to finger surgery and only got back into the mix in late December.
In the 28 games he’s played this season, he’s got 28 points.
That’s a point-per-game pace, which is great, but he’s gone nine straight games without a goal as of mid-January. He’s piling up assists—six in his last six games—but the Devils need him to be the finisher he was in 2022-23 when he flirted with 100 points. The "Instagram Hockey" highlight reels are fun, but the Devils need "Game-Winning Goal" Jack right now.
What’s Going on with the Defense and Goaltending?
Jacob Markstrom was supposed to be the savior. The "finally, a real goalie" guy.
His stats this year tell a complicated story:
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- Record: 12-10-1
- GAA: 3.34
- Save Percentage: .879
Ouch. That .879 save percentage is tough to look at, but if you’ve watched the games, you know he’s been hung out to dry. The 9-0 loss to the Islanders saw him give up nine goals on 24 shots before the team just collectively gave up. However, he’s shown flashes of brilliance lately, stopping 17 of 19 against Seattle and helping secure that 3-2 OT win.
Then there’s the blue line.
Johnathan Kovacevic finally made his season debut after a brutal knee injury, which is great news, but it created the logjam that led to the Hamilton scratch. Simon Nemec is back from IR too, and while he’s arguably been their best defenseman when active, the coaching staff is clearly struggling to balance veteran egos with young talent development.
Trade Rumors are Swirling
General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has been pretty candid, saying "This is on me" regarding the team's struggles. Reports from insiders like Pierre LeBrun suggest Fitzgerald is "working the phones daily."
It’s not just Dougie Hamilton.
Names like Ondrej Palat have started popping up in trade circles. The Devils need scoring depth and they need it yesterday. If moving a veteran defenseman like Hamilton—who has a 10-team trade list but is now open to "creative ways" to find a new home—brings back a legitimate top-six scoring threat, Fitzgerald might have to pull the trigger before the March 6 deadline.
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Practical Steps for the Season Turnaround
If this team wants to see the postseason, a few things have to change immediately. First, the power play needs a pulse. They’re currently 15th in the league, which isn't terrible, but with their personnel, it should be top five.
Second, they have to stop the "slow starts."
Falling behind by two goals in the first period has become a recurring nightmare. Sheldon Keefe’s system relies on puck possession and transition speed, but you can’t transition if you’re constantly digging pucks out of your own net in the first ten minutes.
Keep an eye on the upcoming road trip.
How the team responds to the Hamilton situation will tell us everything about the culture in that room. If they rally around each other and the young guys like Nemec and Luke Hughes continue to step up, they can climb back into a wild-card spot. If the "calculated" scratches continue to cause friction, expect a major trade before the end of the month.
Watch the Waiver Wire and IR Stash:
- Monitor Johnathan Kovacevic’s minutes as he ramps up after the knee surgery.
- Keep an eye on the fourth-line rotation; placing Dennis Cholowski on waivers shows they are looking to trim the fat and find a more permanent identity for their bottom six.
- Check the scoring splits for the "PB&J" line (Palat, Bratt, and Jack Hughes) to see if they can rediscover the 5-on-5 chemistry that made them elite last season.