3 Devils Who Must Be Better in 2026-27

The New Jersey Devils enter the 2026-27 season facing significant expectations. After another disappointing campaign that fell well short of Stanley Cup aspirations, the organization must focus their offseason on evaluating nearly every aspect of the roster. While depth scoring, special teams, and goaltending all played roles in the team’s struggles, the Devils also need more from some of their most important players.

The players on this list were not necessarily bad during the 2025-26 season. In fact, several of them remained productive and contributed offensively. However, when a team is built around star talent and carries championship expectations, simply being good is not always enough. The Devils need these players to consistently perform at the level expected of cornerstone pieces if they hope to return to playoff contention.

Jesper Bratt: An Elite Forward Who Struggled

Jesper Bratt remains one of the most talented players on the Devils’ roster. His elite skating ability, playmaking vision, and offensive instincts make him a constant threat whenever he has the puck. Few players on the team are capable of creating offense as effortlessly as Bratt, and his production once again reflected his status as one of New Jersey’s most gifted forwards.

That said, the 2025-26 season was not Bratt’s most complete campaign.

While his offensive numbers remained strong, there were stretches where his overall game lacked the consistency fans have come to expect. As one of the team’s highest-paid forwards and a member of the leadership core, Bratt is expected to impact games beyond the scoresheet.

One concerning statistic was his performance at five-on-five. Despite his offensive contributions, Bratt was on the ice for 59 goals against at even strength. While goals against are rarely the responsibility of a single player, the number highlights some of the defensive issues that plagued both Bratt and the Devils throughout the season.

There were also games where his defensive awareness and puck management were not at the level expected from a player of his caliber. When Bratt is fully engaged, he is one of the team’s most complete forwards, capable of driving possession, creating offense, and limiting opportunities against. The problem was that version of Bratt did not appear consistently enough.

The Devils do not need Bratt to completely reinvent his game. They simply need him to elevate the details that separate great players from elite ones. Improving his defensive reliability and becoming more consistent shift-to-shift would go a long way toward helping New Jersey become a more complete team.

With his talent level, there is every reason to believe Bratt can bounce back and deliver one of the best seasons of his career. If he does, the Devils’ chances of returning to contention will improve significantly.

Timo Meier Needs to Be a Difference-Maker Nightly

Much like Bratt, Timo Meier was far from a disappointment statistically during the 2025-26 season. He continued to produce offensively and remained one of the most physically imposing forwards on the roster.

However, the Devils need more than points from Meier. When New Jersey acquired and later committed long-term money to the Swiss winger, they envisioned a true power forward capable of dominating games. At his best, Meier is exactly that player. He uses his size, strength, and skating ability to overwhelm defenders, create space for teammates, and establish a physical presence that few opponents can match.

The issue is that style of play from Meier appeared sporadically over the course of the season. There were stretches where he looked like one of the most dangerous forwards in the NHL. During those periods, he drove play, generated scoring chances, and imposed his will physically. Unfortunately, those stretches were often followed by quieter periods where his impact became much less noticeable.

Consistency has been one of the biggest challenges throughout Meier’s tenure in New Jersey. While he has certainly delivered strong performances and productive scoring runs, the Devils need him to be a game-changing force on a nightly basis.

Part of what makes Meier so valuable is his unique skill set. There are plenty of players capable of producing points, but few can combine scoring ability with physical dominance. When Meier is engaged physically, he changes the complexion of games. Opposing defensemen have difficulty handling him along the boards, and his ability to drive the net creates opportunities for everyone around him.

As one of the team’s veteran leaders, he will be counted on heavily to help establish the identity of the group. New Jersey has often been criticized for lacking physicality and pushback during difficult stretches. Meier is one of the players best equipped to address that issue.

If he can find greater consistency and bring his physical, power-forward style every night, he could become one of the driving forces behind a Devils resurgence.

Dougie Hamilton’s Crucial Upcoming Season

No player on this list faces more pressure entering the 2026-27 season than Dougie Hamilton.

Hamilton remains one of the highest-paid players on the roster with his seven-year, $63 million contract ($9 million average annual value), and carries the expectations that come with being a franchise defenseman. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated the ability to be one of the NHL’s most productive offensive blueliners while also logging significant minutes in all situations.

Unfortunately, Hamilton struggled for the majority of the 2025-26 season, going long stretches where his play fell well below the standard expected from a blueliner of his caliber and contract. Defensive miscues became more frequent, his offensive impact was inconsistent, and there were games where he struggled to influence play the way elite defensemen typically do.

Simply put, the Devils were not getting star-level performance from a player being paid like one. However, late in the season, after being held out of the lineup amid trade speculation, Hamilton appeared to rediscover his game (from ‘Devils scratch defenseman Dougie Hamilton, agent says he’s waiting to be traded,’ The Athletic, Jan. 10, 2026). Upon returning, he looked far more confident, assertive, and impactful. His puck movement improved, his offensive instincts became more evident, and he once again resembled the player who had previously been one of the league’s premier offensive defensemen.

The sudden turnaround raised an obvious question: where had that version of Hamilton been all season? The Devils need the player who emerged late in the year, not the one who struggled through lengthy stretches earlier in the campaign.

At his best, Hamilton remains a difference-maker. He can quarterback the power play, create offense from the blue line, and control possession with his skating and puck-moving abilities. Those are traits that remain invaluable for a team looking to compete.

The Devils made a significant investment in Hamilton with the expectation that he would serve as a cornerstone of their blue line. However, his sluggish start to the 2025-26 season fueled trade speculation and raised questions about his long-term fit with the organization. With younger defensemen continuing to emerge and salary-cap considerations looming, New Jersey could face a difficult decision regarding his future.

If the Devils choose to keep Hamilton, the 2026-27 season will be critical. They’ll need him to return to form immediately and provide the high-level play they envisioned when they signed him, making a strong impact from opening night and throughout the season.

Improvement Starts With the Leaders

The Devils’ disappointing 2025-26 season cannot be pinned on just three players. Hockey is a team game, and New Jersey’s struggles extended throughout the lineup.

Still, championship-caliber teams rely on their stars to set the tone, and the Devils need more from some of their biggest names moving forward. If all three players elevate their games in 2026-27, the Devils could find themselves right back in the playoff picture. If not, another frustrating season may be waiting.