Devils News & Rumors: Preseason Takeaways, Poirier’s Potential, & More

After a long summer without hockey, the New Jersey Devils will begin the regular season later this week, hosting their home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 1. Now, it’s a matter of putting all the moving parts together and beginning the season on a high note.

So far, it looks like the Devils are set to look vastly different this season, armed with a new-and-improved lineup and a drive to succeed. The club had a fantastic series of exhibition games, going 3-0-1 against the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers.

This installment of news and rumors highlights preseason takeaways, Remi Poirier’s potential, and how the Bratt-Hughes-Mantha line is shaping up.

Preseason Takeaways

It’s clear that the Devils have entered a new era under Sunny Mehta. His roster overhaul has finally taken shape, and each offseason move has panned out well for the organization thus far.

Since the start of his tenure, Mehta has made it clear that he wanted to build long-term success. For this season, that meant acquiring depth, shaking up their top six, and adjusting their goaltending situation. Now, the Devils have an excess of secondary scoring, as shown in their 2026-27 opening night roster.

So far, the newcomers who have made the biggest impact are Amadeus Lombardi and Luke Evangelista. Across three preseason appearances, Lombardi recorded one goal and three shots, and was on the ice for 47 shot attempts, 22 scoring chances, and three goals — two of which were scored in high-danger scenarios.

Evangelista tallied two goals and one assist, helping generate 18 shots on goal and 14 high-danger scoring opportunities, and goaltenders recorded a .917 save percentage (SV%) while he was on the ice.

According to additional data from Natural Stat Trick, the Devils ranked near the top of the league in a wide variety of categories. They finished within the top five for goals percentage (63.16 GF%), shots for (56.04 SF%), high-danger chances (53 HDCF), and shot attempts (227). Other important factors in their success was their 5-on-5 play, speed, and special teams, which paved the way for a dominant performance.

Remi Poirier’s Potential Impact

It’s been a busy week for the Devils, leading up to the season opener. On Sunday, they placed six players on waivers: Marc McLaughlin, Riley Tufte, Colin White, Vladislav Kolyachonok, Topias Vilen, and David Rittich. All six cleared waivers as of Monday and have been loaned to the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Perhaps the most intriguing waiver development was the Devils’ decision to claim goaltender Remi Poirier from the Dallas Stars. After signing Rittich to a one-year deal in July, the assumption was that the team would roll out a three-goalie rotation of Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and Rittich.

But now that Poirier has made the roster, that scenario has changed. Even though he has yet to make his NHL debut, his AHL performance has looked incredibly promising. He spent four seasons with the Texas Stars, posting a 27-19-6 record last season, paired with a .912 SV% and a 2.61 goals against average (GAA).

Mehta has already made it clear he intends to give Daws a legitimate chance this season. The question remaining is whether or not he’s willing to take that same gamble with Poirier. So far, the 24-year-old netminder fits the bill of a low-risk, high-reward scenario the Devils’ general manager has already proven to have an affinity for.

Bratt-Hughes-Mantha Finding Their Chemistry

Fans are eagerly waiting to see what Anthony Mantha can accomplish on the top line alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. So far, they’ve only made two appearances, and their budding chemistry still needs time to live up to its potential.

Against the Rangers, the Bratt-Hughes-Mantha line created plenty of scoring opportunities, and their underlying metrics indicate brighter things ahead. For example, they recorded 17 shot attempts and a 65.49 expected goals percentage (xGF%) in just over 13 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time. They led the Devils in ice time during the preseason finale against the Islanders, but were on the ice for more shots, goals, and scoring chances against than for.

However, all good things take time, and Bratt-Hughes-Mantha is no exception. Following Monday’s practice, Mantha remained optimistic about the situation, telling reporters, “Obviously, it’s not perfect yet…I’m still trying to figure it out, and we’ll get there.”

Anthony Mantha on seeing Jack and Bratt's chemistry first-hand:

“You watch clips and try to understand their thinking. They’re just rotating fast and making plays. They’ve played together for many, many years. Their chemistry, they know exactly where each other is on the ice…

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) September 28, 2026

Likewise, it’s important for the group to get in as many reps as possible in a game setting, where every second counts. “That’s mostly how chemistry works. It’s finding each other and finding that chemistry during games. Practice is one thing but once game night comes it’s a whole different level. That’s where it’s built,” said Mantha.

With the regular season fast approaching, be sure to get all your latest news, updates, and analysis from The Hockey Writers.