Devils Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines — Roster Cuts, Preseason Performance, & More

Heading into the 2026-27 season, the New Jersey Devils remain a team to watch. Following a myriad of roster improvements, the club is looking to make a statement early on. They may have finished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season, but with their heavy-hitters fully healthy and a significant amount of depth in their lineup, another postseason appearance seems imminent.

The Devils kicked off the preseason with back-to-back wins against the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers, featuring impressive performances from NHL and American Hockey League (AHL) players alike. From there, they rounded out the final two games with a shootout loss and a victory, posting a 3-0-1 record.

This week, the Devils are preparing for their upcoming home opener, then will face the Islanders for the first time during the regular season. Here are a few storylines to follow for the week of Sept. 27 — Oct. 4, 2026.

Devils Make First Round of Roster Cuts

On Friday afternoon, the Devils announced the first round of cuts to their training camp roster. As expected, the competition for a coveted NHL spot remains high, while the countdown to the season opener continues.

Thirteen players have been loaned to the Utica Comets in the AHL: Mikael Diotte, Ethan Edwards, Jeremy Hanzel, Etienne Morin, Anton Silaev, Josh Filmon, Lenni Hameenaho, Shane Lachance, Matyas Melovsky, Xavier Parent, Cam Squires, Ben Steeves, and Jakub Malek.

In addition, 13 players will immediately report to Utica: DJ King, Charles Leddy, Eamon Powell, Tristan Ashbrook, Zachary Gallant, Gabe Klassen, Jack Malone, Justin Pearson, Ryan Schmelzer, Cristophe Tellier, Jeremy Wilmer, Jeremy Brodeur, and Seth Eisele.

There are a few players remaining who will compete for a fourth-line forward slot: Amadeus Lombardi, Jesper Boqvist, and Stefan Noesen. But since Boqvist and Noesen have both appeared in over 100 NHL games, they were ineligible to play in more than two preseason contests.

After skating on a line with Cody Glass and Connor Brown at training camp, Lombardi remains a player to watch as the regular season approaches. He played a crucial role in sending Thursday’s game against the Rangers to overtime and the shootout, after tying the game at three with less than two minutes left in regulation. 

Then, against the Islanders, the Lombardi-Glass-Brown line recorded 9:12 of 5-on-5 ice time, five shots on goal, and 10 shot attempts in the Devils’ 4-1 victory. As the week unfolds, it will be interesting to see if he gets to make his NHL debut at some point in the near future.

Promising Preseason Performance

Heading into the shortened preseason, the Devils had very little time to get things right. They sent out the majority of their full NHL squad twice — once against the Rangers, then in the finale against the Islanders. 

The results spoke for themselves. The Devils were able to outshoot their opponents, with all four lines firing at all cylinders. First, they defeated the Rangers 3-2 on Monday night, generating 31 shots on goal compared to 18 against. They were similarly dominant in scoring chances (28 SCF) and high-danger opportunities (14 HDCF), according to Natural Stat Trick.

But the Devils saved the best performance for last, defeating the Islanders on Saturday night in their final preseason game. Evangelista led the charge with two goals, scoring on the power play in the first period, then again in the second. Arseny Gritsyuk and Dougie Hamilton also got in on the action, allowing the Devils to come away with a three-goal lead.

What the preseason exhibitions showed is that the club has all the right components for success. So long as they can stay healthy and find consistency, they’ll become a team to beat in the Metropolitan Division.

Dillon-Chisholm Defensive Pairing

One of the biggest uncertainties was who would skate on the Devils’ third defensive pairing. Johnathan Kovacevic’s return for the start of the season is questionable, and he’s expected to miss some time while rehabbing his knee after having surgery during the offseason.

After standing out in both training camp and preseason, it appeared that Seamus Casey would make the opening night roster, paired with Brenden Dillon. Unfortunately, after sustaining a lower-body injury in his second preseason contest, he will miss time, but there is no current update on his status.

In the meantime, Declan Chisholm has been skating with Dillon, and the pairing has shown potential thus far. The two were teammates on the Winnipeg Jets, so the familiarity has played a big role in helping Chisholm acclimate. 

During training camp, Chisholm had nothing but praise for his defense partner, saying, “He’s a veteran guy. He’s always in the right position, so I know I can rely on him to have my back defensively while I’m hopefully jumping in the play, and then likewise with him.”

Devils Schedule Sept. 27 — Oct. 4