Devils Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines — Top-Six Adjustments, Luke Hughes’s Early Success & More

Eight games into 2026-27, the New Jersey Devils have shown both offensive brilliance and inconsistency, resulting in a 4-4-0 record. Though the team has struggled to score first and finish in 5-on-5 situations, they’ve rallied with a few impressive performances — most recently a 5-4 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings, followed by a 7-1 routing of the New York Rangers.

Safe to say, the Devils have their work cut out for them in the long season ahead, but they’ll have an opportunity to bounce back this week. They’ll begin a three-game homestand on Tuesday night, and it all starts with a must-win game against the Colorado Avalanche. Here are a few storylines to follow for the week of Oct. 18 — Oct. 25, 2026.

Top-Six Adjustments Showing Promise

The Devils’ top six looks slightly different from what they began the season with. Most notably, Luke Evangelista has been absent due to illness. For the last three games, they’ve reinstated the Meier-Hischier-Mercer line — a combination that played a key role in their offense last season.

Dawson Mercer’s versatility was one of the Devils’ secret weapons heading into this season. Prior to Saturday afternoon’s game against the Washington Capitals, head coach Sheldon Keefe praised his ability to move throughout the lineup, along with his contributions on the penalty kill. “I think he’s just a smart player with a good stick and has good instincts,” he told the media.

Another combination that fans could see more of moving forward is Arseny Gritsyuk on the second line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Across five games, the Bratt-Hughes-Gritsyuk line has recorded two goals and 23 shots in 5-on-5 scenarios, as well as 4.89 expected goals every 60 minutes, per MoneyPuck.

Overall, the Devils’ top six has been working hard to establish consistency. Their offense might be stifled from time to time, but they’ve still managed more shots on goal and shot attempts than any of their opponents so far this season. If this trend continues, it’s only a matter of time before they find themselves well above .500.

Luke Hughes’s Early Success

One player who has embraced a much larger role this season is Luke Hughes. After inking a seven-year, $63 million contract last October, expectations for him have been higher than ever, but the young defenseman has already proven he can deliver. He currently leads the team in ice time, averaging 24:01 each game. 

So far, he’s looked sharper in all three zones, but his offensive efforts have stood out early on. Hughes has recorded three goals and one assist and is currently tied with Dougie Hamilton for third overall in shots on goal for the Devils (24). 

Hughes was exceptional against the Rangers, earning first star of the night with two goals. Just 18 seconds into the second period, he gave the Devils a two-goal lead with a snap shot that beat Dylan Garand. Then toward the end of the period, Hughes made it a 5-0 game for New Jersey, with the help of Brett Pesce and Amadeus Lombardi.

The Hughes-Pesce pairing has also been a stalwart for the Devils’ blue line. Together, the two generate an average of 80.49 shot attempts every 60 minutes (CF/60), offering strong offense in addition to their blue line responsibilities. Aside from the occasional defensive breakdown, the two have been the club’s most dynamic pairing.

Goaltending Must Find Consistency

Coming into this season, the Devils opted for a three-goalie rotation that was initially supposed to include Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich. Instead, they claimed Remi Poirier off waivers and sent Rittich to the Utica Comets. Though we’ve only witnessed a small sample size of games, it’s clear that New Jersey needs more from goaltending.

Posting a 3-2-0 record, Allen has had a rough start to the season, with an .876 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.18 goals-against average (GAA). Daws has fared even worse, recording a .857 SV% and 3.38 GAA.

Keefe has insisted that the plan has not deviated from a 1A/1B scenario with Allen and Daws — but the reality is that the Devils have allowed three or more goals in five games to start 2026-27. This included a frustrating 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders, as well as a 4-2 loss to the Capitals.

However, these statistics do not tell the full story. The Devils have struggled in front of their own net, leading to bad turnovers and high-danger chances for their opponents. It’s also worth noting that in all four of this season’s losses, their offense produced three or more goals only once.

Looking on the bright side, it’s still very early in the season, leaving the Devils plenty of time to clean up their game. Once they start playing better in front of the net, their confidence will increase, allowing them to return to the fast-paced, dangerous team New Jersey has become known for.

Devils Schedule Oct. 18 — Oct. 25