The New Jersey Devils are heading into a pivotal week that features a challenging road trip through Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Here are the key storylines and upcoming schedule for the week of Jan. 18-25, 2026.
Momentum vs. The “Western Gauntlet”
Despite a Saturday loss against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Devils took a confidence-boosting victory over the Minnesota Wild (Jan. 12) and a gritty overtime one against the Seattle Kraken last week. These wins have cooled the temperature around general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald and head coach Sheldon Keefe, whose job securities were questioned during the team’s recent slump. The team now faces a critical test: a four-game road trip against heavyweights in the Pacific Division. This trip could make or break their current push for a wild card spot.
Jack Hughes: Elite Playmaking Amidst a Goal Drought
While Jack Hughes remains the engine of the offense, he is currently in an odd statistical anomaly. He has gone 11 straight games without a goal, yet he has been an assist machine, racking up nine assists in his last 10 games. His vision is driving the power play, but the Devils will likely need him to find the back of the net personally to survive the upcoming road trip against a high-scoring team like the Edmonton Oilers.
Trade Rumors Swirling Around Palat and Hamilton
With the trade deadline approaching later this season, rumors have surfaced regarding veteran forward Ondrej Palat and defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Reports suggest the Devils may be looking to move Palat’s contract to free up cap space and shake up the forward group, though his high cap hit makes a potential deal complicated. Hamilton has been in and out of the lineup recently and his agent has accused the Devils of benching Hamilton for business reasons rather than performance-related ones.
Devils Schedule Jan. 18 – 25
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | Venue | Broadcast/Notes |
| Mon, Jan. 19 | @ Calgary Flames | 9:00 PM | Scotiabank Saddledome | First leg of Western trip. |
| Tue, Jan. 20 | @ Edmonton Oilers | 10:00 PM | Rogers Place | Back-to-back against McDavid |
| Fri, Jan. 23 | @ Vancouver Canucks | 10:00 PM | Rogers Arena | A clash against the Hughes brothers’ former team. |
| Sun, Jan. 25 | @ Seattle Kraken | 4:00 PM | Climate Pledge Arena | A rematch of last Wednesday’s OT win. |
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