Following my many painful years as a Devils fan, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, gleaming off the Stanley cup, that is. From 2012 to 2022, only one playoff appearance was made by the Devils, only to lose in five games to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Last year, finishing second in the Metropolitan division with 112 points, a deep playoff run was expected. After an exciting seventh game win over the rival New York Rangers, the Carolina Hurricanes easily took the second round series in five games.

The New Jersey Devils are star-studded with the Hughes brothers, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, and Dawson Mercer. The offseason pickups of star Tyler Toffoli, and depth players Curtis Lazar and Collin Miller have helped strengthen the roster even further. Additionally, the Devils have arguably a top-five goalie tandem in the league with Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid. 

Looking back to as early as the 2015 NHL draft, only nine draft picks are currently in the starting lineup. However, players such as Mackenzie Blackwood, Fabian Zetterlund and Ty Smith have been traded away for roster players, and draft picks such as Pavel Zacha have walked away, seeking larger contracts. Despite only having nine players in the starting lineup drafted by the Devils, many great prospects are still in the system such as Simon Nemec, Nico Daws, and Graeme Clarke. These prospects serve two key roles in this year’s team: replacements for injuries and trade bait to acquire a rental at the deadline.

So, what can the Devils expect for this season? Unfortunately for the Devils, the Metropolitan division is currently very strong. The Hurricanes are once again favourites to win the Stanley Cup, the Rangers continue to be a threat, and the Penguins and Islanders could sneak up into a Wild Card spot, or even third in the division. It is likely that the Devils will finish second behind the Hurricanes once again this year, and will most likely face off against the Rangers again in the first round of the playoffs. The Devils can overcome the “Blueshirts” in the first round, probably in less than seven games. Depending on who finishes first overall in the Eastern Conference, the likely opponent in the second round would be either the Bruins, Red Wings, or those pesky Hurricanes once again. With the playoff experience from last year, synergy gained throughout the season, and the star goaltending tandem of Schmid and Vanacek, the Devils have a solid chance at making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Again, it is far too early to predict who the Devils would face in the series, but with the energy from previous series, the Devils can make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

By no means am I a fortune teller who can predict who will make it to the finals from the Western Conference but, according to Moneypuck.com, the current favourites are Edmonton and Dallas, who would be easier to face off against than the Hurricanes. Although the season is barely underway, the Devils are undoubtedly my favourites to win the Stanley Cup.