Within this past month, the NJ Devils season has been turned upside down. The Devils have lost many of their big players who they rely on every night to help carry the team to victory. Following the trade deadline, many lineup changes have been made for New Jersey, shaking the teams stability. Will the Devils be able to shake off this funk before Stanley Cup Playoffs roll around?
INJURIES
On March 3rd, The Devils traveled out to Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights. Late into the 3rd period of the game, New Jersey’s star player, Jack Hughes found his skates intertwined with Las Vegas center Jack Eichel’s’. Hughes took a huge tumble, head first into the boards. He managed to skate off the ice into the locker room and did not return for the remainder of the game. It was announced a few days later that Jack Hughes will be placed on injury reserve as he undergoes surgery for a critical blow he took to his shoulder. Hughes is not expected to return for the rest of the 2024-2025 season. This has significantly plummeted the Devils game, as they lost their #1 goal scorer on the team. Jack led the team in most goals scored this season before his injury, with an impressive total of 27 goals.
To add to the Devil’s misfortunes, on March 4th, Dougie Hamilton got injured playing against the Dallas Stars, only after his first seven shifts. It was reported that the New Jersey defenseman will be out for the remainder of the season due to a lower body injury. Fans were gutted to hear this news, considering Hamilton missed the entire 2023-2024 season last year in regards to a pectoral injury. The stats have significantly reflected the impact the Devils have suffered, now that their big guys are out of the lineup.
Not only did the Devils luck out of one defenseman, but the team is still missing their second defensive player Jonas Siegenthaler from last month. Siegenthaler suffered a lower body injury during their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 2nd. The defenseman is not expected to return into the lineup for the rest of the season.
The Devils have been dropping like flies, tanking their team stats severely. As of March 19th, 2025, the New Jersey Devils have had 37 wins, followed with 26 losses, and 6 overtime losses. The team currently has 80 points and has dropped to 3rd overall in the Metropolitan Division.
TRADE DEADLINE
March 8th at 3:00 pm marked the official trade deadline in the National Hockey League. This chaotic day is known for shaking up all of the teams in the league, leaving hockey fans all over the country in disbelief. With heightened emotions, Devils fans waited anxiously for the team’s president and general manager Tom Fitzgerald to announce the new members that will be entering New Jersey, and those who will be leaving. To the fans’ surprise, New Jersey traded for 5 new players.
The team acquired a new right-wing, Daniel Sprong from the Seattle Krakens, in exchange for New Jersey’s 2026 seventh-round pick. Sprong this season so far has played only 21 games so far. He has scored 2 goals and 3 assists, with 5 points, and 0 +/- this season.
The team gained 2 new players from Pittsburgh. New Jersey welcomed forward, Cody Glass and forward, Jonathan Gruden. in exchange the Devils gave up Chase Stillman, their undrafted choice Max Graham, and the teams 2027 third round draft pick.
Cody Glass has played 56 games this season so far in Pittsburgh, and has scored 6 goals followed by 14 assists. Glass has earned a total of 20 points, and -4 +/-. However, after acquiring Jonathan Gruden, New Jersey made the decision to send him down to play for their AHL team, The Utica Comets.
The Devils conducted their fourth trade with the New York Islanders for a new defenceman, Dennis Cholowoski. Cholowoski went 20th overall in the 2016 entry draft. He has played for teams such as The Chicago Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Seattle Krakens, and the New York Islanders. As of this season, Colowoski has played 35 games, has scored 3 goals and 7 assists. He has earned himself 10 points, and -1 +/-.
New Jersey made their final trade with the Anaheim Ducks. The Devils acquired a second defenseman named Brian Dumoulin. For Dumoulin, New Jersey traded their draft choice Herman Traff, and a 2025 conditional second-round draft pick. As of the 2025 season, Dumoulin has played 67 games. He has scored 2 goals and 16 assists, followed by a total of 18 points and +2 +/-.
As fans can see the New Jersey Devils have a lot of work on their hands to get these players up and running with the rest of the team. Significant lineup changes can either make or break one’s team. Only time will be able to tell if the team’s chemistry will be enough to get them to the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring.