New Jersey Devils Emerge as Top Contenders in Metropolitan Division This Season
The New Jersey Devils are sitting second in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points through 14 games, showcasing strong underlying metrics like a 58.57% expected goals percentage. With the addition of star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and consistent performances, analysts believe they now belong among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. However, concerns remain about their physicality, ranking 29th in hits per 60 minutes.
The New Jersey Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points through 14 games in the 2026–27 NHL season, a marked improvement from their recent struggles, including a missed playoff appearance the previous year. Their strong underlying performance is underscored by a 58.57% expected goals percentage, ranking second in the league according to MoneyPuck, signaling sustained offensive dominance beyond raw scoring. The acquisition of star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been pivotal, bolstering a defense that now appears capable of sustaining elite-level play. Analysts, including Steve Peters on Daily Faceoff LIVE, argue this season marks a turning point, positioning the Devils among the Eastern Conference’s elite alongside Carolina, Boston, and Washington. However, their physicality remains a concern—ranking 29th in the NHL for hits per 60 minutes—highlighting a gap in the traditional toughness expected in a competitive division. Key players like Anthony Mantha and Timo Meier are seen as potential contributors to this aspect of play, but current numbers suggest they have yet to deliver. The team’s cap situation shows tight management, with $980,429 in current space for 2026–27 and projected room increasing to $16.8 million in 2027–28, suggesting future flexibility. What remains unresolved is whether the Devils can maintain this level of performance while improving their physical edge, especially as playoff implications grow.
The Devils’ rise could influence how teams evaluate roster construction in the modern NHL, where analytics and goaltending excellence are increasingly prioritized over traditional physical play. If New Jersey sustains its high expected goals rate and playoff success despite low hits, it may validate a more skilled, puck-possession-based model that challenges long-held assumptions about team toughness. This shift could affect player development strategies across the league, with teams potentially investing more in analytics-driven systems while downplaying size or enforcers. A comparable precedent exists in the 2017–18 Vegas Golden Knights, who defied expectations by winning a Stanley Cup with an unorthodox roster that emphasized skill and depth over physicality. However, unlike Vegas’s unique expansion circumstances, the Devils are a long-established franchise attempting to reestablish relevance. Their success may prompt other mid-tier teams in the East to reassess their own approaches