James Nichols
The New Jersey Devils should be watching the 2026 Stanley Cup Final closely.
The championship round kicked off Tuesday night in Raleigh with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Vegas Golden Knights.
They’re two very different teams, both battle-tested and built to win in today’s NHL. Yet, there’s plenty New Jersey can take away from each while they are stuck watching from home again after another season that promised more than it delivered.
Instead of just licking their wounds, this is the perfect time for New Jersey and the front office to pay close attention.
There are real lessons here in how to actually build a winner.
Center Depth is Key
Look at both clubs in the Final and you’ll see elite two-way centers leading the charge. Vegas rides Jack Eichel’s speed, skill, and underrated play outside of the offensive zone. Meanwhile, Carolina leans on Sebastian Aho’s complete game—scoring, defending, and making everyone around him better.
However, what follows Eichel and Aho is key. The Hurricanes and Golden Knights are deep at the center position giving Rod Brind’Amour and John Tortorella the ability to roll four lines as evenly as they’d like.
Whereas Tuesday night’s tilt wasn’t Aho’s night, Jordan Staal was next man up, stepping up midway through the second period to even the score at three goals each. And on the other side of the ice, the Golden Knights got at least a point from three out of four centers in the 5-4 victory.
The Devils already have this kind of foundation with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Hughes is a dynamic game-breaker, and Hischier brings the kind of all around game every championship team needs.
It’s what comes after Hughes and Hischier which is critical. Cody Glass proved to be an excellent third-line center last season. The question is if he can replicate his production. The fourth line remains a question, however. Whereas Vegas and Carolina can deploy reliable depth centers in Nick Dowd and Mark Jankowski, New Jersey doesn’t have a steady presence on the fourth line to give it a certain necessary identity.
Everything flows from down the middle. Sunny Mehta will need to evaluate whether Glass remains the right fit at 3C and hope to score on a fourth-line center similar to Dowd and Jankowski.
Goaltending is Voodoo
One of the more interesting takeaways this postseason is how neither finalist has a goalie who strikes fear into opponents. Frederik Andersen had his ups and downs in the regular season. Carter Hart—for obvisous reasons—had a similar uninspired regular season.
Yet here they both are in the Final, and have had perhaps the strongest postseasons of any two goaltenders.
That could serve as somewhat of a relief for Devils fans.
Goaltending obviously matters, but it’s never perfect. Jacob Markstrom undoubtedly needs to be better in 2026-27. The Devils simply cannot be successful with that level of play. However, if he only marginally improves and New Jersey sharpens up in front of him defensively, these playoffs are proving all you need to do is get there.
After all, Markstrom did perform well in higher-stakes competition for Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Seeing as it’s nearly impossible for New Jersey to get out of their current goaltending situation, the Devils would be smart to make the necessary adds this summer to make Markstrom (and Jake Allen’s) job easier in front of them.
You Need a No.1 Defenseman
One of the clearest issues for the Devils last season was their lack of a true No.1 defenseman. And whereas Carolina doesn’t have a clear-cut No.1 based on their regular season, K’Andre Miller has emerged as one in the playoffs.
On the other side of the ice, the Golden Knights are without Alex Pietrangelo, but Shea Theodore is ensureing Vegas still has a No.1 defenseman.
For instance, Theodore served as the catalyst of Vegas’ comeback in Game 1 of the Final, scoring the Golden Knights’ first goal, and then assisting on each of their go ahead goals in the third period.
Miller similarly dished a primary assist on a game-tying goal in the second period, and has been a shutdown defender for Carolina all playoffs.
The Devils, however, lacked that kind of presence on the blueline in 2025-26. Brett Pesce was inconsistent in terms of his attendance due to injury. When he was in, he was their go-to shutdown defender. When he wasn’t, the Devils lacked in that area.
It wasn’t until Dougie Hamilton got a swift kick in the behind that he began to produce on the scoresheet. And for Luke Hughes, the hope was that he’d take another step in his development toward becoming a true No.1 defenseman.
Yet, it didn’t quite play out that way, although he finished strong.
In 2026-27, the Devils need a true No.1 defenseman, whether that comes internally, or from the outside.
Be Bold
Vegas plays the game like a poker shark—willing to push chips in, move out big names when necessary, and reload with proven pieces that fit their window. They’ve been ruthless with draft picks—moving them without care—and haven’t fallen in love with veterans, cutting bait when they deem necessary.
Say what you want about Vegas, but their philosiphies have clearly worked.
Carolina took a slower road, however. They draft smart, building culture, and established an identity under Brind’Amour as relentless workers void of true superstar talent before going out and making splashy moves once the foundation was set.
The Nikolaj Ehlers addition shows you can still be aggressive without burning it all down.
For the Devils, the right path probably sits somewhere in the middle. Keep developing the young core—Jack & Luke Hughes, Arseny Gritsyuk, and the rest—but don’t be afraid to pull the trigger on a big trade when the right player becomes available, such as for a top-six forward they desperately need on their top line.
The biggest trap to avoid is hanging onto aging pieces too long just because they were once great. Tough calls are part of getting to the next level, and that’s why the Devils’ ownership let go of Tom Fitzgerald and brought in Mehta.
Go out there and get the parts you need. Make it happen.
Identity Matters
Both finalists know exactly who they are. Carolina plays fast, physical, and smart defensively. Vegas brings a bit more skill, with structure, pace, and a bit of swagger. They don’t try to be something they’re not.
The Devils have the pieces for an exciting, up-tempo style that’s proven to be successful. What’s been missing is the consistency, the buy-in on the defensive side, and the playoff grit. That comes down to coaching, accountability, and building the right culture in the room.
Talent alone isn’t enough anymore—you need a clear plan and everyone pulling the rope in the same direction.
A big acquisition the Devils need to make this summer is an identity.
What it Means for New Jersey
Watching Vegas and Carolina go at it should be motivating. There’s no single blueprint to win the Cup, but there are proven ingredients: elite centers, strong team structure, smart asset management, and the guts by management to make hard decisions at the right time.
The Devils have a bit of what Carolina and Vegas are. The young star power and the speed to compete with anyone. But they lack a certain identity each finalist exudes.
Now it’s about whether management can put the full package together—blending patience where it counts and urgency where it’s needed. The window is still there. The question is whether they’ll do what’s necessary to kick it open.
