The New Jersey Devils (20-14-1) host the Buffalo Sabres (15-14-4) at the Prudential Center on home ice Sunday evening. Head coach Sheldon Keefe hinted at some returns.
We know Timo Meier is back from his personal leave. He’ll be in the lineup. However, Keefe alluded to more than one return. The projected lines below are just who we know is available. It could change.
Anyway…
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup.
What to Know vs. Sabres
— The Devils and Buffalo meet for the second of three matchups this season, and face-off next on Feb. 25, 2026, at the Rock.
— The Devils blanked Buffalo in a 5-0 shutout victory on Nov. 28, at Buffalo.
— Jake Allen recorded 42 saves in the effort, which marked a season-high for the veteran netminder.
— Paul Cotter (1g-1a), Brenden Dillon (1g-1a), Arseny Gritsyuk and Ondrej Palat (0g-2a) all recorded multi-point games in the foes’ first meeting in November.
2025-26 vs. Sabres
10/4/25 W 5-0 Key Bank Center
12/21/25 7:00 P.M. ET Prudential Center
2/25/26 7:00 P.M. ET Prudential Center
Devils vs. Sabres
All-time Record: 74-51-13-9
All-time Home Record: 39-25-6-3
All-time Road Record: 35-26-7-6
Projected Devils Lineup*
Forwards
Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Jesper Bratt
Dawson Mercer – Cody Glass – Connor Brown
Ondrej Palat – Juho Lammikko – Stefan Noesen
Paul Cotter – Luke Glendening – Angus Crookshank
Defensemen
Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton
Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce
Brenden Dillon – Colton White
Goaltenders
Jake Allen
Jacob Markstrom
*Lineup subject to change
Current Injuries: Johnathan Kovacevic (knee, out), Zack MacEwen (lower-body, out), Simon Nemec (lower-body, out), Marc McLaughlin (undisclosed, out), Evgenii Dadonov (undisclosed, out), Jack Hughes (finger, out), Arseny Gritsyuk (upper-body, out).
2025-26 Total Man-Games Lost: 188
Projected Sabres Lineup*
Forwards
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Josh Doan
Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Alex Tuch
Zach Benson – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway – Beck Malenstyn – Josh Dunne
Defensemen
Rasmus Dahlin – Owen Power
Bowen Byram – Mattias Samuelsson
Michael Kesselring – Zach Metsa
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
*Lineup subject to change
How to Watch the Devils Game — 7:00 P.M. ET
Watch: MSGSN
Radio: DEVILS HOCKEY NET
Next Up
Tue., Dec. 23 At NYI 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Sat., Dec. 27 Vs WSH 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Tue., Dec. 30 At TOR 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Wed., Dec. 31 At CBJ 7:00 P.M. E.T.
