It is October 14th, and the New Jersey Devils just completed their season opening gauntlet on the road. Fans should be happy with the Devils taking four of a possible six points in their first three games of the season (@ Carolina, @ Tampa, & @ Columbus), and the Devils did just that—taking yesterday’s contest against the Blue Jackets, 3–2, after dropping Opening Night in Raleigh, 6–3, and rebounding well on Saturday. While yes, it’s only three games into the campaign, it’s never too early for a vibe check. Let’s run it.
The Good
It’s been a pretty contentious point of discussion among Devils fans whether Timo Meier has lived up to the 8×$8.8 contract extension he signed in the summer of 2023. Over the first three games, though, Meier has looked much more like the player he was in San Jose—not just providing offense, but serving as a game-wrecking power-forward presence. Against Tampa in particular, Timo was a bull in a china shop, and that’s in addition to scoring the game’s first goal. Not to be Captain Obvious, but if the Devils want to achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves as a group, getting consistent production—on and off the scoresheet—from Meier will go a long way toward getting there. Meier replicated that effort again on Monday against the Blue Jackets, and even potted New Jersey’s first power play goal of the season.
I’ve said it before on X, but I still believe to this day that Tom Fitzgerald’s best work as Devils GM was the acquisition and extension of defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler. Siegs has brought a consistency and calmness to the back end that was sorely needed on the blue line, and his start to 2025–26 has only reaffirmed his importance to this Devils squad.
How about Connor Brown? The new acquisition potted a pair of goals on Saturday and looks to bring some desperately needed scoring to a New Jersey bottom six that was one of the league’s worst last season. So far, so good on that front—but Brown will need to keep that pace up, especially with the news that Evgeni Dadonov broke his hand during the opener against Carolina.
And what else is there to say about Arseny Gritsyuk? Three points in his first three games, and he looks like he belongs. Soon enough, he’ll get his first NHL goal. How soon until he’s in the top-six?
The Bad
New Jersey was 0-for-6 to start the year on the power play before Monday. With Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton back and fully healthy, that goose egg didn’t last much longer when the man advantage went 2/2 on Monday, but after being a top-five unit on the man advantage a year ago, the Devils need to start taking advantage of their chances again.
Why is it still bad? Well, they’re 2/8. Yes, Monday was an encouraging step. Sheldon Keefe pushed the right buttons. But, let’s just see them do it over the course of several games.
Also, has anyone seen Jack? We’re not panicking, yet. And, it’s a good sign the Devils are collecting points while he’s still figuring it out. But, the Devils need him to get going soon.
The Ugly
Jacob Markstrom has recorded an .845 save percentage through two-plus games—and that doesn’t include the numerous pucks that have beaten him but not the iron behind him. A beacon of stability last year, Markstrom wears a big part of last Thursday’s loss and made an otherwise dominant display by the Devils in Tampa look closer than it actually was. The Devils simply need Marky to be better. With Markstrom being a pending free agent and Fitzgerald revealing that he’d discussed an extension with the Swedish netminder’s camp over the summer, perhaps the Devils’ GM might be a tad thankful that no pen has hit paper just yet.
But, it gets worse. Jake Allen got the start on Monday, and played superb. Only to then be yanked at the start of the third period for cramps. Markstrom came in for relief, and continued to show some rust. However, if they weren’t already unlucky enough, Markstrom appeared uncomfortable after a late-game sequence on Monday showed a potential injury, and then he scurried off the ice, still looking like he was in discomfort, after the final buzzer sounded.
Losing both goaltenders in one 60-minute game would be a brutal, early-season loss. We’ll hold our breath until Wednesday.
