2026-27 New Jersey Devils predictions, best bets, odds: Nico Hischier set up for strong season
The New Jersey Devils are in a funky spot ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.In a vacuum, this team should not only be a playoff contender, but it should also harbor hopes of winning the Metropolitan Division.However, there are things happening off the ice that can severely impact how this season goes in Newark.Quinn Hughes, the only Hughes brother who isn’t on the Devils, is keen on joining Jack and Luke in the Garden State, and there are also rumors connecting New Jersey to all-world goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.It’s anybody’s guess if both, either, or neither join the Devils in the near future, but for now, we’ll do our best to stay focused and make sense of the season ahead in New Jersey, and see what the betting market expects from Sheldon Keefe’s squad.The Devils started hot last season, lost Jack Hughes to a freak injury, and then went off the rails.The slump cost general manager Tom Fitzgerald his gig, and he was replaced by Sunny Mehta, a former professional poker player who spent the last few years as an assistant GM with the Florida Panthers.Mehta made some high-upside additions to New Jersey’s forward group, signing Anthony Mantha plus trading for Luke Evangelista and Evan Rodrigues, but he largely left the blueline alone, and he is, for now, rolling the dice with a goaltending tandem of Jake Allen with Nico Daws or (less likely) David Rittich.All the maneuvering has given the Devils a bit of an unbalanced feel.
New Jersey has plenty of firepower up front, but the blueline and goaltending are massive question marks.The latter is also true of the coaching staff, as Sheldon Keefe will be on a short leash after two underwhelming campaigns.It’s also critical to mention that New Jersey’s best player, Jack Hughes, has missed at least 20 games in four of the last five seasons.If he goes down, the Devils likely go with him.With so many strings pulling in so many directions, it’s no wonder that the betting market views the Devils as a tough read....