3 burning Devils questions entering 2026-27 NHL season

The New Jersey Devils made a big splash prior to the 2026-27 NHL season. The Devils traded for Luke Evangelista in a surprising trade with the Nashville Predators. It was a big deal that saw New Jersey part with a first and second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

New Jersey has made wholesale changes to its roster this summer. New general manager Sunny Mehta has placed his stamp on this roster after taking the job this offseason. New Jersey has certainly needed some change for a while. Mehta has enacted that change, for better or worse.

The Devils missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. It was a bizarre turn of events, considering the talent on this roster. Arguably, this is a team that should have no issues making the playoffs. Especially considering how top-heavy the Eastern Conference proved to be in 2025-26.

How things shake out this coming season certainly remains to be seen. The new season is quickly approaching, though. And with this in mind, here are three burning questions surrounding the Devils that will need to be answered.

Can Jake Allen handle starter’s workload?

The New Jersey Devils traded Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers this offseason. As a result, veteran goaltender Jake Allen is set to be the starting netminder in 2026-27. There is certainly some reason to believe Allen can do the job.

For starters, Allen has been a strong presence in goal for New Jersey. In fact, in his two and a half seasons with the franchise, the veteran puck-stopper has not recorded a save percentage worse than .900.

However, most of this work came as the backup to Markstrom. He did take the starter’s net when needed, but he was clearly the secondary option in New Jersey. That is changing in 2026-27, barring another late-offseason move.

The 36-year-old has not handled a starter’s workload since 2018. Can he handle it nearly 10 years removed from that time, or will the Devils need to fortify their goaltending during the season?

Who’s the odd man out in crowded forward group?

The Devils’ trade for Luke Evangelista is certainly an intriguing one. The 24-year-old immediately contends for a top-nine spot in this lineup. While he is a restricted free agent next summer, he figures to play a key role for the Devils now and in the long-term.

However, the trade adds to what is already a crowded forward group. Evangelista certainly isn’t taking a backseat to anyone. Teams don’t trade first and second round picks for depth all that often. Additionally, he is coming off a career-best 56 points.

As for the rest of the group, it’s hard to say who stays and goes. There are certainly locks for the lineup, outside of Evangelista. Who gets taken off the ice and placed into the press box will be intriguing to see.

The Devils have depth players that hold value without a doubt. Perhaps there is another trade up Mehta’s sleeve before the 2026-27 campaign begins.

What does the future hold for Dougie Hamilton?

Last season, the trade rumors surrounding star defenseman Dougie Hamilton were deafeningly loud. It certainly seemed as if the veteran defenseman was on his way out of New Jersey. However, we are now in September, and the veteran rearguard is still here.

A lot of this could boil down to Mehta’s arrival. The new general manager may see some use in the veteran defenseman and wants to keep him around. At the same time, there is value to be had on the trade market. Especially at this point in the offseason.

The Devils don’t exactly have a war chest to work with at this time. After the Evangelista trade, New Jersey has just under $2 million in cap space to work with. That can’t accomplish much, especially if more moves are coming down the pike.

Is Hamilton’s spot with the Devils safe for 2026-27? Or is the veteran defenseman potentially moving cities this coming season?

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