New Jersey Devils News

Hellebuyck was perfect in Game 2, evening the series after stopping all 21 shots he faced for his fourth career playoff shutout. The 31-year-old's postseason struggles have been well documented this year, with his 3.32 GAA, .854 SV% through nine starts. He will head to Dallas for Game 3 on Sunday in an attempt to take a series lead and will look to post a +.900 SV% for only the third time this postseason.

Hellebuyck was tagged with the loss in Game 1 on Wednesday, allowing three goals on 24 shots. The 31-year-old netminder has posted a SV% above .900 in just one of his eight starts this post-season. If the Jets are going to get passed the mighty Stars, Hellebuyck will no doubt need to regain his regular season form that saw him post a 47-12-3 record along with a .925 SV%. The Jets enter action on Friday at -135 on the money line.

Hameenaho was New Jersey's 2023 2nd-round pick (58th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils on Thursday. The 20-year-old Finnish right-winger spent 2024-25 with Assat of Liiga and had 20 goals, 51 points, and 28 PIMs in 58 games played.

Kovacvic's first season in New Jersey will end in an unfortunate but memorable fashion after he underwent successful knee surgery on Wednesday. He is not expected to be fully recovered by the time the 2025-26 training camp rolls around. The 27-year-old stay-at-home defenseman had a goal, 17 points and a +10 plus/minus through 81 games played in 2024-25.

After struggling tremendously in the 1st round, Connor Hellebuyck bounced back in Game 7 by not allowing a goal for the final 56 minutes, as he led Winnipeg to a series win. The 31-year-old soon-to-be Vezina winner will re-take his place between the pipes for Game 1 on Wednesday vs. Dallas and will hope to build off his ugly 3.85 GAA and .830 SV%. He will host the Dallas Stars, who are coming off a hard-fought seven-game series vs. Colorado.

Gritsyuk was a fifth-round pick in 2019 and will join the Devils organization in 2025-26 after five seasons in the KHL. Gritsyuk had a career-high 44 points (17G / 27A) in 49 games with St. Petersburg SKA this season.

Bratt showed no signs of an ailment in the playoffs, playing all five games in New Jersey's round one loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, but underwent shoulder surgery. He is expected to be back for the beginning of training camp. The 26-year-old Bratt had an excellent season, scoring a career-high 88 points (21G / 67A) in 81 games. He has become a picture of consistency for the Devils, scoring 317 points (106G / 211A) in 321 games over the previous four seasons.

Hughes suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 1 of the playoffs and did not play the remaininder of the series. He underwent successful shoulder surgery and will likely be ready for the beginning of training camp. The 21-year-old Hughes had an impressive 2024-25 campaign with 44 points (7G / 37A) in 71 games.

The Jets enter Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead over the St. Louis Blues and will hope to close out the series, turning to Hellebuyck between the pipes. Hellebuyck has battled some adversity this postseason and was far from perfect in his most recent outing, allowing three goals on 19 shots (.842 SV%), but received ample goal support in a 5-3 victory. The 31-year-old netminder has a 3.96 GAA and .822 SV% in five games this postseason (3-2). The Jets enter Game 6 on Friday as slight -101 road underdogs against the Blues.

The Jets enter Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead over the St. Louis Blues and will hope to close out the series, turning to Hellebuyck between the pipes. Hellebuyck has battled some adversity this postseason and was far from perfect in his most recent outing, allowing three goals on 19 shots (.842 SV%), but received ample goal support in a 5-3 victory. The 31-year-old netminder has a 3.96 GAA and .822 SV% in five games this postseason (3-2). The Jets enter Game 6 on Friday as slight -101 road underdogs against the Blues.

During the regular season, Hellebuyck was outstanding, a leading candidate for the Vezina trophy, posting an absurd 2.00 GAA and .925 SV% in 63 appearances (47-12-3). He allowed five goals in a game, never more, on three separate occasions. In his last two games this postseason (0-2), Hellebuyck has allowed 11 goals on 43 shots (.744 SV%). With the series tied 2-2, Hellebuyck hopes to exercise some playoff demons, returning to the crease for Game 5. The Jets enter the action on Wednesday as -176 home favorites against a Blues team that has outscored them 16-10 in the series.

Casey will slot into the Devils lineup for Game 5 as they look to shake things up in hopes of staving off elimination on Tuesday. Dennis Cholowski will sit in his place.

Pesce has been a rock on defense for New Jersey this postseason, averaging 25:20 time-on-ice, recording one assist and a +3 plus/minus. He and fellow game-time decison Jonas Siegenthaler will both be on the Devils' blue line for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Siegenthaler was battling a lower-body injury that kept him from playing the first two games of the playoffs and was at risk of missing Game 5. It's unclear if his current ailment is related to his previous one. The 27-year-old Siegenthaler played 19:56 time-on-ice in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, recording a -2 plus/mins.

Pesce has been a rock on defense for New Jersey this postseason, averaging 25:20 time-on-ice, recording one assist and a +3 plus/minus. He joins Jonas Siegenthaler as critical game-time decisions on the Devils' blue line ahead of Game 5 on Tuesday.