With the NHL Draft and free agency madness completed, the New Jersey Devils, for the most part, seem to have their group locked down for the upcoming season. With that said, these are my projections for the lines ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Forwards
First Line: Ondřej Palát, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt
Everyone expected PB & J to be reunited on that top line. The chemistry of Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt is unmatched, and even with Jack’s shoulder injury, they combined for 158 points in the regular season. Although Ondřej Palát does not generate on the same level offensively as Hughes and Bratt, his veteran status and presence complement the two younger players, and the three are likely to be reunited on that top line for the upcoming season.
Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Hughes went through shoulder surgery during the offseason, and is expected to make a full recovery for training camp and the regular season. Even without Hughes for the last portion of the regular season and playoffs, Bratt excelled on the top line and continued to showcase his skills as a top playmaker and goal scorer. During locker room cleanout media availability, Bratt acknowledged playing without his right-hand man was different, especially during the postseason, but cited it as motivation for the two to come back stronger. “I just want to be better every day. No crazy secret,” Bratt said to the media. “I wake up to try and be better.”
Second Line: Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Stefan Noesen
The second line was arguably the most consistent throughout the 2024-25 season for the Devils and will remain the same come October. Centered around captain Nico Hischier, the trio of Meier, Hischier and Noesen dominated the scoresheet. The two Swiss natives were paired up with Noesen, the former Devil who returned to the organization after a short stint with a few other teams. Noesen tallied a career-best 41 points (22 goals, 19 assists) with the Swiss duo, and the three combined for 83 goals and 163 points in the regular season alone.
Hischier is a playmaker. He is the leader of the group, and it shows in his game. In his fifth year of captaincy, Hischier has evolved into a dominant two-way player and is a subtle force to be reckoned with. His 35 regular-season and four postseason goals led the team, and he sat in second place in the NHL (just behind Sidney Crosby) in faceoff wins with 987, and a faceoff win percentage of 55.5%.
Timo Meier, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Rounding out the line is Meier, one of the more dominant forwards in the Devils’ top six. Meier has a knack for goal scoring, specifically in what has been deemed “Meier Madness,” where Timo finds the back of the net pretty consistently in the month of March. However, his talents go beyond one month in the calendar year. Meier is a powerful winger, using his size to play a physically imposing game and creating a strong net-front presence, while never backing away from board battles. Meier’s strength combined with Hischier’s playmaking style and Noesen’s forechecking create an absolute powerhouse of a line for opponents to face.
Third Line: Paul Cotter, Dawson Mercer, Connor Brown
The third line is where things look quite different from last season. In his 10th season in the NHL, the 31-year-old veteran forward Connor Brown will likely be on the right wing with left winger Paul Cotter and Dawson Mercer resuming his spot at center. Brown is recently coming off two back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers, and will be a massive asset to his future linemates. The bottom six core struggled last season, with the majority of the offensive marks coming from the starting two lines. Brown had 30 points (17 goals, 25 assists) with the Oilers in the 2024-25 season, and will hopefully spark an offensive push for the Devils’ bottom six that they have been desperately needing for a long time.
Mercer, the 18th overall pick for New Jersey, and Cotter, the recently acquired forward in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, had surges of strong offensive plays. The two third liners finished the season with 36 and 22 points, respectively, but the Devils’ fandom is expecting more from them in the upcoming season, and pairing them with Brown could be the solution to their problems.
Fourth Line: Evgenii Dadonov, Cody Glass, Arseni Gritsyuk
The fourth line is typically the one to bring all the energy and physicality. This season will be no different. Rounding out the bottom six are two new Devils and one with a partial season in New Jersey under his belt. Evgenii Dadonov was acquired during free agency and signed to a one-year contract, where he will likely pair up with fellow incoming Russian winger, Arseni Gritsyuk. The 36-year-old forward spent his last three seasons with the Dallas Stars and recorded 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) during the 2024-25 season. His experience and physicality will be extremely beneficial to the bottom line, and, as an added bonus, will be a perfect guide to help Gritsyuk adjust to life in the NHL.
Cody Glass will likely center the two, as the restricted free agent (RFA) recently signed a two-year contract to stay in New Jersey. In his first five games with the Devils, Glass put up five points in his first five games with the organization, sporting a 33.3% shooting percentage. He joined the team in March 2025, and quickly became a fan favorite.
Related: The Boston University to Devils Pipeline Is at Its Peak
However, there are a few players who could make a name for themselves in the preseason and potentially draw into the lineup. Juho Lammikko signed a one-year deal with the Devils earlier in June, and the 6-foot-3 Finnish forward played the last seven seasons in the National League (NL) in Switzerland, where he recorded 38 points in 48 games played. Lammikko is a talented offensive player and has the skills and build of a standout on the fourth line.
Another contender is Shane Lachance, a 6-foot-5 left winger from Boston University. He has already made a name for himself, demonstrating his ability to score goals in the crease and using his height and physicality to his advantage. He signed a two-year entry-level contract (ELC) with the Devils’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets. In his two games played with Utica, Lachance recorded a goal and an assist and is coming off a 30-point season with BU. The Andover, Massachusetts native was the first sophomore captain in Terrier history, and has already shown strides at development camp. Both Lammikko and Lachance could make a bid for a spot on the fourth line and would definitely bring the energy and production to their duties.
Defensive Pairs
First Pair: Luke Hughes, Brett Pesce
The young superstar and established vet. Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce are a magical duo and will surely be reuniting as the top defensive pair come October. Although Luke Hughes has yet to sign an extension, all signs point to a long-term deal locking up another Hughes brother any day now. Once that signing is complete, L. Hughes and Pesce will resume their on-ice chemistry that is apparent to fans, teammates and coaches. The speed and agility of Hughes, combined with Pesce’s ability to block seemingly all shots fired his way, make for a formidable pair, creating a joint force for opponents to reckon with.
“Just trusting each other,” Pesce said about what works so well about skating with Hughes in a media call last December. “I think since day one our thing as a pair was to be aggressive no matter what… if we’re going to get beat, we’re going to get beat with aggression and not be passive. Luke’s such a good skater, there’s no need for him to ever be passive, he’s got so much talent and it’s obviously showing now.”
Second Pair: Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton
On the second defensive line, we will likely see Dillon and Hamilton paired up together. While there are conversations questioning if Hamilton will remain a Devil come the fall to free up cap space for Luke Hughes, as of now, he remains with the team. Hamilton had 40 points during the regular season and posted a plus-8. He also averaged 19:51 in time on ice per game (TOI/G), and used his lethal slap shot from the blue line pretty consistently.
Dougie Hamilton and Brenden Dillon of the New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Paired up with him will likely be Brenden Dillon, who was signed as a free agent in July 2024. Dillon also had a plus-8 and sat second in blocked shots (107) behind Pesce. Dillon is a physical player and has been an excellent addition on the backend, leading Devils’ defensemen in hits with 190 and never shying away from sticking up for his teammates. Although he is on the lower end of the score sheet, Dillon has a significant presence on the team, and his impact is noticeable.
Third Pair: Jonas Siegenthaler, Šimon Nemec
Rounding out the third pair are Jonas Siegenthaler and Simon Nemec. Nemec will likely get the starting spot on the roster for the upcoming season, as Jonathan Kovacevic will remain on injured reserve after undergoing knee surgery for an injury he sustained during the postseason. With Kovacevic out of the lineup, the young defenseman will see some definite time with the group after spending most of last season with Utica. Nemec was called up in the opening round against the Hurricanes as the Devils’ backend was inundated with injuries. Nemec was great in his first postseason run and scored the double overtime game-winning goal against the Hurricanes in Game 3, a monumental moment that he and Devils fans will remember for a lifetime.
Simon Nemec, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
His blue line partner will presumably be Siegenthaler, who returned to the lineup in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Final after missing 27 games from a lower-body injury he sustained in February. Originally, Siegenthaler was meant to be in a more limited capacity, so as not to reinjure himself. However, with numerous Devils’ defensemen out of the lineup, Siegenthaler stepped up and averaged 26 minutes of ice time per night, immediately jumping back into his role on the blue line.
Nemec and Siegenthaler would work well together, as Siegenthaler’s experience and time in New Jersey can help the young, rising talent in Nemec.
Goaltender Tandem
Jacob Markstrom, Jake Allen
With the recent extension of Jake Allen, the goaltending tandem is set for the next year. Jacob Markstrom will resume his position as the starting netminder, with Allen backing him up. Both Allen and Markstrom were phenomenal additions for the Devils, with a combined nine shutouts between the two of them. Markstrom posted a .911 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.78 goals-against average (GAA). When Markstrom suffered an MCL sprain at the end of January, Allen stepped in and was a reliable source for the team between the pipes, finishing the season with a .908 SV% and a 2.66 GAA.
Related: Devils Re-Sign Allen to 5-Year Extension with $1.8 Million AAV
The two netminders are incredibly reliable and adept in their positions, and the security of having them on the backend leaves fans breathing a sigh of relief.
Unless Hamilton or Palát get traded to free up cap space, this is what the roster will look like for the 2025-26 season. The Devils are hungry for redemption, and we will undoubtedly see that jump from the opening night this fall.
