The Devils began the season as one of the favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup.

But the season ended Tuesday night in double-overtime loss to Carolina Hurricanes to complete a first-round exit in five games.

Now the Devils enter a crucial offseason. Personnel decisions will be made and changes are all but certain. Here are five of the burning questions for the Devils to answer this summer.

How can the bottom six improve?

Until Game 5 of the playoff series against Carolina, no player on the Devils’ third or fourth lines had recorded a point.

The only player beyond the top two lines that is currently signed for next season is Stefan Noesen.

This leads to some interesting choices to be made. Among the unrestricted free agents set to leave the Devils this summer are Tomas Tatar, Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian.

Top forward prospect Arseni Gritsyuk has been a topic for weeks as the Devils try to sign the 24-year old following his stint in the KHL. Gritsyuk will help the solution, but the Devils will likely have to dig in free agency or get creative with trades to find more goal scoring.

What can be done with defensive depth?

The Devils have five defensemen signed through at least the 2026-27 season: Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler and Jonathan Kovacevic.

Brian Dumoulin’s strong effort in the playoffs will likely earn the 33-year-old a raise in free agency, but the questions about the last spot on defense will likely come down to the youth for the Devils.

Simon Nemec struggled this season and the former No. 2 overall pick was a trade candidate for the Devils to try and claim another scorer. But the 21-year old impressed in his first playoff series and it may be difficult to part with him following his heroics in double overtime of Game 3.

The depth on defense came in handy with so many injuries during the playoffs, but it may be time to trade some of those assets to help in other areas. Seamus Casey, another 21-year old defenseman who made his playoff debut this year, is also a candidate to move but won’t fetch the same price as Nemec.

Which free agents should come in?

This summer’s free agent class is filled with seasoned veterans that might not mix as well with a core that is still in its mid-to-late 20s. Mitch Marner hits the market as a top-tier winger, but will surely receive offers outside of the Devils’ price range.

The fact that the Devils are seeking a goal scorer and that proven scorers won’t be prominent in the free agent market this summer could make for a complicated path for the Devils.

Can the Devils pique the interest of someone like Sam Bennett or Brock Boeser? Could we see the Devils bring back former players like Kyle Palmieri back for another stint?

Are coaching changes coming?

Sheldon Keefe brought the Devils to the playoffs in his first season in New Jersey after five seasons in Toronto. With injuries up and down the lineup, the effort shown in the playoffs under their coach was noticeable.

Keefe’s job should be secure as he did a lot with the resources he had, but changes to the staff could still be coming.

The playoff series loss will be defined by a lot of injuries, but also by some blown leads and a power play unit that went 0-for-15 in the series.

All but one of the Devils’ assistant coaches have been with the organization since before Keefe’s arrival. Ryan McGill joined in 2022 following five seasons in Vegas, and Chris Taylor joined the Devils in 2020. Former Devils player Sergei Brylin has been an assistant coach since 2022 and has been an assistant in the organization since 2012.

What about the Hughes brothers?

It’s a topic Devils fans have obsessed over, and recent developments have only fueled speculation.

Jack Hughes is a face of the franchise in New Jersey while Luke Hughes has excelled with consecutive 40-point seasons on defense. The only Hughes brother not playing his NHL games in Newark is Quinn Hughes, who still has two years left on his contract in Vancouver before becoming a free agent in 2027.

The Devils have remained quiet about Quinn, who is again in contention for the Norris Trophy this season. But Canucks president Jim Rutherford made headlines this season with comments that mentioned both Jack and Luke Hughes by name in a scenario of all three brothers playing in Vancouver.

Rutherford avoided punishment for tampering allegations, but it fueled rumors for fans, The Canucks moving on from head coach Rick Tocchet has only added to the turmoil in Vancouver.

Presently, the Devils have two Hughes brothers and both are trying to heal from injuries that altered the identity of the team in the playoffs. The Devils will reach a deal this offseason with a defenseman with the last name Hughes, but it might only be a salary cap-friendly extension for Luke, who is a restricted free agent this summer.