Scott Stevnes doesn’t watch as many Devils games as he once did. But even as a casual fan, he recognizes how dire the situation is for this 2025-26 club.

“They’re in a tough spot right now,” Stevens told NJ Advance Media in a brief Q&A Tuesday. “They’ve got to play almost playoff hockey right now to get back in it. Everybody’s gotta be on the same page and doing the right thing and playing the right way. They have goaltenders that are capable, so good things can happen as long as players play the right way.”

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Stevens, along with 14 other legendary Devils alumni, watched as the current club dropped a winnable game to the 29th ranked Winnipeg Jets on their home ice Tuesday night. These legacy Devils were there to honor 1995 and 2003 Stanley Cup champion, John MacLean, who was inducted into the team’s ring of honor before the game.

Stevens watched his ex-team get out-hit (24-14), nearly out-shot (29-26) and outscored, 4-3. At one point, the Jets — who own a 21-24-7 record this season — had a 4-1 lead in the game. The loss dropped the Devils record to 27-24-2 on the season and 9-10-1 in their last 20 games. They are five points out of a playoff spot with two teams (the Flyers and Capitals) to leapfrog ahead of them.

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So, which players encapsulate Stevens’ definition of “playing the right way?” In other words, which player should each Devil try to emulate in their quest to dig out of this self-inflicted hole?

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“I like Nico Hischier,” Stevens said. “I think he plays the game the right way in all three zones. He’s fun to watch and certainly plays the right way. He also does a great job being a leader of the team. Jesper Bratt’s got quickness, good speed, tight turns and can lose people that way. Jack’s a special player. I like Dillon and his physicality in front of the net. That’s a place where you can still be physical and can control the front of the net. The teams that do control that area usually have a lot of success.”

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