For the second time in three seasons, the New Jersey Devils are set for a postseason run.

Despite missing two of their best players in Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton due to injury over the last five weeks, the Devils were able to stay a float and clinch a spot in the playoffs.

They’ll face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round, with Game 1 set for Sunday.

While signs point to Hamilton returning for the playoffs, the Devils will have to navigate a postseason run without their superstar center, as Hughes has missed 20-plus games in back-to-back seasons following a career-high 99-point output during the 2022-23 season.

The big question is without Hughes, can the Devils make a deep run in the postseason? They haven’t made it past the second round in over a decade, when they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 but fell short in six games.

With the Stanley Cup playoffs approaching, here’s what you need to know:

NJ Devils vs Carolina Hurricanes playoff schedule

Game 1: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, April 20, 3 p.m.; ESPN

Game 2: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 22, 6 p.m.; ESPN

Game 3: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, April 25, 8 p.m.; TBS, Max

Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils, Sunday, April 27, 3:30 p.m.; TBS, truTV, Max

Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *

Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, May 2, TBD *

Game 7: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, May 4, TBD *

Watch Devils playoff games live on ESPN+

Devils vs Hurricanes head-to-head in 2024-25 seasonOct. 15: Hurricanes 4, Devils 2Nov. 21: Devils 4, Hurricanes 2Dec. 27: Devils 4, Hurricanes 2Dec. 28: Hurricanes 5, Devils 2

The Devils and Hurricanes split their four matchups this season, but have not played each other since late December, well after New Jersey lost Hughes and Hamilton for the rest of the regular season.

Devils, Hurricanes playoff history

These two foes have met five times in the postseason, the most recent in 2023, when the Hurricanes defeated the Devils in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Carolina has won each of the last four playoff series against New Jersey. The Devils’ lone series win over the Hurricanes came during the 2000-01 playoffs, the same year the Devils fell one victory short of winning a second consecutive Stanley Cup, losing to the Colorado Avalanche in seven games.

When was the last time Devils made the NHL playoffs?

The Devils last made the playoffs two years ago, defeating the New York Rangers in seven games in the first round before losing to Carolina in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

When do NHL playoffs 2025 start?

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs begin Saturday, April 19.

The postseason starts with a pair of Western conference matchups when the Winnipeg Jets — who won the Presidents trophy for best record in the NHL this season — hosts the St. Louis Blues at 6 p.m. followed by the Dallas Starts taking on the Colorado Avalanche at 8:30 p.m.

NHL playoffs schedule: Dates to knowApril 17: Final day of regular seasonApril 19: First-round series beginLate-May, early-June: Stanley Cup Final starts (can end no later than Monday, June 23).