Third Star: Dougie Hamilton<\/p>\n
All season long, Dougie Hamilton<\/a> has been criticized for his performance, with many arguing that he hasn\u2019t been playing to his full potential. After racking up countless penalties and making more than a few costly mistakes, it appeared that the veteran defenseman could have been dealt before the trade deadline.\u00a0<\/p>\n But after being benched against the Winnipeg Jets, Hamilton has since gone on a nine-game point streak, which included two goals and five power-play points. He\u2019s been more offensively dominant than ever, recording three or more shots on goal eight times throughout January.<\/p>\n He played a key role in the Devils\u2019 5-2 win against the Minnesota Wild, assisting both of Jesper Bratt\u2019s goals in the third period. More recently, Hamilton tied the game against the Nashville Predators, paving the way for a gutsy 3-2 overtime victory at Prudential Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n In total, he tallied three goals and 10 assists within the last month. The turnaround was nothing short of exceptional, considering that he managed just one assist across November and December. With Luke out of the lineup until after the Olympics, the team will rely on Hamilton\u2019s offensive abilities to keep winning games. Can his point resurgence help the Devils gain traction in the Metropolitan point race?<\/p>\n Second Star: Jack Hughes<\/p>\n Since his return to the lineup following finger surgery, Hughes has just two goals. But he still maintained a point-per-game pace all throughout January, with 13 assists to show for his efforts. In fact, he earned over half of his assists this season within the past month alone.<\/p>\n Hughes averaged 3.14 shots on goal per game in January. Based on data from NHL Edge<\/a>, his total of 127 shots on goal this season is more than double that of the league\u2019s average forward (62). Combined with his visionary playmaking and top-tier speed, he remains one of the Devils\u2019 best offensive weapons.<\/p>\n The reality is that even after being sidelined for a month, Hughes still ranks third in points on the team. Likewise, he has the highest goals for percentage among Devils\u2019 forwards who have played at least 10 games (55.95 GF%)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Given his recent point production, the Devils will struggle without Hughes in the lineup in the near future. He played just 2:27 against the Predators before exiting the game with what the team later confirmed as a lower-body injury. Luckily, it doesn\u2019t seem to be too serious, and hopefully it won\u2019t affect his ability to play for Team USA in the Olympics.<\/p>\n First Star: Nico Hischier<\/p>\n All season long, no one has fought for the Devils quite like their captain, Nico Hischier<\/a>. Amid chaos and uncertainty, he\u2019s been the team\u2019s anchor, driving play and keeping morale high. Last month, he scored seven goals and now leads the club with 41 points this season.<\/p>\n Nothing showed his grit and determination quite like his two game-winning goals in overtime. Against the Seattle Kraken, Hischier scored twice, giving the Devils a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal in the second, before calling game with a backhand shot in overtime.\u00a0<\/p>\n CAP SAID NIGHT, NIGHT. pic.twitter.com\/5RhEo2hnDu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 30, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Hischier was the hero once more against the Predators, racing up the ice on a feed from Dawson Mercer<\/a>, then firing a slapshot past Justus Annunen just 42 seconds past regulation. As a result, he now has the third-most overtime goals<\/a> in the Devils\u2019 franchise history, second only to Jack Hughes and Patrik Elias.<\/p>\n Related: How Maxim Tsyplakov Fits With the Devils\u2019 Current Roster<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret that Hischier is the Devils\u2019 best player when it comes to taking faceoffs, but now he\u2019s also the league\u2019s best. He leads the NHL<\/a> in both faceoffs taken (1,189) and faceoff wins (656), which is one of the reasons why he\u2019s considered an elite two-way center. But aside from his on-ice impact, he\u2019s still the heart and soul of the team, leading by example night after night.<\/p>\n Looking Ahead<\/p>\n In February, the Devils will play twice at Prudential Center before the Olympic break. This week, they\u2019ll face two teams competing for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot: the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders. Afterwards, seven players will head to Italy, representing the USA, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Sweden.<\/p>\n The Devils will finish the month with back-to-back games against the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins, followed by a road matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Can they get back on track and re-enter playoff contention?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Devils-Celebrate-11-1200x800.jpg\")
New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier celebrates his game winning goal with his teammates against the Seattle Kraken during overtime (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Devils_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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