New Jersey Devils
Metropolitan Division, Eastern Conference
Current Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | DIFF | PTS % | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | 40 | 34 | 3 | 83 | 218 | 234 | -16 | 53.9% |
|
Playoff Probabilities
Based on 100,000 simulations run on Apr 07, 2026
Analysis
Summary
The New Jersey Devils are on the fringes of the Eastern Conference race with just a 1.5% playoff probability, reflecting how steep their climb has become. At 58 points through 57 games, they would need a near-perfect finish and significant help from multiple teams ahead of them to stay alive.
Record and Recent Performance
New Jersey’s 28-27-2 record translates to a 50.9% points percentage, well below typical playoff pace, and their minus-29 goal differential underscores season-long defensive issues. The team strength rating of 43.8% places them near the bottom of the conference, and recent form at 40.0% suggests they have not shown the sustained surge required to close gaps in the standings. Even with modestly better home (44.6%) and away (44.4%) splits, the Devils have played like a sub-.500 team overall.
The Competition
The Devils sit 15th in the conference, already 11 points behind the Islanders at the current cutline of 69 points and projected to finish at 96.7. Teams directly ahead such as Washington (65 points), Columbus (65), and Ottawa (63) all project well above New Jersey’s 84.9-point finish, while stronger contenders like Boston, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo are tracking near or above 100 points. With so many teams to pass and several of them posting significantly higher strength ratings, gaining ground is highly unrealistic at this stage.
Remaining Schedule
New Jersey has 25 games left with a favorable 14 at home and an average overall schedule difficulty, facing opponents with a 52.2% strength rating. That said, the model expects just 26.9 additional points from those games, which would leave them more than 10 points short of the projected playoff cutoff. Even outperforming expectations by several wins would still require multiple teams above them to collapse simultaneously.
Outlook
While the Devils are not mathematically eliminated, their playoff path is extremely narrow and depends on a dramatic and sustained turnaround that has not appeared all season. Realistically, the final stretch is more about player development, evaluating the roster, and building momentum for next year rather than chasing a postseason berth.
Bandwagon Options
Your team's playoff hopes are fading — here are some teams worth cheering for:
Colorado Avalanche
Central · Western| W | L | OTL | PTS | Diff | Str | Playoff | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 16 | 10 | 110 | +91 | 68.8% | 100.0% | 12.3% |
If you miss watching elite, game-breaking talent every night, Colorado delivers with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar driving one of the most explosive teams in the league. They play fast, aggressive, skill-heavy hockey that’s easy to fall in love with. As a Western Conference powerhouse, you can jump on without dealing with Metro baggage.
Dallas Stars
Central · Western| W | L | OTL | PTS | Diff | Str | Playoff | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 20 | 12 | 102 | +47 | 57.8% | 100.0% | 5.8% |
Dallas is a balanced contender with depth down the middle, strong goaltending, and a blue line that can both defend and push play. They’re built the way Devils fans appreciate — structured but still dangerous offensively. It’s a steady, professional group that looks built for a long run out West.
Buffalo Sabres
Atlantic · Eastern| W | L | OTL | PTS | Diff | Str | Playoff | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 23 | 8 | 100 | +35 | 60.0% | 100.0% | 5.6% |
If you want to stick in the East without cheering a rival, Buffalo is a fun, offense-first team that feels a bit like a Devils cousin. They’ve leaned into young skill and play with pace, and their fan base is starving for a breakthrough. There’s something relatable about riding with a talented group trying to take the next step.
Anaheim Ducks
Pacific · Western| W | L | OTL | PTS | Diff | Str | Playoff | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 31 | 5 | 87 | -14 | 50.6% | 96.7% | 3.2% |
Anaheim is your underdog-with-upside option. They’re not the flashiest contender, but they’ve scratched and clawed their way into the picture and play a scrappy, resilient style. It’s low-pressure bandwagoning — if they make noise, you look like a genius for hopping on early.
Required Win Percentage for Playoffs
Win percentage needed in remaining games to achieve each playoff probability threshold. A checkmark (✓) means the team has mathematically clinched a playoff spot. A dash (—) means the threshold is impossible to reach.
Playoff Probability Breakdown
Understanding the factors that drive the 0.2% playoff probability
📊 Schedule Context
🎯 Key Factors
🏒 Playoff Picture
Playoff probabilities are calculated through Monte Carlo simulation, running 10,000+ scenarios of the remaining season. Each game is simulated based on team strength ratings, home ice advantage (~55% win rate), and opponent matchups.
Points Distribution vs. Cutline
Projected to finish with 87–90 points (middle 50%). The playoff cutline is typically 95–96 points. Finishes above the cutline in 0.3% of simulations.
Team Projection
Playoff Cutline
Playoff Race — Eastern Conference
| # | Team | PTS | GP | Left | STR | L10 | SOS | Proj PTS | Playoff % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 100 | 77 | 5 | 63.1% | 80.0% | 53.2% | 106.1 | 100.0% | |
| 5 | 96 | 78 | 4 | 58.3% | 60.0% | 53.5% | 100.6 | 100.0% | |
| 6 | 95 | 78 | 4 | 58.2% | 65.0% | 58.4% | 99.4 | 98.6% | |
| 7 | 90 | 77 | 5 | 57.5% | 65.0% | 51.9% | 96.0 | 74.1% | |
| 8 | 90 | 77 | 5 | 56.2% | 70.0% | 55.8% | 95.6 | 63.0% | |
| 9 | 89 | 78 | 4 | 47.8% | 30.0% | 57.9% | 93.3 | 22.8% | |
| 10 | 88 | 77 | 5 | 49.2% | 40.0% | 54.1% | 93.4 | 12.5% | |
| 11 | 88 | 77 | 5 | 49.5% | 35.0% | 57.2% | 93.4 | 24.0% | |
| 12 | 87 | 78 | 4 | 55.6% | 65.0% | 53.3% | 91.3 | 4.8% | |
| 13 | 83 | 77 | 5 | 52.4% | 65.0% | 55.9% | 88.4 | 0.2% | |
| 14 | 78 | 77 | 5 | 47.0% | 50.0% | 52.7% | 83.5 | 0.0% | |
Yesterday's Impact
| Result | Impact | |
|---|---|---|
| MTL 0 - NJD 3 | NJD played |
+0.2%
|
| Net: | +0.2% | |
Team Strength Metrics
| Overall Strength | Home Strength | Away Strength | Pythagorean Win % | Recent Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52.4% | 55.0% | 51.0% | 46.5% | 65.0% |
Player Statistics
| # | Player | Pos | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Jack Hughes | C | 56 | 25 | 47 | 72 | +4 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 21:15 | |
| 63 | Jesper Bratt | L | 77 | 20 | 48 | 68 | -9 | 0 | 69 | 24 | 18:46 | |
| 13 | Nico Hischier | C | 77 | 26 | 35 | 61 | -4 | 0 | 58 | 63 | 20:48 | |
| 28 | Timo Meier | R | 72 | 24 | 18 | 42 | -12 | 0 | 127 | 51 | 18:34 | |
| 16 | Connor Brown | R | 70 | 17 | 23 | 40 | +2 | 0 | 25 | 34 | 17:27 | |
| 91 | Dawson Mercer | C | 77 | 18 | 21 | 39 | +1 | 0 | 32 | 47 | 18:13 | |
| 7 | Dougie Hamilton | D | 72 | 12 | 23 | 35 | -1 | 0 | 87 | 77 | 21:35 | |
| 43 | Luke Hughes | D | 67 | 6 | 29 | 35 | -3 | 0 | 18 | 54 | 22:59 | |
| 81 | Arseny Gritsyuk | R | 66 | 13 | 18 | 31 | -3 | 0 | 58 | 18 | 15:10 | |
| 17 | Simon Nemec | D | 63 | 11 | 15 | 26 | -3 | 0 | 20 | 93 | 19:32 | |
| 12 | Cody Glass | C | 65 | 17 | 7 | 24 | +2 | 0 | 40 | 38 | 13:35 | |
| 5 | Brenden Dillon | D | 77 | 3 | 12 | 15 | -9 | 0 | 190 | 97 | 17:51 | |
| 47 | Paul Cotter | L | 74 | 8 | 6 | 14 | -21 | 0 | 182 | 21 | 10:39 | |
| 71 | Jonas Siegenthaler | D | 77 | 0 | 13 | 13 | -10 | 0 | 92 | 131 | 19:29 | |
| 81 | Ondrej Palat | L | 51 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -5 | 0 | 89 | 41 | 12:44 | |
| 11 | Stefan Noesen | R | 38 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -12 | 0 | 33 | 15 | 11:45 | |
| 29 | Lenni Hameenaho | R | 29 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -1 | 0 | 18 | 15 | 12:12 | |
| 22 | Brett Pesce | D | 37 | 1 | 6 | 7 | -11 | 0 | 11 | 80 | 20:18 | |
| 8 | Johnathan Kovacevic | D | 29 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 33 | 17:40 | |
| 41 | Luke Glendening → PHI | C | 52 | 0 | 4 | 4 | -11 | 0 | 66 | 45 | 9:54 | |
| 45 | Colton White | D | 23 | 0 | 4 | 4 | +2 | 0 | 23 | 16 | 12:15 | |
| 42 | Maxim Tsyplakov | R | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -7 | 0 | 37 | 4 | 8:18 | |
| 72 | Nick Bjugstad | C | 21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -5 | 0 | 32 | 9 | 9:27 | |
| 83 | Juho Lammikko | C | 24 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -4 | 0 | 40 | 14 | 9:52 | |
| 33 | Evgenii Dadonov | L | 23 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 10:38 | |
| 44 | Dennis Cholowski | D | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -5 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 14:27 | |
| 15 | Zack MacEwen | R | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6:20 | |
| 48 | Brian Halonen | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5:37 | |
| 21 | Marc McLaughlin | C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5:48 |
Recent Games (Last 10)
| Date | Opponent | Location | Score | Result | Opp Strength | Playoff Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 05 | Montréal Canadiens | Away | 0 - 3 | W | 63.1% | +0.2% |
| Apr 04 | Montréal Canadiens | Home | 3 - 4 (OT) | OTL | 63.1% | -0.2% |
| Apr 02 | Washington Capitals | Home | 7 - 3 | W | 55.6% | 0.0% |
| Mar 31 | New York Rangers | Away | 4 - 1 | L | 49.5% | -0.2% |
| Mar 29 | Chicago Blackhawks | Home | 5 - 3 | W | 40.9% | +0.1% |
| Mar 28 | Carolina Hurricanes | Away | 5 - 2 | L | 63.9% | -0.2% |
| Mar 26 | Nashville Predators | Away | 2 - 4 | W | 52.7% | +0.5% |
| Mar 24 | Dallas Stars | Away | 4 - 6 | W | 57.8% | +0.2% |
| Mar 20 | Washington Capitals | Away | 2 - 1 | L | 55.6% | -0.3% |
| Mar 18 | New York Rangers | Away | 3 - 6 | W | 49.5% | +0.2% |
Upcoming Games
| Date | Opponent | Location | Opp Strength | Exp Pts | Playoff Swing | Predicted Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 07, 19:00 | vs Philadelphia Flyers | Home | 56.2% | 1.10 | 0.3% | PHI (51%) |
| Apr 09, 19:00 | vs Pittsburgh Penguins | Home | 58.3% | 1.08 | 0.3% | PIT (52%) |
| Apr 11, 17:00 | @ Detroit Red Wings | Away | 49.2% | 1.14 | 0.3% | NJD (51%) |
| Apr 12, 19:00 | vs Ottawa Senators | Home | 57.5% | 1.12 | 0.3% | OTT (50%) |
| Apr 14, 19:00 | @ Boston Bruins | Away | 58.2% | 0.98 | - | BOS (58%) |
| Averages (Next 5 games): | 5.4 pts | 0.3% | ||||
Expected points are calculated based on win probabilities: (2 × win%) + (0.25 × loss%) for overtime losses. Opponent strength ratings help identify which games are easier or harder opportunities to earn points.