In comparison to his Toronto teams, Sheldon Keefe’s Devils had a strong defense and elite penalty killing. Offsetting the strong play on the back end was an offense that could not consistently light the lamp. In their first Stanley Cup betting odds season under head coach Sheldon Keefe, the New Jersey Devils made the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was the third time since reaching the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. Keefe arrived after being fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Previously, he always produced playoff seasons but could never break through when it mattered most.
2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Preview: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
| Date and Time: | Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 6 PM ET. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Devils | +1½ -123 | 5½ +113 | +224 |  |
| Carolina Hurricanes | -1½ +103 | 5½ -130 | -255 | |
| ||||
New Jersey Devils Series Schedule
- Game 2: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 22, 6, ESPN
- Game 3: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, April 25, 8, TBS, Max
- Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils, Sunday, April 27, 3:30, 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
New Jersey Devils Head Coach
Head coach Sheldon Keefe coached the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2019-2024. His offshore bookmaker record was 253-128-47. Also, his playoff record was 16-21.
New Jersey Devils Goaltenders
Number one goaltender Jacob Markstrom, age 34, arrived from the Calgary Flames, where he played the past four seasons. Last year, he was 23-23-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. So far this season, Markstrom has a 2.50 goals-against average with a save percentage of .900. His record is 26-16-6 with four shutouts.
New Jersey Devils Key Players
C Nico Hischier has 35 goals, 34 assists, 69 points, and a +9. The Devils selected him first overall in 2017. Last year, Hischier cracked the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career with 31.
Jack Hughes was a top leader for the Devils with 27 goals, 43 assists, 70 points, and a +12. The Devils selected Hughes as the first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Also, he is a three-time NHL All-Star.
LW Jesper Bratt led the Devils last year with 27 goals, 56 assists, 83 points, and a -6. In turn, Bratt, age 25, has scored 26 or more goals in the past three seasons. This year, Bratt has 21 goals, 67 assists, 88 points, and a +5.
New Jersey Devils Record, Metrics & History
New Jersey had NHL rankings of 18th for goals scored and 3rd for power play efficiency. In comparison, on defense, the Devils had NHL rankings of 6th for goals against and 3rd for penalty killing.
To conclude the regular season, the New Jersey Devils were 42-33-7 straight up and 32-46 over/under the NHL Playoff betting odds total. Also, New Jersey was 7th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. New Jersey was 21 points behind the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The greatest Devil player of all time was goaltender Martin Brodeur. The Devils retired his #30, one of five numbers. Correlate the others are defenseman Ken Daneyko #3, defenseman Scott Stevens #4, left wing Patrik Elias #26, and defenseman Scott Niedermayer #27. Of course, the Devils are also known for being a leading cause of the hated “Dead Puck Era” during their glory years. The neutral zone trap suffocated excitement and goal scoring from the game. Goal-scoring levels have never returned to what they were before the Devils’ reign.