The prospects for the New Jersey Devils’ 2025-2026 season look pretty bleak. By money puckthey have only an 8.9% chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs; only the terrible New York Rangers keep them out of last place in the Eastern Conference.
Related: Devils’ Prospect Stock Market: Yegorov, Fondrk and more
In this edition of Devils News & Rumors, we discuss Jack Hughes’ injury and whether it will impact his Olympic availability, Arseny Gritsyuk’s new vlogs, and dig deeper into the rankings.
Will Jack Hughes go to the Olympics!?
Just a few minutes into Thursday night’s game against Nashville, star Devils forward Jack Hughes went down the tunnel before returning for a quick shift and heading back down. After head coach Sheldon Keefe said it was a lower-body injury that likely wasn’t too serious, Jack also missed Saturday’s game in Ottawa.
On Monday Jack was absent for the morning skate according to team reporter Amanda Steinthen he jumped onto the ice. However, Jack was not present for today’s optional skate and Keefe subsequently called him out.
While things can always change, it certainly seems good for Team USA that Jack is a no-no against the New York Islanders on Thursday – a full week before the USA opens its tournament against Latvia. Also TSN insider Pierre LeBrun has provided further explanation on X: “At the moment no one seems to be concerned that this could affect Hughes’ Olympic availability. Sounds more day to day. But so close to Milan it is obviously remarkable.”
Additionally, during Monday night’s Devils’ Sweep the Deck Gala, Jack said, “That’s obviously the goal [to play in Milan]. I’d like to be [back]. It’s day to day. It’s seeing how I feel every day.”
Keefe on where Jack needs to go to return: https://t.co/Wy4wCh3Vjh pic.twitter.com/ufv6dvq0nF
— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) February 3, 2026
Arseny Gritsyuk vlogs
While a lot has gone wrong for the Devils this season, the addition of Arseny Gritsyuk to the lineup has been great. While nine goals and 23 points in 51 games aren’t earth-shattering, he has a strong two-way game that fits well in any team’s middle six. He is almost never liable.
But off the ice, he’s no stranger to joking around and messing around with his teammates, despite the language barrier. His updates through the social media platform ‘Telegram’ quickly made him a fan favorite.
After polling fans to see if he should implement a new type of content, he commissioned Meta Glasses to create his own vlogs, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look. Here is his first vlog:
The Eastern Conference standings look rough
Not only have the Devils struggled to string together wins, but in the meantime, the teams they chase continue to win. As it stands now, every Eastern Conference playoff team is on pace for more than 98 points.
In reality, there is a possibility that they have a better shot at the third spot in the Metropolitan Division than the second Wild Card spot. With just 58 standings points, the Devils would have to go about 20-6-1 the rest of the season to surpass 98 points.
Although things may change; For example, a team like the Islanders (who currently hold the third Metro spot) could stumble. If they finish with 91 points, and no other chasing team passes them, the Devils could go 16-8-2 – still very unlikely, but more feasible. Unfortunately, that scenario seems less likely, as the Columbus Blue Jackets, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are all sandwiched between the Devils and Islanders.
Stay tuned as the season progresses The hockey writers as your source for news, updates and more from the NHL and the hockey world.
#Devils #News #Rumors #Jack #Olympics #Gritsyuk #Vlogs #Score #Check #Hockey #Writers #Jersey #Devils #Latest #News #Analysis