Devils Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines — Quiet Trade Deadline, Brett Pesce Week-to-Week, and More – The Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

After a disappointing stretch of games, the New Jersey Devils are attempting to get back to their winning ways, going 4-1-0 in their last five games. Their seven-game homestand could not have come at a better time, allowing the team to regroup and earn as many points as possible before the regular season ends. Can they continue their redemption arc with 19 games left in the season?

With that being said, here are a few storylines to follow for the week of March 8 — March 15, 2026.

Trade Deadline Passes Without Any Moves

Numerous trades occurred ahead of the NHL deadline on March 6, but the Devils stayed relatively quiet. Instead of trying to bolster their group with a few short-term additions, general manager Tom Fitzgerald emphasized the belief he has in their core players. 

Related: Devils Place Dadonov, Glendening, and Tsyplakov on Waivers

In his latest press conference, he shared that he wanted to add a few players, but nothing materialized. Given their place in the standings and their current playoff chances becoming slim to none, it made sense for the Devils to hold off on making moves.

But one name kept coming up in conversation: Simon Nemec. There have been plenty of inquiries about the young defenseman — especially after he switched agents earlier this week — but it appears that he’ll remain on the Devils’ blue line until his entry-level contract expires. Without any roster moves ahead of the deadline, fans will have to wait until the offseason to see if the organization plans to shake things up.

Brett Pesce Week-to-Week with Lower-Body Injury

Once again, the Devils will be without Brett Pesce for the near future, after the veteran defenseman suffered a lower-body injury against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. After missing the second half of the back-to-back against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was listed as week-to-week and is expected to miss some time.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Pesce has been hurt this season. He blocked a shot with his wrist in late October and missed two months with an upper-body injury as a result.

In his stead, Johnathan Kovacevic has been skating with Luke Hughes, and the pair have had some success together. In 24:38 of ice time in their last two games, they’ve helped generate 25 shot attempts, 10 scoring chances, and two goals. Moving forward, they’ll be expected to hold down the blue line until Pesce returns to the lineup.

Rivals Defeated, Milestones Reached, and More

The Devils extended their win streak to four straight games on Saturday, after an afternoon tilt with Hudson River rivals, the New York Rangers. The result was a 6-3 win for the Devils, but the matchup also resulted in milestones for a few players.

Dawson Mercer tied the game at two at the end of the first period, scoring a power-play goal after deflecting the puck into the net past Jonathan Quick. Not only did it mark Mercer’s 200th NHL point, but Luke Hughes earned the 100th assist of his career on the same play.

Determined not to be left out of the action, Jack Hughes went on to have a four-point game, securing his fourth career hat trick with an empty-net goal at the end of the third period.

Following such a strong performance, it’s clear that things are finally clicking for the Devils after months of struggling. Here’s to hoping they can remain strong in the home stretch of the season.

Devils Schedule March 8 — March 15