Playoff Hockey Returns to New Jersey: So What’s Next?
Fans can at long last celebrate as playoff hockey is officially coming back to New Jersey this month. With the New York Ranger's 8-5 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the New Jersey Devils have now clinched their spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not only did they clinch, but their first-round matchup is officially set. It will be the Devils vs the Hurricanes. An impressive accomplishment for a Devils team struck with unfortunate injuries over the last few weeks. One minute fans are comfortable with their goaltender Jacob Markström making his return from injury, then all of a sudden, superstar Jack Hughes is out for the season on the same day. When things could not possibly get more unfortunate, defenseman Dougie Hamilton is ruled out as well but may return. This is an accomplishment worth celebrating, but that doesn’t dismiss that there is more work to be done. So, where do they go from here?
With four games left in the regular season for New Jersey, this team needs all the practice they can get once transitioning to the playoffs. A young Devils team coming up on only their third playoff appearance in the last thirteen seasons. They will match up against a well-experienced Hurricanes team in the postseason for the seventh straight season, winning at least one round in each of those appearances. In these last few games, New Jersey must take this as seriously as possible to carry that aggressive momentum with them against the Hurricanes. The underdogs of this series, the Devils captain Nico Hischier, alongside players like Timo Meier and Erik Haula, must lead this team to prevent what happened in 2023. Without the aggressive play of those veterans, as well as locked-in defense from Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce, this team will be outmatched and eliminated within five games once more. As unlucky as they have been, this playoff berth has proven this team is still a force to be reckoned with without their best player, leaving fans with some hope New Jersey has just as much of a chance as Carolina. If they can play aggressively, play smartly, and play like they want it, then they can build the momentum they need to begin the series.
Coming off a 7-2 loss to the Boston Bruins and clinching the next day is a confusing thing, but fans will take it nonetheless. Despite there being a few reasons to be negative going into the postseason, there are plenty more reasons to be positive. New Jersey is about to have playoff hockey, a postseason unlike any other sport. It’s worth getting enthusiastic about, though the odds are on the Hurricanes but think about the future of this team. Holding on and making this series at least a battle without Jack Hughes is huge. Just imagine the next year when Jack Hughes is fully healthy for the playoffs. With the young talent they have and those like Ondřej Palát, who can come alive during the playoffs, there’s a chance this series will still be a battle. As the young players look to gain some playoff experience, this likely first-round exit will undoubtedly prove as just the beginning of the real story yet to come.
