Devils Rink Report: A New Jersey Devils Podcast with James Nichols

Connor Hellebuyck will not play Tuesday in his return to Winnipeg. The New Jersey Devils announced the decision minutes after Hellebuyck's first shutout as a Devil, a 4-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sun Nov 8, 2026, at Scotiabank Arena. Timo Meier scored twice.James Nichols reacts live and solo on Devils Postgame Live as the news breaks: Sunny Mehta's statement, Hellebuyck saying "I'm disappointed, but I understand," why James would have played him in Winnipeg, and why two games against the Washington Capitals this week change the math. Plus Jake Allen's history against the Jets, the Jets' Nov. 28 visit to Prudential Center, Meier's breakthrough, Nico Hischier's 500th NHL point, and your questions from the live chat.Devils GM Sunny Mehta: "This has been an organizational decision for us that we've debated at length. Connor Hellebuyck was adamant that he felt a duty to play on Tuesday in Winnipeg. However, in our estimation, playing in this game would potentially give us a reduction in our expected win probability. Even though Connor isn't playing, at his request, we will coordinate a media availability after Tuesday's morning skate at Canada Life Centre."Meier scored at 8:28 and 12:44 of the second period, set up first by Declan Chisholm and Nico Hischier, then by Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Hischier added a power-play goal at 9:49 of the third, and Connor Brown hit the empty net. Hellebuyck stopped all 23 shots and is 5-0-0 with a 1.96 GAA and .913 save percentage since joining the Devils. New Jersey outshot Toronto 29-23.The Devils are 13-5-0 with 26 points and five straight wins. Next: Tue Nov 10 at Winnipeg, 7:00 PM ET; Thu Nov 12 vs. Washington, 7:00 PM ET; Sat Nov 14 at Washington, 7:00 PM ET.Should the Devils have let Hellebuyck play in Winnipeg? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe to Devils Rink Report and turn on notifications. Devils Postgame Live goes live after every Devils game.Follow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com➕Get more Devils coverage with NJHN+: https://plus.newjerseyhockeynow.com$4.49/month or $39.99/year, with a 7-day free trial.Devils Postgame Live goes live after every Devils game.0:00 Pre-show / intro1:43 Devils 4, Leafs 0, and breaking Hellebuyck news2:34 Sunny Mehta's statement: Hellebuyck won't play in Winnipeg3:33 James reacts: "I would have played him"5:44 How the Devils shut out Toronto on a back-to-back7:01 Timo Meier finally breaks through with two goals8:38 Hellebuyck: "It's out of my hands"; Jake Allen vs. the Jets13:11 Nico Hischier's 500th point; Connor Brown seals it15:00 Jets' three-game streak; Hellebuyck to speak Tuesday18:12 Standings check: Devils 13-5-0, five straight20:10 Fan questions: a shaky first, Meier and the shutout27:55 Dougie Hamilton's physical turn; Hischier at 50031:27 Should he face the Jets? The Washington math36:37 Declan Chisholm, Amadeus Lombardi and Mehta's additions43:56 Protecting Hellebuyck, a Nov. 28 Jets date, fan reaction51:30 Trade pitches, Quinn Hughes and Dougie Hamilton's future1:00:44 Keefe wants Hellebuyck for both Washington games1:03:52 Depth scoring, the power play and Utica call-ups1:09:39 Winnipeg's crowd and the timing of the statement1:13:50 "Bizarre statement"? James defends Mehta's math1:23:01 Jake Allen's contract and Mikhail Yegorov's path1:26:19 Sign-off: Jets Tuesday. Can Allen make it six?

Jack Hughes won it in overtime. The New Jersey Devils erased a 4-2 deficit after two periods and beat the New York Islanders 5-4 on Sat Nov 7, 2026, at UBS Arena. Four straight wins. Fifty shots. Two points on Long Island.James Nichols and Daniel Amoia of New Jersey Hockey Now break it all down on Devils Postgame Live: Hughes' OT finish, Luke Evangelista getting the comeback started, Dougie Hamilton tying it on the power play, Declan Chisholm's fit on the blue line, Jake Allen's night, the Luke Hughes-Matthew Schaefer no-call debate, and the Devils Fanatics road crowd the players couldn't miss.Evan Rodrigues and Chisholm scored the Devils' first two goals. Evangelista made it 4-3 at 6:08 of the third, Hamilton tied it at 13:42, and Jack Hughes finished it at 1:18 of overtime off a Luke Hughes assist. Evangelista and Jack Hughes each had a goal and an assist; Evangelista was the game's first star. Allen stopped 19 of 23 shots. Ilya Sorokin made 45 saves as the Devils outshot the Islanders 50-23. New Jersey went 1-for-4 on the power play; the Islanders had no power plays.The Devils are 12-5-0 with 24 points. Next: Sun Nov 8 at Toronto, 7:00 PM ET, then Tue Nov 10 at Winnipeg, 7:00 PM ET.Subscribe to Devils Rink Report and turn on notifications for Devils Postgame Live. Drop your take in the comments: what changed this game?Devils Postgame Live goes live after every Devils game.0:00 Pre-show / intro1:44 Welcome from UBS: Devils 5, Islanders 4 in OT2:41 Aspen Vodka Player of the Game: Jack Hughes5:21 Aspen Vodka partner read6:33 Keefe's reaction and the Hamilton-Siegenthaler breakdowns10:16 The comeback, 50 shots and four straight wins15:18 Declan Chisholm's fit and Brenden Dillon's role20:07 Luke Evangelista finds a way past Sorokin24:33 Luke Hughes vs. Matthew Schaefer: the OT no-call27:55 Devils Fanatics: the road crowd the players noticed33:27 Luke Hughes keeps raising his game35:56 Jack Hughes' confidence and leadership38:10 Nico Hischier takes the punishment39:54 Toughness, fighting and Jake Allen's key saves50:24 Defensive rotation and keeping players fresh52:32 Brenden Dillon trade talk: the hosts push back53:44 Dougie Hamilton and the new power-play look57:50 Zelda detour, trade questions and more OT debate1:05:11 Timo Meier, officiating and final fan questions1:10:43 Sign-off: Toronto on SundayFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow✅Instagram: @devils.report🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com➕Get more Devils coverage with NJHN+: https://plus.newjerseyhockeynow.com$4.49/month or $39.99/year, with a 7-day free trial.Devils Postgame Live goes live after every Devils game.

he New Jersey Devils beat the St. Louis Blues 5-4 in overtime on Thu Nov 5, 2026, at Prudential Center. Luke Hughes opened at 7:34 of the first (Pesce, Jack Hughes). Anthony Mantha made it 2-0 at 12:02 of the second (Jack Hughes, Bratt). Robert Thomas answered on the power play at 16:04 (McTavish, Broberg). Jesper Boqvist scored at 18:00 (Luke Hughes, Mantha) and Mantha added another at 18:19 (Rodrigues, Pesce) for a 4-1 lead. Mason McTavish (11:46), Philip Broberg (14:36) and Dalibor Dvorsky (14:54) tied it 4-4 in the third. Jesper Bratt won it at 1:26 of overtime (Dougie Hamilton). Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 of 32 shots to go 4-0 as a Devil. The Devils outshot the Blues 36-32. Mantha, Luke Hughes and Bratt were the three stars. The Devils are 11-5-0 and play at the Islanders on Sat Nov 7 at 7 PM ET, then at Toronto on Sun Nov 8 at 7 PM ET.On Devils Postgame Live, James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down Mantha's two-goal night and the Aspen Vodka Player of the Game, Sheldon Keefe saying the Devils "tried to be too cool," why a B or C game still earned two points, Timo Meier's night (including the instigator), Hellebuyck owning two misplays, Luke Hughes' leap, Dougie Hamilton's overtime feed to Bratt, and chat questions on maturity, challenging penalties and who starts on Long Island.Drop your takes in the chat 😈0:00 Cold open: Devils 5, Blues 4 in overtime1:07 Subscribe plugs1:41 Aspen Vodka Player of the Game: Anthony Mantha3:36 Aspen Vodka partner read4:06 Keefe wasn't thrilled: "They tried to be too cool"6:23 B and C game still finds two points9:11 Chat opens: a win is a win10:46 Lombardi's night and the depth13:21 Timo Meier: snakebitten, still a Swiss Army knife19:00 Last year's Devils lose this game21:50 Hellebuyck's misplays and owning the goals24:00 Sunny Mehta and the fan base after the trade26:35 Challenging penalties and Timo's instigator30:29 The M-word: mature period, not a mature team yet34:16 Learning experience and Saturday at the Islanders36:35 Who starts on Long Island: Jake Allen?41:25 Grits yuck, then Luke Hughes' leap45:20 Dougie Hamilton's OT play and the second pair48:19 Sign-off: Islanders Saturday, Leafs SundayFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com➕Get more Devils coverage with NJHN+: https://plus.newjerseyhockeynow.com $4.49/month or $39.99/year, with a 7-day free trial.Devils Postgame Live goes live after every Devils game.

The New Jersey Devils beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in a shootout on Tue Nov 3, 2026, at Prudential Center. Evan Bouchard put Edmonton up 1-0 at 8:29 of the first. Connor Brown tied it on the power play at 7:42 of the second, and Jack Hughes scored at 14:50 and again on the power play at 15:35 to make it 3-1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (power play, 18:16 of the second) and Leon Draisaitl (power play, 1:00 of the third) tied it 3-3. Overtime was scoreless. In the shootout, Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk scored for New Jersey and Connor McDavid scored for Edmonton. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 21 shots in his first home game as a Devil to go 3-0, and the Devils outshot the Oilers 34-21. Jack Hughes, Nugent-Hopkins and Brown were the three stars. The Devils are 10-5-0 and host the St. Louis Blues on Thu Nov 5 at 7 PM ET.On Devils Postgame Live, James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down how the Devils held Connor McDavid to one shot on goal and one assist, Jack Hughes' two goals and the Aspen Vodka Player of the Game, Connor Brown's move to the first power-play unit, Nico Hischier's matchup against McDavid, Luke Hughes' night and Gritsyuk's shootout winner. They also take chat questions on the penalty kill, why the Devils didn't fold after Edmonton tied it, Amadeus Lombardi against McDavid, Stefan Noesen and Brenden Dillon, the Dylan Larkin rumor, the drop pass on the power play and Winnipeg's comeback.0:00 Pre-show1:44 Welcome and recap: Devils 4, Oilers 3 in a shootout3:29 Containing McDavid, the Olympics callback, Jack Hughes Player of the Game5:39 Even-strength control, the finishing turnaround and Jack Hughes' two-way game8:39 Connor Brown on power play one: two power-play points12:32 Luke Hughes stays with McDavid15:10 Chat: the power play, the penalty kill and the penalties18:25 Hellebuyck's third win and a team that doesn't fold20:30 McDavid shut down, a dominant second period and 4-3-0 when the opponent scores first26:12 Nico Hischier's matchup, faceoffs and the Selke case31:36 Jack Hughes' pace and Gritsyuk's shootout winner36:24 Not last year's team: depth, Lombardi, Noesen and Dillon42:22 Dylan Larkin to Boston and the Quinn Hughes question44:34 The best home win in a while, and the shootout rant47:35 Connor Brown's return: Devils 6-1-0 with him in the lineup50:26 Jack and Hellebuyck vs McDavid, Lombardi's test, credit to Sunny Mehta54:33 Defensive system at the blue line, the drop pass on the power play1:00:02 Jets comeback, Hellebuyck's effect and sign-offFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com➕Get more Devils coverage with NJHN+: https://plus.newjerseyhockeynow.com$4.49/month or $39.99/year, with a 7-day free trial.

Arthur Staple joins Devils Rink Report to talk about what Connor Hellebuyck changes for the Devils. Are they Stanley Cup contenders? Staple's answer: "I don't know if they can win, but I think they can get there." He also explains how a top goalie lifts everyone in front of him, why only Carolina and Washington stand out to him in the Metropolitan Division, and why he thinks the Devils can beat Washington in a seven-game series.Then James Nichols previews Tuesday's game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, goes through the week ahead, answers questions, and ranks the NHL's new Hometown Remix jerseys, including the Devils'. Recorded live Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. The Devils are 9-5-0 heading into Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. ET game at Prudential Center.0:00 Pre-show1:48 Welcome and news: Evan Rodrigues out sick, Oilers next3:34 Arthur Staple joins: Winnipeg after the Hellebuyck trade9:04 Devils weak spots and Sunny Mehta's Hellebuyck trade15:50 Are the Devils Stanley Cup contenders?19:35 Hellebuyck vs Carolina in a series, special teams, November23:54 Mikhail Yegorov: the Devils goalie prospect26:12 Sunny Mehta's next move: Dylan Larkin, Quinn Hughes29:46 Arseny Gritsyuk, Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt33:14 Connor Brown's return and the power play34:54 Luke Hughes: a true No. 1 defenseman?38:21 Devils at the Islanders Saturday: DeBoer, Palat, Schaefer43:16 James on Hellebuyck, Cory Schneider and the Devils' new belief45:37 Oilers preview: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, depth51:21 The week ahead: Blues, Islanders, Leafs, Jets51:44 Questions: playing hard on pucks, Utica call-ups, Sunny Mehta, Islanders1:02:29 Hometown Remix jersey tier list1:22:28 Wrap-up and Oilers tomorrow nightFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

The New Jersey Devils beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 on Friday, October 30 to finish their three-game road trip 2-1-0. Luke Hughes scored first, Vegas went up 2-1 on goals from Mark Stone (power play) and Ivan Barbashev, and Arseny Gritsyuk tied it 2-2 at 18:51 of the first. Jack Hughes made it 3-2 in the second, Gritsyuk added his second of the night late in the second, and Jack Hughes scored into the empty net for his sixth of the season. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 19 of 21 shots to go 2-0 as a Devil, and New Jersey outshot Vegas 32-21. Next up: Edmonton at Prudential Center on Tuesday, November 3 at 7:30 PM ET.James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down Gritsyuk's two goals and the shot that has Daniel pushing him onto the top power-play unit, Jack Hughes starting to score, Hellebuyck's second win as a Devil, Anthony Mantha leaving the game, and Amadeus Lombardi's night. In the chat, they take questions on the bounce back after Colorado, scoring first under Sheldon Keefe, the Nikita Kucherov trade request, the second line, Hellebuyck's home debut against Edmonton, and whether the Keefe critics have gone quiet.00:00 Pre-show01:46 Welcome: Devils beat Vegas 5-2 to close the road trip02:29 Arseny Gritsyuk, Aspen Vodka player of the game08:01 Recap: 2-2 after one, Luke and Jack Hughes goals13:05 Connor Hellebuyck 2-0 as a Devil, Anthony Mantha leaves15:41 Chat: Amadeus Lombardi and Gritsyuk's goal pace21:59 Bouncing back from Colorado: process and expected goals30:50 Gritsyuk on power play one, scoring first under Keefe44:17 Nikita Kucherov and player trade demands50:06 Second line: Meier, Hischier, Boqvist and Brown52:54 Hellebuyck's home debut against Edmonton55:40 Sheldon Keefe critics59:14 Kucherov update and sign-offFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

The Colorado Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Wednesday, October 28, ending the Devils' four-game win streak on the second night of a back-to-back (a 5-1 win in Dallas on Tuesday, Connor Hellebuyck's debut). Connor Brown gave the Devils a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal at 12:21 of the first period, his first goal of the season, and Gabriel Landeskog tied it on the power play in the second. Colorado then scored four times in the third period (Nazem Kadri, Parker Kelly, Nathan MacKinnon, Jaden Schwartz) before Brown added his second of the night at 15:35, assisted by Amadeus Lombardi and Cody Glass. Colorado outshot the Devils 44-22. Jake Allen made 39 saves, and the Devils went 0-for-3 on the power play. The Devils are 8-5-0 and second in the Metropolitan Division, with a game at the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, October 30 at 6 PM ET.James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down the loss on Devils Postgame Live. They name Brown the Aspen Vodka player of the game, then talk through why this one comes with a grain of salt: the back-to-back, the altitude, and a second period Colorado controlled until Allen couldn't hold it anymore. They get into the power play, including the 5-on-3, what they'd change on the top unit, and whether Hellebuyck in net would have mattered. In the chat, they answer questions on Allen, tired legs, the Utica Comets' 4-2 start, Dylan Larkin trade odds, the trip to Vegas, how Hellebuyck and Allen will split starts, and Lombardi's development.Drop your takes in the chat 😈00:00 Pre-show01:45 Welcome: Devils fall 5-2 to the Avalanche in Denver03:23 Connor Brown, Aspen Vodka player of the game05:28 Back-to-back at altitude and Jake Allen's second period08:28 Power play: the 5-on-3 and Jesper Bratt11:08 Hellebuyck Tuesday, Allen Wednesday: right call?13:20 Chat: Jake Allen, tired legs and Colorado's altitude18:00 Utica Comets' 4-2 start and Sunny Mehta's overhaul21:20 Connor Brown's shorthanded goal and the power-play fix25:35 Shots 44-22, "scheduled loss" talk and no red flags27:26 Dylan Larkin trade odds and the Devils as a destination29:37 Vegas on Friday: road-trip math, Hellebuyck and Allen starts34:13 Amadeus Lombardi's development35:43 Wrap-upFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

The Devils beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Tuesday night, and Connor Hellebuyck made his Devils debut with 17 saves on 18 shots. Nico Hischier scored twice, Jesper Boqvist, Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes each added one, and New Jersey is 8-4-0 with four straight wins.James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break it all down live on Devils Rink Report: Hellebuyck's first night, Luke Hughes' play, Jack Hughes' first 5-on-5 goal, a power play that still hasn't clicked, and your Super Chats.00:00 Pre-show01:44 Welcome: Devils beat the Stars 5-1 in Hellebuyck's debut04:54 Player of the game: Nico Hischier's two goals07:27 Handling Dallas's size, plus Boqvist, Luke and Jack Hughes goals12:02 Jack Hughes' lost tooth and the fishbowl13:00 Super Chats: how to fix the power play20:02 Remi Poirier, the goalie plan and Timo Meier's finishing28:15 Hellebuyck's debut and a team coming together41:57 Have the Devils proved it yet? Back-to-backs and scoring first47:42 Luke Hughes and the No. 1 defenseman question52:34 Is a Devils bandwagon coming?1:01:00 Poirier waivers, the Rangers and who coaches the power play1:11:13 Wrap-up: next show after the AvalancheFollow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

The New Jersey Devils wrapped up their home stand prior to their west road trip with a 3-1 victory over the Kings.Join Daniel Amoia after the final horn to hear everything he has to say about the lines, the goaltending, the special teams, and much more.Drop your takes in the chat 😈Follow us on social:✅ @JamesNicholsNHL✅ @Daniel_Amoia✅ @NJDHockeyNow🚨 Check out our live episodes and jump in the chat 🚨🤓 Read about the Devils at newjerseyhockeynow.com

The New Jersey Devils traded for Connor Hellebuyck. James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now breaks down the full deal: Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, Nick Bjugstad, the rights to Alexander Command and two picks go to Winnipeg, and Sunny Mehta keeps every first-round pick. We get into the A-minus grade, the cap math with no retained salary, when Hellebuyck could debut (Oct. 30 at Vegas or Nov. 3 vs. Edmonton?), Remi Poirier vs. Dallas, the Taylor Hall trade tree, and what this means for Quinn Hughes and Dylan Larkin.🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell. Devils Postgame Live streams after every Devils game.🎧 Listen to Devils Rink Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and every podcast app.📰 Devils coverage every day: https://newjerseyhockeynow.com (https://newjerseyhockeynow.com/)⭐ NJHN+ exclusives with James and Daniel Amoia: https://plus.newjerseyhockeynow.com (https://plus.newjerseyhockeynow.com/) ($4.49/mo or $39.99/yr, 7-day free trial)CHAPTERS0:00 Pre-show2:00 Connor Hellebuyck is a Devil4:00 The trade: Mercer, Command, Daws, Bjugstad6:00 Sunny Mehta keeps all his first-round picks7:00 Why Dawson Mercer was expendable8:30 What losing Alexander Command really means10:30 No retained salary: the cap math12:00 Hellebuyck fixes the Devils' biggest weakness13:30 Sunny Mehta the poker player14:30 Trade grade: A-minus15:00 When will Hellebuyck be ready?17:00 An "Infinity Gauntlet" Stanley Cup move19:30 Chat: is Command a big loss? Yegorov stays21:00 Yegorov and Hellebuyck long term24:00 The Taylor Hall trade tree25:00 How I handle trade rumors27:30 Debut date: Oct. 30 at Vegas or Nov. 3 vs. Edmonton?29:30 Did Lombardi make Mercer expendable? New lines33:00 Jets fan: can Hellebuyck win in the playoffs?36:30 Is age 33 a concern?38:30 The Bobrovsky blueprint40:30 Should Remy Poirier start in Dallas?43:30 Was there a third team in the deal?46:00 Are the Devils "boring"?51:30 Are the Devils Stanley Cup contenders now?55:30 Can they still get Larkin? Mantha, Dillon, Glass58:00 How the Barrett Hayden offer sheet blocked Utah1:00:00 Quinn Hughes and Dougie Hamilton's future1:04:30 Does Hellebuyck help land Quinn Hughes?1:09:30 Will Brenden Dillon get moved?1:12:30 Can this team survive the playoffs?1:16:00 Are the Devils too small?1:17:00 Hellebuyck's new mask1:18:30 The Wild's reaction1:20:30 What to watch Saturday vs. the Kings1:23:30 Cap space and forward depth1:27:00 Can both teams win this trade?1:29:00 Would Larkin fit? The Carolina-style game1:34:00 Sabres fans react1:35:30 Wrap-up#NJDevils #Hellebuyck #NHLTrade