New Jersey Devils Announce 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule – The Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils unveiled their 2026-27 regular-season schedule on Thursday, marking the first time in league history that all 32 teams will complete an 84-game slate.

The Devils’ announcement gave fans their first look at the matchups, marquee games, and key stretches that will define the team’s campaign as they enter a new era under general manager Sunny Mehta, who was hired in April, while looking to return to playoff contention.

The schedule release comes after a busy offseason to date. Management has focused on reshaping the roster while maintaining their long-term core, extending captain Nico Hischier, adding veteran pieces, strengthening organizational depth, and drafting 12th-overall pick Alexander Command as the franchise looks to take another step forward.

A New Chapter Under Mehta

The Devils enter the season with a new-look roster and a new front office direction. After missing the playoffs last season, they have spent the summer attempting to balance immediate improvement with long-term flexibility.

Mehta’s first offseason as general manager has featured several significant decisions, including moving on from goaltender Jacob Markstrom, adding new pieces, and continuing to build around the organization’s core of Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier.

The 2026-27 schedule will provide an early test of whether those moves will help the Devils compete consistently throughout the season.

Division Rivalries

The Devils’ home opener will take place on Oct. 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers, giving New Jersey an early opportunity to make a statement against a familiar divisional rival. The Metropolitan Division matchup should set the tone for the season, as the Devils begin their push toward playoff contention against one of their toughest opponents.

The Metropolitan has been one of the NHL’s most competitive divisions in recent years. For New Jersey, finding more consistency against division rivals will be a major storyline throughout the campaign. The Devils struggled to string together wins against those opponents last season, and those missed opportunities played a role in missing the playoffs.

Devils fans can now begin counting down the days until the team returns to the ice and starts its pursuit of a postseason berth.

Other Key Dates

New Jersey’s longest homestand and longest road trip will both span just four games, creating a relatively balanced schedule compared to previous seasons. The Devils’ longest homestand begins on Dec. 15 against their Hudson River rivals, the New York Rangers, kicking off a crucial stretch before the holiday break. In fact, all four meetings between the Devils and Rangers will take place before Christmas, adding even more importance to the rivalry matchups early in the season.

The Devils’ longest road trip of the season begins on Jan. 28 against the Edmonton Oilers. The extended trip will feature seven consecutive road games until Feb. 18, with the stretch split up by the NHL All-Star break.

Another key storyline comes after the All-Star break, when the Devils will face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. All four matchups against Carolina will take place after the break, giving New Jersey a major opportunity to measure itself against one of the league’s elite teams during the second half of the season.

The final months of the schedule will also provide a significant challenge. Nearly all of March and April’s games will come against teams that qualified for the playoffs during the previous season, meaning the Devils will face a difficult closing stretch as they push toward postseason positioning.

With the NHL’s expanded schedule, the Devils will see a wide variety of opponents throughout the season. New Jersey’s 84-game slate includes 28 games against Metropolitan Division opponents, 24 games against Atlantic Division teams, and 32 games against Western Conference opponents. The Devils will face each Western Conference opponent once at home and once on the road.

With increased divisional competition, a challenging second-half stretch, and a historic increase in games played, the 2026-27 schedule will test the Devils’ depth, consistency, and ability to compete over the course of a full season.